San José
San José, the capital of Costa Rica, is a valley city surrounded by mountains. I personally was not very engaged with the city of San José, but since it is home to Costa Rica's major airport and tourism center, you will have to experience its cosmopolitan charm. There is still much to do here from the countless museums to fancy shopping across town, so I would not advise in skipping out on San José.
What to do in San José

Explore
Downtown
San José is home to some beautiful views of surrounding mountains, as well as countless museums like the Pre-Colombian Gold Museum.
DowntownShopping
The downtown shopping area offers countless stores with hundreds of restaurants to try some authentic Costa Rican food.

Art District
Night or day, the art and sculptures found within plazas across San José are sure to cause you to embrace your inner creative side.