That was certainly the case for Lynne Mazouz and Kira Smith, two friends who set out for a dream vacation in Costa Rica — only to realize they booked a flight to San Jose, Calif., instead.

San José, Costa Rica's vibrant capital, serves as a central base for exploration and features a large international airport. You'll likely want to stop here before heading off to the country's ...

The best way to get around Costa Rica ... San José. For a hassle-free means of getting to downtown San José from the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), you'll want to flag a taxi.