City parks in the Central Valley of Costa Rica
There are plenty of city and leisure parks in the greater San Jose area
they are spacious and usually well maintained
Here is just a selection of particularly valued, partly private, facilities for recreation in the countryside.
Simon Bolívar Zoological Garden
The San José Zoological Garden is named after the Venezuelan liberation hero Simon Bolivar. The zoo is located in the eastern part of the city.
You pay a small entrance fee of around $4 per person, children a little less. What is remarkable are the many different monkeys (including non-native species) that live in open-air enclosures. Some big cats can also be seen in cages that are unfortunately too small.
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Zoo Ave
A beautiful excursion in the Central Valley leads to Costa Rica's largest animal park, Zoo Ave in las Garitas . The Spanish word “Ave” means “bird” and names the park’s main attraction: these are rare birds.
Furthermore, numerous mammals and reptiles bring guests closer to the fauna of Costa Rica. These include huge iguanas and the rare ocelot - a wild cat. The zoo's commitment also includes raising orphaned animals and preserving endangered species.
La Savannah
The city park “ La Savannah ” (in tico: Parque La Sabana) offers plenty of space for leisure activities, picnics and sports. There are two small lakes, you can rent horses, ride bikes and scooters, there are tennis courts, a skating rink and lots of sports fields.
At the weekend the park is very busy and there is a great selection of fruits and small items from hawkers; during the week there is more peace and quiet.
Open daily without opening hours, no entry costs, no costs for using the sports facilities. West of the city center, La Sabana
Hacienda el Rodeo
This weekend park is located in the countryside, near the village of Ciudad Colón . A typical restaurant, pool and a hacienda with horses and ponies for rent are offered.
Parque la Paz
This is the second, large urban park in the San José metropolitan area. Not to be confused with the “La Paz University” near Ciudad Colon. It is a green park that residents of the capital can use as a daily recreational area. Located south of the center, on both sides of the main road (Circunvalacion sur) to Zapote, the green park is always very well attended. 
Children can do their laps on horses, you can row on the lake and go fishing. Cyclists do their rounds and you can have a picnic at the numerous tables.
The park is very family-friendly, but also suitable for athletes.
In-Bioparque in Santo Domingo de Heredia
This quite impressive private park is located in Santo Domingo de Heredia.
Numerous nature trails and paths lead through various forms of vegetation in a small area, as can be found in Costa Rica. Dry forest and rainforest coexist in a small area, and many of the animal species that live there can be found in a large lagoon: caimans, turtles, water birds and much more.
There are also many attractions for children, such as a labyrinth, aquarium, a petting zoo, restaurants, mariposarium, ranarium and a garden with medicinal herbs.
The InBio Park has been closed since 2015, we are waiting for news about the reopening.
Tel: +506 25078107
