Helpful Guide for Spending February in Costa Rica

Are you planning a trip to Costa Rica in February? If so, you are choosing a great time of the year to visit our beautiful country!

February offers spectacular weather, fun festivals, and Costa Rica tours that visitors will love to experience on their Costa Rican vacation. Follow this Costa Rica travel advice for planning your upcoming trip.

Costa Rica Weather in February

February is the middle of Costa Rica’s dry season, so visitors can enjoy sunny skies, very little rain, and overall great weather when staying on the Pacific Coast. High temperatures range from 86°F to 94°F, with low temperatures only dropping a few degrees from 76°F to 84°F. It’s also the high season, so visitors can expect flights, accommodations, tours, and activities to be more expensive when visiting Costa Rica in February.

While Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province enjoys warm weather in February, the Caribbean side (and central highlands) usually experience more rain. For example, Tortuguero National Park, located in the Northern Caribbean, has an average temperature of 81°F in February, but also experiences 15 days of rain.

If you’d like to plan a trip to Costa Rica in February but want to dodge the peak season prices, planning a trip to Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast is a smart decision.

Costa Rica Events in February

February may be Costa Rica’s high season due to the weather, but these popular cultural activities and events also inspire visitors to plan a trip to Costa Rica during this month:

#1

Puntarenas Carnival

For an entire week in February, the port town of Puntarenas, just across the Gulf of Nicoya and the Nicoya Peninsula, hosts the country’s biggest carnival in the country!

You can enjoy colorful parades, fireworks, live music, traditional food, and other fun activities. Although the dates change each year, usually, the festival takes place during the last week of February.

#2

Liberia Fiestas

This popular event, like the carnival that Puntarenas hosts, also occurs during the last week of February.

Throughout Liberia, you can partake in Guanacaste’s folklore, traditions, celebrations, and “cowboy culture” with music, rides, concerts, and other fun activities.

#3

CENAC Summer Festival

This popular cultural festival is hosted at the National Cultural Center in San Jose in mid-February. Most travelers and locals can enjoy storytelling, theater, movies, carnival rides, and dancing during the event. If you’re in San José during this time, don’t miss the chance to enjoy these public activities and events.

Best Things to Do When You Visit Costa Rica in February

These notable destinations and fun activities are perfect for adding to your custom-made trip itinerary to Costa Rica in February:

#1

Manuel Antonio National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Costa Rica.

While travelers flock to the gorgeous white-sand beaches, wildlife-filled hiking trails, and adventurous surfing spots in this national park year-round, generally speaking, January, February, and March are the best months to visit for reliable sunshine, clear skies, and warm temperatures!

#2

Northern Pacific Coast Beaches

February is the perfect time to visit the country’s western beaches.

Playa Hermosa offers tranquil coves for swimming and snorkeling, Playa Flamingo is an excellent launching point for fishing, sailing, and scuba diving tours, and Playa Grande is a perfect spot for spotting sea turtles until the end of February.

While February offers sunny weather, the Papagayo Winds can also bring strong gusts of wind (up to 100 mph!) up and down Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast from January to March. While the windy conditions may seem less than ideal, it’s actually great for surfing and kiteboarding at popular surfing beaches like Playa Tamarindo and Playa Avellanas.

#3

Osa Peninsula

If you’d like to meet with exotic wildlife and marine life during your trip to Costa Rica, head down to the Osa Peninsula.

While you’re here, you can watch humpback whales in Uvita—one of the best places for whale watching in Costa Rica. You can also book a multi-day guided hike through Corcovado National Park to see scarlet macaws, monkeys, tapirs, jaguars, and other unique wildlife species while visiting Costa Rica in February.

#4

Arenal Volcano National Park

If you’d like to see one of the most popular landmarks in the country, head to Arenal Volcano National Park and La Fortuna in Central Costa Rica.

While you’re here, you can enjoy tons of fun activities, including whitewater rafting, kayaking, and hiking, to see the tropical landscape. You can also relax in natural hot springs and mud pots created by volcanic activity.

#5

Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve

If you’re interested in sustainable tourism, you shouldn’t miss the chance to visit at least one of Costa Rica’s many nature reserves—notably, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve.

While you’re here, you can go on a canopy tour through the trees, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can even go on a ziplining adventure!

Find the Perfect “Home Away From Home” for Your Costa Rica Trip with Special Places of Costa Rica

Now that you have extensive knowledge about all the best events, festivals, and things to do in Costa Rica in February and know how to pack for the weather, it’s time to find the perfect place to stay for your vacation!

Special Places of Costa Rica offers beachfront homes, quaint condos, and luxury villas in the Guanacaste Province, including some of the best places to visit in Costa Rica in February, including Playa Flamingo, Playas del Coco, and more.

Browse our selection of properties to find the perfect place to stay for your trip to Costa Rica!