Season guide · San José · Costa Rica
San José in the wettest months
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Fespinozalemistre, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Frequent heavy afternoon and evening rain, especially in September and October, easing through November. Expect highs up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 16°C (61°F), with about 64 rainy days across September–November.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 16°C (61°F) to 26°C (79°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 64
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in the wettest months
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 26°C (79°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 24 | 12.2 h | 2/5 |
| October | 25°C (77°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 25 | 11.9 h | 1/5 |
| November | 25°C (77°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 15 | 11.7 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 25°C (77°F) against a yearly 26°C (79°F), and 64 of the year's roughly 168 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in the wettest months
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: Independence Day — lantern parade on the evening of 14 September and parades on 15 September
- October: Día de la Mascarada — traditional masked parades (around 31 October)
Good choices for the wettest months
Museum · Barrio Amón
Museo de los Niños
Allow a few hours with younger children, and take a taxi or ride-hailing car from the centre rather than walking.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Centro
Teatro Nacional
Costa Rica's national theatre opened in 1897, financed by a tax on coffee exports, and its marble staircase, gilded foyer and painted ceilings were modelled on European opera houses.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Centro
Pre-Columbian Gold Museum
Start with the gold collection on the lowest level, where the lighting is designed to show off the metalwork.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Centro
Museo del Jade
The Jade Museum moved into a striking modern building facing the Plaza de la Democracia in 2014.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Centro
Museo Nacional de Costa Rica
Begin in the butterfly garden, then look for the bullet holes on the outer towers before going inside.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Day trips in the wettest months
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens (About 1.5 hours by road) — A private nature park on the slopes of Poás with trails and stairways past five waterfalls in the cloud forest, plus a hummingbird garden, a butterfly house and animal exhibits.
- Sarchí (About 1 hour by road) — A craft town in the coffee hills known for the hand-painted oxcarts that are a national symbol, with workshops where you can watch artisans paint the intricate patterns.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the wettest months a good time to visit San José?
It is a trade-off: Frequent heavy afternoon and evening rain, especially in September and October, easing through November. The best months overall are December–April.
+What is the weather like in San José in the wettest months?
Highs of up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 16°C (61°F), with about 64 rainy days over the season.