Rescate Animal Zooave

Run by a non-profit organization, this zoological park is home to over 125 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles, many of them native to Costa Rica. See the animals, which live in large, natural enclosures, get hands-on with miniature horses and barnyard animals at the petting zoo, then spend some time up in the trees with the site’s zip-line canopy tours.

• Rescate Animal Zooave is popular with families and others interested in animal conservation.

• Pre-book mobile tickets online to save time.

• There's a restaurant, an ice cream parlor, and a gift shop on site.

• Visitors can bring their own picnics, but food can only be consumed in designated areas.

• The park is wheelchair accessible, and wagons for kids to ride in are available to rent.

Rescate Animal Zooave is situated in La Garita de Alajuela, about a 15-minute drive from the airport and 45 minutes from downtown San José. There is an interurban train station in nearby Alajuela, but there is little public transportation from there to the zoo.

The zoo is open throughout the year from morning until early evening, including on weekends and public holidays (when it's at its busiest). Although it’s lovely throughout the year, the best time to visit is during the dry season, which runs from late November through April.

Rescate Animal Zooave runs a variety of animal conservation efforts, including a wildlife hospital that takes care of over 7,500 animals per year. They've also bred a number of species for reintroduction to the wild, including squirrel monkeys and scarlet macaws; they have even helped reintroduce a bird—the grey-headed chachalaca—that was previously extinct in this region.