The Central Valley is filled with beauty and great attractions. It has a pleasant mild weather and its average temperature of 21°C-40 F- is during the year. The four most populated provinces (San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago) bring together this attractive valley. In the cosmopolitan and capital city of San José you will find Costa Rica's most prized architectural jewel:
The National Theater
El Teatro Nacional (The National Theater), but there are other places of cultural value.
In the museum category we hove: The Gold and Jade museums, The National museum, the museum of Costa Rican Art, the Natural Science museum of La Salle, University of Costa Rica's Insect museum, the museum of Art and Contemporary Design, and a children's favorite; The Children's museum among others.
San José is an ideal "home base" while you travel and fall in love with Costa Rica, due to its centralized public transportation system. This means that you can travel anywhere in the country from here, moreover you will be able to enjoy gourmet style restaurants, movie theaters, stage theaters, shopping centers, and a vivid and strong night life.
Alajuela is birthplace to our great national hero Juan Santamaría, and it is the city where the major international airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría, is located. Heredia is best known as "La ciudad de las flores" the city of flowers, it holds a rich and great historical worth.
Cartago has an immense significance for Costa Ricans since it is the place where The Basilica of Our Lady of Angels (Basilica de la Virgen de los Angeles) is situated.
Another huge attraction is Irazú volcano, and lets not forget two regions of extraordinary beauty, and truly tourist destinations on their own: Turrialba, and Los Santos valley. These are incredibly picturesque and quaint towns where you will take a glance at Costa Rica in the old days with its houses made out of bahareque (a construction material similar to adobe), big plantations, coffee treatment plants, sugar mills and dairy farms.
Turrialba Volcano
Furthermore you will benefit from spending a family day at the river shores, having lunch and taking a quick dip in the refreshing waters. The national parks inside the Central Valley are responsible for protecting the principal volcanoes of the area: Pods, Braulio Carrillo, Irazú, and Turrialba. There is easy access from San Jose to these areas through a constructed road system that allows you to enjoy the wide diversity of flora and fauna.
Hence many tourists take advantage of the one-day tours, to absorb themselves in a variety of cultural and natural attractions the Central Valley offers. On the other hand if you are looking for adventure and excitement rafting through the waters of Pacuare river, one of the best in the world, is for you. You may also quest the currents of rivers Sarapiquí and Reventazón, which are nearby and worldly known for its different categories.
Tourists will find endless well-organized tours from San Jose. How ever if you wish your trip to be more personalized, the best option is car rental. It provides the freedom to stop and view the amazing landscape, take extra pictures and really immerse in the local flavors. Bear in mind that the road access can be narrow or have sections with potholes, in some places there is difficulty going up the mountain.
All these interesting places are about three hours away from San José. If you decide to stay don't worry about accommodations there are all sorts of good small hotels and lodges that offer delicious typical gastronomy, prepared with the best -ingredients and recipes of the region. Different types of hummingbirds. It is good to mention that you may find pumas, coyotes, tapirs (an endangered specie), jaguars, wild hogs, and cacomiztles (within the raccoon family) among others.
Geographical Division 
