Our Walk-About tour is unique.  As a HomeBase guest we take you on a short  Walk-About through the streets of Alajuela to familiarize you a bit with Costa Rica and some of the local ways of life. While on the tour we want to answer your questions, address your concerns while helping to get you prepared to enjoy your adventure. Of course, if you are arriving late and leaving early we will make appropriate adjustments for a tour.

We start the tour by taking you to a bank or an ATM.  To get the best rate of exchange rate recommend that it is best to wait until you are in Costa Rica.  Banks and financially institutions abroad usually give a lower rate and, at times, include a service charge. 

In Alajuela there are banks opened until 6pm and ATM's are assessable 24 hours.  Other than stay in 'The Villa' there will be an ATM within a few blocks of your hostel, hotel or Bed and Breakfast.

Also, most international phone cards and cellular phones brought from abroad won't work. The only phone cards that are guaranteed to function are those issued here.  We will show you where you can purchase a phone card and how it works.  And, if you will be needing to use the internet we will take you by an internet cafe.  

The Costa Rican tourist board (ICT) advises tourist carry a copy of their passport rather than the original so on the walk we will take you to get a copy of your passport.  

Note: the copy of your passport has to include the visa or stamp of you received when you arrived the country thus a copy made before entering the country will not be valid.

We visit central park and the museum so you can get a quick glimpse of the diversity of natural resources and can learn a bit about the history of Costa Rica.

A stop at the local market (Mercado) and the supermarket are included. We show you where you can will find coffee bargain prices - good for gift buying on your return.  On Saturdays, there is a Farmers Market a short walk from downtown where farmers from all over the country sell fresh fruits and vegetables.

If you are staying an extra night we can help get you set up for a tour.  From a day trip canoeing around Arenal to taking a local bus to visit ZooAve from A to Z you can do plenty starting in Alajuela.  And most of the larger tours have pick up points in the area thus you do not have to begin in San Jose.  

There are also local events and places of interest where you can go by bus on your own. For sports fans on almost 'any given Sunday' we can instruct how to get to a futbol (soccer) game, where you can swim in underwater spring fed pools or play some hoop with the locals.

We end our tour at a local restaurant where delicious typical meals are less than $5 and a beer is a bit over a buck.  

Then for somewhere special, on the night before you leave, we can give you directions to a restaurant overlooking the valley.  Here, clients find the panoramic view exciting and find the atmosphere relaxing and the restaurant a nice place to reflect on their trip.