La Sabana is the closest San José comes to a Central Park — 72 hectares of lawns, sports fields, walking paths, and mature trees on the western edge of the city centre. On weekends it fills with joggers, football players, families grilling food, and teenagers on bicycles. The artificial lake in the centre is a meeting point. The park is always busy because it serves genuine community needs rather than functioning primarily as a tourist attraction.
At the eastern entrance stands the former airport terminal, now the Museum of Costa Rican Art (Museo de Arte Costarricense), which houses the country's main collection of painting and sculpture. The permanent collection covers the 19th and 20th centuries, with a particular focus on the distinctive Costa Rican landscape tradition. Access is free on Sundays.