Santa Cruz is about 250 km from San José, reached by highway through Liberia. The drive takes around 4 hours. Liberia's Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, 50 km north, receives direct international flights and is by far the most convenient entry point for Guanacaste — from there, Santa Cruz is about 45 minutes by car or taxi.
Transportes La Pampa and other bus companies run services from San José's Coca-Cola terminal to Santa Cruz several times daily; the journey takes about 5 hours. Local buses connect Santa Cruz to the nearby beach towns of Tamarindo, Flamingo, and Sámara. Taxis are available for trips to Guaitil (ceramics village, 15 km), Playa Junquillal (40 km), and other local destinations.