With some awesome day trip options in the surrounding area, renting a car makes good sense. Without one, it’d be much harder to explore all that San Rafael del Norte, 20 miles away, has to offer. Santuario Cerro Tepeyac, San Rafael Arcangel Parish and El Jaguar alone make the drive out worthwhile. Locals will also probably point you toward Esteli, 30 miles away. If you only see one attraction here, make sure it’s Drew Estate Cigar Factory. (But we’re also big fans of Esteli Cathedral and Somoto.)