Trips for Families in Costa Rica
More on: Costa Rica Destinations
Costa Rica is a wonderful tourist destination for a family trip. It is extremely diverse, considered safe and friendly (the country doesn't even have an army!). The official language is Spanish, but it's easy and convenient to get by in English. It has a winning combination of adventure activities, active recreation, and nature tours.
It is easy to combine it with a trip to the USA, thanks to the available and relatively cheap flights from various destinations in the USA, including direct flights from Orlando, the number one destination for families in the world.
Most travelers in Costa Rica tend to move to a new accommodation every two or three nights in order to see the different tourist areas in this fascinating and diverse country.
But for the traveling family, I recommend traveling using the successful and winning "Star Trip" method—staying in one place for an extended period of days and from there going out for trips to various attractions within a range of up to a two-hour drive in each direction. For example, if you arrive in Costa Rica for 10 nights, a successful division is six nights in the center of the country and four additional nights on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, near the animal-rich Manuel Antonio Nature Reserve.
In this article, you are given the opportunity to book recommended hotels in attractive destinations and also to book the best value trips in each destination from the successful Viator website.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica and its largest and most central city. Most tourists arrive there first because the international airport is located near it. Those who stay there can go out for several beautiful and interesting star trips.
Recommended hotels in San Jose and its surroundings:
Park Inn Hotel
A modern 4-star hotel, close to the city center, reasonable prices, highly recommended.
Presidente Hotel
A 4-star hotel, in the heart of the city adjacent to the pedestrian mall.
Marriott Hotel
A 5-star hotel, two outdoor pools, a pampering spa, a golf course, a fifteen-minute drive from the city center, close to the airport.
Selection of additional recommended hotels in San Jose and surroundings - Booking.Com
A reliable and successful site for bookings.
Recommended B&Bs and Hostels in San Jose and surroundings - Booking.com
Star Trips from San Jose
There is a variety of tours from San Jose to waterfalls, volcanoes, tropical forests, and interesting towns around San Jose. It is advisable to take a guided tour where you will be driven in an air-conditioned vehicle from one attraction to another, picked up, and returned to your hotel in San Jose. Most of these tours also include lunch.
Booking tours and day trips from San Jose via Viator:
"Lands in Love"
In the heart of a cloud forest, a group of Israelis established a hotel. They also market various attractions in the forest, a rope park/zipline, and more.
Variety of activities on-site:
Canopy
Ziplining through a series of cables in a rainforest, above the treetops across 500 acres from which a wonderful view of the forest is reflected. 9 cables, 10 platforms, 3 tracks, 2 hanging bridges, and a "Tarzan Swing" totaling 845 meters. Afterward—challenge cables—3 twin cables for a dual experience. The longest cable is 750m, steel towers, hanging bridges, high movement speed, 150m above the hidden valley. A truly fun experience!
Canyoning
Rappelling done inside waterfalls. You descend several waterfalls, small and large, some by rappelling close to the rock and some in the air tied to a harness, fun and special.
Rafting on the Rio Balsa River
Guided sailing on a rushing river with small waterfalls and eddies (level 2-3, definitely suitable for families)—a wet experience during which you will also get to see a selection of animals (such as monkeys, sloths, and birds).
Horseback Riding
On forest trails to the river and waterfall.
Hiking Trails
Additionally, at "Lands in Love" there is a large selection of hiking trails.
Unbelievable how many types of birds are in this place, in a variety of colors, sizes, and species.
Trip to Arenal Volcano
A mandatory day trip is to the Arenal Volcano.
A successful full-day trip in Arenal is:
La Fortuna – Arenal Combo Tour: Hanging bridges tour—the tour begins with a 3 km walk in a tropical forest. You cross 15 bridges between 5 and 100m long and up to 60m high. Spectacular view of the wildlife—birds, reptiles, mammals, and insects. The next stop is the La Fortuna waterfalls, the giant swimming holes, and the large rocks nearby. Continuing with a tour to the volcano including a walk in the forest to the place of the lava flow, observing vegetation, animals, and Lake Arenal, the thunder of lava and rocks rolling from the mountaintop. To finish, "Baldi" hot springs for several hours including dinner. This is a large spa site with 25 pools, at temperatures from 35 degrees Celsius to 67, waterfalls, and water slides. A very large, impressive, and enjoyable complex.
Order tours from La Fortuna via Viator:
Recommended hotels in the Arenal area:
Nayara Springs – The most impressive and successful hotel in the area. A luxury boutique hotel overflowing with tropical vegetation, pools, amazing restaurants, and a spa site.
Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort – A sprawling 5-star hotel featuring baths based on hot spring water, sauna, luxury spa treatments, and 5 swimming pools entirely immersed in tropical vegetation.
Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa – A 5-star suite hotel overlooking the Arenal Volcano. It also has pools based on hot spring water, beautiful pools, and quality restaurants.
Mountain Paradise- A 4-star suite hotel near the Nayara Springs hotel, with successful pools, a spa, and spacious suites all overlooking the Arenal Volcano. Many suites have a double Jacuzzi on the balcony.
Arenal Springs Resort & Spa - A 4-star hotel whose rooms overlook the Arenal Volcano. The hotel has a pool, a spa site, and a restaurant.
Montana De Fuego – A hotel with suites and cabins at a 4-star level spread over a vast area. The hotel has a restaurant with a wonderful view, a pool, and several pools with spring water.
Hotel Lomas del Volcan – Cabins all overlooking tropical gardens, at a 3-star level. The hotel has a pool and Jacuzzi. The hotel has a restaurant. A beautiful 1.5 km nature trail passes through it.
Additional attractions in the Arenal area
In the Arenal area, there is a large selection of additional attractions. It is definitely worth coming to the area for an extra day:
Example successful activities are:
Kayaking / SUP in Lake Arenal
Calm kayaking in Lake Arenal while viewing the volcano and a variety of bird species, animals, and monkeys.
Guided visit to butterfly conservatories
During the visit, you will see hundreds of colorful butterflies flying above your heads, including the magnificent national butterfly of Costa Rica.
ATVs and Bicycles
Action and sports enthusiasts will choose an ATV tour or mountain biking in the surroundings of the Arenal Volcano.
Caves
About a 45-minute drive from Arenal, you can visit the Venado Caves:
A wet and exciting experience. A maze of natural caves and tunnels underground. Walking and crawling in narrow passages, mazes, and rooms while viewing famous rock shapes, stalactites, and stalagmites.
For volcano and nature lovers, it is recommended to tour another volcano:
Poas Volcano
The mountain, rising to a height of 2700 meters, has the largest active crater in the world—about 1.5 km wide and 300 meters deep. The mountain has erupted about 39 times since 1828 but erupts in the form of a geyser with high frequency.
From the park's visitor center, a walking trail splits into three routes:
A route to the active crater, a route to the Botos Lagoon, and a hiking trail in the cloud forest on the mountain.
The crater is a very impressive sight—it has volcanic activity and steam rises from the lagoon. Botos Lagoon is another crater where there is no activity today, and a beautiful lagoon surrounded by green has formed in it.
La Paz Waterfalls
It is successful to combine the visit to Poas with a visit to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens located a short drive away. These are breathtakingly beautiful gardens and constitute one of the largest observatories in the world for butterflies, hummingbirds, and orchids. The gardens have stylish and safe trails along the La Paz River, which includes 5 large waterfalls.
Many visitors to the gardens say that the place is exactly as they envisioned Costa Rica—lush green forests, full of birds, butterflies, and colorful flowers galore.
The second place to live and spend at least four days on a trip is:
Manuel Antonio National Park
This is the smallest national park in Costa Rica, but one of the most beautiful and popular in the country.
The park is located on a peninsula, 6 km from the town of Quepos. On the way between the town and the park, there are many places to stay.
Recommended accommodation in Manuel Antonio:
Parador Resort & Spa
A 5-star hotel, 3 pools, 3 restaurants, air-conditioned rooms. Free shuttle service to the beaches. Free internet in rooms, free parking.
Hotel La Mariposa
A 4-star hotel. Restaurant and pool. Air-conditioned rooms. Free internet and parking.
Gaia Hotel & Reserve
A 5-star hotel for adults only. Restaurant, pool, air-conditioned rooms. Free internet and parking.
At the park entrance, there is a large and amazing beach, a giant strip of white sand and turquoise water, where you can also learn to surf.
In the national park itself, there are 4 small and quiet beaches, and everything around them is green—a forest full of animals of all kinds that roam almost without fear of the many tourists in the area. It is recommended to go on a guided tour during which you will see many monkeys, iguanas, many types of birds, crabs, sloths, raccoons, and also snakes and crocodiles in the park. At the end of the tour among the animals, it is recommended to stay at one of the park's beautiful beaches. Don't miss the spectacular sunsets!
Order tours in Manuel Antonio via Viator:
In the area between Quepos and Manuel Antonio, there are many restaurants, a small tourist market, and also nightlife.
Catamaran Cruise
From nearby Quepos, you can go on a catamaran cruise in the bays of the area where you can sometimes see dolphins and whales, snorkel in one of them and see many fish.
Mangrove Forest Cruise
A tour not to be missed is a mangrove forest cruise with "Rafa the Monkey Whisperer," during which many monkeys will jump onto your boat and eat from the palm of your hand. Rafa knows each of these friendly monkeys and even gave each of them a name. In addition to monkeys, you will see plenty of birds and unique vegetation.
Vanilla Farm
Another fascinating tour is to "Villa Vanilla"—a tour of the botanical gardens and spice gardens of the Vanilla Farm. This is a tropical agricultural laboratory, and during the tour, the visitor is exposed to the aroma and sights of spices—vanilla, tropical spices, cocoa, oil extracts, herbs, and ornamental plants. The tour includes gourmet tastings of ice cream, cakes, and hot chocolate, all from the site's plants and spices.
Crocodile Safari
On the way between "Lands in Love" and Manuel Antonio, it is recommended to go on a "Crocodile Safari": sailing among crocodiles, birds, and mangrove trees.
In Costa Rica, it is advisable not to rent a car but rather to use the efficient and excellent shuttle services spread throughout all parts of the country, which will lead you safely and calmly to the various destinations and attractions.
♦ Car rental from the reliable and convenient Booking site: Booking.com
Vacation packages and hotels in Costa Rica from San Jose
Those landing in San Jose can purchase comprehensive tour packages from the reliable Viator website to the best attractions Costa Rica has to offer. The packages consist of experiential tours for several days across Costa Rica that start immediately upon your landing at the airport. The tours include shuttles and accommodations, most of the attractions on the route, and a significant portion of the meals. The tour itinerary and attractions are detailed in the link. You can read about the destinations in these tours in my articles listed at the bottom of the page.
Vacation packages for several days in Costa Rica:
Star Trips in Northwest Costa Rica
The northwest area of Costa Rica, located in the Guanacaste province, is famous for its successful sandy beaches where many hotels of all types are scattered, including luxurious 5-star hotels. The area also has a variety of national nature parks with tropical forests, volcanoes, thermal phenomena, and a variety of animals. You can travel and spend at least a week in this area. The main tourist city of the area is Tamarindo, famous for its surfing beaches. The largest city in this province is Liberia, which has an international airport located only about a 20-minute drive from the ocean shores.
Full details in a detailed article about trips in this province: Tours, nature parks, and recommended hotels in Northwest Costa Rica
Tamarindo city beaches:
Rincon de la Vieja National Park:
