Costa Rica is one of the top family friendly countries thanks to being one of the safest countries in Latin America and very tourist friendly.
Additionally, it’s not very far from the United States and Canada. Many cities have direct flights to Costa Rica, so you don’t have to fly too long with the kiddos.
If you’re looking for some activities for the whole family, here are our top things to do in Costa Rica with kids.
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La Fortuna Hot Springs
La Fortuna is one of the top destinations in Costa Rica for families. As a leading adventure area, there are many exciting activities suitable for kids of all ages. One of those activities is the hot springs and it’s one of the best things to do in Costa Rica with kids.
Although Tabacon is a gorgeous hot springs resort, it is expensive and tends to be better for adults. Kids can enjoy it as well but for more fun hot springs with kid friendly amenities, Baldi is a great option.
La Fortuna travel plan: Check our things to do in La Fortuna with kids blog post for detailed information on tours, hotel recommendations and sample itineraries for families.
Baldi
Baldi has a dedicated kid area separate from the rest of the resort so they can play with other kids and it’s easy to watch them.
But if budget is not a concern, we highly recommend the Springs Resort & Spa. The Springs is a luxury hotel with their own hot springs pools that have waterfalls, river views, natural pools, a swim up bar and a waterslide. They offer 2 day hot spring passes and you can get our The Springs Hot Springs Day Pass discount here!
Another nice hot spring that isn’t as expensive is the Los Lagos Hotel. Their hot springs also has water slides.
Read about other things to do in La Fortuna with kids in our post!
La Paz Waterfall Gardens
The La Paz waterfall gardens seems like it was designed specifically for families as it has 5 different waterfalls, short trails and animal exhibits.
It’s a fun way for kids to get up close with wildlife and experience the rain forest without getting tired out. You can get our La Paz discount here.
If you’re looking for a nice, more upscale hotel in Costa Rica with kids, you can stay a night or two at the Peace Lodge. They are right next to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and all guests at Peace Lodge get early access to the park.
Chocolate Tours
Do your kids love candy and chocolate? Let them learn how it’s made! The best chocolate tours are in Puerto Viejo, Sarapiqui and La Fortuna. During the tour, you will see a cacao tree and learn all about the process of turning the cacao into the delicious sweet treat we all know and love.
This is a super fun and interactive tour for families in Costa Rica. The kids will learn about where their chocolate comes from, how it’s processed and get to sample some delicious chocolate!
We enjoyed our chocolate tour in Puerto Viejo with the BriBri indigenous community, Rainforest Chocolate Tour in La Fortuna and Costa Rica Best Chocolate in Sarapiqui.
The Rainforest tour was especially fun and interactive, the other two were more educational.
Family Zipline
For adventurous kids, ziplining is a must! For young kids, we highly recommend the beginner or family ziplines just in case they are a little nervous or you aren’t sure how they will be when they are up high.
La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo and Samara all have beginner/family ziplines which are excellent.
Some of the ones we recommend are Ecoglide and Arenal Canopy Adventure in La Fortuna, El Santuario in Manuel Antonio, Black Stallion in Tamarindo and Wingnuts in Samara.
For more adventurous or older kids, Selvatura Park in Monteverde, Sky Adventures in La Fortuna and Diamante Eco Adventure Park (get 10% off) in Gulf of Papagayo are excellent options.
We went ziplining at Selvatura Park once with a family with a 6 year old boy and at first, he was nervous. But at the end, he was SO happy and had SO much fun and wanted to do it over and over again. His dad was pretty happy about it!
**Make sure to inquire about the minimum age and weight for ziplines before you book!**
Guanacaste Beaches
Guanacaste is the province in Costa Rica known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the country and many of them are kid friendly. Plus no trip to Costa Rica with kids is complete without some beach time!
Some of the best beaches for families with young kids are Panama, Hermosa and Ocotal. As these beaches are inside a bay, the waves are very calm. They can play in the sand, swim and run around. For older kids, they can also take surf lessons at Tamarindo, Samara or Grande.
Here is our Costa Rica Family Itinerary for Guanacaste Airport that goes to Samara and Bijagua.
Visiting Tamarindo? Check out our post Things to Do in Tamarindo with Kids and our Tamarindo 5 day itinerary (fits for spring break) to help you plan your trip!
Short Nature Hikes
Nature walks is one of the best things to do in Costa Rica with kids. Look for a short hike (around 2-3 kilometers, no more than a couple of miles) so they don’t get too tired or moody but can still learn and experience a lot.
Additionally, it is highly recommended to get a guide to learn about the flora and fauna. You won’t believe how much kids absolutely love seeing frogs, snakes and monkeys in the wild! Plus it gives them a good chance to practice their own wildlife watching skills.
Some great nature walks for kids are the hanging bridges in Monteverde and Arenal, national parks with short trails like Arenal Volcano, Cahuita, Manuel Antonio, Poas Volcano and Rincon de la Vieja and private reserves like Hacienda Baru in Dominical or Arenal 1968.
The hanging bridges walk is one of the best things to do in Monteverde with kids. They are ideal for kids who don’t want to go ziplining or are too young to do the longer trails. You can go to Selvatura Park or Treetopia for hanging bridges.
Visit Wildlife Rescue Centers
Costa Rica has some great wildlife rescue centers for kids to learn about conservation and importance of taking care of nature. Not only it it an incredible learning experience but they’ll be able to get up close and personal with animals like toucans, sloths and monkeys.
Some of the best rescue centers are Jaguar Rescue Center, Toucan Rescue Ranch and Proyecto Asis.
Children’s Museum in San Jose
If you have a day in San Jose, there are actually several interesting museums and cultural things to enjoy. One of those is the Museo de los Ninos, or the Children’s museum.
There are a number of interactive exhibits and displays that focus on history and educating kids on various topics. What is even more interesting is that the building used to be a military prison and since Costa Rica abolished their army many years ago, the museum stands as a symbol to future generations of what it would be if the civil war and political turmoil continued.
Are you visiting Costa Rica with your multi generational family? Check out our guide “Costa Rica large group trip planning” for our local tips to make the process painless.
Small Waterfalls
Catarata Llanos de Cortes
In Guanacaste, there is a beautiful waterfall hidden in the dry tropical forest that is easily accessible and has a big pool for swimming. This is the Catarata Llanos de Cortes waterfall.
The walk to the waterfall from the parking lot is very short. The pool isn’t super deep so it’s perfect for kids to swim and toddlers to float with parents. Just be very careful if you’re visiting during the rainiest months of September – November.
This is one of the best things to do in Guanacaste with kids because it’s easy to get to, cheap ) and has a very calm pool to swim in. **In the rainiest months like October and November, if it has been raining or storming a lot, they may close this waterfall due to high water levels.** Best time to visit with kids is during the dry season.
Cascada el Pavon
This is another waterfall in Uvita near Ojochal and it’s great for families visiting Costa Rica. It’s quite small and the shallow pool is fun for swimming and bathing. The best thing is that Cascada el Pavon is free!
Safari floats and river boat rides
If your kids don’t want to walk a lot, a safari float is an excellent choice. I went on a safari float (boat ride down a calm river) from Arenal with a family of two young girls who had an absolute blast. They went crazy when they saw monkeys and sloths! They got really good at pointing out wildlife, one of them even spotted an otter!
This is one of the best things to do in Arenal with kids that are too young to walk more than a couple of miles.
The best ones are the Penas Blancas or Pure Nature safari floats from La Fortuna or the Palo Verde National Park or Hacienda El Viejo boat ride in Guanacaste. The Sierpe mangrove boat ride down in the South Pacific is also a great one.
This is definitely one of the best things to do in Costa Rica with kids who want to see wildlife but don’t want to walk long distances. For any tours in La Fortuna, get 7% off in the link!
Tips for Visiting Costa Rica for Families
Plan an easy itinerary
Since most of the touristic destinations are fairly spread out, you want to stay at least 3 nights in each destination and pick destinations that are not terribly far apart if you cannot stay more than 3-5 nights in one place.
Even though Google Maps or Waze may say it’s *only* 3 hours, it can very well turn into 4 or 5 depending on traffic, the weather and how many stops you take along the way.
Popular destinations in Costa Rica for families are La Fortuna, Playas del Coco, Papagayo Peninsula, Manuel Antonio, Samara, Uvita, Flamingo and Tamarindo.
ITINERARY HELP: Get our one week Costa Rica family itinerary that fits into spring break. Ideal for first time visitors. Flies in and out of San Jose International Airport.
Avoid going to places like San Vito, Osa Peninsula or Boca Tapada if you have babies/toddlers and a really short itinerary. Those places require more travel time and are more remote.
Consider staying at an all-inclusive resort
For multi generational travel, it may be easier to book your trip at an all-inclusive resort, especially if you’re only in Costa Rica for a short period of time (less than 1 week).
All-inclusive resorts provide more kid friendly services on big properties so it’s much easier to coordinate when it comes to food, activities and rooms. And then you can do day trips from the resort if anyone wants to go hiking or do any excursions.
Each family can plan their own thing with ease without causing the main planner much stress and headache at a resort.
The Westin Playa Conchal is a really nice luxury family resort. So is JW Marriott Guanacaste, Planet Hollywood, Four Seasons and Occidental Langosta.
Book a vacation rental/home
If an all-inclusive resort isn’t an option for your large group, then definitely check out vacation rentals instead of hotels. You can find large houses for rent in Costa Rica with multiple bedrooms.
Another option are condos and each family can rent their own condo. That way you can have all the amenities and comforts of home so you can cook, have a living room, separate bedrooms, etc.
Rent a car or book private transportation
We also recommend renting a car in Costa Rica for families. It’s the most comfortable way to get around Costa Rica with kids. You don’t need to work your trip around buses which are not the most comfortable or efficient for families with little ones.
By renting a car, you can stop whenever and wherever in case the kids get hungry or need a bathroom break. You can’t do that on the bus or shared shuttle!
Car rental companies also rent out baby and booster seats (read about Costa Rica booster/baby seat laws) and when you rent your car, make sure to ask the company to send you a photo of the car seat they have so you can be sure it will work for your family. Most companies have seats for kids of all ages except infants (less than 1 year old).
Save $$ on your car rental and get free booster and child seats with our Costa Rica car discount.
If you don’t want to drive, you can hire private transportation which is much more comfortable than buses.
Private transportation can stop whenever you want too which is is very nice. You will also have the entire vehicle to yourself which is very nice as you will have no limitation on luggage. Read more about Costa Rica shuttles here.
Check kid ages for tours
Some tours have a minimum age for tours. This includes Pacuare river white water rafting (minimum 12 or 14 years), 5 for canyoning, 4-5 for ziplining and usually 7 years of age for horseback riding.
Don’t forget to check the weight and height limit. Some ziplining tours like Diamante Eco Adventure Park have a minimum weight and height limit for their zipline.
Check our “Things to do in Manuel Antonio with kids” blog post, with tours broken down by age so you can see what activities the family can do together.
Nanny services are not readily available
Unfortunately nanny services are not readily available in Costa Rica outside of the most touristic destinations or high end resorts. Resorts like Westin Conchal or JW Marriott Guanacaste have a kids club with nanny services. Some other resorts may just have a kids club but no nanny services.
If you have small children that can’t do certain activities, you’ll have to plan accordingly. Either one parent goes one day and the other parent goes the next. Or you’ll have to save them for when they get older!
I know in Tamarindo there are some babysitting services available like Sunshine Babysitting. Contact them before your trip so you can plan accordingly.
Take note of allergies, medicines and health conditions
If your kids have severe food allergies, make sure to learn how to say it in Spanish or write it down so you can show the waiters. Then if your kids are taking any prescription medicines or are allergic to any medicines, make sure to write it down and bring the prescription in case of emergency.
Also write down if your children have any severe health conditions. For any medications that you don’t have the name in Spanish, write down the name of the active ingredients.
We also recommend to eat only at the hotel restaurants or the touristic ones. Since food allergies are not as prevalent in Costa Rica, local restaurants (sodas) may not take it seriously and they often cook everything in one pan with the same oil. If you don’t speak Spanish, they may not understand correctly or take it seriously.
I would also recommend researching where the clinics and hospitals are in your destinations if your children have medical conditions. Hospitals are not found in every town. The closest one may be a 30 minute to 1 hour drive away.
This is one reason why we don’t recommend visiting rural or remote areas with kids that have severe medical conditions or something that may require immediate medical assistance.
Touristic beach towns have public and small private clinics but the hospitals are only in the big cities.
Get a local phone number
I highly recommend getting a Costa Rica pre-paid sim card so that you will be able to contact someone in case of emergency. The emergency number in Costa Rica is 911 and they have an English speaking option.
Read more tips for traveling in Costa Rica below!
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica. Get 10% off your Airalo eSIM package with our promo code “mytanfeet”
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels. Save more money with our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Taylor says
Hi Sammi,
Myself, my partner, and our 2-year-old will be coming down to Costa Rica in April (2023) for 12 days. The plan is to split our time evenly between Monteverde/Santa Elena and Quepos/Manuel Antonio so that we’re able to really settle in and not feel rushed.
Taking into account the age of our little one and the reality that she’ll still have to nap throughout the day, we likely won’t be diving into EVERY adventure that Costa Rica has to offer (at least every single day), which is totally fine with us. That said, in your opinion, would it be better to rent a car for this time or to just rely on private shuttles and taxis? The main travel legs would be SJO –> Monteverde, Monteverde –> Quepos, and Quepos -> SJO but outside of these, I’m guessing we could walk or take taxis to nearby destinations. While the rental car offers freedom, I worry about it sitting around too much for the overall cost.
Thanks for all of your info-sharing here!
Taylor
Sammi says
If you picked places to stay that are central (walking distance to stores/restaurants/shops, etc.) and you don’t really plan to do too much, then private shuttles and taxis are fine. Then you also don’t have to worry about driving. But I would also check with your private shuttle company and taxi if they offer baby seats for 2 years old as it is the law they have to have one, some private shuttles do not offer for 3 and younger, some 1 and younger, so you need to check
Brianna T says
Hello I hope you’re still able to check this blog and give a few tips…I’ve been to CR before on my own but want to bring my 2 boys (7 & 9) in June/July for 2 months. Most likely will stay in Guanacaste coastal (Tamarindo, Nosara or Samara) and then take weekend trips etc. inland and south. 1. How likely is it to find a decent/safe place to stay on Airbnb condo or house? What are some good areas for safety, will be just a single mom with 2 boys. 2. I’d love to enroll them in beginning spanish classes for this time as well. Any suggestions? Seems like they’re all pricey and would really add up. Thanks so much in advance. 🙂
Sammi says
Hello, you can check our Tamarindo, Samara and Nosara guides for more tips. You can find Airbnbs everywhere in those places.
Alanna Beaton says
There are so many places to go! So hard to decide. We are travelling with a 2 year old and would like to base ourselves in 1 spot for 2 weeks and do day trips from there. We thought Manuel Antonio but now I’m wondering about a few places in Guanacaste! Do you think one is better than the other or should we try and do both with our time there? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hello, we have a post about the best places in Costa Rica including places in Guanacaste and Manuel Antonio, you can read more about them and then check our guides for specific beach towns in Guanacaste there: Best places in Costa Rica
The Guanacaste province and Manuel Antonio are both great and fine for basing yourself and doing day trips however choosing which international airport you’re flying into will influence your decision since it’s closer to SJO airport for Manuel Antonio and LIR airport for Guanacaste.
J says
How do they check the child’s age for the tours that have age restrictions? There is a tour we are thinking about doing but the minimum age is 8 and my son will be only 7 (he turns 8 like 3 weeks later but we need to go during their school’s spring break)
Sammi says
I mean from my experiences and our partners, they don’t ask for a birth certificate or anything like that so it’s like an honor system. However, I don’t recommend to be dishonest about your child’s age just in case an accident or incident happens on the tour for insurance purposes and tour companies have to set a minimum age for safety purposes.