If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica and don’t know where to go, I’ve listed out the best places to visit in Costa Rica this destinations guide.
We’ll help you decide where to travel in Costa Rica depending on what kind of trip you’re looking for, who you’re traveling with and what time of year you are coming.
This post has affiliate links which we may earn a small commission from if you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. Any prices listed may not reflect current pricing. It is the readers responsibility to research current pricing. Prices are quoted in USD. More info: Disclosure
Costa Rica Quick Facts
- Costa Rica is 8-12 degrees from the equator.
- Sunrise and sunset is roughly the same all year round, with a difference of around 15 minutes. Sunrise is generally 6 AM with first light around 530 AM and sunset is 530 PM, dark by 6 PM.
- Costa Rica uses 110 V and drives on the right hand side of the road.
- Local currency is called the colón.
- Spanish is the main language.
- 2 main international airports: Guanacaste Airport (airport code LIR) and Juan Santamaría International Airport (airport code SJO)
Looking for information on when to visit Costa Rica? Check out our article “Best Time to Visit Costa Rica” or read what Costa Rica by month is like.
Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica: Where to Go in Costa Rica in
Click here to go to our best places to visit in Costa Rica map.
Arenal & La Fortuna
This area is famous for Arenal Volcano National Park, Lake Arenal and the rain forest. La Fortuna is the town that sits at the base of the Arenal Volcano and Arenal refers to the area around the volcano.
La Fortuna is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica as it has excellent infrastructure, a ton of hotels at different price points and a handful of fun activities for every traveler.
You can fly into either LIR or SJO Airport for La Fortuna as the distance is nearly the same. Read about driving from Liberia to Arenal and driving from San Jose to Arenal.
Why Visit La Fortuna
La Fortuna is a must for nature lovers as it’s surrounded by rainforest and close to an active volcano. It has excellent bird watching, incredible wildlife watching, fun outdoor adventures such as whitewater rafting, zip lining, hot springs and mountain biking.
La Fortuna has all the services for tourists making it one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica. Furthermore, it has some of the most luxurious rainforest resorts in Costa Rica so it’s excellent for couples and honeymoons.
Here is our list of the top activities in Arenal and La Fortuna. Our personal favorites are canyoning, hot springs, horseback riding, zip lining and hiking and you can save money on tours with our Arenal and La Fortuna tours discount.
Arenal Volcano National Park
The main attraction of the Fortuna area is Arenal Volcano National Park. This national park features one of the most impressive volcanoes in Costa Rica.
Although it used to be one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica, you can still see steam and smoke from the top. Hike the many trails for up close views of this volcano.
Looking for itinerary ideas? Check out our sample Costa Rica itineraries from 4 days to 1 month!
Dominical
Dominical is a popular surf town for backpackers, surfers and solo travelers. Likewise, this small hippie surfing beach town in the South Pacific Coast is perfect for those looking for a chill beach vacation.
Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport for Dominical. From the airport, it is a 3.5 hour drive. You can also fly into the Quepos airport, pick up your rental car and then drive to Dominical. It is recommended to have a 4×4 or high clearance car for this area, depending on your lodging and itinerary.
Why Visit Dominical
This tiny town is surrounded by lush rainforest and is close to many amazing beaches of Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast (Central and South) as well as popular national parks. If you’ve never seen the Pacific Ocean, Dominical will cross it off your bucketlist for you.
Although the beach is quite rocky, sunsets are incredible and waves are fantastic for expert surfers. Due to it’s location, Dominical is a great home base to explore the South Pacific coast.
The best things to do in Dominical is surfing, visiting Nauyaca Waterfalls, watching sunsets on the beach and yoga. There are some absolutely fantastic great day trips from Dominical filled with adventure, wildlife, nature and culture.
Drake Bay
As part of the remote Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica, tourists pick Drake Bay for its natural beauty, close proximity to Corcovado National Park and abundant wildlife. It’s quite an adventure to get to Drake Bay but it’s worth it!
The most common ways to get to Drake Bay is by boat or plane. The best international airport to fly into is Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Then from the airport, make your way down to Sierpe to take the boat from Sierpe River to Drake Bay. You can also take a 40 minute local flight from San Jose.
You can drive to Drake Bay but if you don’t absolutely have to, the boat from Sierpe is more fun! Find out how to get to Drake Bay here.
Important things to know about Drake Bay
Drake Bay does not have any banks, ATMs, large medical clinics, hospitals or full service supermarkets. It’s also not the most easily accessible destination. For these reasons, we recommend it more for serious nature lovers, adventurous couples, adults and older families rather than young families or seniors with mobility issues or serious health conditions.
Best things to do
Drake Bay is known for amazing wildlife and nature thanks to the nearby Corcovado National Park and protected forest reserve in the Osa Peninsula. In a few days, you can go snorkeling at Caño Island Reserve, hike Corcovado National Park, scuba dive, go horseback riding and go deep sea fishing.
Since it is in the Osa Peninsula which houses 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity, you’ll see toucans, howler monkeys, Scarlet Macaws, white face monkeys, iguanas and a ton more wildlife! If you’re visiting end of December to April or July through September, you can go whale watching to see humpback whales, dolphins and sea turtles.
Recommended hotels
We stayed at Tranquilo Lodge which was very nice. Another luxury all inclusive hotel is Copa del Arbol Beach and Rainforest and we also stayed at Aguila de Osa, a modern rustic rainforest lodge.
Flamingo
Playa Flamingo in northwest Costa Rica is excellent for anyone looking for a relaxing beach vacation. Additionally, Flamingo’s upcoming new marina has made it an even more well known fishing and scuba diving destination.
Flamingo is a 4.5 hour drive from Juan Santamaría International Airport and 1 hour drive from Guanacaste Airport.
Why Visit Flamingo
Playa Flamingo is known as one of the most gorgeous beaches in Central America. It’s white sand, amazing sunsets and gentle waves are perfect for families. Flamingo is also very close to other great beaches such as Conchal and Penca.
The best things to do in Flamingo is enjoy the beach, watch the sunset, partake in Happy Hour and relax! Right from Flamingo, you can take catamaran sailing trips, snorkeling trips or fishing charters. The Catalinas Islands are a 30 minute boat ride away for scuba diving and snorkeling.
You can do many great day trips such as horseback riding on the beach, hiking in Rincon de la Vieja National Park, hiking to Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park, ziplining in Diamante Eco Adventure Park and seeing nesting sea turtles at Ostional Wildlife Refuge.
Get a discount off your Guanacaste day tour here!
Jaco
Jaco is the most developed beach town in Costa Rica since it’s only an hour and half drive from San José, the capital city. It’s not the prettiest beach on the Pacific coast but it’s ideal for those who like a city lifestyle and a thriving night life.
Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport for Jaco. From Guanacaste Airport, Jaco beach is a 3 hour drive.
Why Visit Jaco Beach
Jaco has everything for tourists: banks, car rental companies, cell phone stores and frequent buses. If you consider yourself a foodie, Jaco has some of the best restaurants in the country.
The town also has a lively night life with its many bars and night clubs with VIP service. Jaco is known for crazy bachelor parties but it also has a family friendly atmosphere.
Surfing is excellent in Jaco as it has year round consistent waves for surfers of all levels. Jaco is also just a 5 minute drive to Costa Rica’s national stadium for surfing: Playa Hermosa.
Jaco is close to many top attractions in Costa Rica such as Carara National Park, Crocodile Bridge, Vista Los Suenos Adventure Park, Manuel Antonio National Park and many great beaches like Esterillos Oeste and Playa Bejuco.
All of these reasons make Jaco one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica if you are looking for a party town, a surfing beach and if you are more of a city person.
Read our post on things to do in Jaco for more ideas.
Join our mailing list and get our free Costa Rica eBook!
Manuel Antonio/Quepos
Costa Rica’s cute sloths can be easily found in this coastal village on the Central Pacific Coast: Manuel Antonio. Manuel Antonio’s popular national park, gorgeous white sandy beaches and tropical rainforest makes it the number one tourist area in Costa Rica. Quepos is the local town near Manuel Antonio.
Manuel Antonio is 4.5 hours from Guanacaste Airport and 3 hours from Juan Santamaría International Airport. Find out how to get to Manuel Antonio here.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio National Park is the highlight of this area. There are four different beautiful beaches, various hiking trails to viewpoints and wildlife watching galore. It’s one of the best places to see sloths in Costa Rica, as well as 3 different species of monkeys and iguanas.
You can read about other things to do in Manuel Antonio here. We have small discounts for tours in Manuel Antonio including white water rafting, catamaran cruises, night walks and a guided walk of the park with park tickets, roundtrip transportation and bilingual guide included.
Manuel Antonio is also a top honeymoon destination in Costa Rica, as it has a ton of luxury beach and rainforest resorts. Downsides are that this area is very expensive, there are more street hawkers here than other places in Costa Rica and parking is difficult.
Monteverde
This mountain village is the perfect destination for nature lovers, birders and hiking lovers. The canton of Monteverde is home to the Costa Rica’s most well known tropical cloud forest. Santa Elena is the main tourism hub of Monteverde.
You can fly into either Guanacaste or Juan Santamaría International Airport to get to Monteverde as they’re both about a 3 hour drive. A high clearance car is highly recommended for Monteverde.
Costa Rica’s tropical cloud forests are home to three things the country is well known for: zip lining, hanging bridges and bird watching! In the mystical cloud forest, you can spot precious birds like the Resplandant Quetzal. If you love adventure, Monteverde has many adrenaline zip line tours. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena offers excellent hiking trails and viewpoints.
Our favorite parks in Monteverde are Santa Elena Bosque Nuboso and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve for hiking. Then for ziplining and hanging bridges: Selvatura Park, 100% Aventura and Treetopia.
If you only have 1 full day in Monteverde, Selvatura Park is highly recommended as they have the most activities to do in one day. A guided visit to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is highly recommended. Here are our ideas for 2 days in Monteverde in the link.
Need a hotel in Monteverde? Use our 5% promo code “mytanfeet” to save $$ at the following hotels: Hotel Poco a Poco, Monteverde Country Lodge and Sibu Lodge. All wonderful places to stay in Monteverde with a great location, excellent restaurant and very cozy and comfortable rooms.
Papagayo Peninsula
The Papagayo Peninsula in northern Costa Rica is home to the most all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica and some of the most beautiful white sandy beaches. As it’s only 30 minutes from Guanacaste Airport, the Papagayo Peninsula is another top honeymoon and luxury destination.
Why Visit
For a luxury beach vacation or if you want to stay at a beachfront all inclusive as there are so many here, more than in any other place in Costa Rica. You can find a Four Seaons, Planet Hollywood, RIU Resort, Andaz, Occidental and Secrets Resorts.
The best things to do in the Papagayo Peninsula are swimming, snorkeling, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, jet skiing, fishing, surfing at Witch’s Rock in Santa Rosa National Park, scuba diving and beach hopping. You can also book many different day excursions such as Rincon de la Vieja National Park, a ziplining/horseback riding/hot springs combo at Vandara or Guachipelin or visit the Llanos de Cortes waterfall.
The Papagayo Peninsula is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica as it’s only 30 minutes from the Guanacaste Airport, it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the province, there are many luxury resorts and it has great weather all year long.
Playas del Coco
Playas del Coco is the main beach town in the Gulf of Papagayo and is also a popular town for American and Canadian retirees. It used to be a small, sleepy fishing village and has become very popular in the last several years.
Playas del Coco and the surrounding beaches (Ocotal/Hermosa/Panama) is a 25 minute drive from Guanacaste Airport and a 4 hour drive from Juan Santamaría International Airport. Find out how to get to Playas del Coco here.
Why Visit
Coco has some of the best weather in Costa Rica as it tends to have a longer dry season. It’s rainy season (aka green season) tends to be a bit shorter and not quite as intense as other locations.
If you’re a senior or are retired, you will love Coco as it’s full of retired expats, retired immigrants and snowbirds. Families love Playas del Coco too for its more laid back and small beach town vibe.
The best things to do in Playas del Coco are watch sunsets on the beach, enjoy Happy Hour and people watch in the park. Thanks to Coco’s excellent location, you can do a lot of fantastic day trips to national parks, waterfalls and private reserves. Do not miss out on any ocean activities like sunset sailing, surfing, fishing, snorkeling and beach hopping. Our absolute favorite tour is a private Coco boating tour to see different white sand beaches, snorkel in crystal clear waters and see wildlife like sea turtles and dolphins.
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Known for its laid back, chill Caribbean vibes, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a destination unlike any other in Costa Rica. With pristine white sand beaches with crystal clear water, it’s a favorite for snorkeling and a relaxing beach vacation. Combine that with common sloth sightings, unique dishes and friendly locals, Puerto Viejo finds its way into every visitor’s heart.
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a 5 hour drive from Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Why Visit
Costa Rica’s South Caribbean coast is completely unlike the rest of the country. Puerto Viejo has a huge mix of cultures, thanks to its Afro-Caribbean roots and nearby indigenous communities. The town is very small and has one main paved road starting from Cahuita all the way down to Manzanillo. Within those 30 something kilometers, there are a handful of beautiful white sand beaches of the Caribbean sea surrounded by lush rainforest.
Something important to note is that since the Caribbean Coast does not follow Costa Rica’s typical tropical climate. October is the best month to visit Puerto Viejo as that is their summer month but it’s the rainiest month for the rest of the country.
Recommended things to do are a visit to Cahuita National Park to hike and snorkel, surf at Playa Cocles, learn about wildlife at the Jaguar Rescue Center, eat delicious rice and beans, swim in the warm Caribbean sea and hit up beach bonfire parties. Read about other things to do in Puerto Viejo here.
Samara
Samara is a very family friendly beach town in the South Guanacaste zone. It is an excellent town to see beautiful beaches, surf, relax and adventure.
Samara is 2 hours from Guanacaste Airport and 4.5 hours from Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Why Visit
Samara is very tourist friendly with plenty of hotels, restaurants, info centers, banks and tour operators. It’s a small family friendly town with a holistic focus on wellness, making it ideal for yogis, vegans and surfers. There is less of a party scene here in Samara than in Tamarindo.
Check out our Costa Rica family itinerary for Guanacaste Airport that goes to Samara and Bijagua.
The best things to do in Samara is surfing, kayaking and snorkeling at Isla Chorro, visiting nearby beaches like Playa Barrigona and visiting Samara Waterfall. There is plenty of adventure too like fishing, ATV and hiking.
San José
Although San José is the capital city, you can see the city in one or two days easily since it’s not that big. It has a great food scene and is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica to learn about culture and history.
San José is 30 minutes from Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Why Visit
Being the capital city, San José has absolutely everything for tourists to experience typical Costa Rican city life. Visit the various museums, walk through downtown, stroll through La Sabana Park, eat at Barrio Escalante (the foodie neighborhood), hit up some night clubs and take a city tour. We love the National Theater and the Jade Museum.
San José is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica if you are only there for a few days. From San José which is in Central Costa Rica, you can take day trips to many different places like the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Poas Volcano, Arenal Volcano tour and Irazu Volcano National Park to see active volcanoes, coffee tours, and Rainforest Adventures near Braulio Carrillo National Park for hiking and wildlife. Get our La Paz waterfall gardens discount here!
Read our San Jose travel guide and post about day trips from San Jose. (We offer small discounts on San Jose day tours.)
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa’s vast beaches, excellent surfing waves and remote location is another beloved surfing, yoga and wellness destination in Costa Rica. Although Santa Teresa is a bit far from the airports, it’s worth the journey to visit this idyllic beach town in the Nicoya Peninsula.
Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport and then take the Puntarenas ferry or drive to Santa Teresa (4-6 hours). If you fly into Guanacastel Airport, make sure to drive around the Nicoya Peninsula via Route 21. 4wd or high clearance car highly recommended.
Why Visit
Santa Teresa’s location makes it far from main services like hospitals but it has pretty much everything for tourists at least for hotels, tour desks and restaurants. Since Santa Teresa is a cash heavy community, make sure to bring plenty of USD and Costa Rican colones because there is only one ATM servicing this entire community and it runs out of money often.
Santa Teresa is Costa Rica’s premiere destination for digital nomads. It has a very “young hip” vibe as it’s full of young adults, college students, backpackers, solo travelers, surfers and nomads.
The best things to do in Santa Teresa are the walk the beaches, watch the sunset on the beach, go surfing, practice yoga on the beach, party and go fishing. There are also many great places to visit on a day trip from Santa Teresa like Montezuma, Tortuga Island and Curu Wildlife Refuge.
Tamarindo
Tamarindo is one of the best places to go in Costa Rica for the first time as it’s a popular beach town in Guanacaste with excellent surfing waves and a fun nightlife. It’s a favorite for families looking for a fun beach and convenience.
Tamarindo beach is a little over a hour drive from Guanacaste Airport and 4 hours from Juan Santamaría International Airport. There is also a domestic airport 5 minutes outside town. Find out how to get to Tamarindo here.
Why visit
Tamarindo has everything: an airport, car rental companies, hostels, banks, souvenir stores, pharmacies, tour companies and supermarkets. It’s a small enough that you can walk everywhere.
It’s extremely important to know that Tamarindo is a party town. It gets extremely rowdy and crowded during holidays like Christmas, Spring Break and Holy Week. It’s also host to a couple of big electronic music festivals. Many Americans visit Tamarindo.
The best things to do in Tamarindo are surfing, tanning, long walks on the beach, sunsets, happy hour and hitting up bars. If you go out at night, be extremely careful of your belongings.
From Tamarindo, you can enjoy many day trips to the national parks and other attractions. Don’t miss a visit to Playa Grande to hopefully catch a glimpse of nesting leatherback sea turtles in the Marino Las Baulas National Park! Read our post for more info on things to do in Tamarindo as you can easily spend many days in Tamarindo doing something different.
Tortuguero
Although Tortuguero is in a remote area of the North Caribbean that is only accessible by boat or plane, it’s actually one of the best places in Costa Rica for first time visitors. This area, nicknamed the “Little Amazon” of Costa Rica is one of the best for wildlife watching, nature and rainforest!
To get to Tortuguero, you need to fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport. Then, take a plane directly to the village or drive to the La Pavona dock and take the boat. From San Jose, Tortuguero is around a 4-5 hour journey by bus and boat. The plane ride is only about 45 minutes. Find out how to get to Tortuguero here.
You can travel independently or book a Tortuguero package that includes roundtrip transportation, a visit to Tortuguero National Park, meals and lodging. Get our Tortuguero discount here.
Why Visit
Tortuguero is one of the best places to visit in Costa Rica for wildlife and nature lovers because it’s such a lush rainforest with abundant wildlife, giving tourists a great first impression of Costa Rica. The Tortuguero National Park protects nesting green sea turtles and is the main attraction of the area. The best months to go to Costa Rica for Tortuguero is September as that is the peak of the nesting green sea turtle season.
Recommended Hotels
- Evergreen Lodge, Aninga and Pachira: Lodges owned by Pachira that are next to Tortuguero National Park. All have a pool, restaurants, Wi-fi, bars and variety of rooms and bungalows. (Get our Pachira Tortuguero packages discount here!)
- Manatus: Another lodge near the national park. Only hotel with AC.
- Mawamba: Lodge with its own entrance to Tortuguero beach and village.
Uvita
Uvita is a small coastal town on the South Pacific coast famous for humpback whales, Marino Ballena National Park, beaches, and lush rainforests. It has a very laid back, mellow and relaxing vibe but it has been growing rapidly the last several years.
Uvita is 3.5 hours from Juan Santamaría International Airport and 5.5 hours from Guanacaste Airport.
Why Visit
Uvita has everything for tourists: supermarkets, banks, tour companies, hostels and international restaurants. The Costanera Sur highway Route 34 is paved as well as the main road through town. However it is hard to get around if you don’t have a car so it is highly recommended to have a rental car for Uvita, preferably a 4×4.
This area is way less touristy than the North Pacific so perfect for those who don’t like crowds. However, there aren’t any white sand beaches down in the South Pacific and there are more rip tides as its direct to the Pacific Ocean.
The best things to do in Uvita are whale watching, snorkeling at Cano Island, walking the beaches and watching the sunset at Marino Ballena National Park and surfing. Here are more ideas of things to do in Uvita.
Getting Around the Best Places to Visit in Costa Rica
The easiest way to reach these best places to visit in Costa Rica is by renting a car. I will also list other transportation options and you can read our “How to get around Costa Rica” guide to find out more. Renting a car? Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!
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.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Sonia says
Hi, wondering your recommendation on taking a shuttle or if this drive is ok at night. We are flying into LIR and will traveling to Playa Flamingo. We land at 3pm. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Sonia, you can drive at night, but for the route from LIR to Playa Flamingo, Google Maps/Waze will normally throw you to Route 911 which requires 2 river crossings. You can check out our post about Route 911 (Monkey Trail but I would recommend to take this other route through Filadelfia, for your first drive in Costa Rica as Route 911 is very curvy without lights and the Filadelfia route takes about 15 min longer but it’s super easy to drive and it’s straightforward.
Justin says
Thank you SO much for the incredibly detailed information. I would love your input. My family is seriously considering going to Costa Rica for 10 days as a sort of “final large family trip” as we are all married and having young children.
There would be 10 of us, all adults, various ages – ranging from 25 – 58. We all have similar interests, which would involve some adventure, such as hiking, national parks, etc. while also getting to experience the relaxation of beaches as much as possible. With our wide, varying ages, I really do believe being more beach centric is a good idea as my parents and in-laws are older and would prefer that, but the kids (everyone under 32 years old) would likely want to venture out and do more intense hiking activities in the rain forest.
I’m having a hard time figuring out where a good “basecamp” would be for us. I’m very torn on multiple places, but would absolutely love any advice on like top 3 places you would recommend for this type of situation.
So yeah, any tips or recommendations on a solid area that is beach friendly but allows us to be close to other rainforest activities would be incredible.
We plan on going early next June!
Thank you so so much!
Sammi says
Hi Justin, this post (best places to visit in Costa Rica) actually has many recommended places that can fulfill your needs (Tamarindo/Flamingo/Playas del Coco/Papagayo Peninsula). You can also check out our Costa Rica itineraries
Kat, England says
Wow, so much amazing information – I’m just getting started with my research and I’m so glad I’ve found this site. We’re going for our honeymoon in July 2024 – we want to see the must-see places but we also like to be off the beaten track. What would be a mix of this? Initially I thought La Fortuna, Monteverde, Quepos (Manuel Antonio) and now maybe Uvita as well?? We don’t mind a lot of driving as we want to experience as much as poss in 11days… We love wildlife and bird watching, hiking and eating, and we’re not adrenaline junkies at all haha, and I want to feel relaxed for a day or 2! We aren’t looking for high-end luxury, more intimate, quirky Airbnbs. I’m just so stuck on the itinerary – we don’t want to completely follow the crowd. Any advice would be helpful, thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Kat, that itinerary works fine and if you want to see and visit places away from crowds, you have to rent a car and then try to look for Airbnbs outside of the town center. There are a ton of things to do and places to see in those areas that are less crowded and touristy even though they are touristic destinations. The good thing about COsta Rica is you just have to drive like 15 minutes outside the main tourism hub and theres lots of “off the beaten track” or just less touristy places. Make sure to check our Costa Rica car rental discount and you will want a high clearance car or 4×4 depending on your lodging (for Monteverde/Uvita). Also look for hotels/lodges/resorts that are in the general area but in outside neighborhoods or up in the mountains for the experience you’re looking for.
Courtney Shelton says
If you decide to do Uvita for your honeymoon, Oxygen Jungle is amazing!
Bianca says
Honeymooning there but next year so please feedback!
Sammi says
We have a Costa Rica honeymoon planning guide that may help!
Araz G. says
Hi,
Thank you for the great informations!
We are planning to travel to CR on January 2024 for 10 or 11 days. I read many itineraries but cannot decide which areas to stay and for how many days. We want to go to La Fortuna for sure for the volcano national park and the hot springs. I want to see wildlife. I would prefer to see the tortuguero if we can. And Manuel Antonio, Monteverde. Should I add Oso Peninsula also? Im so confused. And should we rent the car from the beginning or after la fortuna ?
Please help us to plan our visit
Thank you
Sammi says
You can check our Costa Rica itinerary ideas here
Ashley says
Hi there!
Our family is planning a 7-8 day trip to CR this December. We are an active family (kids ages 9 and 11) and would love a mix of beach time, adventure, and would love to see as many animals as possible. Do any locations pop into your mind? Thanks so much!
Sammi says
HI Ashley, you can check out our Costa Rica 1 week family itinerary post. There are 2 itineraries in this post. Hope this helps.
Martina says
Hi! I absolutely love your blog, thanks for all the great tips I was hoping to ask for your advice. My husband and I are going for 9 days to CR with our two daughters, 3 year old and 4 month old. We will spend 4 days in Nosara and 4 days in Manuel Antonio, and planned one full day for the drive in between. Are you able to recommend a few spots along the way from Nosara to Manuel Antonio where we can relax and recharge? I’m thinking it’s going to be a LONG day with the little ones for a 6 hour drive! Any tips are appreciated. Thank you
Sammi says
If you’re taking the ferry, there are some restaurants in Puntarenas town and that town has a very nice boardwalk to get out and stretch your legs. Jaco/a> and the Crocodile Bridge are also must places to stop
Randi says
Hi there. Flying into San Jose on May 4th 2021. Not sure the plans from there. So far I see rent a car from Adobe (what’s the trick to getting a deal?). Then I see beautiful airbnbs, are those usually safe? But not sure where to go or what to do. Where is the most beautiful location within an hour or two that would have the jungle, beach, animals..? Thank you
Sammi says
Hi, you can check our Costa Rica car rental discount to check prices and book with our discount, from only 1-2 hours from San Jose, Jaco is the closest beach town, it’s not the prettiest beach but it’s the closest. You will have to travel further if you want a nicer beach.
Stan says
Thank you for creating such a wonderful and helpful resource. We booked our car rental through your blog page for Adobe and looking forward to our Costa Rica adventure in June 2021. Can you please share your opinion about internet access and speed in La Fortuna? I will be working remotely and will require sufficient bandwidth for video conferencing. Does La Fortuna have such infrastructure? If so, do you have any recommendations?
Sammi says
Hi Stan! I recommend to ask your host to see what their internet speed is because it varies in Costa Rica and depends on what speed and provider your host uses. La Fortuna downtown is generally decent, not crazy fast but stable-ish but if you’re staying outside city center, the coverage varies a lot so it’s best to ask your host/hotel.
David H says
Hello Sammi!
Great information! We are planning our first trip to CR, an 8-9 day trip in mid to late August. We want to be by the coast, on the water preferably and have easy access to jungle and wildlife. We’re looking for relaxing, so not a full itinerary, but we’d like at least one day snorkeling. Questions:
Would Quepos or Domincal fit with our plans? Other suggestions?
Would you recommend renting a car? If we were to arrive mid to late afternoon in San Jose, would it be safe to drive to Domincal even tho we’d arrive after sunset?
Thanks for any feedback!
David
Sammi says
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica and Dominical, Costa Rica are both nice places, Manuel Antonio is much more touristy, Dominical is too but it’s more laid back and hippie so it’s up to you what vibe you’re looking for. If you choose Manuel Antonio, you don’t necessarily need a car. If you go to Dominical, I definitely recommend a car to get around.
Adam says
I like Tabacon hot springs, amazing place 🙂
Sammi says
Hello Ru, I’m glad the site is helpful!
You can read our blog post Digital nomad in Costa Rica for more information and if you want to check internet speeds, you can check the Kolbi (main government telecommunications company in CR) and check their coverage map. You can also check the Movistar website for their coverage map.
Just a quick note, Playas del Coco is not a surfing beach. You will have to boat 40 minutes to Witch’s Rock or Ollie’s Point to surf but COco beach itself is not a surfing beach.
Ru Hazell says
Hi guys – amazing website, it has helped me tremendously!
I’m going to go to CR for around 3 months in the next week or 2. I live in the US but have been stuck in London for 5 months (I can’t get in because the borders are shut), and need to be in a similar time zone to California.
I’ve researched through your blog and wonder if you have advice for an area in Guanacaste to stay which will have the best internet speed/quality for FaceTime/Zoom/Skype?
Ideally on the beach so I can surf. I’m looking at Tamarindo, Santa Teresa, Playa Del Coco and Nosara.
Thank you so much for your blog and your help,
Ru
Sharon Vollrath says
Hola! Thank you for your incredible website full of so much helpful information! We are planning an 18 night trip to Costa Rica, next mid February/March. We are nature and animal lovers but also beach lovers. I’m having a hard time making a decision on part of the itinerary. We will go to Arenal first, 3 nights drive to Monteverde, 3 nights (will use your car rental co) then I planned to drive to Manuel Antonio 3 nights, then Golfo Dulce or Matapalo, 4 nights and finally Drake Bay 4 nights before spending the last night at the airport. The Osa Peninsula just sounds so incredible that I thought we would enjoy being in 2 destinations there but we will be missing the pacific coast beaches. Maybe we should consider the Nicoya Gulf or the beaches up there? We go to Hawaii often so we thought maybe missing the beaches wouldn’t be an issue, not sure?
We also enjoy being away from crowds and the extra time in Osa would give us time to actually relax. Any thoughts on spending extra time in Osa at Matapalo or Golfo Dulce or choosing to see Nicoya and northern beaches. For Osa were staying at Drake Bay Getaway and looking at Lapa Rios or Playa Cativo. Would love your thoughts as I have everything planned out but just can’t decide what to do with that other 4 nights! Thank you so much!
Sammi says
If you go to Hawaii often I’d stick to Osa Peninsula – it’ll be a very different experience in the jungle. The Pacific beaches are very nice but similar vibe to Hawaii (as in lots of beautiful beaches). Osa Peninsula is truly unique and special. And beaches down there are nice in their own way (dark sand, jungle, wildlife).
Nation says
Planning a 5-day trip with the Mrs. and need some help deciding where in Costa Rica would be best for our stay. We are both in our late 20s. Ideally looking for a beauiful beach to relax at that is not too crowded with nearby authentic local cuisine and nightlife.
She is REALLY into wellness as a skincare professional so a location that is not too far to do a day trip from the beach to a volcano mud bath, hot springs, mienral pools is a MUST. Happy wife happy life.
We are both somewhat thrill seekers so a location that offers any water activities, zip-lining, horseback riding, waterfall/cliff diving and etc. would be cool but not a must.
Sammi says
I’d check Nosara or Santa Teresa for wellness. Both beach towns but no volcano mud baths, hot springs, etc. Nosara is about 2.5 hours from that.
Sammi says
You could get a car at La Pavona but there are no car rentals right there, the company would charge you a fee to bring the car to La Pavona and then charge you another fee for dropping it off in a different location.
The best option for you guys in my opinion is to leave the day after you land to Tortuguero by booking a package. The package includes all transportation, lodging, meals and some activities. Then on your way out of Tortuguero, tour companies stop in Guapiles and you can pick up your car rental there and then go to La Fortuna right after. We have a ton of readers who do it this way and we recommend this way because it’s much easier to program and schedule, it takes a ton of the stress out of getting to Tortuguero.
You can read about the Tortuguero package
If you don’t want to do a package, you can book a shuttle including land + boat with a company like Caribe Shuttle, book your own hotel, then book your transportation out and see if they can drop you off in Guapiles where the car rental companies have stations (for example, Adobe Rent a Car our partner has a station at the Rio Blanco gas station in Guapiles where clients can pick up cars after coming back from Tortuguero).
Arielle says
Hi! The info you give is wonderful! Thanks!
We are planning to visit Costa Rica in April.
Can you please tell me if this seems like a good itinerary – or too packed?
Landing San Jose Apr. 2 at 12 pm – Drive to Tortuguero, stay there until April 4 afternoon (full day and a half), then drive to Arenal. Stay there until the 6th afternoon (Full day and a half there) . From there drive to Monteverde, and stay there until the 8th (full day and a half). On the 8th in the afternoon drive to Jaco. Stay the the night of the 8th, and drive in the Morning to Manuel Antonio (Stay there a bit more than 2 full days). On the 11th in the afternoon drive back to san Jose and fly home.
Thanks so much!!!
Arielle
Sammi says
I would check on your first day because the drive from SJO Airport to La Pavona dock is going to be like 4 hours with traffic and you’ll get to the dock close to dark because you’re landing during the time when a ton of flights land at the same time at SJO AIrport so immigration and customs could take a while as well as getting your luggage and car so I’d give yourself at least 1-1.5 hours just to get everything. Also that time in April is probably the second busiest time because it is Easter week and spring break from North America. I don’t know if there are still public boats at that time in La Pavona, I think they stop at nighttime. I would personally recommend to see if you can fly there instead.
Arielle says
Thanks! will check the option. The only problem is that we need to continue to Arenal, so we would need to rent a car at La Pavona area and not at the airport. Do you think that it possible in that area? Sounds like its far from everythng. Does the rest of the plan sound OK? Not too rigourous? Thanks!
Sierra says
Love the blog!!
We are going to Costa Rica for two weeks this February and are having a hard time deciding on if it’s worth going to Uvita or not from Jaco/Quepos for two nights?
Sammi says
If you have time, I would! It’s a super easy drive from Jaco/Quepos.
Laura says
Spending two weeks in CR in January. Flying into Liberia and want to see playas del Coco ( or something nearby), Arsenal, Monteverdi, and Manual Antonio. Then fly out of San Jose. Don’t want to pack up and move to a new hotel more than necessary.
Is it possible to stay at a hotel and get to Arsenal volcano and monteverde? Should I book a tour to monteverde to avoid driving there?
Sammi says
You can use Coco as your homebase and then take day trips! Except to Manuel Antonio as that is too far, no tour operators will do one day trips there (5 hours one way) and it’s not worth it for 1 day anyways.
Sammi says
Hi Mike, Jacamar Naturalist Tours, the tour operator we partner with does offer a one day Monteverde tour from La Fortuna and we have the discount for it
Mike says
Hi!
Love the blog. Very informative! How far is the Cloud forest from La Fortuna? Is there a tour group that can take us there? I don’t see this option in your tour packages.
Thanks!
Monica M says
I need help decided where to end our trip. We are a group traveling for my wedding. I arrive before everyone else and myself and children will be getting into SJO and traveling straight to Jaco. From Jaco we travel to Manuel Antonio for the wedding for 5 days. So once the wedding is over on a Monday we need to go to our next stop and this is what I can’t decide. Some people fly out the next day on Tuesday. Others Wednesday, Thursday etc. I am there until Friday. I have already seen Samara and Arenal so I don’t want to go there again but need to decide where! I also don’t want to spend the next 5 days based out of San Jose, I would rather stay somewhere else and travel to SJO the morning of our flight which is in the afternoon. Any suggestions?
Sammi says
You can keep going south to Uvita, Costa Rica which is amazing, lots of jungle, beautiful beaches and waterfalls. You could also check out San Isidro de Perez Zeledon which is a nice local town with rainforest and also close to Chirripo and Quetzales National Park.
Mary Emsweller says
Hi there!
Your website is awesome! My husband and I are planning on moving to Costa Rica in about two years. We love the beach, snorkeling and fishing. We are planning a 6 month trial to get to know the best area for us. We are not fussy and live in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath house now about 4 blocks from the beach in southeastern NC. We will be looking for a 2 bedroom and can share a bathroom. Needs to be close to the airport and prefer furnished apartment or condo gated if possible. Our budget will afford no more than 800.00 per month. I have looked at Tamarindo and Coco. We are in our late fifties but are young at heart. What area would you recommend and where would you start to look for lodging? We will not have a car but we could rent one here and there.
Thank you,
Mary and Tom
Sammi says
Hello Mary and Tom, Tamarindo and Coco are good places to start. You can check both out, stay for a little bit at each one and see which you like more. More retirees are in Playas del Coco so you may like the vibe of that town better.
Sammi says
Hi Amy, you can check our Costa Rica itinerary ideas
You can fly to either as you can go to beaches and rainforest from both San Jose and Liberia.
You can also check our destinations map for more ideas
Amy says
Hi!
We are planning a trip to Costa Rica in December. We love beaches, snorkeling, would like to hike in the rain forest, and zipline. Prefer not too crowded and would prefer to rent an airbnb. Teenagers and adults. It is less expensive to fly into San Jose, but wondering if closer to Liberia would be better for us? Suggestions for location?
Jill says
I am really enjoying your whole website! We are traveling to CR in late June – flying into San Jose, then planning on a couple of nights around La Fortuna then to a beach. Two questions – I found a great deal at a hotel on Lake Arenal, but it doesn’t have a/c. Will that be a big factor? We’re not wimpy travelers, but at the end of a long day of hiking, a nice cool room sounds good!!
Also, we are looking for a beach area that’s not too touristy, good snorkeling and a lot of freedom to hike and enjoy nature. Do you have a suggestion? Santa Teresa looks nice, but may be too far. We would be driving from Arenal to the beach, have 2 nights then back to SJ.
Thanks and we appreciate the blog!!
Sammi says
I would say for Lake Arenal that it’s fine without ac because that area is higher in elevation, generally has a very nice breeze and is not as hot as the coast or even La Fortuna.
For the beach, that’s a tough one because you only have 2 nights so the best ones that fit what you want are quite far for only 1 day. You could go to Puntarenas, Costa Rica in the morning, visit Tortuga Island to see a white sand beach and go snorkeling and stay in Puntarenas. Or even Montezuma, Costa Rica which is a little bit closer than Santa Teresa. You could do the Tortuga Island day cruise from Montezuma (for good snorkeling) or hike the rivers and waterfalls in town.
Sue says
Thanks a lot for the detailed post. We are planning to go to Costa Rica in July this year, we have a 4 year old. Kind of lost at what places to visit in 7 days, our flights are from San Jose and we are planning to rent a car.
Would really appreciate if you could give me some recommendations on which places to visit and what type of car to rent.
Thanks
Sue
Sammi says
Hi Sue, you can check our Costa Rica itinerary ideas here and our Costa Rica car rental tips. There are a lot of information in those posts which I think will help a lot (and this one too to help decide where to go)
Annie says
Hello! I am planning on coming to Costa Rica for 10 days in December. I won’t be renting a car but I do want to explore on foot great white sand and clear water beaches (maybe take a beginner snorkeling lesson), zipline, hike around (waterfall, geothermal hot spring? some rainforest wildlife as a day tour). I love to walk and bike if possible and would like some help in choosing a couple of towns as a base with some day tripiping by local transit (bus?) from there. Could you please advise on whether to fly into San Jose or Liberia (I can do either but not both) and which 2 towns as bases. I want variety of activities and terrain but don’t want to spend a lot of time on a bus since I only have 10 days. Thanks so much!
Sammi says
Hi Annie, I would check Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica you can easily bus there and it has lots of rainforest, beautiful beaches and wildlife.
Evelyn says
Hello! I am planning a trip to Costa Rica this year with my best friends – were all mid-late 30s.
I was wondering when the best months to go are (weather-wise)? We were planning to go around July 20-July 29 – would it be too rainy?
Also, how often did you encounter creepy critters (e.g snakes, and spiders)?
Sammi says
Hi Evelyn, you can read this post about Best time to visit Costa Rica. You’ll always see some ants and spiders but for big things like snakes, that is not common. Only if you’re staying somewhere remotely in the jungle and even still, it’s not super common.
Lara says
Hi Sammi,
Great blog! This is our first time going to Costa Rica and we are planning on going for 7 days 6 nights (parents in their 60s and my boyfriend and I, in our 30s). We are flying into SJO and going to la fortuna and then manuel antonio. Since we are driving, I wanted your advice as to a good area that we can drive to that is in between these two places to break up the trip. Would like to go somewhere that’s different than the other two areas but still convenient to drive to. Jaco? Playa Hermosa? Monteverde?
Would spend 2 nights in each la fortuna, ??, and manuel antonio. Would love any and all suggestions!
Thanks,
Lara
Sammi says
Hi Lara, you can check out Puntarenas. It’s not too much of a detour and it’s a nice local fishing town (here is our guide: Puntarenas, Costa Rica).
Sammi says
Hi Cathy, I would check out Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica or Uvita, Costa Rica
Sheila says
Dear Sammi,
A great blog, thank you. My husband and I really like the idea of a trip in February for 7-10nights. With our toddlers 3 and a half and 4 and a half. We would like to combine time relaxing with them on a calm beach and time exploring on day trips, half days with them and a full day without them, them staying at the hotel kids club, as we think it could be too much for them.We’re thinking of a two centre stay and wondered what areas you’d recommend and also if you think it could work with young kids..
Sammi says
Hi Sheila, definitely, Costa Rica is a great place for kids. For young kids, I would pick places that are developed, are tourist friendly and easily accessible from either international airport. From what you want, I’d definitely check out Guanacaste and check the resorts such as Westin, W, and JW Marriott because only resorts have kids clubs, majority of hotels in CR do not have kids clubs or nanny services, only the high end resorts. Here is our guide to Guanacaste: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Cathy White says
Hi Sammi! My husband and I are planning a trip to CR late January. We are in our mid 60’s, love the beach, jungle, national parks, great food and a place less crowded. Someone had recommended the southwest coast but this will be our first time and would like your advice. Thanks, Cathy and Gary from North Carolina
Z says
Hi Sammi–great blog, so helpful! We are a grad student couple (26 years old) coming to CR for our spring break (third week of March). We are looking to do 3 days in Arenal and 4 days hanging out by the beach. For the beach, we initially picked Manuel Antonio since it looks amazingly beautiful and we’d love to see all the animals. However, after doing some more research, we’re a little concerned that MA might be too touristy, crowded, hectic, and expensive for our relaxing beach getaway, especially on a weekend in peak season, and also more oriented for families. We then discovered Dominical, which looks like it might have more of that low key, easy going, authentic Costa Rican beach town feel, with more of a young person vibe (we’re not huge partiers, but a cool bar to hang out and grab a couple drinks in the evening would be nice), and still allow us to do a day trip to MA to see the park. But on the other hand, especially for first timers who likely won’t have a car and aren’t much of the rugged backpacker type, the convenience and amenities of MA might be better for us. What do you think? Am I right about the vibes of each place? And even if so, does the convenience and sheer number of activities in MA (not to mention waking up every morning in such a paradise) still make it worth it? Also one of us is a vegetarian, so we can be a bit picky with food, if that makes a difference. Thanks so much!
Sammi says
Hi Z, I think if you’re just spending 4 days hanging at the beach with no plans to really go anywhere else, you can stay the whole time in Dominical. It is a lot chiller than Manuel Antonio and less touristy and MA gets suppppper busy during March and April, especially since you’re visiting during spring break. It’ll still be busy in Dominical (it’s not really that authentic since it’s pretty touristy too but it’s way less touristy than MA) but it’s a lot smaller and nowhere as developed. You can then do a day trip to MA to visit the national park and spend the rest of your days hanging out at Dominical beach.
Since you’re just planning on beaching it and not exploring, you can get away with visiting Dominical without a car. If you wanted to explore more of the area like go down to Uvita, visit some lesser known beaches or waterfalls, I’d 100% recommend a car but for just a few days at the beach and only going to MA for 1 day, you can stay the whole time at Dominical.
One thing to note is that Dominical beach is not very nice, it’s very rocky and has strong surfing waves whereas MA has white sand beaches where you can swim.
Another option is to stay 2 nights in both places since it’s only like a 40 minute drive from MA to Dominical so it’s pretty close. Then you can experience both places equally.
Lindsay Reid says
Great blog!! Planning a trip for end of January 12 days all in (2 days travel from Canada). My husband and I mid 30’s, my parents 50’s. We love good food, drinks, beaches, atmosphere. We like to relax while on holidays and walk through the town, do the odd hike. A place that has decent nightlife but nothing crazy…more so just drinks in the evenings out in town. Ideally would like to stay in one place and after reading through multiple sites, I’m debating between Manual Antonio and Conchal Beach. Which do you recommend or would you recommend another area? The trip is all about convenience (saving time) for us so flying into either airport is fine. Appreciate your guidance in advance.
Sammi says
Hi Lindsay, either place is great but I would choose Manuel Antonio as Conchal doesn’t really have a town. There is Brasilito but it’s very small, pretty quiet and not as many bars/restaurants as Manuel Antonio (they are more spread out throughout Flamingo – Potrero – Brasilito). Manuel Antonio has way more nightlife (bars, happy hour, etc.) and is easier to get around, you don’t even need to rent a car, you can walk to all of them if you’re staying on the hill in Manuel Antonio. Conchal needs a car to get around or to take taxis since it’s much more spread out. Also Manuel Antonio has the national park for hiking whereas there’s not really any hiking in Conchal.
Bobi Jo says
Hello. After reading your posts and articles, I have decided my family would really love Arenal/La fortuna and Manuel Antonio. We’d like to spend 3 days in each and maybe try to add a day in Monteverde. If we fly in to San Jose we will rent a car but where should we start? Is this a plausible vacation or did I over stretch it? Thanks for your assistance.
Sammi says
Hi Bobi, you can even do a day trip to Monteverde from La Fortuna or stop by for one or two nights in Monteverde but it does depend on how long you have. You can definitely rent a car from San Jose. You can read our tips here: Costa Rica car rental tips and we also have a car rental discount you can get here: Costa Rica car rental discount
Sylvia Capello Mraz says
Hi Sammy,
My husband and I will be traveling with our boys (24,21 yrs ) and one will be bringing his girlfriend. We will be staying Jan3-11 at Sol de Mar in Playa Hermosa- Guanacaste,CR.
We are able to rent a car if needed. Any suggestions on activites? We like fishing, nice beaches, hiking, snorkeling. Any suggestions are very much appreciated! We are looking forward to visiting your county. My husband and I are considering moving there for a few years when we retire in a few years. Thank you for your help! I am enjoying reading your website for suggestions!
Sammi says
Hi Sylvia, here is our post on the best day trips from Coco/Hermosa area: day trips from Playas del Coco
Our favorites if you want to see beaches, fishing/snorkeling is the private boating tour around the Gulf of Papagayo. It’s really the only way to get the best experience of the area since many of the beaches are boat access only and you’ll see that Hermosa is not that nice with black sand and dark water. You can find white sand beaches with clear water by taking a boat ride around the Gulf and you can also go trolling/inshore fishing. Our friend Marcy runs private boat tours you can read more here: Boating in Playas del Coco
Tiffanie Story says
Hello!
My husband and I are traveling to Costa Rica on August 6th and will be there for 8 days.
I am an absolute animal lover and would like to do as many outdoor adventures as possible. My husband and i aren’t into the party scene and would prefer peace and quiet over loud crowds. We want to go snorkeling, ziplining and hiking while we are there. We will be renting a car. What places would you recommend? My husband has a very stressful job and we want to go and enjoy the beauty of the country and get away from our hectic lives!
Thank you so much!
Tiffanie
Sammi says
Hi guys, I think somewhere like Puerto Viejo or Samara would be nice.
Amy Parrish says
This is the single best source for information on visiting Costa Rica — thank you so much! I have a question about visiting during the Aug. 2 national holiday and pilgrimage to the basilica in Cartago — We have bought our plane tickets to visit for the first time from July 27 – Aug 6. We have friends in San Jose and Cartago that we will be visiting, but also plan to go to Arenal, Manuel Antonio, and the Rio Pacuare rafting trip. Our Cartago friend says all the roads will be closed in Cartago starting a couple days before Aug. 2. We are wondering how much this will affect traffic to/from certain places and whether the other tourist areas will be more crowded or less crowded because of this?
Sammi says
Hi Amy, the only place that is really affected by the pilgrimage is Cartago, it doesn’t affect anywhere else since everyone is going to the basilica in Cartago.
Simone says
Hi! I would love your feedback on a trip we are trying to plan for end of December with kids ages 14,12&7 – for maybe 8 days. Is there one particular place that we can use as our base and just do day excursions or maybe we have to travel to 2 different areas to stay in order to see/do what we want? Our interests are seeing/learning about wildlife, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, canopy tours/ziplining, arenal/hotsprings, and maybe fit in some surf lessons. Also, are there organizations that would allow us to do some volunteer work while we are there something along the lines of wildlife preservation? Someone recommended the Los Seunos Marriott resort in Jaco but I don’t think we can use that as a base for everything we want to do??
Sammi says
Hi Simone, you can stay in both Manuel Antonio and Monteverde for your trip, you can do like 3 days in each destination. The surfing in Manuel Antonio is not good for beginners though because waves are very short and fat so they’re best for shortboards so you can do a surf lesson in maybe Jaco or Dominical if you’re beginners. Most wildlife organizations in Costa Rica don’t take one day volunteers they usually require a minimum of a month but you can ask them to see.
whitney navarro says
Hi! I’m trying to plan an itinerary for my friends and my 7 day trip to CR in December and you’re blog was so helpful! I’ve been scared that I might pack too much into one trip or get the wrong information. We are flying into SJO because it is cheaper, there are a couple key spots I wanted to fit in but I understand it may not be possible :/ Im not sure if you can help or give some input. Ive been considering transportation that would make it possible to save time and enjoy all the spots we want such as car rental, domestic flights, and ferry’s. Im interest in going to Tamarindo definitely, Montezuma, Tortuga Islands, Arenal. We are all adventurers but at the same time love beautiful beaches and relaxing (We’re from Miami). So were looking for waterfalls, hiking, beaches, animals, nightlife (We’re 24). Also, I can’t find domestic flight prices, I’m assuming I would have to buy it when we land there? Any input would really, really help! Thank You so much!
Sammi says
Hi Whitney! I’m glad the blog has been helpful. Regarding your itinerary, that’s definitely way too hectic for only 7 days. San Jose to Tamarindo is about a 4-5 hour drive and pretty far from the other places (Montezuma and Arenal). I would stick to just Montezuma and Arenal or just Tamarindo and Arenal so you can really get to enjoy both places and not just spend 1 day in each place. You could do day 1 San Jose, Day 2 La Fortuna, Day 3, La Fortuna, Day 4 Tamarindo Day 5 Tamarindo Day 6 Tamarindo Day 7 San Jose. If you fly, that will save a ton of time and will be best because San Jose to La Fortuna is about 4 hours, La Fortuna to Tamarindo is about 4 and Tamarindo to San Jose is about 4-5 hours driving.
For domestic flights, Sansa and Nature are the two airlines. I believe Nature is pending operations at the moment but Sansa should have their flight schedules up already. There is only a local airport to Arenal however from San Jose. Montezuma doesn’t have one so it will be easier to go to Tamarindo since it has a local airport.
For Tortuga Island, you can only do a one day trip which you can do from San Jose. (We actually have a $10 discount on the Tortuga Island cruise from San Jose you can read here: Tortuga Island day cruise
Lakita says
Hello,
Thank you so much for this site, it has really saved me 🙂
We are visiting Costa Rica for 3 weeks in August and plan to go to Quepos, Puerto Viejo, and perhaps Monte Verde. Can you share what the best order might be to visit each? Also is one place better than another for staying the majority of the time (i.e. 10-12 days and then shorter stays at the other two)? Thank you in advance for your help!
Sammi says
Hi Lakita, if you’re landing in San Jose, I recommend doing Puerto Viejo first, then back to San Jose for one night, then Monteverde and down to Quepos. Monteverde is good for about 2-3 days unless you want to spend more time in the mountains since you’ll get a lot of beach at Quepos and Puerto Viejo.
Drea says
Stumbled on your page from Pinterest! I’m looking to travel with my spouse and 3 year old. Any areas that you think we should definitely stay that would make sense and be easier with a toddler?
Sammi says
Hi Drea, I would go somewhere that is easy to get to (paved roads) and has a main town with everything (pharmacies, clinics, supermarkets, banks, etc.) Depending on if you want to go to the beach or mountains and how you’re getting around, some good places are Playas del Coco, Arenal, the Central Valley cities, Grecia, Tamarindo, Playa Panama and Manuel Antonio.
Wanda Garner says
Can you fly (for a reasonable amount !) from San Jose to Liberia ? We will be there toward the end of Feb. 2018.
Love your blog !! Great info !!
Sammi says
Hi Wanda, I just checked Sansa and it costs $113 one way for San Jose to Liberia. Flying on the local airlines is pretty expensive but it does save a ton of time.
Sammi says
Hi Cindy, from San Jose to Tortuguero you will need to drive to La Pavona dock and they have a parking lot there you can leave your car. Then from La Pavona dock, it’s about a 1-1.5 hour boat ride to Tortuguero. You can read more about how to get to Tortuguero in this post.
Honestly one month in Tortuguero is really really long. The town is teeny tiny, there isn’t an ATM and you’ll be “stuck” there in a sense since you can only get there by boat. Most people only stay there for 1-3 nights since there isn’t a whole lot to do after the national park.
The best place for her to learn about culture is actually in the Central Valley like San Jose, Heredia, Cartago and Alajuela province and the small local towns are a great way to experience the culture. More than 1 million Costa Ricans live and work in this area so you will be able to really experience life as a local for a month in that area. Tortuguero isn’t really a place to learn a lot about COsta Rican culture, it’s more for nature and wildlife since the town is super small and relies on tourism.
Puerto Viejo is a nice area but the culture there is a lot different from the rest of Costa Rica and you will actually see more foreigners in Puerto Viejo than anything else since it’s very touristy and filled with immigrants and expats from all over the world. There is nothing wrong with that and Puerto Viejo is a huge melting pot, but if you want her to experience the real Tico lifestyle and culture, there are some better places.
I actually recommend going to the small local towns in the Central Valley like I mentioned before like Santa Barbara de Heredia, Zarcero, Sarchi, Poasito, Cartago, San Ramon, Orotina, as those aren’t as touristic and you can really experience Costa Rican culture there.
Cindy Sandler says
I will be in Costa Rica for 2 months, I really want to experience the country, but not as a vacationer. My granddaughter is 10 and I want her to learn the culture as much as the beauty. Where are the area’s that would be more cultural than tourist destinations?
I want her to experience the people as well as the food and wildlife. We will be in Puerto Viejo Talamanca for 1 month and Tortugero for another month. Also what is the best way to get to Tortugero from San Jose? We’ll have a rental car the 1st month.
Sammi says
Guanacaste has some great beaches for families since the coastline has a lot of bays so many of the beaches have super calm water.
Erika says
Hi!
We are planning a vacation to CR next summer. We have four kids age 8-15. We want a beach that will be safe for them to swim, boogie board, etc. One that doesn’t have huge rocks in the water or waves that are unsafe for kids.
Thank you!
Angel says
HI!
I am taking an 8 day trip to CR and I was wondering if you had any tips for traveling and making the most of my trip.
I am there for 8 days and I wanted to go from SJO to the Caribbean side (as I live in San Diego on the pacific) 🙂 any recomendations on some light and relaxing activities?
Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Angel, we have a ton of tips here: Costa Rica travel tips. but for the Caribbean, I recommend going to Puerto Viejo. It’s the main tourist town on the Caribbean side. It is a party town but it has a ton of gorgeous beaches so you can relax at the beach, go snorkeling or rent a bike and ride around the beaches. Definitely visit Cahuita National Park!
Michelle says
I’m in San Ramon now working. I plan to go to La Fortuna Saturday for the hot springs and zip lining. Do you recommend a second day there? I was thinking about visiting Puntarenas. Thoughts? I only have Sunday for the other option since I have to return to work Monday.
Sammi says
You can do a second day if you’re interested in seeing some more sights or doing another adventure like canyoning/white water rafting or hiking the volcano. But if not then ziplining and hot springs is a pretty fun day though I do highly recommend staying a second day there to enjoy the area more.
Lee says
We are going to Costa Rica for the first time and staying near Quepos. Which of the recommendations would you suggest for a family to do? Thanks in advance. Don’t want to try to do too much and don’t know how far each one is from Quepos.
Sammi says
Hi Lee, it depends on how you plan to get around Costa Rica. If you’re purely using the bus, then I recommend visiting areas that are easy to get to by bus from Quepos which luckily has routes to a lot of touristic places that are easy to get around without a car like Jaco, Puntarenas, San JOse. Or if you want to book shuttles, you can do that too and go to further destinations. And if you’re renting a car, that’s the best way to get around with the most flexibility and freedom and you can drive all the way up to the North pacific if you want or even all the way down to the Osa Peninsula. We have a car rental partnership to give discounts you can check here: Costa Rica car rental discount
It also depends on what your family is looking to do. I have a post about things to do in Manuel Antonio/Quepos here: Things to do in Manuel Antonio
Some places close by are Jaco, Dominical/Uvita and San Jose. You can check on the map in the post where the different destinations are but I highly recommend deciding how you want to get around first which will greatly determine the destinations to visit. I also put together a 1 week itinerary including Manuel Antonio you may find interesting here: Costa Rica 1 week itinerary
Lucy says
Try Tulemar, they are bungalows in the middle of a rainforest in Quepos. My family love it and want
Johanna says
I’m so happy I found your blog!! My husband and I are going to Costa Rica in July, and your tips have been really helpful! We want to spend the last 4 days of our trip seeing Arenal and Monteverde, but we would like to not have to move hotels in between. Is there a good area to stay in to get to both places? Or do you recommend getting a different hotel for each place? Is it possible to drive from Monteverde to Arenal?
Sammi says
Hi Johanna, you can drive from Monteverde to Arenal, it’s about 3 hours and you need a 4×4. You can take a day trip but it’s worth moving from one place to another so you can experience both. A fun way to go from arenal to Monteverde is by the taxi-boat-taxi if you don’t have a car and that’s about 3 hours and $25 per person.
Sammi says
The closest beaches to San Jose are in Puntarenas, you can go to Caldera which is really popular with locals but it’s not the prettiest beach as it’s a big port. The other beach close to San Jose is Playa Jaco and there is a San Jose bus to Playa Jaco. If you have a car, then you can drive to other beaches in the area like Playa Herradura, Playa Esterillos Oeste, Bejuco, Manta, Etc.). From Arenal and Monteverde, the closest beach is a 3.5 hour drive.
Emily says
Hi!
Your blog is by far the most helpful one I have ever found – thank you for the wealth of information!
We are spending 7 days in Costa Rica from the end of June to the beginning of July. San Jose –> Arenal–> Monteverde–> San Jose. We’d love to see a beach somewhere along the way. In your opinion, is seeing a beach possible with our destinations and time frame? If so, which beach should we go to?
Thank you!
Anuja Rizal says
Are there public busses that go from La Fortuna to Monteverde?
Sammi says
Yes but no direct buses. You can take a bus to Tilaran and then Tilaran to Monteverde. Or take the taxi-boat-taxi by way of Lake Arenal. That’s a lot more fun!
Chris says
Great pointers!
I see the driving and bus time to Puerto Viejo from San Jose are both around 4.5 hours, so I’m thinking to take the bus, but wondering if the bus has AC? Also, since my kid is young and if he needs to go to the bathroom really bad, can I request the bus driver to take a bathroom break? How often does the bus driver take a bathroom break for the passengers?
Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi CHris, the bus makes one stop in Limon for about 20 minutes for bathroom and snack break. Since it’s a long route normally carrying a lot of people, it can’t make stops at requests but it does make one bathroom stop.
Chris says
Thanks for the info, Sammi!
After I arrive at Puerto Viejo, is it easy to get around on foot or bicycle? What about going to Cahuita National Park and Gandoca Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge?
I was thinking of getting a rental car, but saw so many stories about break-in at parking lot, even nothing visible from outside. How can I avoid this ( I will sure take all my belongs out of the rental car once I park)?
Thanks.
Sammi says
Yes! Puerto Viejo is a small town so you can definitely walk around town but to visit the entire area, it’s better to bike. You can rent a bike for around $12 a day and a lot of people bike all the way down from Punta Uva through Cahuita National Park. The Wildlife REfuge is a bit further so having a car would be a lot easier so you can go explore more. Definitely do not leave any valuables in sight, lock your car, roll up your windows and park it in a public area and in a secure parking lot with a guard as much as possible. Unfortunately theft is a big problem in that area so always be aware of your surroundings, have your things close to you and never leave your items, especially any valuables like phone, wallet, hotel room key/car key unattended.
Rosemarie of Migration Expert Canada says
Awesome guide! I also love the photos of each destination. Gotta get my luggage ready and experience Costa Rica!
Tess Andrade says
Hey you guys! It’s my first time in Costa Rica and of course, my luggage didn’t arrive 🙁 I was wondering if you know a cheap places to buy clothes and personal items that do not cost the world in San Jose?
Sammi says
Hey Tess, oh no! I am so sorry to hear that. Honestly for cheap clothes, Walmart is probably the best since everything they have is cheap, and it’s a one stop shop. There’s quite a few in San Jose. I hope you get your luggage soon!
Megan says
I’ve only been to Arenal, which was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend to everyone, but the rest sound great too. Next time I go back to beautiful costa rica I will have to try one of the beach destinations that you recommended.
Sammi says
Arenal is amazing, but yes you should definitely try to visit other parts! The best thing about CR is that it’s small but so diverse
Sammi says
We went in July, so in the middle of rainy season. I definitely would prepare for rain if you go, it may not be as bad as the day we went since May is still the transition or shoulder month from dry to rainy, but I would go prepared just in case. Hopefully you will get a clear day to go! You can read our tips for packing for rainy season here: Rainy season packing list Costa Rica
Michelle Masterton-Smith says
Hi there – we watched your video from Cerro Chato, what time of year was it when you had the rain? We go in May and would lover to do the hike, but i’m a little concerned about the rain!
Really useful blog, thank you!
Michelle
Diana Morrison says
Playa del Coco has great places to stay…one of which was not even listed – Coco Beach Hotel. Continental Fruit Breakfast daily, excellent customer service, and on Main Street where it’s a block walk to every restaurant, shops, and bars! Cheapest to go thru Hotel.com rather than directly hotel. Best location and rates depend on season ,
Sammi says
Yeison stayed there many times a few years ago and didnt have a good stay, glad to hear you had a good experience!
Lily La says
Aww these places all look lovely! I tried to squeeze Costa Rica into my 5 week Americas trip, but I didn’t think it would be worth it – better to spend more time and slow travel the place I think. Soon…
Sammi says
Ohh yes slow travel here would be way better than squeezing it in. BUt I mean there’s soo much to do and see in the Americas already, hopefully you can come back and make a dedicated visit to CR 🙂