Here we have listed sample Costa Rica itineraries to help your Costa Rica trip planning.
Feel free to change them up according to your own wants and needs!
Why Should You Trust Our Costa Rica Itineraries?
First, we live in Costa Rica full time.
Second, we have been traveling throughout Costa Rica non-stop for the last 15 years.
Third, Yeison is a Costa Rican and Samantha grew up in the United States so we offer our perspectives from a local and foreigner.
Fourth, Yeison was an itinerary planner at a Costa Rican travel agency as one of his first jobs so he’s really good at it!
Throughout the years, we have created many Costa Rica itineraries for our family and friends from the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.
With our combined knowledge and perspectives of traveling as a local and a foreigner, we know exactly what important information to include for a safe, stress free and fun trip to Costa Rica.
Destination Information
Each itinerary contains a short snippet of important information about each destination.
These itineraries are to give you a kickstart to your Costa Rica itinerary planning. They also have maps and routes so you can see where exactly you are going.
Transportation
Each itinerary has recommended transportation methods.
Includes distance and driving times from San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport.
Where to stay, what to eat, what to do
Our recommendations for lodging, restaurants, things to do, day tours and important things to know.
Budget
An estimation of how much you will spend for that itinerary.
Extra Travel Tips
Miscellaneous travel tips related to the Costa Rica itineraries. Kid friendly? Better for couples? Things to know about certain destinations, tours, etc.
Recommendations for other beaches and towns to visit/stay nearby. What to pack. Weather.
All that kind of good stuff so you are prepared for your trip.
Discounts
We include our own Mytanfeet exclusive discounts so you can save money on car rentals, hotels and tours. There are also helpful links to other posts and resource.
I’ll be updating this post whenever I write new itineraries so don’t forget to check back!
One Month Coast to Coast
Highlights
Destinations: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Playa Hermosa, Samara, Manuel Antonio, Uvita and Drake Bay.
This itinerary goes to both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica. Must rent a car for the ultimate road trip adventure. If you don’t rent a car, you will have to book shared/private shuttles.
Must fly into and out of SJO (San Jose International Airport).
For adventure, beach, wildlife and nature lovers looking to experience the best of Costa Rica all in one trip. Ideal for active travelers: solo travelers, couples, backpackers and older families.
Click to read our Costa Rica 1 month itinerary.
15 Days Birding and Wildlife
Highlights
Destinations: Sarapiqui, Boca Tapada, Arenal, Monteverde, Tarcoles, Playa Bejuco
Must fly in and out of SJO Airport.
Focuses moderately heavy on birding and wildlife, with some opportunities for beach time and adventure. Best for older families, couples and birders. Goes to less touristic destinations, highlights eco-lodges. Highly recommended to rent a car, although it is also possible to get around by private shuttles.
Read our 2 week Costa Rica birding and wildlife itinerary.
Two Weeks Beach, Adventure, Nature, Forest
Highlights
Destinations: La Fortuna, Monteverde, Santa Teresa and Playas del Coco
Fly into LIR or SJO Airport, must fly out of LIR Airport.
Includes beach, rainforest, volcano, cloud forest, adventure and relaxation. Ideal for any traveler as it has a mix of relaxation, beach time and some adventure. Good for solo travelers, backpackers, couples and families. Can get around by public bus, shuttles or driving.
Click to read our two week Costa Rica itinerary.
Two Weeks: Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde, Jaco/Manuel Antonio
Highlights
Destinations: Tortuguero, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Jaco/Manuel Antonio
Must fly into and out of SJO Airport
This itinerary goes coast to coast so you’ll experience both the Caribbean and Pacific. Includes rainforest, beach, volcano and cloud forest. Plenty of opportunities to see wildlife, relax, and go on adventures. It’s an active itinerary so good for couples, solo travelers and active families. Can get around via tour interconnections, taxi-boat, public bus, driving or shuttles.
Click to read our 2 week coast to coast itinerary.
Two Weeks: Tamarindo, Monteverde, Bijagua and Rincon de la Vieja
Highlights
Destinations: Monteverde, Bijagua, Rincon de la Vieja and Tamarindo. Visits the cloud forest, rainforest, volcano and beach.
Must fly in and depart from LIR Airport. You must rent a car – 4wd or at least a car with high clearance.
Is ideal for those who like hiking and nature – this Costa Rica itinerary goes to just 1 beach town so more rainforest, less beach. This itinerary focuses a good deal on hiking to see the dry and tropical rainforests so travelers need to be active and avid hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Click to read our 2 weeks hiking, cloud forest and beach itinerary.
13 Days Without a Car: Puerto Viejo, La Fortuna & Monteverde
Highlights
Destinations: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, La Fortuna and Monteverde
Fly in and out of SJO Airport
This itinerary was created specifically for those who do not plan to rent a car. It is also geared for those who are more on a budget and/or are backpackers. Has beaches, volcano, rainforest, adventure, relaxation and cloud forest.
Click the link to read our 13 days in Costa Rica itinerary.
11 Days Classic: La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio
Highlights
Destinations: La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio
Fly in and out of SJO Airport
This itinerary visits three classic tourist destinations in Costa Rica, making it an ideal trip for first time visitors. It has a mix of wildlife, relaxation and adventure but isn’t too crazy. Plenty of beach days with a great overall experience at the rainforest and cloud forest.
Click here to read the Costa Rica 11 days itinerary.
10 Days Chasing Waterfalls: Bijagua, Bajos del Toro and Manuel Antonio
Highlights
Destinations: Bijagua, Bajos del Toro and Manuel Antonio
Fly into LIR Airport, fly out of SJO Airport
This itinerary is dedicated to waterfall hikes and goes to some of the most popular waterfalls in Costa Rica. You will be extremely busy as there is a significant amount of driving time and lots of hiking/walking. Renting a car is required. This itinerary is not for those looking to relax or be at the beach the whole time – it is for active travelers who love hiking, waterfalls and rainforest.
Click to read our Costa Rica 10 day waterfall itinerary.
10 Day Itinerary: San Jose, Puerto Viejo and Manuel Antonio
Highlights
Destinations: San Jose, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Manuel Antonio
Fly in and out of SJO Airport.
This itinerary goes to both Pacific and Caribbean coast, stopping in each destination for a few days so you will also see the city of San Jose. Can get around by shuttles, driving or public bus. You will have beach, nature, wildlife, city, culture and relaxation in this specific itinerary. Good for solo travelers, couples, families, backpackers. Also good for those who want to visit both coasts and want more beach time.
Click to read our 10 days Costa Rica itinerary.
8 Days Itinerary: Tortuguero, Bijagua and La Fortuna
Highlights
Destinations: Tortuguero, Bijagua and La Fortuna
Fly in and out of SJO Airport.
This itinerary goes to three of Costa Rica’s most popular national parks to see wildlife, nature, rainforest and volcano. It’s fast paced, and requires a rental car, though the first part to Tortuguero is with an all-inclusive tour package. Good for couples and solo travelers who are more interested in hiking, nature, wildlife and rainforest as it does not include a beach destination.
Click to read our Costa Rica in 8 days itinerary.
One Week Itinerary: Jaco, Manuel Antonio and Uvita
Highlights
Destinations: Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Uvita
Fly in and out of SJO Airport.
This one week itinerary goes fast as you are visiting three destinations in 7 days. Luckily, they are all a short drive of each other. You will experience beach, rainforest and nature but you will not have a ton of time to do excursions so you need to manage your time and choose your activities wisely. Good for couples, backpackers and solo travelers who want to see more places in less time and don’t care too much about doing tours.
Click to read our one week Costa Rica Central and South Pacific itinerary.
Costa Rica Family Itinerary: 8 days
Highlights
Two itineraries that fit into spring break (8 days). One for San Jose International Airport. One for Guanacaste Airport.
Itinerary 1 La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio
This itinerary is for those flying in and out of San Jose International Airport (airport code SJO Airport.) Good for all families of all ages, including multi generational families. Has the mix of rainforest, volcano, relaxation, adventure, culture and beach. Goes to two of the most touristic destinations in Costa Rica so plenty of hotels and services, well paved roads in the routes and lots to do. Can travel via car or private shuttles.
Click to read our one week Costa Rica family itinerary.
Itinerary 2 Samara and Bijagua
This itinerary is for families flying in and out of Guanacaste Airport (airport code LIR). Great itinerary for all ages. Goes to a beach town, Samara and a small farming town, Bijagua to experience beach, adventure, culture, nature, wildlife and rainforest. Must rent a car.
Click to read our Costa Rica family itinerary for Guanacaste Airport.
Costa Rica Itinerary 8 days: Playas del Coco and La Fortuna
Highlights
Destinations: Playas del Coco and La Fortuna
Fly in and out of LIR Airport.
Ideal itinerary for first timers or anyone who wants a simple trip to plan. Lots of hotels and things to do and see with a mix of rainforest, volcano and beach. Great for any traveler, all families, couples, solo travelers, backpackers, luxury travelers. Can rent a car or book shuttles. Can also use public transportation but must plan carefully between Playas del Coco and La Fortuna as it requires 3 buses.
Click to read our Costa Rica 8 days itinerary.
Tamarindo 5 Days (1 week total)
Highlights
Fly in and out of LIR Airport.
Total 1 week itinerary but day 1 is flying in, day 7 is flying out so this itinerary has 5 full days in Tamarindo.
Great for families who only have 1 week (like spring break) or those who want to stay at the beach as a home base.
Click to read our Tamarindo 5 days itinerary.
Guanacaste 5 Days
Highlights
Fly in and out of LIR Airport.
This sample 5 day Guanacaste itinerary helps you decide where in Guanacaste to stay, what to do and how to get around.
Main areas discussed in this post: Papagayo Peninsula/Playas del Coco, Tamarindo/Flamingo, Samara/Nosara and La Cruz.
Click to read our Guanacaste 5 days itinerary.
San Jose 5 Days
How to spend 5 days in the capital city of Costa Rica: San Jose
Click to read our San Jose 5 days itinerary.
5 Days Arenal and Monteverde
This sample 5 day itinerary in Arenal and Monteverde helps you figure out where to stay, what to do, how to get around and how many days to stay in Arenal and how many days to stay in Monteverde.
Click to read our Arenal and Monteverde 5 days itinerary.
2, 3 and 4 Days in La Fortuna
Ideas on how to spend 1, 2, 3 and 4 full days in La Fortuna. Recommendations for half and full day tours, where to eat and hotels to stay at.
Click to read our 3 day La Fortuna itinerary.
1, 2 and 3 Days in Monteverde
Ideas on how to spend 1, 2 or 3 full days in Monteverde. Also includes hotel recommendations, weather tips, packing tips and restaurant recommendations.
Click to read our 1 and 2 days in Monteverde itinerary.
Trish says
HI ,
We are looking into coming to Costa Rica for our first time in December to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The activities of interest are hot springs, beaches, and the rainforest for six days and 5 nights. Do you have an itinerary that includes hot springs? We are willing to stay in an Airbnb to cut costs and car rental.
Sammi says
Hi Trish, yes we have many itineraries that include hot springs. Please note this depends on which airport you are flying into, but for one week, you can check out this 8 Days Costa Rica Itinerary: and adapt it for 6 days. This includes beach, rainforest and hot springs, exactly what you are looking for.
Bruce says
Yeison and Samantha, I found your site! Yes!
Okay, I am a retired, free spirited, Earthy (what does that mean exactly? lol) dude man looking to check out Costa Rica for the very first time and am probably traveling alone this trip.
I LOVE to immerse in the local culture. Food, people, lifestyle, all with the deepest respect.
I want to stay on a low-key beach but be around people when I’m up for it. I love both quiet reflective alone time and people time. A balance between the two.
I definitely am a nature person. I live on an old ranch property of 20 acres in Central Arizona and am working to turn it into a quiet, serene retreat space where people can come to grow internally. Blah, blah, blah….lol.
The jungle, the waterfalls…yes!
Flying from Phoenix to the smaller of the airports (Liberia) seems to be my calling for this trip although the warmer waters of the Carribean, compared to the Pacific Ocean, appeal to me. Next trip if not this one, for sure.
Thank you so much. Your site has a wealth of real Costa Rica information that I will definitely use as I make this upcoming venture a reality. Right now, I’m looking at package deals for simplicity.
Again, what a gift you are!
Bruce
Annalee Pearson says
Hi! We are a family of five (with three teen/young adult children. We are flying in and out of San Jose. We are only in Costa Rica for a week and want to drive to the best beach in Costa Rica. We are thinking of Santa Teresa or Tamarindo. We are going to book an Airbnb. Are both routes safe to drive and do you have any recommendations in deciding where to go? Thank you for your help! God bless!
Sammi says
Hi Annalee, both destinations are very nice – Santa Teresa has more coastline of beaches however since in that area you can go from Mal Pais all the way up to Manzanillo and stop at the beaches along the way. Those beaches have a rockier coastline and doesn’t tend to be the best or calmest waters for kids to swim, so you will need to be careful. But you can take surf lessons at both beaches and there are tons of restaurants, hotels and shops in both towns. Santa TEresa is further to get to than Tamarindo from SJO Airport, you can drive to both places, and for Santa Teresa you can also take the Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera
Alicia says
Hi! Thank you for all of the wonderful information. We are currently planning a trip for April for 13 days flying in and out of SJO. We are planning to do La Fortuna and Monteverde for the 1st half of the trip and are considering Manuel Antonio for 5 days at the end of the trip. I have read mixed reviews about Manuel Antonio and would like your opinion if it is worth the visit or if you would suggest an alternative. For this leg of the trip we are looking for a little beach time, a little relaxation time, and a little exploration time. Thoughts?
Sammi says
Hi Alicia, sure, that is a very popular and common itinerary, in fact we have one very similar to it, I call it a Classic itinerary since it’s so popular: Costa Rica 11 Days Itinerary
Kim Van Brunt says
Hello.
Thank you so much for all of the information. This will be our second time traveling to Costa Rica and we have used your site extensively to plan both trips. We are planning a 15 day trip with 3 adults and 2 toddlers. We are renting a vehicle as well. I am wondering if you would have some advice for us regarding our itinerary. Since we have visited before I am trying to incorporate a few more stops this time around. We fly in and out of San Jose Airport. I am planning to do 3 nights in Manuel Antonio, 3 nights in La Fortuna, 2-3 nights in Monteverde and ending our trip with 4 nights at an all inclusive in Guanacaste. There are a few extra days I left for initial arrival to stay in San Jose and one day to travel back closer to the airport the day before we leave. Do you think this itinerary is realistic? I am also wondering if you would suggest traveling from Manuel Antonio to Monteverde, then to la fortuna and finally Gaunacaste. Or La Fortuna to Monteverde then Gaunacaste. I am a bit lost with deciding the right route. Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hello Kim, we’re glad you’re returning to Costa Rica for a second visit. You can do it either way, most people like to go to La Fortuna first, then Monteverde. I’d recommend three nights in Monteverde since you have the time and you’ll have another day to space out those long car rides with the toddlers.