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.
Kelly says
Hi! I’ll be travelling to CR for a total of 7 weeks (I will be working remotely, so hoping to see as much as I can while slowing down for work too). I’m looking to split my first 4 weeks up between La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo, and Manuel Antonio. Would 10 days in each place be way too much time, or if you had to spend more time in one of them over the other, which would you recommend spending more time? After this I may head to Drake Bay, Monteverde, Samara and perhaps Playas del Coco..still deciding, but open to any recommendation in terms of how to split my time.
Thank you!
Sammi says
10 days is a great amount of time to spend in each place to get to know it and not rush
Tina Snyder says
Hi there! We’re heading to CR for 11 days and at one point will leave from Tamarindo to stay in Arenal. Is it easier to drive north around the lake to get to Arenal or we could stop in Monteverde and then do the ferry across the lake. What would you recommend?
Sammi says
You can’t take the car on the ferry so you have to drive
Kyle Harris says
Hi Guys,
Me and my girlfriend have booked flights to liberia but we are extremely torn on itineraries as we only have 2 weeks and there’s so much of costa rica we would like to explore. We are mid 20’s and are aiming to find a mix of diverse wildlife, beautiful beaches and fun sports/adventure to pursue.
Is there any places you would advise?
Pura Vida!
Kyle
Sammi says
Hello Kyle, I have a few two week itineraries on this page and also 10 days and 1 week that you can use to build off of
Claire says
Hi Kyle – we did a two week trip back in 2019. We stayed in the Rincon de la Vieja area for 3 nights (accommodation at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin) then we drove down to the Manuel Antonio area and really enjoyed seeing the national park and the beaches there. We had 6 days in that area. We went kayaking through the mangroves, went white water rafting, and enjoyed great seafood and warm hospitality. Finally, we spent a night or two in the Monteverde Cloud Forest (ziplining and walking through the forest). It was a great trip.
Elisabeth Bohlmann says
Hi! We (a couple in our 30’s) are currently on a 2.5 week vacation through this beautiful country. We did a few days in the Caribbean, Arenal, and now Guanacaste by Playa Grande (Flamingo, Conchal, etc). We’re debating where to spend our last 3-4 days before heading back ti San José. We had considered the area around Samara or Santa Teresa or go towards the Manuel Antonio Park. But could really consider anything to complement our trip. We love the beaches, unique nature spots, some adventure. We’re not surfers, we’re not that much into party/ nightlife. Would you rather recommend we go down to Santa Teresa, the MA park or would you have any other suggestion? Thank you so much in advance, your site is super helpful!
Sammi says
Both Santa Teresa and Manuel Antonio are very nice but they are very different as Santa Teresa is more “rural” and Manuel Antonio is more developed, you can check our posts to read more about them
Laura says
Hi! We will be in La Fortuna from Nov 12-17. We were thinking of taking a 2 day trip to Monteverde. We have a 4×4 but we are inexperienced 4×4 drivers. I know the roads can be pretty bad, especially right now. Any advice on driving up there or just staying in La Fortuna?
I know there is a taxi-boat-taxi option, thanks to your page 🙂 but it also looks like we will need a car when in Monteverde to get to all the attractions?
Thank you in advance!
Laura
Sammi says
You could do the taxi boat option and then there are buses to the reserves, lots of taxis around and the big parks like Selvatura offers their own transportation included in their passes.
Shannon Timpane says
Hi Sammi,
The picture above of the rafting through the trees with the 1 month itinerary, where is that? Also, any suggestion for a quick overnight stay in San Jose after arrival but before hitting the road very early in a.m.? Thanks!
Shannon
Sammi says
Hi Shannon, that was taken during our One day Rio Pacuare white water rafting and here are our recommendations for hotels near San Jose Airport
Kim Kimbro says
Hi Sammi!
What a wealth of information, I’m so glad I found you! We are coming in September and are basically using tours to get around, and our last stop is in La Fortuna and we are flying out of San Jose. Do you have any suggestions as far as ANY tour that would get us transportation back to San Jose from La Fortuna? Taking a shuttle is a last resort, but definitely an option, but I’m really trying to see if we can get around without it 🙂
Thank you!!
Sammi says
The Pacuare rafting offers an interconnection between San Jose and La Fortuna and we offer a small discount for this tour which you can check here: https://mytanfeet.com/special-deals/rio-pacuare-costa-rica-white-water-rafting/
Wesley Quenichet says
Hey Guys,
Thanks for your help, it really made my trip easier. I stayed in Tamarindo and had a great time with my 20 year old son. Your trip suggestions and help booking were helpful, and I found the pricing to be a little cheaper through you guys. I drove over to Coco and Flamingo but just really fell in love with the beach and vibe of Tamarindo. We could have spent the whole week surfing and eating along the beach and it would have been fine, but the tours definitely gave us a good insight into what Costa Rica is all about. The tour guides, including Randall, were great. I saw you guys in Tamarindo in your Mytanfeet Truck, but didn’t have enough time at the moment to stop and say hello. Anyway, thanks very much!
Sammi says
Hi Wesley! Thank you for your comment and we’re so glad you had a good time with your son. It was our pleasure to help! Next time if you see us please feel free to say hi 🙂
Doris says
Hi guys
Love you blog. So much great information. We are going to be there in June for 12 days. We are staying on Flamingo beach the first 7 days and we hope that Nicaragua will open so that we can take the day trip you recommend into that country. What are your thoughts for the other 5 days? Volcano or Monteverde
Thank you
Sammi says
Hi Doris, you can check our Things to do in Guanacaste post for ideas.
MYLENE LARDET says
Hello Yeison and Samantha,
Thank you so much for your fantastic blog!!!!
We’ll come for three weeks in July with our children of 5 and 7 years old. I don’t know CR at all but we are really looking forward to it!
We are aware that it is the rainy season but we would like to try to avoid too much flooding…
I’m following your blog closely! Could you please tell me what you think of the following schedule please?
1 night in San Jose
La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park (1 or two nights?)
Alfaro Ruiz then drive to La Fortuna (4 night)
Another national park, but which one? :
a) Tenorio (see the Rio Celeste, not too hard in summer / Tapir Valley Nature Reserve)
b) Rincon de la Vieja?
4/5 days in the Nicoya peninsula? Does Samara allow easy travel from Montezuma to Tamarindo? Is it a good place to fall?
Ferry in the morning to Tarcoles and then road to Manuel Antonio
4/5 days to Manuel Antonio (you have to cut and go 3 days + 2 days to Uvita to see the whales or go to Uvita as a day excursion?)
Return to San Jose
Is there any other park you would advise during this period?
Thank you very much in advance for your advice!!!
Sammi says
Hello, in La Fortuna you can visit the Arenal Volcano National Park and there are also many private reserves around like Arenal 1968 and Mistico Arenal hanging bridges.
Here is our guide to Samara, Costa Rica and our Manuel Antonio guide.