Costa Rica, located in Central America, is a popular vacation destination, especially for families with older kids. Not only is it a beautiful country, with so much to see, but it also offers exciting adventure activities that teens will especially enjoy. There’s something for everyone in Costa Rica.
However, figuring out where to go during your trip can be challenging because there’s so much to do. There are numerous towns to visit, and most tourists don’t want to stay in three or four hotels during a family vacation. You’ll want to either figure out which towns to stay in and then plan activities or do the opposite. Choose your activities and then select the towns/hotels.
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Top Vacation Spots in Costa Rica
Costa Rica isn’t a vast country, but it’s still large enough that you’ll need to consider where to stay. This Central American country sits on both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean coasts. In addition, there are some more inland destinations within the country.
Costa Rica is a friendly country, and you’ll enjoy talking to the residents you meet. While stuffing your vacation full of activities is tempting, reserve enough time to enjoy the landscape and the people. There’s so much to do in Costa Rica, and you can’t do it all.
We took a guided tour during our Costa Rica vacation, so we didn’t have to worry about transportation or making plans. But if you are going alone, you’ll want to plan tours, make reservations, and consider your transportation before you go. If you are staying at a resort, your hotel concierge may also be able to assist with any plans and/or reservations.
During our weeklong trip to Costa Rica, we stayed in three separate areas at three different hotels. If we had been on this trip ourselves, I would have opted to stay at only two hotels to make it easier.
Top Vacation Spots in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is divided into seven provinces – Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, and San Jose.
Guanacaste
Guanacaste, located along the Pacific Ocean, is one of the most popular Costa Rican tourist destinations. This Northwestern province, which includes its capital city of Liberia, is named for the Guanacaste tree.
During our trip, we spent two nights in Guanacaste. However, I wish we had more time because we enjoyed the beach and the resort.
This region offers many beaches, including the following:
- Tamarindo Beach (Playa Tamarindo)
- Playa Hermosa
- Playa Grande
- Playa Panama
- Samara Beach
- Playa Conchal
- Playa Guiones
- Playa Carillo
As you’d expect, water sports are big in Guanacaste. Some of these tours can be booked in advance (we recommend checking GetYourGuide), but you may also find that you can book things at your hotel.
Guanacaste is also home to Santa Rosa National Park. This park offers ten natural habitats, including mangroves and savannas. Guests can enjoy beaches and trails where you can see and learn about the animals living in Costa Rica.
During our time in Guanacaste, we stayed at the El Mangroove, Autograph Collection (part of Marriott Bonvoy). This hotel was one of my favorites due to its unique rooms, beach access, and beautiful outdoor pool area.
Our rooms at El Mangroove were unique. We entered the room through a screened-in area with a couch, table, and hammock. Then, we had a second area, accessible with a separate key, the traditional hotel room (with bed, shower, closet, and bathroom). Our family of four had two of these rooms connected by an interior door.
The El Mangroove is located in Playa Panama. Like all beaches in Costa Rica, the actual beach area is public. There’s also a pool area on the property with cabanas for rent. We enjoyed spending time at the beach on our last day in Guanacaste.
Arenal (Alajuela province)
The area of Arenal volcano and the town of La Fortuna is another popular Costa Rican destination. We spent three nights here, but I would have preferred at least one extra to enjoy our resort’s amenities.
There is so much to see and do in the Arenal Volcano area. Popular activities include ziplining, hot springs, ATVing, and various day trips (including Cano Negro, where we went for a day). Our hotel, offering beautiful views of Arenal Volcano, was the only place we saw toucans flying in the wild.
The town of La Fortuna is small, but it’s a nice area to walk around. We had a few hours to spend there, although some rainfall dampened a bit. Many delicious restaurants, ice cream shops, cafes, and gift shops are all within walking distance.
During this part of our trip, we stayed at the Hotel Arenal Suites and Spa. This hotel, offering family suites, has beautiful views of Arenal Volcano. Although we spent three nights here, I would have liked one extra night.
Our room included two beds, a sofa bed, a desk, a separate shower stall and bathroom area, and a hot tub (right in the room). While we could have fit our family of four in this room, we had two separate (adjacent but not connecting) rooms.
The resort area’s grounds are stunning. Amenities include hot springs, a spa, an outdoor pool, a pool bar, a restaurant, and a gift shop. It’s just a short drive to many activities, including ziplining, the hot springs resorts, and La Fortuna.
San Jose
We started our Costa Rica family vacation in the capital city of San Jose. While we didn’t spend much time there (only two nights), we loved what we experienced.
While in San Jose, you can visit the town center and the Central Market (Mercado Central). If you are interested in local food, a walking food tour can be booked in advance.
La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park is one of the most popular attractions in Costa Rica and is a short drive from San Jose. We were disappointed that we could not do this because we didn’t have enough time. I will visit the next time we are in Costa Rica.
La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park includes five different waterfalls and a wildlife sanctuary. If you book it as a tour from San Jose, it’s generally a half-day or full-day trip, so you’ll need to ensure you have enough time in your vacation itinerary. One tour can be booked here in advance.
During our time in San Jose, we stayed at the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen, a short distance from the San Jose Airport. We only had two nights at this hotel, but I wish we had another day or two.
This hotel is a former coffee plantation, and they offer tours. Again, we didn’t have time for a tour, so I must return for another visit in the future.
The Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen offers a beautiful outdoor pool area with a larger and a cooler, smaller pool. There’s also a spa and a driving range. It’s not right in San Jose, but cabs and ride-shares are available.
Airports in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has two international airports. We arrived at the San Jose International Airport (Juan Santamaria International Airport), which was about 20 minutes away from our hotel. Then, we departed from Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste. It was the easiest for us to depart from a different airport than when we arrived.
Optimal # of days in Costa Rica
We spent seven nights in Costa Rica, but I would have liked another day or two. We were on the go for our whole trip, but I would have liked a day or two to explore our hotels. They were all beautiful. If I were to plan another Costa Rica vacation, I’d plan an eight—or nine-day trip or just stay in two hotels.
Weather
The summer in Costa Rica is the rainy season, and we had rain almost every day of our trip. However, it didn’t rain all day every day. The mornings were mostly clear, and we had some rainy nights.
The rainy season is May through November, and the dry season is November through April. If visiting during the rainy season, bring umbrellas, quick-drying shoes, and rain jackets.
Other Information
Spanish is spoken in Costa Rica. We did find that people in most tourist areas spoke English.
Currency is the Costa Rican colón (CRC). We never exchanged money and used our credit cards throughout the trip. ATMs were available, and US dollars were also often accepted.
Costa Rica uses 120 volts and 60 hertz (the same as the United States). It was nice not to have to worry about bringing adaptors for our devices.
Have you been to Costa Rica? What were your favorite vacation spots?
