Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Costa Rica?

  1. #1
    smilequeen is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    5,795

    Default Costa Rica?

    My brother and I want to take our parents on a trip next summer to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. My mom seems to want to go to Costa Rica. It works for us because we have a week in June '22 with friends at Disney so a week in Costa Rica in July '22 would be perfect timing. (Usually we do 2 weeks if international).

    I have done some VRBO hunting and found some great spots.

    But I honestly don't know which areas are best to look for. It would be nice to narrow my focus.

    I'll look at resorts too, but admit I'm pretty spoiled.

    Is it worth staying on the beach? One of the houses I found was amazing and in the rainforest. My youngest was enamored by the wildlife pics (esp the sloth ).

    What fun activities did you do? Anything appropriate for those approaching 80 (but still active and healthy)?
    Mama to my boys (04,07,11)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Salt Lake City, Utah.
    Posts
    8,996

    Default

    We went 6 years ago. Here is the link to the trip report I wrote: https://www.fodors.com/community/mex...eport-1042916/

    We stayed south of Manuel Antonio NP. Staying on the beach is HOT. Much better to stay up higher. The town of Manuel Antonio had more stuff going on and might be better for varied age groups. We liked where we stayed. We went in April. Depending on where you live, perhaps you are prepared for 85 degrees and 85% humidity. We are not. So we melted, a LOT. I would have stayed in the highlands. At least it was 70 degrees and 85% humidity :-) (that is the area near Arenal, but it has lots of canopy tours you can do) The wildlife sightings were awesome and we all loved that! Take a look at the report. Some things (kayaking and snorkeling) you could totally doing as a healthy 80 year old. Let me know if you have questions after you read this.
    Mom to:
    DS '02
    DS '05
    Percy--the wild furry child!!! 2022----
    Simon--the first King Charles cutie 2009-2022
    RIP Andy, the furry first child, 1996-2012

    "The task of any religion is not to tell us who we are entitled to hate but to teach us who we are required to love."

  3. #3
    marinkitty is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    North Shore Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,614

    Default

    We went about six or seven years ago for winter break and are going again for this year's winter break. The first time we rented a VRBO house way down south in Cabo Matapalo on the Osa Penninsula. It was a solar powered, off-grid jungle house set back on a beach front property. As Stanton Hyde said, it was HOT AS BLAZES. We had a super fun trip - did a ton of great activities - hiking, surfing, zip lining, snorkeling, dolphin watching, beaching and saw a ton of wildlife. But if I had to do that trip over again I would not have stayed as rustic as we did. I didn't stop sweating from arrival to departure. It was 90 and humid and the ocean was 87 degrees. There weren't a lot of nearby places to eat or grab a drink. By the end of the week I really just wanted someone to make me a fancy cocktail with a ton of ice in it.

    This year, we are going for two full weeks. This time we are going further north on the Nicoya Penninsula. I have an airbnb booked for the first week in the hills with an ocean view but up in the jungle near Santa Teresa. This house has air conditioning, wifi, a pool, and regular electric - way more creative comforts than our last trip. We are using the first week to surf, do yoga and decompress - maybe some exploring nearby waterfalls and ATVing now that the kids are old enough to drive their own. Then the second week we are on the move - staying at a series of boutique resorts - one on an island with glamping style tents, one inland in a canyon area with lots of more adventurous activities and thermal springs (this is more upscale villa type lodging) and another inland near a volcanic park with a river, waterfalls and suspension bridges (similar villa type lodging). We will hike, cayoneer, etc but it looks like you could also just enjoy walks to see wildlife, sitting in the thermal springs or just relax by their pools. We may do a day trip to the Arenal area from our last stop - we will see how much steam we have left at that point.

    I just dug around online and found stuff and honestly was a bit subject to what was left as I just booked this all a couple of weeks ago which is kind of late for Christmas/New Year's weeks - there were two places that looked totally amazing that were booked solid that I now have in the back of my mind for a return trip some day if we ever head back down there. It is dry season up north and should be slightly less hot and humid than down south for our first trip.

    The kids are excited to be going back - the heat didn't bother them at all on our first trip (plus they were frankly young enough that they don't really remember anything but the highlights).

  4. #4
    SnuggleBuggles is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    .
    Posts
    47,708

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by marinkitty View Post
    We went about six or seven years ago for winter break and are going again for this year's winter break. The first time we rented a VRBO house way down south in Cabo Matapalo on the Osa Penninsula. It was a solar powered, off-grid jungle house set back on a beach front property. As Stanton Hyde said, it was HOT AS BLAZES. We had a super fun trip - did a ton of great activities - hiking, surfing, zip lining, snorkeling, dolphin watching, beaching and saw a ton of wildlife. But if I had to do that trip over again I would not have stayed as rustic as we did. I didn't stop sweating from arrival to departure. It was 90 and humid and the ocean was 87 degrees. There weren't a lot of nearby places to eat or grab a drink. By the end of the week I really just wanted someone to make me a fancy cocktail with a ton of ice in it.

    This year, we are going for two full weeks. This time we are going further north on the Nicoya Penninsula. I have an airbnb booked for the first week in the hills with an ocean view but up in the jungle near Santa Teresa. This house has air conditioning, wifi, a pool, and regular electric - way more creative comforts than our last trip. We are using the first week to surf, do yoga and decompress - maybe some exploring nearby waterfalls and ATVing now that the kids are old enough to drive their own. Then the second week we are on the move - staying at a series of boutique resorts - one on an island with glamping style tents, one inland in a canyon area with lots of more adventurous activities and thermal springs (this is more upscale villa type lodging) and another inland near a volcanic park with a river, waterfalls and suspension bridges (similar villa type lodging). We will hike, cayoneer, etc but it looks like you could also just enjoy walks to see wildlife, sitting in the thermal springs or just relax by their pools. We may do a day trip to the Arenal area from our last stop - we will see how much steam we have left at that point.

    I just dug around online and found stuff and honestly was a bit subject to what was left as I just booked this all a couple of weeks ago which is kind of late for Christmas/New Year's weeks - there were two places that looked totally amazing that were booked solid that I now have in the back of my mind for a return trip some day if we ever head back down there. It is dry season up north and should be slightly less hot and humid than down south for our first trip.

    The kids are excited to be going back - the heat didn't bother them at all on our first trip (plus they were frankly young enough that they don't really remember anything but the highlights).
    I would love the links to what you booked and what you would have booked if they’d been available. It’s so overwhelming to pick places and it sounds like you got sone great options!


    Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains

  5. #5
    jgenie is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    13,232

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SnuggleBuggles View Post
    I would love the links to what you booked and what you would have booked if they’d been available. It’s so overwhelming to pick places and it sounds like you got sone great options!


    Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains
    Me too, please!!

  6. #6
    marinkitty is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    North Shore Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,614

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SnuggleBuggles View Post
    I would love the links to what you booked and what you would have booked if they’d been available. It’s so overwhelming to pick places and it sounds like you got sone great options!


    Sent from my iPhone using Baby Bargains
    VRBO: (there were a bunch that looked great in this area, also some cute little yoga resorts but I wanted a house we could chill at for the first week): https://www.vrbo.com/10520798ha?adul..._term=20210503

    Boutique resorts we are staying at:
    https://www.riocelestehideaway.com/
    https://www.rioperdido.com/
    https://www.islachiquitacostarica.co...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Places I would have booked, but weren't available:
    https://nayaratentedcamp.com/
    https://www.pacuarelodge.com/

    Have fun planning!

    ETA: We are flying in and out of Liberia this trip and driving a rented 4x4 around from place to place. Last time, we flew into San Jose, puddle jumped on the local airline to Puerto Jimenez and then rented a 4x4 and drove from there. It was very easy to drive in Costa Rica but NOT at night! So plan any driving for during daylight hours 6 am - 6 pm. At 6 pm it is like someone turns off the lights and it is pitch dark!
    Last edited by marinkitty; 06-15-2021 at 04:57 PM.

  7. #7
    smilequeen is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    5,795

    Default

    Thanks everyone. Helping me narrow my searches.
    Mama to my boys (04,07,11)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •