Costa Rica Questions - Winter Break Trip

[marinkitty]

Any of you that have been to Costa Rica - we are going for two weeks at winter break and I have all the lodging planned and a car rented, but am just now turning to gathering activity and dining ideas.

Our first week we are staying in Santa Teresa in a rented house. Anyone been there and want to recommend restaurants, yoga studios, surf lessons or day trips that include hiking/waterfalls or ATVing? The plan for that week is to decompress and surf but if we get antsy I think some outings would be good to have in my back pocket.

Then we bop around the second week. The first half is pretty well scheduled because we are staying at two different eco resorts for two nights each that have their own huge list of activities and we will be eating on property for the most part.

Our last four days we are up north and probably only one day will be needed to see the immediate area we are staying in (Rio Celeste) so that leaves two full days for day trips to explore other things. Any ideas? Arenal? Hanging bridges? Great hikes? River rafting? What else? We like to be active and don't mind driving around or doing things on our own but are also happy to take a reputable guide/tour as long as it isn't a big group.

Thanks!

[urquie]

If you go to Arenal, Tabacon Resort has amazing waterway of hot springs, you can buy a day pass plus meal. It was especially nice to soak sore muscles after a horseback ride down the mountain from Monteverde (cloud forest reserve, tropical forest night hike, butterfly gardens, zipline… Quaker settlement history).

https://www.tabacon.com/product-category/one-day-pass/

[marinkitty]

If you go to Arenal, Tabacon Resort has amazing waterway of hot springs, you can buy a day pass plus meal. It was especially nice to soak sore muscles after a horseback ride down the mountain from Monteverde (cloud forest reserve, tropical forest night hike, butterfly gardens, zipline… Quaker settlement history).

https://www.tabacon.com/product-category/one-day-pass/

Thank you! That sounds great and I feel like I saw mention of it when I was first planning the trip. Did you think the cloud forest reserve was worth a visit?

[urquie]

We loved our visit to Monteverde and all it had to offer, but not the long bumpy drive up the mountain. :-) If you have the option to fly, that would make it way better. :-)

[marinkitty]

We loved our visit to Monteverde and all it had to offer, but not the long bumpy drive up the mountain. :-) If you have the option to fly, that would make it way better. :-)

Sadly, no. We are going to bumping all over the place!