Costa Rica in March!

[♥ms.pacman♥]

so we definitely are planning a family trip to Costa Rica in March 2023. We only have a week since it will be during kids' spring break.

We've never travelled internationally with kids and i just have sooo many questions and am incredibly overwhelmed with all the options. I know there are several threads on this, but not sure what has changed since COVID (if anything)

• Would be 4 of us. DS will be 13 and DD will be turning 12 during it (this will be kind of like a birthday trip)
• We definitely want to see: sloths, monkeys, wildlife in general. DD especially wants to go to the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica. This is a must-do..she's been talking non-stop about it for a year
  
  • We are not super big on laying on the beach soaking up the sun...one day of that would be fun, but that's it. We'd generally be into doing more active things like hiking, maybe seeing wildlife, waterfalls, maybe ziplining (or relaxing in a pool/hot tub)
  • Kids are OBSESSED with wanting to see sloths, monkeys and animals. Manuel Antonio Park looks awesome, though i am wondering best places to stay, and if we fly in to San Jose, how best to handle transportation
    https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Puntarena.html
  
  
• Transportation
  
  • i was thinking directly to San Jose would be easiest - direct flight and not too $. Though San Jose is 4.5 hrs drive from Sloth Sanctuary. So to go there, is it worth it to take $200 flight from San Jose airport ? Not sure how much time that would save, though seems better than driving 4+ hours ....
  • Driving ourselves in Costa Rica gives me the heebie-jeebies, mainly bc i know the roads will be windy, and my DH is super paranoid about driving in general, can't drive in the dark well and is color blind. He hates it when I drive too. LOL. Is renting a 4x4 necessary at all or can one get by without?
  
  
• Hotels/Lodging
  
  • i was looking at airbnbs, as i HATE being cramped up in 1 hotel room, with two tweens and a snoring DH. but i am wary, especially after that other post re: burglary! Also, not sure how much cooking /grocery shopping we will do in a very foreign place and i'm sure we'll spend most of the day outdoors.

the language is not too much of a concern as i speak Spanish.
sorry if this is all over the place, i'm just overwhelmed! we've never gone on any type of place like this for vacation so i don't really know where to start.

[StantonHyde]

Here is my trip report for Costa Rica. We stayed near Manuel Antonio/Dominical. If I did this again, I might go for the mountains/Arenal area. At least its 70 degrees and 90 percent humidity vs. 90 degrees!!! We flew to San Jose and the hotel we stayed there the first and last day was wonderful!!! And the rental car arrangement was super easy. It was easy to grocery shop for breakfast and lunches! Just understand that if you have ANYTHING in the car, you have to leave an adult with the car at all times.

https://www.fodors.com/community/mex...eport-1042916/

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Here is my trip report for Costa Rica. We stayed near Manuel Antonio/Dominical. If I did this again, I might go for the mountains/Arenal area. At least its 70 degrees and 90 percent humidity vs. 90 degrees!!! We flew to San Jose and the hotel we stayed there the first and last day was wonderful!!! And the rental car arrangement was super easy. It was easy to grocery shop for breakfast and lunches! Just understand that if you have ANYTHING in the car, you have to leave an adult with the car at all times.

https://www.fodors.com/community/mex...eport-1042916/

wow, thank you so much!! so much good info!!

btw, off topic - i forgot you are in SLC ....i was just there a couple weeks back for a work trip! It was 100 degrees there but at least it was DRY so it didn't feel nearly as bad (unlike Texas where it is humid).

[StantonHyde]

wow, thank you so much!! so much good info!!

btw, off topic - i forgot you are in SLC ....i was just there a couple weeks back for a work trip! It was 100 degrees there but at least it was DRY so it didn't feel nearly as bad (unlike Texas where it is humid).

Yes, we MELTED in Costa Rica!! I am originally from the East Coast so sort of remember humidity--but would rather not! And my kids were just like--what is this??

[SnuggleBuggles]

Never mind! Didn’t read the first post right

[marinkitty]

We've been there twice.

The first time we went to the Osa Penninsula. Very remote, a TON of wildlife, adventure actvities (surf, snorkel, hike, zip line, dolphin watch). It was beastly hot and humid. Not a ton of amenities. We flew into San Jose, took a puddle jumper to the middle of nowhere and from there rented a 4x4 (required down there for sure) and drove over an hour to our place. The kids LOVED it for all the animals and fruit trees everywhere (our VRBO property was literally teeming with tropical fruits). I found the humidity crushing and would have liked a bit more infrastructure. We did have an action packed week full of unique adventures. Good memories but I felt no need to return.

The second time we spent a week at the tip of the Nicoya Penninsula in the north - MUCH drier, less animals but we still saw plenty of monkeys and aquatic life just not sloths, parrots, macaws, toucans everywhere like down south. The weather was absolutely IDEAL. Not humid, not too hot, no bugs, very pleasant 24x7. I loved the vibe of the little surf town we stayed in and we are going back this winter break again and only staying there. PLENTY to do - surf, yoga, ATV, zip line, hike, snorkel etc. More amenities but still an off the beaten track feel. The second half of our second trip we went north and hopped around inland to a few locations (including La Fortuna, Bijagua and Bagaces). More wildlife for sure near Bijagua (sloths galore, tapir, toucans etc) and beautiful terrain. Adventure activities galore in Bagaces (the most beautiful canyoneering experience and wild hot spring pools) and La Fortuna (hiking, rafting, hot springs). We stayed at wonderful boutique resorts in each place that were very private and beautiful with great food on site. But overall, while I'm glad to have been there once, I'm not sure any of those inland areas would draw me back again. Unlike the surf town I feel like we've experienced it and we loved it but once was enough vs the surf town that had that relaxed surf/yoga/outdoorsy atmosphere we all love plus the rental house options were to die for at pretty reasonable prices and grocery and restaurant options were varied. For the second trip, we flew into Liberia, rented an AWD car and drove ALL over the place. It was all totally fine - easy to navigate, decent roads, felt very safe. We did get one flat tire but luckily it was while parked and we got help from the hotel staff who changed it quickly and we had a full sized spare and were on our way.

We stayed in a VRBO on both trips with zero safety concerns. Both came with caretaking staff who were on site daily and who definitely did not give off any shady vibes. The hotels we stayed in on our second trip were likewise very nice, safe etc. Our upcoming winter trip we have two nights in a W hotel in Playa Conchal when we arrive which is NOT our usual MO but we are using up some Bonvoy points, then 10 nights in a different VRBO in that same surf town from last year with another family. Hopefully it will be as smooth as the last two trips.

We've never been to Manuel Antonio but we tend to prefer off the beaten track places and smaller hotels or rental homes to larger resorts. We are departing from our norm to stay at the W this year when we arrive - it just worked out better with flight options and waiting for the friends we are renting the house with to join us.