Our family trip to Costa Rica for spring break was one for the memory books! We had an amazing time experiencing everything from culture and cuisine to nature and outdoor adventure.
One of the hardest parts was putting our whole Costa Rica itinerary together in a way that gave our family a good taste of the country without running ourselves ragged. We immediately realized that Costa Rica needs to be visited in a few separate trips, as the country is much larger than most Americans think! For our first visit we focused on the northern half of the country and I think that was a great choice.
Northern Costa Rica itinerary for families
Note: We had originally planned to spend the first 2-3 nights of our trip in Manuel Antonio visiting the National Park, beaches and waterfalls. Unfortunately due to a crazy and unprecedented flight disruption, we had to scrap that entirely. While I’m sad that we missed out on MA, the itinerary we ended up with below actually flowed much better – especially with kids in tow.
Day 1: Central Valley
Arrival
One of the nice things about visiting northern Costa Rica is that there are two international airports to choose from. We arrived at the larger airport in San Jose, Juan SantamarÃa International Airport (SJO), first thing in the morning so we were able to start our touring right away after picking up our rental car at Adobe. Everything was incredibly smooth and we had our luggage in the car ready to go less than one hour after landing!
The staff at Adobe was helpful and professional. We opted for full insurance coverage (which we usually don’t do) because we’d been about a range of issues from car break-ins at popular tourist spots to crashes on narrow, windy roads. It was nice to take that stress off our plates, especially as our travel had already been disrupted and was going to require filing a travel insurance claim. I had a great experience with Adobe so I’ve partnered with them to provide a discount to my readers along with some valuable inclusions like a free second driver.
Note: If you’re arriving in San Jose in the evening, you’re better off staying at a local hotel rather than trying to tackle the roads in the dark. Sunset in San Jose is consistently 5-6pm all year since it’s so close to the equator. For an evening arrival, grab a room at the Hampton by Hilton or Holiday Inn Express – both are very close to the airport and offer free shuttles as well as pools and breakfast. Adobe will deliver the car to your hotel or pick you up since the office is so close by.
Central Valley
Get more details on this day’s itinerary here
Head north to Costa Rica’s Central Valley. Since you’re probably hungry after your flight to Costa Rica and eager for some beautiful scenery, stop at Starbucks Hacienda Alsacia coffee farm. You can either take the excellent coffee tour or just grab food and drinks while you take in the lush jungle below the open-air deck. This is just 30-45 minutes from the airport (depending on traffic) but you could easily linger for an hour or two if you want!
Your next stop is another 30 minutes north at La Paz Waterfall Gardens . These beautiful gardens encompass an animal sanctuary, five waterfalls and plenty of trails to walk. You can even stay on-site (though it’s very expensive even at the cheapest time of year). It’s a great introduction to the natural world of Costa Rica, but prepare for plenty of walking as you traverse the 4 miles of hilly trails here. Plan to spend several hours enjoying the flora and fauna before you leave for dinner.
Where to stay
The tourism infrastructure in this part of Costa Rica is growing, but you won’t find as many choices as in places like La Fortuna or Quepos.
For a unique stay, check out Altura Hotel . It offers a range of accommodations that include standard rooms, a studio made from shipping containers or a family-sized tent. There are several options that can fit families of 4 or 5 people. The buildings are on a large, wooded property and some of the appealing amenities include free breakfast along with a fooseball table on the communal porch.
The superior room or family suite at Poas Volcano Lodge is a great pick for families if it’s available (it wasn’t when we booked on short notice). These rooms are very large and have three beds each, fitting families or 4-5 plus the option to add a crib. The family suite even has a kitchen, which is great if you decide to stay in this area for two nights and want to prepare a few simple meals for the kids at your home away from home. There’s even a dining room and an enclosed sunroom to enjoy the views and relax during nap time. Breakfast is included here as well.
We stayed the night at Hotel Poas Paradise , an old house converted into a hotel. The rate includes a great breakfast and we loved the game room with a pool table and darts. Since the interior doors are “house thickness” this isn’t the best choice if you have young children who need to go to bed early. It’s also worth mentioning that the standard twin room is set up for a maximum of three people on Booking; however, with a double bed and a day bed + trundle our family of four could have slept very comfortably in one room rather than our kids being across the hall. Since we booked the night before in a hurry we didn’t realize what the true capacity was, but if you’re in the same boat and your kids don’t want to be separated from you then it’s worth reaching out to see if they’ll let you share.
Day 2-4: Arenal/La Fortuna
For a classic Costa Rica with kids experience, head further north to the town of La Fortuna on the slopes of Arenal Volcano. There’s no way you can do all the things in La Fortuna in just a few days, but it’s enough time to get a taste… and an appetite to return!
Check out our guide to visiting La Fortuna with kids for even more ideas
Where to stay
I’ll start off with where to stay because it factors into how you spend your time. While you won’t find all-inclusive hotels in La Fortuna, many of the full-service properties offer enough to do on-site that it’s worth factoring those options into your choice (and your itinerary). Thankfully there are plenty of options at all price points!
- Arenal Observatory Lodge and Trails – This is the wonderful hotel where we stayed. It’s about 30 minutes past the town of La Fortuna on the “back side” of Arenal Volcano. You’ll find stunning views, hundreds of bird species, hiking trails, a hanging bridge, a waterfall and overall serenity here. Know that the road up to the Lodge is only partially paved, so four wheel drive and patience are helpful.
- Los Lagos – Our second choice hotel (which I had originally booked) is Los Lagos, an incredibly family-friendly property just outside of town. We spent a day there and it’s really fun, especially with young kids. There are tons of spring-fed pools – some hot, others cold – plus two water slides. We did a zip line tour here, which included all-day access to the property. This is a great option if you want activities on site as there is horseback riding available as well as some easy walking trails above the pools.
- The Springs – If your budget is unlimited, it’s hard to beat The Springs. This is the most high-end place to stay in La Fortuna with kids, and we know several families who have come back with nothing but rave reviews. The service is top-notch and it has some of the loveliest thermal pools in the area. You’ll find some right near the main building and others a further walk. There are also great on-site activities, mostly centered on the Arenal River that runs through the property – think tubing, kayaking and fishing in addition to horseback riding.
- Vacation rental – If you prefer a vacation rental in La Fortuna, there are tons of great options! These are often located close to (or in) town so it’s convenient to get to activities. You’ll also have a kitchen so prepare meals in case you don’t want to take your kids to restaurants for every meal. This part of the country gets really hot so a private pool is a great asset – spend the morning on tours and adventures, and the afternoon cooling off and relaxing.
What to do in La Fortuna with kids
Here’s a rough sketch of how we spent our time in the area, but feel free to adjust and make it your own.
Drive to Arenal + Explore
It’s only about a two hour drive from Poas to La Fortuna, so if you get a good start on the day you’ll have plenty of daylight to enjoy your hotel’s amenities or even take a nighttime wildlife tour when you get there.
After driving north and settling in, we spent our afternoon hiking several miles of trails are Arenal Observatory Lodge and finished it all off with smoothies and evening bird watching from the deck before having dinner on-site. Depending on where you’re staying, this could also be a great time to go for a swim!
Adventures + Thermal Pools
On our second day in La Fortuna, we got our adrenaline pumping on the Los Cañones zip line course at Los Lagos Spa & Resort. I recommend planning an activity like zip lining first thing in the morning, when temperatures are cooler and tours aren’t as crowded.
The heat and humidity in this part of Costa Rica can be really hard for some kids if they aren’t used to it. That’s part of the reason I recommend Los Cañones: as soon as you’ve handed back the zip lining gear, it’s a quick walk to the pools! You’ll find spring-fed pools of all temperatures here, making it the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon in the shadows of Costa Rica’s most picturesque volcano. You can also get a reasonably-priced poolside lunch here.
Wildlife + Gastronomic Journeys
Of course one of the big reasons to visit La Fortuna is the wonderfully diverse ecosystem! You can find sloths, monkeys, birds, butterflies, frogs, snakes and much more if you just look around.
Spend your morning on one of the many excellent wildlife tours in the area. A popular choice is Mistico Hanging Bridges , which takes you on a 2 mile walk through the rainforest canopy. Book an early guided tour here to maximize your wildlife sightings while minimizing your crowds. If you have younger kids or family members who are afraid of heights (as we do), Sloth Watching Trail is a nice alternative that takes you out with an experienced naturalist and it’s very conveniently located for those staying in town.
If you have steam in the afternoon, consider joining the Don Juan coffee + chocolate tour . You’ll get to enjoy two of my favorite Costa Rican crops, and the walking path is easy enough that you can do it with a stroller if you have a young kiddo who needs a nap.
Cap off your stay in the area with an evening cooking class! Both El Fogón de Chela and Rancho don Gerardo (which we attended) offer a high-quality, family-friendly experience.
Need more ideas or details? Don’t miss our complete guide to visiting La Fortuna with kids !
Day 5-7: Guanacaste Beaches
You’ve adventured hard over the last few days and now it’s time to relax on the stunning Pacific beaches of the Guanacaste region. There are a lot of options for where and how to do this, it all depends on what you’re looking for.
We chose to visit Andaz Papagayo for some “slow mode” time and it might now be my kids’ favorite place in the world. It’s got just a touch of luxury overlaid with Tico warmth and never felt stuffy! As a bonus, for the return flight it took us just 30 minutes to get to the airport in Liberia. You can read my in-depth Andaz Papagayo review for more info.
If you have an aspiring surfer in your midst, you could rent a fairly affordable condo in Tamarindo . Be sure to line up high-quality private surfing lessons for your family, and balance those hard-working mornings with relaxing afternoons strolling through town or soaking up a good book.
Of course there are tons of other amazing beach communities in Guanacaste that you can consider! Portrero, Santa Teresa and Sámara are all popular options for families.
Leaving Costa Rica
One logistical tip to keep in mind is that you can really decrease your driving at the end of your trip to Costa Rica by flying out of Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Guanacaste. From all of these beach communities, that will save you at least an hour – but potentially much more – compared with flying out of San Jose.
No matter which airport you fly out of, you’ll want to allow plenty of time to return your rental car and get through security. All of the rental car companies use a shuttle, and on a very average day it took us more than an hour from arriving at the Adobe office to being through security.
Costa Rica travel tips for families
Car seat usage is serious business
Our rental car company, Adobe, reminded us every time we saw them that car seats are taken very seriously in Costa Rica. As a CPST, I love that! We brought a booster seat for our 10 year old and our 13 year old was big enough not to need one. The expectation is that children ride in a harnessed car seat until at least 4 years old, a high back booster until at least 6 years old, and a backless booster until at least 12 years old. I wish the US had those laws in place!
Souvenirs are very expensive
If your kids love to buy souvenirs to remember their travels, be sure to give them a budget in advance. Even in places that we thought would be relatively affordable options, prices were pretty shocking. For example, a medium sized stuffed sloth was going for a cool $60 US at one shop. A t-shirt my son loved was over $50.
We also encountered some items that were made to look Costa Rican but were manufactured overseas. Read your labels carefully if you’re thinking of purchasing something.
Feeding kids is pretty easy
We came across plenty of kid-oriented American staple foods like burgers and simply prepared chicken. But even many traditional Costa Rican dishes will work for kids who are a tiny bit flexible, as many dishes are pretty simple and offer the opportunity for each person to add extra sauce as they prefer.
At breakfast look for eggs, gallo pinto (beans and rice), avocado, tortillas and fresh fruit. A lunchtime casado plate is similar, with meat in place of eggs and salad or plantains in lieu of fruit. Costa Rican dinner can vary a lot but in most places you can find simply prepared meats/fish and vegetables, or more daring eaters can try local specialties like ceviche.
Even if they don’t want everything that’s offered, many Costa Rican meals contain lots of different items so hopefully they can find something they like!
Bring binoculars for each kid
While packing usually gets its own article, we used our travel binoculars so much in Costa Rica that I wanted to make sure to mention it here! Be sure to bring a pair for each child on your trip to minimize bickering. They don’t take up much space or weight but can really make wildlife spotting much more engaging. Binoculars make the perfect pre-travel holiday gift too.
Consider a multi-city flight
As I mentioned in the itinerary above, you can save yourself some driving by flying into SJO and out of LIR. Your kids will thank you for spending less time in the car! We were able to do this easily and affordably using our Southwest companion passes – our kids each traveled for less than $85 round trip.
Note: All flights to and from Costa Rica have some government-imposed taxes and fees, and these are unavoidable. In total it’s about $60 per person and will generally be wrapped into the cost of your ticket.
Planning your family-friendly Costa Rica itinerary
Check out these resources to start planning your trip to Costa Rica with kids:
- Discounted rental car from Adobe
- La Fortuna with Kids: Best Things to Do & Family-Friendly Places to Stay
- Exploring Costa Rica’s Central Valley: Day Trip from San Jose
- Andaz Papagayo Review: “Slow Mode” Done Right
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