maureen

Hi, we are a family of four looking for an affordable get away for the christmas holidays. never been to costa rica but have heard so many great things about the country. any suggestions on what to do and where to stay? How about deals on airfare - airfare from los angeles is expensive. Thanks... <BR><BR>

Ilka

Tamarindo Beach is a great place for families. It has it all: surf, horseback riding, canopy tours, sailing trips, etc. However, it will be very hard to find availability anywhere in the country for the Christmas holidays. You should not come unless you have confirmed reservations for hotels and car rental.

a--z

Costa Rica CAN be a very affordable trip, however December thru March is the more popular time to visit and consequently, prices are higher. And especially during Xmas time it can be busy. If you're thinking of going there for this year, then many places are already fully booked. I wouldn't rule out the destination completely; you may be able to find a decent airfare/hotel package. Here's a few sites to check:<BR><BR>www.centralamerica.com<BR>www.infoco starica.com<BR>www.tourism-costarica.com<BR><BR>

Dana

Check out the Manuel Antonio area, it's got everything Tamarindo has and more and the nearby town of Quepos has every amenity you could need- plenty of restaurants, bars, shops, banks, tour companies, etc plus a hospital. I know that there's still availability at some hotels. Try Hotel Californa, I have stayed there twice and liked it alot. About airfare, I think that it's going to be close to impossible to find inexpensive tickets around that time. I always use expedia.com, maybe they have a deal.<BR><BR>Sincerely,<BR>Dana S.

maureen

Thanks to all for the responses. I decided MAnuel Antonio would be best for our first visit. I tried to get into SiComoNo but they were booked. Rooms are hard to get this close to the holiday. We would like to stay close to the water. How far is Hotel California/Quepos from “Manuel Antonio”…is there much within walking distance from Hotel California? They have rooms though I would have to modify our travel dates. If it doesn’t work out I will try to get there on our spring break in march-april. After reading all I have done, I am really excited about seeing CR. <BR><BR>I found cheaper fare on orbitz – still high but better than full fare (fares are better in April). I could not find flight info about San Jose to Quepos. Hotels can arrange but I would have to stay a night in SanJose on the way out due to an early am flight back to LA. Is there anything to do with one day in San Jose? Any suggestions about where do I stay? <BR><BR><BR>