hi everyone. I’m hoping for some advice for our first trip to Spain.
We will be 2 couples and we are arriving in Barcelona May 29th.
Right now our idea was to Rent-A-Car and drive to one of the nice beach towns to spend three days. We can relax by the beach but also drive to the various sites in the area. Doing some research it sounded to me like Costa Brava would be a great choice.
One town that keeps coming up as I look is Tossa de Mar which looks beautiful (Hotel Diana looks nice).
however, nearly every review I read points to a different town or beach or hotel. I’m getting information overload.

After er a few days by the beach we will go back to Barcelona and probably get an Airbnb in downtown (i am told near Las Ramblas is preferred) and spend 3 days walking around the city sights.

I would be grateful for any advice or comments to this preliminary itinerary. Is Costa Brava good choice?

Thnaks in advance everyone.

We happen to love Roses, an hour or so further north of Tossa del Mar. We like it mostly because it is on a really nice calm bay with a broad calm beach and it has lots of nice restaurants and is a great walking town. We stayed at the Hotel Marina, mostly because it had parking (which is usually at a premium in the beach towns), and we could also get a an ocean view room at a reasonable price. So, we just parked the car and walked everywhere. Hotel Marina Roses Costa Brava Rosas Girona Spain

If you went that far north you could also visit Figueres and see the Dali Museum there, which is very interesting and then stop in Tossa del Mar for lunch on the way back down. But in general, I think you will enjoy the Costa Brava anywhere you decide to base.

If you decide you don't want to rent a car, but still want a bit of a beach stay you might look at Castelldefels, just south of Barcelona, because you can take a train there from Barcelona in 25 minutes. We ate a really nice lunch there at a place right on the beach called Fosbury Cafe: https://fosburycafe.es/

France is a short drive too and just over border a string of picture postcard seaide towns like Colliers - in case you want a taste of France. They are all reachable by train too, unlike Costa Brava where car is really needed.

IMO, Tossa de Mar is lovely and would seem to meet your interests. I don’t think you have a bad choice, just a difficult one. There’s a LOT to do in the area, so give some thought to your priorities in advance.

But you might give serious consideration to reversing the order of your trip: if you are coming from the US., then you will have jet lag (whether you are bothered by it or not). Although many people are not aware of it, there is mounting evidence that driving with jet lag is just as dangerous -- to yourself and others -- as driving drunk, and nothing you can do will prevent the microsleeps (which you might not even notice) that are the apparent culprit. Seriously -- NOT a good idea, no matter your other constraints and no matter your prior experience! And please be patient with me if you think I’m being overly adamant, but I know too many people who have died or been seriously injured in accidents to which jet lag was a contributing factor, and I know too many people who will spend the rest of their lives dealing with the knowledge that they were responsible for accidents that resulted in multiple deaths, including those of children, all because they were too confident in their ability to drive safely with jet lag. The issue has become a bit of a cause célèbre for me….

I spent time on the Costa Brava and in Barcelona at the end of a recent trip to Spain; if you haven’t already seen it, you might find some useful information in my report. It’s long, but searchable.
Four Awesome Weeks in the North of Spain and Catalunya

Hope that helps!

I'll also be in Tossa de Mar at Hotel Diana for two nights the same week you're going, but earlier. I do recommend Costa Brava with Tossa as a base for a few days trip, in addition to 3-4 days in Barcelona. Car rental is a must IMO, but return it once in Barca, no need for it there. Have an International Driving Permit, the rental agency may ask for it when you pick up the car and it's actually required by law. Police will probaby ask for it if they stop you. Be aware of the highway tolls, which can really add up. If/when you have time to spare and a GPS, avoid tolls and take the slower but more scenic roads. Parking can be a nightmare in the coastal towns, just go to paid public parkades but be prepared with cash/change as many do not take credit cards. End of May will be very nice weather but sea water may still be a little cold. In Barcelona check out the Pullman Skipper hotel close to the beach and Barceloneta, we stayed there a few months ago and liked it. Previously we stayed at more central hotels when we found some less expensive, but quality of Pullman is much higher for a few extra bucks and still fairly central location. Food in Barcelona and Costa Brava is fabulous, including seafood, but avoid tourist traps and try to identify what you like using tripadvisor. For many good restaurants a reservation is a must. Dinner in Barcelona starts late, after 9, in fact in all of Spain. Go for tapas too. From Tossa you can go day trips to Figueres, Girona, and of course up to the coastal villages. I don't think you have time for day trips from Barcelona, but if you do check out Montserrat, Tarragona, and Sitges. Have a great time!