1st trip to Costa Rica
 

This will be our first trip to Costa Rica. We would like to stay one week in Arenal/Monteverde area and one week at the beach but we are not sure where yet. We are planning to be there beginning of June.
Any suggestions on both destinations, lodging, length of stay, etc would be very welcome.
Thank you.

lovecostrica.com great trips for you.
For me costarica.bookit.com
tabacon.com costaverde.com
tripadvisor.com/members/natureguide
best MA guide for me.

Good luck!

We like the Lost Iguana or Nayara in the Arenal area and Fonda Vela in Monteverde. For beach, Tulemar Bungalows in Manuel Antonio is popular.

We just returned from a 5-day stay at Arenas del Mar in Manuel Antonio (I wrote a brief reprt last week). Many folks were staying for a full week. A bit pricey but I think its the only place in MA that is actually on the beach; most places are higher up in the hills. If you're willing to splurge, its highluy recommended and, as VG mentioned, there are plenty of activities in MA.

In June I'd choose Playa Montezuma over MA.
As far as Fortuna just ride around until you see something appealing. There are so many places I coulnd't stay at one more than once.Unless your a bigtime hiker-naturalist Monteverde is an over-nighter at most.
If you are a big time naturalist head straight to Corcovado or Tortuguero and forget all the rest.
Spend the extra to fly into LIR. SJ is crap and a nightmare to navigate to or from.

Since you said a week in Arenal and Monteverde, I'd do four or five nights in Arenal and the remainder in Monteverde. Pack something warm to wear at night - MV can get very chilly.

Definitely disagree with Arenalbotanical that Monteverde is an over nighter - takes entirely too much time on bad roads to only spend one night. MV is good for 2-3 nights, Arenal 3-4, plenty of activities at both places.

MV cloud forest environment appeals more to birders, but you also have Selvatura for ziplines and hanging bridges, night hikes, coffee tour, waterfall hike, hummingbird gallery and plenty of good restaurants to check out.

At Arenal we enjoy Eco-Termales, Cano Negro boat trip, hanging bridges. Many people say the ziplines at Sky Trek are the best in the country.

Enjoy your trip!

The waterfall hike in Arenal is also very nice.

We stayed at the Arenal Observatory Lodge. I recall it is/was the original Smithsonian Institutes center. Great room, excellent view of volcano!!!, lovely grounds, pool, access to hiking and waterfalls (as volcanogirl indicates). Very, very nice. So much to do!!!

Sky Trek is very fun; we've also done the Original Canopy Tour in Monteverde - fun but not as thrilling as Sky Trek, and maybe not as scary either.

If you are on a budget I have found Vista al Golfo to be of great value. Stayed there with my students last May. Great views of MV area and you can see all the way to the lake when the clouds part. They arranged great tours for us at a very reasonable price. The part I like is that it is in the heart of Santa Elena in walking distance of places to eat, things to do, but quiet. Remember---June is the rainy season. Be prepared but don't worry, it is not cold even though you are in the mountains.

We loved Selvatura for ziplines in Monteverde.

If you want to be on a beach and near lots of activities -- boat tours, surfing, national parks -- I'd suggest Playa Flamingo. It's about a half-day's drive away from the Arenal area, and the restaurants and attractions I've learned about in that area are among the top on my list.

Thank you all for your tips. I do not feel as overwhelmed as before.

WE just returned from 11 days in CR. WE started in MA at Arenas del Mar. Really great room, after a while the food gets old but it isn't all inclusive so you can go out. Only think is that taxis are expensive. We did a ton of activities but none on the property. Everything was incredibly well organized between transportation. the hotel and whatever activity we were doing that day.

We weren't wild about Arenal. We stayed and the Lost Iguana and our room smelled very musty. I think they were a bit overwhelmed with the holiday volume. We did have fun rappelling over the waterfalls though! That may have been our highlight.

We didn't make it to Monteverde so I can't comment but we spoke with others who loved it.

Have fun!

Musty rooms are from the humidity in the air; usually if we run the ac that does the trick.