2 Parents 4 teens Help!
 

We are looking to go to CR in April for 10 days with 4 teenagers ages 15-21. Looking for help in where to stay. We are thinking of renting a house but are still looking at resorts. Is the Pacific side the best place to stay? We found a nice house to rent in Manuel Antonio. Is that a good spot?


Alan

We only spent a day on MA, while on a small ship cruise. But it was lovely - lots of animals and beautiful beaches. But my gut, as a parent with two older teens, is that the whole time in one spot might be a bit long. Because of the roads (their condition, and not a lot of them), I believe day tripping can be difficult. With 10 days I would consider staying in two places, perhaps Arenal as well.

Great advice from rickandpat. Arenal and Manuel Antonio will give you an excellent overview of what the country has to offer. With 10 days, you could even do a 4-3-3 split between Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio.

If you are interested strictly in beaches, consider a split between Malpais/Ste. Teresa/Montezuma area and Manuel Antonio. Or the northern beaches and Manuel Antonio. The options are endless! You could even stay a few nights on the Pacific side (MA), overnight in San Jose (perhaps do a day of white water on the Pacuare), then drive over to the Caribbean side to Puerto Viejo/Manzanillo--also a nice area, and different from the Pacific side.

The good part is, no matter what you choose, it will be wonderful, and you'll want to go back to check out what you missed! :)

Thanks for the good tips. What is the attraction of Arenal?

alan

The most obvious thing is the huge active volcano. Even when it is clouded over and you can't see lava (which is most visible after dark), you can hear the rumbles. It's in a tropical forest - beautiful vegetation. We saw sloths, howler monkeys, and many birds either hiking or right along the road. There are hot springs to soak and play in, waterfalls to visit and/or repel down, ziplines, hanging bridges, etc. With a daytrip you can easily waterwater raft or go on nature floats/boatrides.