1travelbug

Hello~
I was just told by one of the hotel owners in MA that Easter week is crazy busy with tourists and Ticos (esp now that there's a new, shorter road from San Jose to MA) and that I should try to come the week before or after. Unfortunately, I can't move my dates around as I'm trying to keep the kids from missing too much class time. So my questions are...

1. Is Easter week going to impact the first part of our trip in Alajuela (2 nights) and Arenal (3 or 4 nights) during Easter week (departing on the day before Easter for MA)? I know a lot of Ticos vacation during Easter week but wasn't sure if they mostly headed to the beaches...

2. Will MA be "back to normal" come Monday, the day after Easter? If so, I may be able to work with that so we arrive from Arenal the day after rather than the day before.

3. Should I just suck it up and wait until the following year, when we have Easter break AFTER Easter instead of the week before?

I'd hate to put off the trip for another year but if it means being in CR during a better time then I'll do it

hsmithcr

Costa Ricans begin their Easter vacation on the Friday, a week before Good Friday. So the whole week will be busy in tourist spots, but most busy at the beach.

MA will be back to normal on the day after Easter - many people head home on Saturday to spend Easter Sunday at home with family while others head home on Sunday afternoon. The lucky few who don't have to work on Monday will be heading home Monday morning.

I would not wait until the following year - it will be a great experience and adventure for you and your kids. You will just have to plan ahead and be relaxed about the whole thing.

volcanogirl

MA park is closed on Mondays, so be sure to account for that in your schedule.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

I would stay put Good Friday through Easter and not try to travel anywhere on those three days other than the short distance of a day trip from where you're based. The traffic will be terrible if you try to get from distination to destination. Traveling on the day after Easter will be fine.

Remember also that Thursday and Friday of Holy Week are legally dry days in Costa Rica. No alcohol of any kind many be purchased. Just in case you like a beer or glass of wine with dinner ... You won't be able to get it.

hipvirgochick

I would not wait either. I landed on the Saturday of Easter weekend before and travelled around with no problems afterward. As mentioned the week leading up to Easter is the time to avoid if you don't want so much chaos on the road and beaches.

hsmithcr

Good advice about staying put on Good Friday through Easter. As of now, Thursday and Friday are legally dry days but that may change with a new bill that is before the legislature now. At any rate, if it doesn't change, and you like to have a drink or beer or glass of wine, just stock up on Wednesday. No, you won't be able to get it with dinner on those days, that's true.

qwovadis

As long as you avoid popular beaches Easter Week

and the weekend it will be busy but not chock a block.

Usually rent a car go where ther crowds are not

have had a wonderful time over Easter particularly

on the Carb side lots less crowded.

1travelbug

As much as it pains me, I think I'm going to wait until 2012, when our vacation falls the week after Easter. We'd like to visit a local school in the Alajuela region (which will be closed the week we arrive) and no matter how we look at it, we'd be travelling several hours over Easter weekend only to arrive in MA with the crowds and a park closed one of our days there. On the bright side, more time to save up to make it that much more special

Thanks for all of your comments...cannot wait to visit CR!

hsmithcr

1travelbug - how about coming next summer instead?