Can any one help me with an Iteniary, please?
 

I am 41 year old male (divorcee) from NJ going to Costa Rica for 4 nights. Can anyone recommend an Iteniary, places to stay, and contact information of a reliable tour guide. I am from New Jersey. I will be going in 3rd week of June. My interests are night life, Rain forest, Aerial Tram, Volcano, White water rafting. Thanks for your help in advance.

-RK

It doesn't happen very often that I recommend someone spend their whole vacation in San José, but since you didn't mention the beach you sound like a perfect candidate. You can easily do all of the things you list on day trips from the central valley, and normally that would mean a recommendation for Alajuela or one of the properties in the foothills, but since you are also looking for nightlife you'll probably be happier downtown.

There are several threads that you can search for extended discussions and reviews of San José hotels.

You want to party, downtown San Jose. Costa Rican are very liberal , open minded and friendly. Be careful though, with either the boys or the girls.
Buen viaje

Rio de Janeiro , Brasil is an ideal place for the type of vacation you are planning.

Thanks for all of your postings. I am still confused. Can I stay in San Jose and stiill take day trips? Is car rental recommended for day trips? Or do you recommend travel guide? Where do you recommend I stay in San Jose? Thanks

Check out the Hotel Don Carlos. They have a tour office and can arrange ANYTHING you want to do including car rental. It is very close to (5 min. walk) to downtown sights and musuems) as well as a short taxi ride to El Pueblo (bars, restaurants, and shops) in the evenings. The staff is very helpful, concerned, and will know just where it would be good for you to go (or not to go) for nightlife in San Jose. You can do the tram, Arenal, and white water rafting from here. $65 breakfast included!

There are tour operators that run these small Toyota buses out to the volcanoes, rain forests, etc. just for the day. Price is typically $50-75 for 8-10 hours, including lunch & admission to any stops.

While the previous poster mentioned Hotel Don Carlos (a good suggestion), pretty much *ANY* hotel in San Jose will be happy to arrange these kinds of tours for you.

I stayed in San Jose at the Hotel Santo Tomas and thought it was a wonderful place (similar to Don Carlos). Both are historic, small hotels with personal service. I paid under $50/night including breakfast (when I didn't run out the door for a tour before the breakfast area opened).

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

Thanks again. I am still not sure what to do for my 3 day trip - whether stay in San Jose in a Hotel and rent a car and take day trips or go to places and stay there in hotel?

18th night - pick up and drop in San Jose; night life
in San Jose
Flight arrives at 8pm
19th - Help..
20th - Help..
21st - Help..
21st night - Stay in San Jose,
22nd - drop to the airport..flight leaves at 8am

Can someone please give suggetion of an iteniary to cover my 3 days?
- White Water rafting
- Volcano
- Aerial Tram
- Beach with Surf Fishing
- Rain Forest

19th--Rafting on Pacuare River
20th--Visit Jaco Beach for the day--
doubt if you can surf fish, but
this is the only beach you can
do in just one day from San Jose.
21th--tour to Arenal Volcano

Given your short time, I think you would be happier staying put in or near San Jose. I also think you would benefit if you would skip the beach and do either a 2 day rafting trip on the Pacuare and 1 day at Arenal or vice versa. I would also skip the tram. It hasn't gotten great reviews. It might be worth doing if you were already passing through and just happened by it, but otherwise, no.

Hi,
We just got back in April from CR and my recommendation to you, based on what you want to do would be:

1 day rafting on the Pacuare (We spoke to another traveler who did the 1 day and said it was perfect)

2 days/1 night in Arenal (staying over in Arenal increases your chances of seeing the volcano in action, especially at night.)

Arenal is about 3 hours (give or take) from San Jose by car, and fairly easy to get to (recommend driving during daylight only). We had no problems driving, as long as you don't mind windy roads. You can also take a bus (van) there for $25 one way (www.interbusonline.com) We used Interbus for some transfers and they were great.

We spent 2 nights with 1 full day at Arenal and wish we had at least 1 more full day so we could've done more hiking. But with your time you can do all that you want to do there. I'd also recommend a stop at La Fortuna waterfall (gorgeous, 150ft drop with a swimming hole), and maybe the hot springs at Tabacon. We stayed at Arenal Paraiso for $65 a night including breakfast (www.arenalparaiso.com). They have great views of the volcano, were comfortable, clean and staff friendly. Once we arrived we booked our tours from the hotel directly, so I can't help you with a tour company but I'm not sure you'll need it. We did a horseback tour and visited the waterfall on our own. We had a car at Arenal and that was definitely a great thing.

In San Jose we stayed at Hotel Grano de Oro. It was a very nice boutique hotel for $85 a night in a standard room with a fantastic restaurant. I highly recommend this hotel. www.hotelgranodeoro.com

If you have extra time in San Jose, you could also visit the Poas Volcano and La Paz waterfall and butterfly gardens (about 1 hour away). We did not get there, but we will on our next trip!

Check out these sites for very helpful info: www.centralamerica.com and www.arenal.net

Stacey

Hey Stacey and all:

Thanks for all of your very useful and helpful information. I could use it all. No one talked about night life every night no matter where I stayed -San Jose, Pacuare, and Arenal.

How about Jaco Beach? Thanks

I can't comment on nightlife in Jaco, but San Jose is your best bet. Although we didn't stay in the city long enough to find out about it, I've heard they have good clubs, especially if you like to salsa.

Arenal had pretty much nothing. We spent one night in the hot springs until they closed at 10pm, then went back to our room. The restaurants in town are probably open until 9 or 10, but from what we were told there wasn't much beyond that.

Honestly, though, we didn't go out much. We were up so early and active all day, we would have dinner and be in bed by 10 or 11!

Stacey

I live in San Jose and there is tonnes of nightlife. For such a short trip, stick to San Jose, don't bother with a rental car (driving here in the city is really hellish - no street signs and they drive like crazies). Better off to just take the day tours as they will pick you up and drop you off. Going to Jaco is about 1.5 hours from San Jose. Party party - lots of "ladies" and casinos (but we have those here in SJ as well).

Thanks, Canadianchic for useful information. Can you please give some more insight into Jaco night life and places to stay for "party"?

Also, would you please describe night life in San Jose?

Are you local there? Please feel free to email information about night life and places to stay in Jaco. Thanks