Costa Rica with 4 young kids
 

We were in CR without the kids last month. Next time we go, we will be taking them and of course the planning is a bit more complicated.

What I would love is a rustic/casual rainforest lodge where there would be plenty of stuff to do on the grounds of the lodge. The kids do great with a stream or shallow river. They can handle short hikes with a little incline. And of course the more monkeys, the better. We prefer accomodations for six, but would be willing to go with two rooms since that may be easier to find.

Somebody please tell me this exists in CR :-)

Thanks!

How old are your kids? I can think of lots of places where they can have a good time on the grounds -- they're all different. Trogon Lodge in San Gerardo de Dota has beautiful grounds with a pond where they can catch trout w/ a string and a piece of bread. They also have lambs and peacocks, trails, meadow-like grounds as well as cloud forest, creeks, a smaller, slower zip line, horses, and a game room. It's a wonderful place, and I have a lot of photos if you want to see them. The staff is very friendly. This would be a pretty safe environment for them to wander around alone.

Sandy

Thanks - I had not heard of that one before. I am looking at the information right now. When we would travel, our kids would be 4,4,6, and 8. How is the wildlife at Trogan Lodge?

Thanks again,

Sandy

San Gerardo de Dota area is beautiful but mammals are not abundant....so the 'monkey factor' is low there. The area is recommended for all of the other reasons noted by Sandy above.

Rincon de la Vieja Mountain Lodge is rustic and beautiful. Some pleasant , gentle, walks with loads of butterflies and decent numbers of white-faced and howler monkeys around, as well as coatis etc. There are a couple of tiny streams in the wooded portion of the property. They also have horses and the kids might enjoy those. However I think their cabins sleep maximum four people.

I would be a bit concerned about biting creatures [scorpions, bullet ants, snakes] if my kids were out playing especially in lowland or mid-elevation habitats in CR, but as a kid going somewhere like CR would have been beyond my dreams.

Jerry

That was my thought about Trogon -- not as many biting creatures around to worry about, as it's high elevation. True, not many monkeys but there are quetzals, hummingbirds, and lots of other interesting little creatures. You could spend a few days there and go to Manuel Antonio where monkeys are guaranteed. I love Nicuesa Lodge in Golfito, and they'd see tons of mammals, but there are snakes and other things they could run across if they were playing on their own. Trogon is much safer for that kind of thing.

Sandy

Thanks Jerry - We would like to "Disney-proof" our kids and I am thinking CR would be a good place to start! But the creepy crawlies aspect had not even crossed my mind yet! That is definitely something to think about. After looking over some information, it is the ants that have me most concerned. Sounds like if we go, a higher elevation would help along with a lot of precaution.

thanks again,

Sandy