quinnboo

Hello

I am considering a spring break trip with family. Boys are ages 7 and 10. Would appreciate any insight from families that have travelled to Costa Rica and hotels/activities that they would recommend. Thanks in advance.

volcanogirl

Do you have any idea of what you want to see, how long you'll be there, what you want to spend on a hotel, etc.? Manuel Antonio is a great place for young families - very popular because it has easy access to wildlife like monkeys and sloths, lots of good restaurant choices, numerous hotel choices, and a beautiful beach inside the national park. We really loved Tulemar Bungalows. We did a guided tour of the park, the Damas mangrove tour, and spent the rest of our time at the beach. The Arenal/La Fortuna area is fun too - lots of nice adventure tours there, hiking at the waterfall, Hanging Bridges, and volcano. The Penas Blancas river float and the Cano Negro tour. We loved the Springs Resort and Spa, the Lost Iguana, and Nayara. If you want more affordable, Silencio del Campo is popular, and Los Lagos. CR is absolutely fantastic; we love it.

quinnboo

Hello

8 day stay. Pretty flexible on accommodation price. The Tulemar Bungalows look very interesting. We love the water and the beach. Spring break is definitely a time for us to decompress and chill out. Any commentary on food? Many thanks

Pat_Hewitt

Tulemar is an awesome choice. I recommend spending at least part of your trip there. They have some larger villas as well. You can't beat 33 acres and a private beach either.

But don't forget that there is a lot more to Costa Rica than a beach. And you have time to add a second destination.

The other natural aspects of the country is where it really shines. Depending on your interests and budget, you might also want to consider the Arenal volcano, Monteverde, or the Osa Peninsula.

At Arenal, you have volcanic hot springs and lots of adventure style tours. There are some good nature tours (such as Cano Negro) too.

Monteverde is where the zipline tours were actually invented. I think the best place for this activity is still Monteverde. The Cloudforest is an amazing eco-system, and the community has lots of interesting galleries and shops. A bit of a food revolution going on here as well.

The Osa would be the priciest add on. But the jungle here is the real deal. I like the remote lodges that include some tours and all meals. National Geographic called the Corcovado National Park the "most bio-diverse place on the planet".

One last thing. What dates are you thinking of for "Spring Break?" Easter week can be insanely busy. You want to avoid it if you can, especially at the beach.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I can offer any further advice.

Warm Regards,

Pat Hewitt
Travel Professional

volcanogirl

Tulemar Bungalows is close to a lot of restaurants that you can walk to. Barba Roja is one of our favorites - great casual food, and they even have burgers if your kids are picky eaters. Cafe Agua Azul is also good. Kapi Kapi is good, but we thought it was a bit expensive. Salsipuedes is also nearby. There's even a restaurant built in an old plane called El Avion. On our first night we arrived really late, so we just had a pizza delivered from Victoria's. We also cooked since the places at Tulemar have kitchens. They'll even deliver groceries for you. There's a grocery store nearby that you can walk to. La Fortuna has lots of good restaurants as well - our favorite is Don Rufino. If you decide to do the natural hot springs, Eco Termales serves a good chicken dinner.

Pat_Hewitt

I absolutely agree with Vgirl. But then again, I usually do. Siblings from a different mother, I guess.

Vgirl, you and I have to share a meal sometime! Between food and our favorite destination, we should have a lot to talk about.

We ate for the very first time at Don Rufino last December. Excellent, and totally not what I was expecting. Their house salad is Arugula wrapped around a soft mozzarella cheese, wrapped with strips of speck (cured ham). It is topped with grilled peaches and avocado, and an interesting vinaigrette. Awesome. Just be aware that the portions are huge, and order accordingly. We ended up bringing food back to the room.

I also love Salsipuedas in Quepos. I had an office there for almost two years, and was in town once a month. This was my hangout, and the owners became good friends. "Salsipuedas" is slang for "get out if you can", and I did find it hard to get out of there on some nights. I was just having too much fun to leave. Great ocean views, nice recorded jazz and Latin music, fresh tuna dishes. Go for the sunset, or check out their reasonably priced breakfast.

I'm hungry now.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I can offer any further advice.

Warm Regards,

Pat Hewitt
Travel Professional

volcanogirl

So true, Pat! We took food to go from Don Rufino too. My husband ordered a brownie and they packed it up; only after we got back to the Lost Iguana did we realize they had made it a la mode!