We are thinking about going to Costa Rica with our 3 children in July. Is that the rainy season? If so, how bad is it? Would it prevent us from enjoying all the outdoor activities that Costa Rica has to offer?

Thanks,

Clau

It's rainy season but MANY regulars travel during time because kids are out of school and it's less expensive. You can expect rain, but shouldn't be enough to prevent you from having tons of fun!

We've gone in July and have never had it ruin our trip. I'd expect some rain, but we like it because things are lush and green, it's not as hot, and you can get some great deals. It's usually not an all day rain.

www.weather2travel.com CR Climate guide

Go a lot then just do tours in the AM

expect PM rain most days less on Guanacaste/Nicoya

There is a period called "little summer" for a couple of weeks in July. It isn't uncommon for it to go days without raining during this time. We've never had the rain hamper us at all, and July is our favorite and most usual month to visit CR. Have fun!

July is great in CR. We really enjoyed. Actually found the weather more comfortable than in March

I live here.
July is glorious.
Dec and Jan suck.

Toucan- why do Dec and Jan suck? Too many tourists or the weather? DH and I are planning a trip to CR and thought that would be the best time. We don't plan on beaching it, but we'd like to do both coasts and the middle - we are into wildlife and nature - so will be on the go the whole time. What time of year would you suggest?. We can go any time.

c, December and January are very popular times to go; you'll be fine.

Agree with vgirl. Most people love December and January. Of course through the holidays it's even more busy and more expensive than high season...it's called peak season.

What's November like? It's been a couple of decades since we were in Costa Rica and I'm looking at taking a week long trip somewhere in November. We're thinking Cozumel because we want to snorkel and I can't remember Costa Rica being a snorkeling destination. But is there good snorkeling anywhere?

I went last summer in early August and it was not an issue. It rained for maybe an hour in the mid afternoon which we usually used for a nap time and that didn;t happen everyday. Don't let it stop you!

The reason I say it sucks in Jan and Feb is the wind gets crazy. Especially up here on the lake.There is no way to go out in a boat and it's usually too cold to swim or wind surf without a wet suit.
Normally Guanacaste is starting to get it's brown leafless Texas look.
Lovely. Standing on Playa Papagayo with a 45 MPH wind blowing in your face, admiring the brownery.

Our 2nd trip to CR was the last week of July, 1st week of August and it rained a lot. Mostly when we were in Arenal. We had 3 days of mainly rain all day. In Manual Antonio it rained, but not as much, mostly in the late afternoon. In Tortuguero, it really didn't rain much at all. If it was just my husband and I, I don't know that I would have minded as much, but with two kids, it's harder to occupy them when it's constant rain and you're wet all of the time. We did still do activities, but riding horses in the pouring rain, just isn't as fun. Swimming in the rain - not as fun. At the Peace Lodge, it just poured on us.

I'm not saying we didn't also have nice weather, but there were days where I felt like we'd never be dry. And when we left, I felt like for the money we spent, the rain really made it challenging at times to keep our spirits up. I had doubts about ever going back during that time of year.

Now - that all being said - we're going back again - in July. The last two weeks of July this year. It's just too hard to find a good amount of time during the school year to take the kids. Ideally if I had to pick a summer month, I would go in the beginning of June, but our schedule didn't work that way this year. I know we'll have fun. It may rain, but we won't let that stop us. Since we're taking our kids, and we can't take them out of school for the lenght of trip that we want- our choices are limited - so we'll take our chances rather than not go at all, and hope for the "little summer"!

Thanks for the feedback, and sorry for co-opting the thread. Ah - wind - my least favorite thing (why we haven't yet been to Patagonia). We are flexible and we aren't big on crowds, so maybe November or May?

Geez Shell - I hope you guys get a lot more sunshine this trip!

http://costa-rica-guide.com/Weather/WeatherMap.html shows a good rain map. Just mouse over the area you're interested in, and it shows general rainfall patterns by month.

Thanks Hip! It's so hit or miss - we wouldn't have minded the rain in the afternoons everyone talks about, but in Arenal we had 2 1/2 full days of rain! That was the worst part. But we did make the best of it!

And as I mentioned, it's not keeping us from going back!!

I can't wait!

Feb. the "Dry Season" 4 days of solid rain at Arenal. It is hit or miss anytime of the year.

Shell, here's to clear skies!