TAGriffin

I will be traveling to Costa Rica for the second time this July and need some advice from the Costa Rica experts! I will be traveling with my mom, aunt and cousin (age 13) for 2 weeks, the second of which will be spent aboard the Pacific Explorer. That will pretty much take care of seeing some of the Pacifc coast, so we've decided to spend the first week in the Central Valley and do day trips. Possible day trips I have in mind are La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Poas (possibly through Ecoscape Tours or another highlight tour company), Zoo Ave, Orosi Valley, rafting on the Pacuare, Los Angeles Cloud Forest, Arenal and a drive up to San Gerardo de Dota. My questions are:<BR><BR>1) We plan to stay at Posada Mimosa near Grecia. Is this a good base location? (We are renting a car.)<BR><BR>2) If memory serves, it was 2-1/2 to 3 hours from the airport to La Fortuna. Could a visit to Tabacon realistically be done in a day or should we plan to spend 1 night? My thought is that if we decide to do this as a day trip, we will have to use a tour company so I'm not having to drive back to Grecia in the dark.<BR><BR>3) Same question for San Gerardo de Dota as a day trip. Realistic? Can you see Quetzals in July?<BR><BR>4) Where, in your opinion, is the best place to do a zip line (for my teenage cousin)?<BR><BR>Any other thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

TAGriffin

ttt

peg

Hello there:<BR><BR>We stayed at Vista del Valle in the Central Valley for a week and did day trips from there. We arranged everything through them and had a private driver that works for the hotel.<BR><BR>Day 1: Arrive in San Jose, transferred to Vista del Valle. Hung out in the pool and hot tub.<BR>Day 2: Paos Volcano in the morning, La Paz Waterfall Garden for lunch and afternoon<BR>Day 3: Did a zip line in the morning on the way to Arenal and the Tabacan Resort. Lunch after zip. Had all afternoon at Tabacan, saw the volcano erupt, had dinner and headed back to the hotel. Back around 8pm.<BR>Day 4: San Jose zoo, Cafe Brit coffee tour, shopping in San Jose afternoon<BR>Day 5: White water rafting at La Selva Lodge. We picked a place where there was a jungle tour for the two who did't want to raft. Had lunch. Stopped in Sarchi on the way back to Vista del Valle.<BR>Day 6: Hung out at the hotel all day.<BR>Day 7: Departed for the U.s.<BR><BR>I hope this helps. Arenal was a long day but well worth it. We could have stayed longer if we wanted our driver didn't care. Unfortunately we did not do a couple of the things on your list.

peg

Oops forgot a day. <BR><BR>Day 4: We went to Jaco Beach and Cararra (sp?) Park and walked the short trail and Tarcoles Jungle boat tour to see scarlet macaws.

TAGriffin

Thanks Peg. I stayed at Vista del Valle last June for 3 glorious days. Isn't it a great place!<BR><BR>What were your favorite day trips/tours? I've done Poas and Arenal before, so I'm familiar with those areas. <BR><BR>Thanks again!

Suzie2

La Fortuna could be done for a couple of hours as a day trip.<BR>Supposedly the Quetzals are around in San Gerardo year round but I have a feeling you would not see much of them. They are nesting now and the babies will probably be gone from the nests by the time you get there. Your chances of seeing them in the Los Angeles Cloud Forest are pretty slim also. I believe they will have moved over to the other side of the mountains. Los Angeles does offer some nice hiking.<BR>Are you going all the way down to the Canals on the Explorer? It is supposed to be a nice trip.

ligonite1

Grecia makes a great home base<BR><BR>I think the overnight Pacuare trip run by Aventuras Naturales would be a great choice-they have a nice riverside lodge and the scenery on the Paucare is magnificent.<BR><BR>Poas/LaPaz is very doable and you'd be back in time for supper. <BR><BR>The Chacon family has Cabinas Chacon at San Gerardo del la Dota. I think you can see quetzales any time there---we were there in dec one year and they were very much around--also great hummers---I recall it being not much more than an hour from SJ, so it might be a good day trip if you didn't want to spend the night----you could eat lunch there---hike into the cloud forest with one of their folks---they know exactly where the quetzales are; perhaps horseback riding to a nice waterfall---even trout fish for an hour or so.<BR><BR>hope this helps<BR><BR>marc

peg

I would have to say my favorite was the hot springs, and becuase we got to see Arenal errupt. I also liked the crocodile boat tour and I think because we were the only ones on the boat and we got to see the macaws.

I really enjoyed Vista del Valle. The people were wonderful and thanks to Arturo and Oscar we saw more of Costa Rica than we planned to.

TAGriffin

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. I've discovered that Savegre Lodge offers a really nice 1-day tour for $77 which includes transportation, breakfast and lunch, and a guided hike with free time in the afternoon. Sounds really appealing, even if the Quetzals have flown the coop, so to speak.
Suzie - we will be on the same ship that does that transits the canal, although this particular sailing is just Costa Rica (Curu, Isla Tortuga, Corcovado, Golfo Dulce, Drake Bay, Cano Island and Manuel Antonio). I can't wait!!