Can anyone help us understand if we need to be vaccinated or get shots for Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, etc etc, before we travel to Costa Rica?

Don

The cdc webpage is the best advice for this - but IMO you need hepatitis if you travel or live in America if you eat in any restaurant or fast food chain. Many medical experts are predicting that Hep will be a required vacination for school kids within 5 years. I've got mine. . .

Hep A and B shots are a good idea.

You shouldn't need other shots for travel to Costa Rica.

Jerry

Our doctor recommended Hep and Malaria pills to us since we were going to guanacaste region. We went in the dry season and I only saw one mosquito but he did say that is what the CDC suggested.

As above, Hep A for everyone, everywhere, and updated tetanus. I always take chloroquine if the CDC site recommends it; not many people understand that once you contract malaria, you can suffer terrible revisits of it for the rest of your life - not something to mess with! It's important to take other precautions, too, like good bug goop and long pants/shirts in the early morning and evening hours. Here's the CDC link:

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

Have a wonderful trip!