Driving Times in CR
 

Can someone give me an idea of driving times for my itinerary?

San Jose area - Arrive late, 1 ngt
to
Arenal - 2 ngts at the Arenal Paraiso
to
Montezuma - 4 ngts at El Sano Banano
to
Manuel Antonio - 5 ngts at Mango Moon
to
San Jose area- 1 ngt (our flight leaves at 2:30PM the next day. Should we just stay in MA another night or come back to SJ area and relax?)

The one other thing which sounds good to me is the Ricon de la Vieja Park, but it seems it would just add too much driving time. My husband doesn't want to keep switching hotels either, but I don't want to miss anything! Is Ricon really great? Any other thoughts on our plan?

jhand,

San Jose to Arenal, about 3 hours.

Arenal to Montezuma (using the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera) about 6.5 hours, maybe a bit more

Montezuma to Manuel Antonio, about 5.5 hours

Manuel Antonio to San Jose, about 3 hrs.

Rincon is a great place for day trips from the northern Pacific beaches. Otherwise, unless you have a couple of days built in to go there and stay at a lodge, I'd save it for another trip.

You could stay another night at Manuel Antonio as long as you get away by 8:00 or so. I think I'd prefer to go back the day before. There are some very nice places to relax closer to the airport.

Las Orquideas in Alajuela

El Cafetal, a very nice B&B near Atenas (about 20-30 minutes from the airport), is out of town on a very nice property where cafe is grown.

Just a couple of ideas--the second one being someplace a little different and off the path!

Forgot to mention, also on your way (but out of the way just a bit) is La Finca Que Ama--a fabulous hotel overlooking a beautiful canyon--just a short drive from Turu-Ba-Ri park and about an hour from the airport. A great place if relaxing is in your plan! Excellent food, very nice room amenities.

www.costaricafinca.com

Thanks! We booked a room at La Finca Que Ama for 2 nights. The plan was just for 1 night, but it looked so lovely we decided on two!

Also, in case we need a place to stay to break up the long drive from Arenal to Montezuma, what would be a good resting spot? Even if we don't stay, where should we stop for lunch/dinner?

Thanks!

Be really careful about that ferry--don't miss the one back to get to Manuel Antonio or you could be in for a long wait. Get there in plenty of time to get on! We missed our ferry by two cars and the next one wasn't for four hours! You don't want to spend four hours on the ferry dock, believe me.

Yes, that is so true! Do check the ferry times regularly as they are subject to change. You can look online at www.nicoyapeninsula.com.

Before you head back east, have your hotel in Montezuma check them for you again!

Arenal to Montezuma--I can't think of a PLACE for you to stop, although there could very well be just the thing you are looking for and it isn't coming to me. However, there are all kinds of little roadside sodas where you can stop, have a bite, and look around. I don't think you'll have a problem figuring this one out as you go. When will you be traveling?

And it's great that you booked La Finca. You won't be sorry. I feel badly that we always just stay one night--we mainly go there just to visit with Neta and Arbel and haven't really ever taken a couple of days to stay in the area, relax at the hotel, etc. Next time that is in our plans! It's a great little area, and the roads were in super condition in October!

shillmac: You seem to be a wealth of info. We land in SJ at 2:30, do you think that's too late in the afternoon to leave for Arenal? We plan on using private transfer. Thanks!!

If it's 5.5 hours from Montezuma to Monte Verde, how much further is it from Tamarindo to Monte Verde, and is there a ferry to take that decreases the drive time?

Bluepie,
Thank you. It's fun to help :)
Sure, no problem traveling to Arenal. You can be on your way by 3:30, perhaps sooner. You won't have to worry about the driving yourselves, which will be nice! You'll want to see the countryside and should be able to arrive there about sundown if not a little before.

Tamarindo to Monteverde should be less time, not more. About 3 hours perhaps? Take the Friendship Bridge across the Rio Tempisque (Highway 18). There used to be a ferry here, but now there is a wonderful new highway and bridge, courtesy of Taiwan!