Hello!! We will be in MA for 5 nights, 12/20-12/25. We're staying 2 nights at Si Como No and 3 at Makanda by the Sea. There are 5 of us traveling, my parents (ages 55) my brother (age 23) and my husband and me (26 & 27). We are all in good shape and pretty adventurous.
What activities did you really enjoy? Since this is our only stop in Costa Rica, we need to do "it all" here.
So far we know we are going to spend at least 1 day at the National Park, and one day zip lining. Whale watching and white water rafting also look interesting, but with 5 of us, the prices can sure add up! Then again, we do not want to regret or miss anything while we are there.
Thanks so much for your help!

The Finca Valmy Horseback trip constantly gets rave reviews on this forum. Don't see how you could go wrong on this one.

Also consider The Rainmaker - A series of suspension bridges.
Doesn't seem to get a lot of reviews, but was recently on the Amazing Race, which I am sure will impact its visits.

Kayaking and the mangroves are also very interesting.

And possibly a sunset cruise.

And there is always the less strenuous activities of visiting restaurants and little bars along the beach.

You have a good mix of adventure. Don't forget to relax!! The views are stunning, you may just find that hours slip away while you seem to be in a trance gazing out at the views.

Canopy Safari has has a really nice set-up for ziplining, a lot of fun and safety-conscious. And yes, Finca Valmy is awesome for horseback riding. The Park, of course, is a must. I wish I would've had time to do the Rainmaker tour, it looks beautiful.

I was not impressed with the safety procedures of the canyoning tour I took there.

I did the Rainmaker bridge tour last Spring and highly recommend it. The guides point out a lot of wildlife and the canopy bridges are very hair raising.

Besides the Amazing Race, Paul Newman and Mel Gibson also toured Rainmaker as a potential movie location. The owners have a photo album that they show with them touring it.

We did all our activities in ARenal, so we just relaxed in Manuel Antonio. My young adult son and daughters requested a second beach day, the beaches within the manuel Antonio Park are very nice, water is warm, and they weren't crowded. You might consider this. The entrance fee for the park isn't that much! Bring some coins to pay the boatmen who will carry you across the "big puddle". (You'll see when you arrive, unless you want to wade through a "big puddle", it's the only way in.)

Thanks for your suggestions so far!
When going to be beach in the MA National Park, are their chairs? Places to get some food or a cold drink? I don't think I'm quite understanding this National Park/Beach thing And we def. want some time on the beach!

Once inside the park there are no chairs or food . Take snacks and drinks in in your backpack . There are chairs and also lots of snack places and restaurants at the public beach ( Playa Espadilla ). It's not a huge walk , so if you get to the park when it opens you can come out for lunch and just return using your ticket ....

Depending on the tides and time of year , the little creek could be ankle high or thigh high .