staceysf

Hello,
We are planning a trip mid-June...which is QUICKLY approaching. The goal of our trip is for us to get away as a couple (kids staying home) with some adventure and then a few days to totally relax before heading back to the states. We are trying to decide between going to Mexico or Cost Rica. The Mexico trip would be to Guadalajara area for 4-5 days and then to Punta Mita for 3 days to relax. The other option is Costa Rica with time in Arenal and then maybe some beach time or somewhere else relaxing.

My main concern with Costa Rica this time of year is the rain. Is the heat/humidity really uncomfortable? Does the rain interfere with doing any beach time?

My concern with Mexico is that we have done Mexico many times. However, we have never been to the Guadalajara area. Is the weather ok this time of year? Is there really enough for us to do in this area? We are open to exploring another beach area, we were just looking at Punta Mita for the 4 Seasons and hoping to have somewhere nice to end the vacation with relaxation. We want somewhere nice, good food options, not total touristy.

Any help is greatly appreciated...as we are now at 13 days to our departure date, so we would like to ideally book our flight in the next day or two. THANKS!!!

volcanogirl

We travel to CR in green season and love it. We do a lot of activities in the morning, then usually come in and relax during afternoon rain, and then head back out again. The Arenal area is great because there's so much to do and seeing the active volcano is amazing. Also in green season, things are lush and green, and you can usually get good deals. I wouldn't hesitate to go in June. I'd be more wary of September and October. We went to the Osa in July and didn't get a single drop of rain our entire trip; it's not always that predictable. Check out the weather section of www.costa-rica-guide.com for an idea of weather patterns in certain areas. Just mouse over the map.

MarinaKVillatoro

Hi,
I live in Costa Rica and think it's a great vacation option. Yes it rains, but the nature will win you over everytime.

I can not compare Guadalajara to Costa Rica because they are soooooo different. I loved Guadalajara, love it!!! It's a huge city and the birth town of the Mariachi, which is really fun to see. You will not get anything at all like this in Costa Rica. Here you'll get nature, volcano, beaches. It really depends on what you want to see.

Hope this helps,
Marina K. Villatoro
http://travelexperta.com

cmerrell

As Marina says, they are 2 completely different experiences. If you want history, culture, shopping, and urban amenities, go to Guadalajara. If you want to commune with nature; hike, see volcanos, wildlife, etc..., Costa Rica is an excellent choice.

Both options have merit, but it is sort of like comparing an apple to an orange! ;-)

staceysf

Thanks so much for your help. Although I am dying to go to CR, we have decided to do Guadalajara/etc this trip. We'll plan CR when we have a bit more time. Husband was concerned that he wanted to get a few beach days in at the end our trip. Again, thanks for your input. Now I'm off to plan my Mexico trip!

volcanogirl

If you ever get to CR, Manuel Antonio has a beautiful beach inside the national park.

staceysf

Thanks Volcanogirl, I'll remember that for next year. Not knowing my geography in CR, is it a good itenerary to do Arenal, Osa, and Manuel Antonio?
Thanks!

volcanogirl

Hi, stacey - I would combine Arenal with either Manuel Antonio or the Osa but probably not both. If you want easy access with a beautiful beach and loads of restaurants, pick MA. If you want really amazing wildlife and lots of hiking, pick the Osa. MA is very Americanized, and the Osa is really isolated. They are like two different worlds. Arenal is a good pick for anyone - it has an amazing active volcano and loads of things to do like the Cano Negro tour, Hanging Bridges, a waterfall, the volcano, ziplines, rafting, beautiful natural hot springs - it's a good spot.