cpme

Many thanks to all who have been helping me for past two months. Trip is finally booked. I'll ask for "things to do" and "not miss" ideas one step at a time. Our first stop is Arenal late afternoon April 14 and full day of the 15th and 16th. We're at Hotel Paraiso for these 3 nights. I'd love any and all ideas for what to do day and evenings and wold love restaurant tips. I have eliminated the Cano Negro day long tour because travel to and from may be to much driving with children. With 3 kdis 8, 9 and 11, I'd love quick visit ideas and fun spots. Thanks.

Heather49

We're planning on doing the Venado Caves one day.

Look here http://www.arenal.net/tour/venado-caves.htm

cpme

please let me know when you are going, with your OK I'd like to follow up afterwards for your tips.
I'll research the caves tonight. Thanks.

Heather49

We leave for CR on Friday. We're down to the crunch and my 10 yo picked the time to hurt himself skiing so I spent the afternoon in the emergancy ward with him. He's fine but I don't have time for this.

We'll get home in mid March and I'll be doing a trip report shortly thereafter.

BirdsandBones

Been to CR 3 times and Arenal twice...in 96 and 2002. I fish, so Guapote (aka Rainbow Bass) and Machaca fishing in the lake was great. Look for cool frogs in any water...streams, landscape ponds, etc. They're awesome. Tabicon Hot Springs is nice, but I prefer the "primative" springs on the opposite side of the road from the resort. My sister went ATVing with her 13 yo and loved it. Night is great...more animals out and about. Above Arenal Lodge there is a cool "zoo" with some native animals. There is water and trails in the zoo/park, a butterfly farm and other cool seemingly unadvertised stuff. I saw a boa constrictor in there. You'd have to make dinner eservations to get on the property...or maybe you're staying there.

dineroguru

We just returned from CR and arenal earlier this week. We stayed at the observatory lodge and at Tabacon with our 10, 8 and 6 year olds. We enjoyed a nature walk, hanging bridge and the hot springs at Tabacon with a cool slide and swim up juice bar. We ate Pizza at a outside restaurant not far from where you are staying and it was very good--it is on the same side of the road as baldi springs. You will have a ton of fun just being there. BTW, we did do the cano negro tour and our kids loved it. The bus ride is about an hour and the guide talked about the crops we saw and the bus stopped twice to take in some Iqwanas by a bridge and also a sloth hanging in a tree. We had a great lunch on the way back at some place you would drive bye 100 times out a hundred.

cpme

Dineroguru, many thanks. Can you email me at [email protected] this weekend so I can follow up with you with some more questions. Kids are similar ages and I'd love to get more detailed tips from you. I'll revisit the Cano tour based on what you said. Chris