We are going to CR in just 4 weeks and still don't have a firm itinerary. I thought I had something and then a kink was thrown in our plans - My sister-in-law and her husband are going to join us for the first week. Now, we are trying to tweak the itinerary to allow them to see the most possible and get them back to SJ for their plane flight home. I'm wondering if the below itinerary would be too ambitious or not.

Sunday - arrive SJ at 9p
Monday - get rental car and drive to Quepos (enjoy beach in afternoon)
Tuesday - visit Manuel Antonio in the AM and then drive to Monteverde
Wednesday - Monteverde
Thursday - Monteverde to Arenal
Friday Arenal
Saturday Arenal back to San Jose (return rental car and say bye bye to in-laws)

Sunday - SJ to Tortuguero ( thinking Laguna Lodge)
Monday - Tortuguero
Tuesday - leave tortuguero to Where
Wednesday - ????
Thursday - ????
Friday fly home.

If we go with this itinerary, we have no idea what to do our last 3 days - Maybe fly to Osa, or visit somewhere else?

Yes!
Slow down and smell the roses.

I'd edit one of the places the first week. I think you would all enjoy each others company more with a not so hectic pace.

I agree with earth traveler -too busy the first week.

I would eliminate Monteverde.

cheers

Jerry

Your first week is pretty hectic. You might have to eliminate one place - Monteverde I guess. Your second week sounds cool. If you are going to Tortuguero - You can cruise down to Puerto Viejo for a few days.

The problem w/ flying to Osa Pen. is that you will have to drive several hours back to San Jose, then get a flight. You will spend all day traveling.

This is what I thought. We are going to have a discussion with my sis-in-law this weekend on where they would like to visit. If we go with our original itinerary, it would be Tort at the beginning and then Arenal. They would miss MV and MA. I'm not sure if that is important to them or not yet.

Thanks for the replies

I don't mean to sound insensitive to your family - but I don't think it matters what your inlaws think. If you have been planning this trip, I think you should go with your original ideas, and and not make huge changes.

I have been here before, changing all my plans to cater to someone else, when in fact it all backfired in my face.

I think it is wonderful that you have family that wants to join you, however it needs to be manageable.

For instance a morning in MA and onto Monteverde, would be so completely unpleasant.

Either stick with the original plan or reverse it. But whatever you do limit their week to 2 locations and enjoy your week. If they really like CR, they can come back another time.

Just don't push yourself to make all these stops and begin to feel like a tour guide. It is YOUR trip.

Too much! I did all those drives but over a much longer time period. As I recall the drive from SJ to Quepos took hours and hours due to very poor roads, worse signage, one lane bridges that sometimes required 20 minute waits for a clearing to dart across the bridge and windy roads where you could be stuck behing an ox pulling a cart for miles.

Totally agree with Donna (dfarmer). Choose 2 places (my vote would be Arenal and MA to give them the most bang for the buck--things to do). Then ship them home as happy folks--and go enjoy yourselves!

I agree that trying to please too much can certainly backfire--have had a similar experience. Just do please plan a RELAXING time or no one, including you, will have much fun. All of these places don't mean a hoot when you don't have adequate time to enjoy them. If you provide that, they are going to be thrilled with the mix of activity and relax options. Just 2 locations that first week!