Itinerary for Family
 

Hope to take my daughter & family to Costa Rica during their spring break in March. We only have 7 days, and I need some help in planing the best itinerary with lots of activities--especially for the kids, ages 9 & 11. There will be 5 of us. Tentatively, I'm thinking of flying in and out of Liberia. Renting a car. Then--3 nights somewhere around Rincon de la Vieja, 2 nights around Arenal, and 2 nights at the beach--possibly Playa Hermosa. I'd appreciate any help with the itinerary, hotels (a pool is almost a requirement), car rentals, air etc. Also, is it best to use a travel agent there to coordinate everything, or can I easily do it myself via the Internet?

Looks like I already have to make some changes. Researching the airfares, it appears that it will be much cheaper to fly in and out of San Jose airport. So--with this in mind, how long is the drive between the airport and Arenal? Also--is there a better beach location for us that isn't a huge drive from Guanacast and closer to San Jose?

Hi karinkz,

A very popluar first-time visitor's itinerary to Costa Rica includes Arenal and Manuel Antonio (on the central Pacific Coast). Both places offer good tourist infrastructure with lots of hotels, restaurants, tours and activities to choose from.

The drive from SJO to Arenal is ~3 to 3.5 hours. The drive between Arenal and MA is ~5.5 to 6 hours. The drive from MA back to the airport area is ~3 to 3.5 hours.

I think you would find plenty to do in both locations that would appeal to both kids and adults.

Arenal has the volcano (seeing the lava flow is not always guaranteed due to weather, but even just seeing the cone is impressive), hot springs, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge tour (highly recommended!!), ziplines, hanging bridges, caves, waterfall...

Manuel Antonio has a wonderful national park (with lots of wildlife to be seen), beaches, mangrove forest tours, sailing tours, Finca Valmy horseback tour (highly recommended by several people)...

There are lots of other terrific itinerary options you could consider, but I don't think you would go wrong with the Arenal/MA combination.

Thanks, cmerrill, for your input. I was in Costa Rica a couple years ago on a tour, and near Rincon de la Vieja was where we did ziplines, hot springs, horseback riding, etc. So, that's why I included that in our itinerary. But--if we could do all those things just as well around Arenal, I suppose it would make sense to visit just two general locations rather than three--so we're not so rushed. Especially if we have a couple long drives. Does anyone have recommendations for a hotel in those areas? Before, I stayed at the Volcano Lodge, which was OK--had a good view of the volcano, and a pool. Anyplace better?

Will you have your own vehicle? Arenal Observatory Lodge (around on the south side) is where the "lava flow" has been since last March. Who knows when it will veer back around to the north! AOL is an excellent hotel with wonderful grounds, hiking trails, super views of the volcano from the rooms. We were pleased with the staff during our visit in 2006--and the fact that they opened the restaurant early to accomodate those leaving on early a.m. tours. Downside is that you are about a 20-30 minute drive from La Fortuna. But that really isn't an issue unless you don't have your own vehicle.

We also enjoy Arenal Paraiso on the north side directly across from the volcano. It is a very decent property, also with hiking trails and its own ziplines, which get excellent reviews. There are 18 cables, pretty extensive.

There are many hotel choices in both areas. MANY! You can certainly fit your budget and location preference with no problem.

Manuel Antonio: Costa Verde always comes in as a good value. Wonderful views from the Studio Plus rooms. Si Como No is a very nice place, maybe a tad overpriced, but still very nice. Both have good restaurants. We also liked Hotel California when we stayed there a few years ago. Villas Nicolas gets good reviews (next to Si Como No). Tulemar and Buena Vista, also Mango Moon get strong recommendations. Once you offer the Fodor's folks a price range and little bit of an idea of what you would prefer, you'll get lots of help! Good luck!

cmerrell is correct in that you absolutely cannot go wrong with the Arenal/Manuel Antonio combo.

Thanks, Shillmac, for the info. Yes--we plan to rent a car. Regarding hotels--I would like something in the moderate range--maybe around $100 per night, since I'll probably have to rent two rooms for the five of us. Does anyone know of any hotels in Arenal or MA with a two bedroom suite?

I'm just going to throw this out; you can decide if it is something you guys might be interested in. It might be helpful if you find you need to splurge at Manuel Antonio.

At Arenal Volcano Lodge, they have La Casona. You can see photos of it on their website. My husband and I stayed there a year or so ago, and it was perfect for us. We were looking to save a bit on our Arenal hotel.

La Casona is a large building with rooms on either side. Just rooms. Bed, couple chairs with coffee table in front of the window with the volcano view. Maybe a dresser, can't remember. There is also a larger bedroom with several beds, dormitory style. How would you be with side by side rooms, although not connecting, even 3 rooms with the kids in the middle? Shared bathroom. Honestly, when we were there in July, we were practically the only ones in the house and NEVER saw another soul in the bathrooms. There is a big commons area (large entryway hallway) that is handy for families. It's just a thought. I think we paid about $50 per night per room, breakfast included.

You might select several hotels and send off e-mails asking about suites or rooms with several beds or connecting rooms. Bear in mind that everything in March is more expensive.

With the kids being as young as they are, what I've mentioned above might not seem like the best plan. Probably perfectly safe, but might be uncomfortable for you.

Do check at Los Lagos as they tend to host a lot of families. That's at Arenal.