We will be in CR in February, staying at the Peace Lodge our first 2 nights. Day 1 we arrive at SJO around 10am and plan to relax around the Peace Lodge. I need some advice for day 2. We are thinking about visiting Poas and Doka.

* we will have our own car
* we are a party of 14, ages 5 thru adult

I thought we should plan to arrive at Poas Volcano by 8:30am so we can try to catch it before it is shrouded in fog. I am budgeting about 1 hour here.

Next I would like to visit Doka Coffee Plantation and take a tour.

Questions:
* How long does it take to get from Poas to Doka?
* Should we try to have lunch at the restaurant at Doka? Someplace else? I think I read a restaurant called Chubasco is good.
* After Poas and Doka is there anything else we should see or should I plan the remainder of the day back at the Peace Lodge?

Thanks for your help!

We really enjoyed eating at the Trout Bar at the Peace Lodge - nice outdoor area by the waterfall - food and service were good and affordable. A couple of neat things to do at the Peace Lodge after you hike the falls and see the grounds - make sure you make it to the hummingbird garden; you can even hand feed them during certain times of day, and the nocturnal frog tour is really great.

Chubasco is good. Nice outdoor restaurant in a pretty setting. The food was really good, and the drive there is through beautiful country. (Stop and get some fresh strawberries for sale on the road nearby.)

Perfect plan. Early start to Poas, then the Doka tour--about 20-30 min away. Then lunch at Chubasco's. We really like it there--great little restaurant--and easy to find. I'd head straight back to La Paz to enjoy that great property that you're paying an arm and a leg for!

Have fun--as I said, it's a great plan!

CathyF - If Maricruz is still a guide at Doka when you go, see if you can get her to conduct your tour. We thought she was an excellent guide.

I'm not sure if they're open for lunch, but Colbert's is about 10 minutes from the Peace Lodge. We had a great dinner there.

We enjoyed the tour at the Doka Plantation but got lost on the way out. Not sure if that's a common problem, but you should ask for concise directions to get back to the main road.

Yes, that getting in and getting out thing can be a problem at Doka. Just pay very close attention to how you get in there and you should be able to get out okay. It isn't very far, just tricky.

Second the Colbert's suggestion. Seldom much of a crowd there, but oh my, the vistas, the food, the wine. . .it is all just excellent. We've spent 2.5-3 hours at a time there, enjoying cheese plate, appetizers, soup, main course, dessert, and the Vouvray!

I'll be at Peace Lodge for 1 night and am interested in going to Colbert's for dinner. How do we get there from Peace Lodge? We'll be renting a car. How's the drive at night?

We drove at night from the Peace Lodge to Colberts. It wasn't too bad of a drive but you had to go pretty slow in spots, mostly due to fog and a few sharp turns. I don't remember the exact directions but it was pretty simple, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. The front desk at the Peace Lodge can give you directions.

Colberts had a website as of a year ago. It was hard to find, but it had menus and some other basic info.

Thanks so much for all the helpful replies! Does anyone know if coffee will still be in some stage of production in mid-Februray?

Colberts sounds great. Is it fancy? We have kids as young as 5 so I want to make sure it is appropriate.

Thank you again!

Doka should still be involved in the production process. You can certainly e-mail then for more info. They have a website.

As for Colbert's, you exit Peace Lodge turning right onto the road that passes in front of it. When you get to Vara Blanca, make a left. You'll find Colbert's a short distance down the road on your right. It's about 5km, not far at all.

Yes, it is appropriate for all ages. We took our 2 year old granddaughter there 2 nights. We were the only ones there at that time, both nights, and the chef fixed her a special plate of pasta and served it with great flourish. He's a super nice guy. Enjoy if you go! The cost is about $50 for 2 if you pretty much order what you want plus a $25 or so bottle of wine.