Ocotal, CR w/6 & 10 yr old early May
 

We will be staying at El Sueno de Ocotal in early for for a week with our two dhiclren. Can anyone suggest day trips for us in this area and things to do and places of interest? Suggestions for restaurants would be appreciated as well? Had anyone stayed in the B & B? Any and all information of this area would be most appreciated. We will be flying into Liberia. Is it possible to get to Rincon de la Vieja as a day trip? Thank you so much!!

Very possible to do Rincon--it is just an hour or so away.

We liked Ginger in Playa Hermosa for tapas--very good. Maybe not so much for kids, though?

Found Playa Panama a nice little beach to visit, and nearby. Lots of locals there enjoying the weekend when we were there.

Have fun! You guys will have a great time!

Rincon de la Vieja is an easy daytrip from Playa Ocotal. Just make sure you get good directions. Rincon is off the Interamericana highway, just north of Liberia. http://www.govisitcostarica.com/region/city.asp?cid=372
Another great spot, for which you will also need local directions, is the Tears of Cortez waterfalls, south of Liberia, just outside of Begaces. I think your children would be in awe of the falls which you can swim up to and stand underneath.
I agree with Shillmac's recommendation of Ginger in Playa Hermosa - worth the drive. In Playa Ocotal most of the guidebooks mention Father Rooster, a small beachside restaurant/bar. I personally don't see the attraction. But at the Playa Ocotal Resort there is a very nice restaurant overlooking the ocean which is open to the public called Picante. http://www.ocotalresort.com/

The hotel is very nice no doubt about that Picante is worth a try located next beach south.Have you decided about renting a car or taking a private tour? you can visit Rincon de la Vieja National Park, stop at guachipilin on the way and do some activities like Zip Lines for a day.
there is so much you can do but make your mind- what you can do with a car is not the same as going with a tour comapny.

Paisa.

Rincon is a great day trip. We drove ourselves and the previous post is correct, it isn't the easiest to find. You have to drive down a long, rock and dirt road, but the drive is alot of fun. We also had lunch at the hotel at the base of the Rincon and it turned out to be one of the best days. On of the staff members had previously lived in the States and we had common interests, so he gave us permission to tour the waterfalls on the grounds, it was incredible. Anyway. Rbrazill mentioned the Tears of Cortez waterfalls, which we also did. It was even harder to find than Rincon, but even better. It is down a dirt road on the right side off the main highway. You have to turn right at one fo the soda stands and go down a few hundred yards. This waterfall and area was something out of a movie set. It is a shear wall of water that drops down to a sandy, warm pond. It is in the middle of nowhere, so you might want to ask for directions. Either way, have a great time.