Aburton

I will be arriving by plane to SJO around 2:40pm. I am renting a car. Should I atempt to drive to Arenal that same day or stay somewhere outside the city towards the Volcano. What is the best route? I will have to get my car, luggage, and customs. I am concerned about driving in the dark. Any ideas on where to stay?

stotz

I can't comment on driving from SJO, as we flew into the Liberia Airport, but I found driving in CR to be pretty easy. The main roads were in good shape. We stayed at Volcano Lodge near Arenal. We were a party of 8 so we needed affordable but convenient lodging. Volcano Lodge was simple, but the view of Arenal was stunning. You can't imagine what its like to wake up early in the morning, stumble outside to your room's patio and see the volcano. VL's pool was very nice and the restaurant was good. They also did a nice job with the various excursions everyone took. Here's a link: http://www.arenal.net/hotel/volcano-lodge.htm

motmot

If you get in no later than that, and can get on the road by 4:00, you'll be fine. It is a good road, and you should be very close before it gets completely dark about 6:20 or 6:30. Take the Interamerican west toward the Pacific beaches, then exit at San Ramon, heading north through San Ramon and following the volcano signs. San Ramon is about 30-40 minutes west of San Jose on the highway.

Jim_Boo

I think you won't be on the road before 4 pm. You have to pass customs and do the paper work with the car rental company.

It takes less than 3 hours to drive to La Fortuna from the airport / Alajuela. You can get driving directions and distances from this route planner: http://www.yourtravelmap.com/costarica/travelmap/

Maybe it would be better to stay the first night in Alajuela. Or you stay at a hotel on the way to the Poas Volcano. You could visit the Poas the next day and then head to La Fortuna.

hansboomer

www.orquideasinn.com Check this out as a GREAT place to stay first and last night in CR. Close to airport, they will arrange pick up and take you the next morning to your rental. They also have a wonderful rental company on site and it makes it so easy.

Double check with them...I don't remember but I think the highway referred to previously is the SECOND San Ramon exit, not the first. Beautiful drive but don't do it after dark. We went last year in Feb and it starts getting dark closer to 530p that 630p if memory serves. You DO NOT want to drive at night. Few road signs and plus, you miss the beauty of the drive. Watch those "bridges"....if you want to call them that! Stop north of San Ramon at the little soda on your left and grab a casado!

Earthtraveler

Consider staying aprox. half way to La Fortuna at Lands In Love. The place is along the road between San Ramon and La Tigre near San Larenzo.

I would'nt want to risk being on the road in the dark coming from the airport to my first night hotel. Too stressful.

cmerrell

I tend to agree with Earthtraveler; too stressful trying to find your first hotel in the dark after a day of international travel.

We only had to drive ~ 1 hour to the Peace Lodge on our first afternoon in CR (on our first trip). We were held up forever at the rental car counter (trapped in line behind some excrutiatingly slow people). We hit fog and pretty heavy rain on our way to PL and didn't get there until after the sun had set. It was stressful navigating those winding, steep roads without good visibility!

Best to stay someplace like Orquideas and get a fresh start the next morning for Arenal. I'd hate to miss any of the scenery along that drive anyway...

Melissa5

We found driving in Costa Rica doable, but not easy. On the drive up to Arenal we got caught in a thunder-and-lightening storm. A tree had actually fallen across the street, but someone was out there clearing the road. It was scary...the kids thought it was an adventure!

There were some mountain curves without guard rails.

We were glad that we were driving in the day-time, and NOT having to worry about it getting dark on top of everything else!

I would stay put in Alajuela for the night...relax. Stay somewhere fun but not too expensive for the night. Get in the mood for Costa Rica.

Roads aren't always well-marked in Costa Rica. We got a bit lost several times, in spite of having maps, due to some roads not being well marked. We did always get where we were going, eventually, but in some cases took the long way by accident.

We visited Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and another spot off the tourist map. Costa Rica is beautiful.

Melissa5

Aburton, another idea is to get a taxi to a hotel that isn't too far from the airport, and isn't too far from your rental car place. Spend the 1st night in your hotel without a car. The next morning, pre-arrange to have the rental car office pick you up from your hotel and take you to the office to rent your car. That is what they did for us. This saves you from paying to rent a car your first night.

We spent our first night in a little family-run place called Hotel Villa Bonita in Alajuela. It was clean, basic, and friendly, with a nice Costa Rican breakfast included. I hear that Orquideas is also fun.

Our last night we stayed in Hotel Bougainvillea, in Heredia, not too far from the airport, but it's hard to find by car...we took a taxi. Hotel Bougainvillea has a beautiful garden, a nice restaurant, and friendly service.

cmerrell

Good suggestions, Melissa.

Aburton

Melissa- Thanks so much- tell me about the route you drove from Monteverde to Manual Antonio.
Your input was great.