Tamarindo or Manuel Antonio or Both
 

We'll be in Costa Rica for 8 nights and I'm getting ready to book a hotel. Is 8 nights too much to stay at one hotel in Tamarindo? Is it possible to do a trip to Manuel Antonio from Tamarindo? Would it be better to stay closer to Manuel Antonio and if so, where?

Manuel Antonio is a long all day drive from Tamarindo.

Eight days in Tam would usually be to much for me, but what are your interests? What sorts of things do you want to experience in Costa Rica?

Jerry

I was in CR for 8 days and did both towns, it is about a 5 hour drive between the two, so if you leave early in the AM, you get there for an enjoyable lunch and afternoon swim, in either location. If I may suggest, I would do one or the other, then do something else away from the shore, because the towns are similar in that they are beach communities/towns that are tourist areas, where you could go to one of the volcanoes, the cloud forest, white water rafting, etc. and get so much more out of CR. Either way, I prefered Tamarindo because the beach and town are right together and enjoyed the laid back eateries and ability to walk everywhere, MA you need a car or a taxi in my opinion. Enjoy.

I definitely want to stay on the beach and do some day trips like to the canopy tour and to maybe the volcano. Will we see wildlife in Tamarindo?

Lots of building going on in Tamarindo. You'll see more wildlife in Manuel Antonio. Wildlife sightings in and around Tamarindo are more "occasional".