My husband, I, and three middle-school to college-aged daughters spent 10 days in Costa Rica at Thanksgiving. We stayed at the Lost Iguana in Arenal and Bosque del Cabo in the Osa Peninsula. We LOVED LOVED LOVED these places and the people who worked there and absolutely everything about our trip. I'd like to write a detailed informative report, and I WILL, since I've benefited from so many I've read here, but I don't have time right now. I just HAVE to say this, though. The Fodorites who answer questions about Costa Rica in this forum are RIGHT ON in every respect. They offer a fantastic resource to people who may only have one chance to make this fabulous trip and want to make the most of it. They never failed to answer my questions, and even answered my last-minute urgent concerns while I was IN Costa Rica. It was a trip of a lifetime, and I am extremely grateful to this forum for its guidance, enthusiasm, and wisdom.

So glad you had a fantastic trip and what great choices you made for a first time! We'll be looking forward to your trip report when you have the time.

So glad that you guys had SUCH a wonderful trip. My husband and I are hoping to go there in February this year, but I have some concerns regarding hiring and driving rental cars in the country. Did you have hire cars and if so, what were your experiences? Did you feel any danger at all? What are the road qualities, keeping in mind which country we are in and expecting accordingly?
I look forward to hearing from you soon. thanks.

The roads leave something to be desired, but since you are planning to go in February, you shouldn't experience as many wet weather roadway problems. I'd hesitate to do my own driving, but I suppose that is because I'm there to relax and I don't really want the added challenge of finding my way around.

We have been to Costa Rica several times and have used ground transportation to many different locations. We never felt afraid. We had a cab driver blow thru an intersection in San Jose last November but you could see there was no cross traffic and they drive pretty wild so we weren't too surprised. In my opinion, it is all part of the fun. From what I' seen, cab drivers are much more agressive than travel services drivers, but as long as they keep it safe, I'm happy. I would be careful and only use official cabs and travel services, but other than that you probably don't have to be too concerned. Have your resort call a driver for you. They will make sure to choose someone who does a good job and they will also tell you how much to pay. Meters are so common so it is best to know ahead of time. Guidebooks and websites will help you determine what kinds of transportation is available depending upon where you want to go.

That's great! You DID choose some amazing locations--the best! It's a great place to visit, huh? So glad all of you had a wonderful time. And you're right--Fodor's is a great source of information. For the most part, everyone adds their 2 cents, everyone gets along and appreciates and respects everyone else's opinions. It really is a great resource for travelers.

sweetmarie, yay, I'm so glad you had fun and loved it! You stayed in two of my favorite spots - I hope you make it back again one day. We love this board too and use it to plan all of our trips.