trip planning help needed
 

This message forum is awesome. So much info! But the more I read the more I want to try to fit into my trip! Anyway, here's my potential itinerary for our 10 day family trip from July 30 to August 8. Please review and give feedback and suggestions. We are arriving at 12:30pm on a Saturday and then departing at 11:30 am on a Monday. We have 3 kids: a 7 year old girl, 12 and 15 year old boys. My hopes are that I have planned a trip that will be fun and exciting while experiencing and seeing things like volcanoes, wildlife, rainforests, etc that they wouldn't see at home. Also please note that my 15 year old is and always has been very interested in animals of the world so the more we see the better but he is also a thrill seeker like his Dad and brother. My daughter will love everything!

Day 1 Arrive at 12:30 and head for Arenal area. We want to hit the hot springs after travelling all day. Originally, I had planned to stay at Arenal Paraiso but may consider Observatory Lodge in hopes of seeing lava flows. I know it is unlikely so we will probably stick with the first choice.

Day 2 Arenal Take the Cano Negro boat tour. It sounds like a great way to see lots of wildlife. Has anyone done this in early August?

Day 3 More Arenal activies like hanging bridge or the waterfalls.

Day 4 Travel from Arenal to Monteverde via van/boat/van. Check into a hotel that is clean and nice but maybe more in the budget range like $70. Any suggestions? Also will we have time to do anything today? night guided tour? Something else? Butterfly gardens?

Day 5 Monteverde SkyTrec zip lines and/or Walk or Salvatura canopy exploration. A guided hike.

Day 6 Travel to Manuel Antonio and stay at Coste Verde or spurge at Si Como No. Check out the area.

Day 7 MA beach and park with guide

Day 8 MA swamp tour or something else.

Day 9 Travel back to San Jose area because of tomorrow's 11:30 flight. Stay somewhere. I'd like to fit in Paos Volcano and La Paz waterfall but I don't think the timing will work in terms of getting there too late to view the volcano.

Day 10 Fly back to Maine via Boston

Wow! Putting that down on paper is stressful. And we will probably have to eliminate some tours due to cost for 5 people. Does this schedule work? One other option I would have liked to include would be to have ended the trip at Playa Conchal. We have never done an AI and I think my kids would love the pool, never ending food and beverages as well as the activities and, Yes, I think my husband and I would feel pampered but we can only do so much. Shillmac: your descriptions of Volcan Rincon with it's mud baths and waterslide sound so tempting that I would love to somehow do that as well but I can't seem to give up MA. Any ideas.

I have blabbed enough. Thanks so much!

Here is what you do: Your itinerary is a very good one. Go with it and have great fun.

THEN, go back again (and again and again?) and stay a few days at Conchal (it IS a nice place and your children would definitely enjoy it). You could add a couple of days in the Rincon de la Vieja (which we are doing in July)--OR you can just go there on a day trip from Conchal (which we did the first time we were in the country and staying at an all-inclusive).

You will discover Costa Rica to be fascinating. Our problem (if it is a problem) has been that we fell so in love with the place that we want to know all of it. So we keep returning to try to see different areas. It has taken a lot of trips because we invariably like some places so much (or have friends now to visit) that we want to return for a little bit each time we're there. I always feel cheated when we are in Costa Rica and don't make it over to our favorite spots in Guanacaste like Conchal and Flamingo Beach Resort. Likewise, I can't imagine being there for a few days and not spending a little time with our friends Neta and Arbel at La Finca Que Ama. We didn't make it down to Manuel Antonio until our 5th time in the country. Haven't been to Monteverde yet! In July, though. . . !

As for the all-inclusive issue, there have been many posts on this board about the pros and cons. It all boils down to personal preference. Staying an entire week at an AI isn't the way we like to see Costa Rica these days, BUT that doesn't mean we don't still enjoy spending a weekend at an all-inclusive occasionally. Does that make us bad people? No, we enjoy LOTS of things! It's no one's business nor does anyone have the right to criticize the way any of us choose to spend OUR time and money.

Recent discussions on Fodor's have reminded all of us that we need to be more aware of the ecological impact made by the hotels we support. The degree to which each of is feels responsible for that is, again, personal. Hopefully, we're all moving in the right direction with regard to that.

I think you are going to be overwhelmed with your experience and will perhaps want to explore this great place a little further! Have fun with your family!

I highly recommend the Cano Negro tour - we did it a couple of weeks ago and saw lots of animals (big ones were caimans, howler monkeys and a sloth). It was also so nice to be out on the river. Make sure to bring along a couple pairs of binoculars so you can get a good look at everything.

Travelling from Arenal to Monteverde by jeep/boat/jeep should get you to Santa Elena around noon or earlier so you'll have lots of time to do things. You might want to do the zipline that afternoon and for the evening I would highly recommend a twilight hike. We did the one at the Children's Cloud Forest and saw tarantulas, stick insects, little frogs and a few animals. Great for kids. There is a Serpentarium and a Frog Pond in Santa Elena that we didn't check out, but I heard are good options too.

For accommodation in Monteverde I would recommend a 2 bedroom cabin at Arco Iris Lodge. We stayed there and I thought it would be a great option for a family.

Shillmac: thanks for the response. We will stick with this plan and just go with the flow. Your responses to everyone are always so helpful!

Lemongrass: I enjoyed your trip report and that was a good part of the reason that we are going on the Cano Negro tour. Your info on Monteverde was also very helpful. Thanks!

I would stay in a hotel that has a view of the current lava flows. Even though it's often cloudy so the view is obstructed, if you are lucky and have a clear night with a lot of volcanic activity, then you are in for something that you will never forget.

It's worth taking the chance.