We are two women traveling to Costa Rica and staying 5 or 6 nights.
We would like to do Arenal and Quepos or Tamarindo. It has been recommended to us to rent a 4x4, however we will be going in July and I am concerned with driving from Arenal to the coast and back to San Jose.
Do you suggest the drive and is this too much time spent driving for the amount of nights there.

thanks for your help.

You can do Arenal - stay overnite and either drive to Tamarindo (easier) or to Manuel Antonio (Quepos) It's about 5 hours To Tamarindo and I assume about the same to Quepos. You may hit less traffic to Tamarindo. Try to get something better than a Dhaitsu 4x4 as they are bumpy buggers. Also,the weather in July creates pot holes and you will have them near Arenal. The drive to san Jose is 41/2 hours from Tamarindo across new bridge with traffic. Hope I'm helpful.
Marilynn

Caron:

You can also consider arranging transfers as part of a package if you'd rather not do the driving yourself...

E-mail me if you have any questions, regards,

Enrique

t

I would head over to Quepos from Arenal. The trip is easier and your trip back to San Jose to leave would be much quicker than Tamarindo. There are good inexpensive shuttles on airconditioned buses (Fantasy bus(grayline) Interbus, monteverdeinfo.com, private shuttles, as well as renting a car. To go to Quepos from Arenal would be very easy and the roads are pretty good most of the way.
5-6 nights in CR is not much but you could see a little of both of those places. A lot would depend on your having to stay in San Jose your first and last night. If you only have 4 nights to actually travel I would pick one place. Manuel Antonio/Quepos probably has the most to choose from as far as sight seeing. Rainforest, beach, nat'l park, wildlife, canopy tour, etc.