cpcd

We will be staying 3 nights at the lodge and will be without a car since we chose to have a private driver deliver us there. I understand the Lodge is off the beaten path. The website said we could get a taxi for $25. Does anyone know if those taxis would hold 4 adults and 2 children? Are there any other ways to get around when we are there? Public transportation?

ShellD

We're going to rent a car for the time that we're in the Arenal area. We're using a driver to get there and back to San Jose, but we've liked the flexibility to come and go when we want so we decided to go ahead and rent a vehicle for the days we're there. We'll also have 4 adults and 2 children. It just seemed to make sense for us. We're using mapache.

I'm not sure about the taxis, but I know for tours and drivers, they often use vans.

koala

I did see a couple larger SUV size taxi's so it may be possible to transport all the people you say, but we didn't have that many personally, so can't say for sure.

It was a little inflexible not having a car, but not horrible, and since we didn't want to be responsible for a vehicle there, we were glad to pay a little more to have other people drive us around. It did cost us about $25 to get a taxi back to AOL from La Fortuna one night. I think the lodge charged us $30 to have a taxi take us to the Airport in La Fortuna, which is on the opposite side of town and a little further. On another day we hired private transport via the lodge to the hanging bridges and back, which was about $50 round trip. This wasn't as far away, but since it was scheduled private transport and two directions, I guess that was fair. Gas is not cheap in CR from what I was told.

volcanogirl

The taxis we've been in wouldn't hold 4 adults and 2 children; they've been regular cars with a passenger seat in front and just the standard seating in back. Like shell said, for tours you'll most likely get a van.

shillmac

AOL isn't a good choice if you don't have your own vehicle--unless you don't mind paying so much for taxis. The problem with taxis is that you just have no flexibility to run around as you'd like. Shell's idea to rent while in the Arenal area is a good one. We've stayed at AOL, and I just can't imagine being there without a car. In fact, more than once, we picked up AOL hitchhikers, people who were trying to get from AOL to town and hoping someone would give them a ride.

qwovadis

rent a cheap car from www.mapache.com

or

just stay closer in without a car

ShellD

cpcd - one other thing, we're staying at AOL too - I forgot to mention that in my post. If you haven't been to the area before, not only is it not in town, it's down a very bumpy, long dirt road. It's pretty isolated. That's why the taxi charges so much. I know from our past trips - especially with the kids, just having our own car gives us so much more flexibility. Even for the little things - for example, there's a Burger King in town. Sounds silly, but sometimes kids just get tired of the Costa Rican food and the AOL food may not be what you want. To be able to drive yourself into town for some chicken nuggets and a hamburger - can really make the kids happy, and that makes for some happy adults! Also, we've gone driving around the lake on a rainy day - just to check things out - we ended up in Nuevo Arenal, stopped at the German Bakery and had a great day. Without the car it would have been a pretty boring day stuck in the hotel. We also drove ourselves to the Hanging Bridges, just paid the admission and for their own guide instead of paying for a tour to come pick us up. All these things made the price of the rental car worth it.

The roads in the area are fine once you get out to the main road.

volcanogirl

Shell, how long did it take you to get to Nuevo Arenal?

cpcd

It's great to know that there is a BK in Fortuna. Chicken nuggets and burgers are, unfortunately, staples of my grandson's diet. It seems that having a car would make life easier. Can one be rented in Fortuna for just 2 or 3 days? It doesn't seem economical to pay a driver to deliver us and then turn around and rent a car. We will have one day with a tour to Cano Negro. It might be worth it for the convenience
and flexibility it will give us. Thanks all.

ShellD

cpcd - mapache had a 3 day minimum. We're picking up the car late afternoon when we arrive, on a Wednesday and returning it on a Saturday morning.

Volcanogirl - I can't remember how long it took to get to Nuevo Arenal - 40 minutes maybe? That would be from Los Lagos and it's a total guess. We drove around the lake, stopped at a shop or two, stopped for some baby coati's crossing the road (CUTE!!), stopped to take pictures...so my memory is really foggy about this. It was just a rainy day drive, so I wasn't paying much attention to the time.

klam_chowder

piggy-backing...

Does anyone know if Mapache will drop off the car at AOL or if you can leave it there when you're done?

We're also staying at AOL - just DH and I so not concerned about having to make BK runs or how big the taxis are. However, still thinking about renting for cost & flexibility. Trying to work out the logistics.

Enjoy-la!

volcanogirl

Thanks, Shell! I think it would be fun to explore that area some time.