Jeffrey Van Fleet

Land in Costa Rica, but take care with shortcuts to your destination.

Most travelers who make it this far south already have a trip to Costa Rica under their belts, but feel free to break that rule. All you need is a spirit of adventure. Day 1: Arrival Following your arrival in San José, head to one of the several lodgings near the airport. We recommend staying … Continued

Avoid the crowds in lesser-known, but up-and-coming, destinations. Day 1: Arrival  Following your evening arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport, head into San José. The airport lies northwest of the capital, and because you’ll be heading east out of the city the next morning, this gets you well on your way there. The west-side Hotel … Continued

Costa Rica looks disarmingly small on the map. This country the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined should be easy to take in, right? Arrive here and you’ll see that a mountainous spine transects the country and dirt roads make driving downright abysmal. Ambitious plans to see the entire country never materialize. Rather than … Continued

It’s entirely possible to take in a mix of urban, suburban, and remote Costa Rica without having to rent a car with this let-someone-else-do-the-driving itinerary. Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast, is accessible only by boat. Day 1: Arrival Following your evening arrival in San José, head to one of the many in-town lodgings. Hotel Grano … Continued

Volcanoes and beaches are two of the things Costa Rica does best, so the classic first-timer’s itinerary to Costa Rica takes in two of its most popular destinations: the impressive Arenal Volcano and the beaches of the Central Pacific coast’s lovely Manuel Antonio.  Day 1: San José  Arrive in San José’s Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría … Continued

The province of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula are known as Costa Rica’s “fun in the sun” destination. Kids and adults alike enjoy the region’s huge variety of land- and water-based activities.  Days 1 and 2: Playa Hermosa 30 minutes by paved road from Liberia airport. Most arrivals to Liberia’s Aeropuerto Internacional Guanacaste, Costa Rica’s … Continued

From coast to coast, the enchanting, verdant landscape of Costa Rica is rich with wildlife, diverse ecosystems, and unique activities to do.

From caves lined with skeletons to a temple next to a luxury jungle lodge, these 10 ancient sites are something you have to see to believe.

All food south of the border is not the same.