A Family Adventure in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is known as being an incredible destination for families and it absolutely lives up to its reputation. The combination of adventure and relaxation, jungle and beaches, the wildlife, kid friendly food and family focused vibe is perfect for a family trip. In fact, I’m kind of embarrassed that it took us so long to get to Costa Rica!
Why it took us so long: Put simply, the logistics. There is a lot to do and the drives are long, places are far apart. To get around this, we dove into the “Big Three” in Costa Rica, Monteverde, La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, and because we prefer to stay in 1 place for a minimum of 4 nights (excluding quick airport hotel stops) and we only had 8 days, we had to pick 2 stops.
How we picked our stops
The most common three stops on a family trip to Costa Rica are: (1) Monteverde Cloud Forest, (2) Arenal Volcano / La Fortuna Area and (3) Manuel Antonio National Park / Quepos for a beach-jungle combo. We picked options (2) and (3) for this trip based on our flights being into / out of San Jose Airport. Overall, these were great intros to Costa Rica. Next time, I would go with Option (1), Monteverde and maybe the Nicoya Peninsula OR some lesser known destinations.
Our Itinerary
Day 1: Don Juan Coffee & Chocolate Tour: La Fortuna
Day 2: Sloth Tour & Night tour: La Fortuna
Day 3: Hot Springs Day Pass (Original Plan): La Fortuna
Day 3: Hanging Bridges with Guide (Revised Plan): La Fortuna
Day 4: Transport to second hotel: Manuel Antonio
Day 5: Casual Beach Day
Day 6: Guided tour at Manuel Antonio National Park
Day 7: Transport to hotel near San Jose ahead of our flight.
Day 8: Flight home
Transport
We did NOT rent a car on this trip. I was nervous about driving in Costa Rica for the first time and I knew the drive times were long and complicated. If we go back, I would consider renting a car next time. We used private transfers with Ride CR, which I would highly recommend! You can also work with a local agency for support on transport, lodging and activities - highly recommend Pacific Trade Winds.
When We Went
We travelled during the kids’ spring break in early April. We did have to travel over Easter, which presents some but not insurmountable challenges / traffic in Costa Rica.
Where we stayed
Tips from us
Costa Rica requires more travel time between destinations than many families expect, so we’d recommend limiting the number of stops and building in slower days. Renting a car gives the most flexibility, especially for families traveling between areas like La Fortuna, Monteverde, and the coast BUT you need to balance that flexibility with safety on rural roads, traffic and other considerations. If you’re comfortable driving in Latin America, you will be totally fine.
We’d also recommend booking popular excursions ahead of time during busy seasons and packing for both heat and rain — lightweight clothes, water shoes, bug spray, and quick-dry gear were essentials. Our biggest recommendation is to embrace the slower pace instead of over-scheduling. Develop your standard daily schedule, one anchor activity per day and otherwise, embrace the pura vida mindset and slow down!
Rounding up our trip
Our family’s Costa Rica trip was the perfect mix of adventure, wildlife, and slow family travel. We explored some of the country’s most iconic regions — including the rainforest, beaches, and volcano areas — while balancing active days with plenty of downtime. From spotting sloths and monkeys to relaxing in hot springs and enjoying fresh local food, the trip felt both exciting and surprisingly family-friendly. One of our favourite parts was how easy it was to blend outdoor adventure with meaningful family moments, whether that meant walking hanging bridges, watching sunsets together, or simply embracing the relaxed “pura vida” pace Costa Rica is known for.
