Ahhh, Costa Rica! It’s a place of volcanos, rainforests, beaches, hot springs, and LOADS of wildlife. If you plan to explore Costa Rica with kids, you are sure to make life-long family memories!
My son is a HUGE animal lover and has always (like – since he could talk) said he plans to live in the rainforest and have a job that revolves around animals. So, we thought, what better place to take him for his first big trip than Costa Rica?
He was 9 years old when we went and really had no trouble doing everything listed here. Costa Rica is a great place to take kids. NOTE: Many of the things listed below require advance registration or tickets, so plan ahead.
Where To Go In Costa Rica?
We narrowed our trip down to two main locations: La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano area and the Manuel Antonio area. This allowed us to fit in all the best Costa Rica has to offer without too much driving.
PRO TIP: Costa Rica is a small place, but the roads are super curvy going up, over, and through mountains and forests. It takes much longer than you might think to get from one place to another, so don’t spread yourself too thin. If you get motion sick like me, be prepared. Those curvy roads can really do a number on your stomach. Check out Motion Sickness – 20 Remedies before you go! It can also get super foggy in certain areas, which can slow you way down. Watch out for pedestrians too! The locals like to walk along the side of the road.
Travel Day & Hotel Check-In
We flew into San Jose and rented a car. After reading this great post about renting a car in Costa Rica, I chose to rent our car from Adobe & our experience was great. The drive from the airport to our hotel in La Fortuna took about 3 1/2 hours.
We checked into the Lost Iguana Resort & Spa in La Fortuna. I chose a luxury suite because I really wanted a good view of the volcano and WOW, did I get it (that picture at the top that looks like a postcard…that was taken from our patio)!
This place was in a great location, out of town a bit but close enough to everything we had planned and…did I mention the VIEW?!?! We had a really cool outdoor shower & outdoor jetted tub (both very private).
The food was great too and the open-air restaurant was perfect – you can eat surrounded by nature. My son was a big fan of the pool and we liked the swim-up bar.
Oh yeah, and an AMAZING view!
Day 1 – Arenal Volcano National Park & Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort
Arenal Volcano National Park
We kicked off our trip with an easy hike through Arenal Volcano National Park (aka Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal). The main trail goes out and loops around. We took the short trail that leads to the lava flow from the main trail (about 1/2 way around the loop).
It was a nice easy trail (perfect for kids) and we saw our first sloth (not nearly as exciting as I had hoped), a bright yellow eyelash pit viper, some Capuchin monkeys, and a 400-year-old ceibThe park is open from 8am to 4pm daily.
PRO TIP: If you are used to the national parks in the US, you might be in for a surprise. This place is ultra low-key. No gift shop, no restaurant, no nothing. Just a place to pay, a restroom at the entrance, and a parking lot. Be sure to take plenty of water and some snacks.
Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort
The next stop on the list was Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort. This place has the most impressive hot springs I’ve ever seen! Sadly, I don’t have many good pictures because we were in the water most of the time (the picture below is not one that I took, but it is that beautiful).
There are a bunch of hot spring pools of varying temperatures and several waterfalls connected by pathways, all surrounded by lush green vegetation and flowers. IT IS BEAUTIFUL!
Though there are a lot of people there, it is not hard to find a place where you can be alone since there are so many pools. There are signs posted at each pool listing the temperature.
If you need a break from the heat of the hot springs, you can hang out in the swimming pool. It is also warm, but just a little. There is a swim-up bar and a great water slide.
They offer several packages for day and evening passes for those not staying at the resort. We got day passes with a meal included (you can choose lunch or dinner). The food was just okay, but the rest of it was well worth the price.
Our passes allowed us full access from 10am to 10pm. You will need to reserve your passes in advance to make sure you can get in.
Day 2 – Fishing & Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center
My husband and son went with a guide to fish on Laguna Arenal. Apparently, it is a great lake for rainbow bass fishing. On this day though, the fishing was tough and they didn’t catch much. But hey, the kid got in a good nap!
Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center – A Costa Rica With Kids Must Do!
Later that day, we took our animal lover to Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center. They have many rescue animals from all over Costa Rica and they rehabilitate as many as they can and, eventually, release them back into the wild.
While there, we saw blue and rainbow macaws, spider monkeys, toucans, and a margay, just to name a few. The staff is friendly and our guide was excellent – funny & very informative!
There are several packages to choose from. We chose the Wildlife Tour + Volunteer. They took us around and introduced us to all of their animals and explained how they came to be there.
Then we got to prepare food for the animals and feed them! It was a really educational and fun experience. Our tour lasted about 3 1/2 hours.
They offer tours Monday – Saturday with a start time of either 8:30am or 1:00pm. You will need to make reservations in advance.
Day 3 – Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park & La Fortuna Waterfall
Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park
We began day three at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges. We did a guided tour. You can do a self-guided tour, but I HIGHLY recommend having a guide.
It was fun to walk across the bridges and the views from up there were fabulous. The guide tells you all kinds of interesting things as you go through the park. She was great at spotting and pointing out all the wildlife (including more eyelash pit vipers, many beautiful birds, bats and a pair of mating snakes).
We would not have seen even half of the animals we saw if she hadn’t pointed them out. Plus, she had a monocular so we could see animals far off & she was willing to take pictures of them for us.
We got some amazing pictures thanks to her! Check out Animals of Costa Rica to see some of the awesome animal pictures we got!
See a complete list of the BEST places to stay in Costa Rica HERE.
You’ll want to buy tickets in advance for this one as well unless you want to wait in a ridiculously long line. The tour lasts about 2.5 hours. There is a decent restaurant on the property, as well as a gift shop.
La Fortuna Waterfall
A walk down to La Fortuna Waterfall was next on our list. This is a walk/hike of only about .6 miles but it’s down, down, down on the way there. Then it’s up, up, up on the way back. Down and back up is roughly 500 steps!
Coming back up is a bit tough, but doable for most. The waterfall is gorgeous! The water is extremely clear and cold. It was pretty crowded when we were there.
There are shallow areas and deeper areas close to the waterfall so it’s a perfect place to play in the water for all ages. There are restrooms and a cafe at the entrance, but nothing down at the bottom.
The trail to the waterfall is open daily from 7:30am to 4:00pm. They do charge a small fee, but no need to reserve tickets in advance.
Day 4 – Travel To Quepos/Manuel Antonio Area
Our drive to the place we stayed in Quepos was about 4 1/2 hours (without stopping). I didn’t plan anything for this day, other than the drive.
Obviously, we could have tried to fit something in, but I didn’t want to be rushed at all and wanted the freedom to just stop and wander if we felt the need. We rented this Airbnb duplex and it was perfect – another fantastic view!
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It was not in the heart of Quepos, which was a good thing (the traffic there can be crazy). There is a small grocery store right across the street which is extremely convenient. Since we had a kitchen, we stocked up on a few things.
There are many restaurants and shops within walking distance. Barba Roja Restaurante was right next door. While sitting on our patio, we saw capuchin monkeys, lots of pretty birds, and an agouti. We also woke to the sounds of howler monkeys, though we never saw them.
Day 5 – Playa Biesanz – the best beach in Costa Rica!
We wanted to take it easy the last couple of days. We did some research and found a “secret” little beach that very few people know about called Playa Biesanz.
It seems a little shady at first, but trust me…it is not a place you want to miss. It’s only a 5-minute drive from the Airbnb/Barba Roja Restaurante. See the directions below.
How To Get There
You will head towards Parador Resort & Spa, then take a right down a little road – feel free to ask someone if you aren’t sure where to go (the locals will know what you are looking for).
Park on the side of the road. Do not leave valuables in your car. There will probably be people there charging you to park. I was a little unsure about this because they don't look official at all and you are literally just parking on the side of the road, but I had read a bunch about this and everything I read was all positive, so we went for it!
We paid them and they pointed us in the direction of the “trail” that leads to the beach. There isn’t much to mark the way and it will feel like you are just wandering through the forest. Just stick to the worn path and you will be rewarded.
Before you know it, you emerge from the trees and onto the beach!
The Perfect Beach
This was by far our favorite beach. In fact, I think it's our favorite beach we've been to so far! It was not crowded at all.
There is a friendly guy there named Stevan running the show (and his awesome staff) that rent out chairs, umbrellas, etc (not at all expensive). They also sell drinks of all kinds (including alcohol) and food. They will come by regularly to wait on you and you will hear “Pura Vida” over and over (it means pure life and the Costa Ricans love it)!
This is my kind of beach!
It’s a bay area, so the waves are minimal and it stays shallow for a ways out. It’s great for kids. The water was the PERFECT temperature when we were there!
There is a sloth that hangs out in a tree by the beach and tons of little crabs scattering across the sand. As we left for the day, the guy asked if we planned to come back the next day.
We loved it so much, we said yes. He offered to keep a canopy and two chairs saved for us for $14 (for the day). We agreed and said we’d be back.
Day 6 – Manuel Antonio National Park & Playa Biesanz
Manuel Antonio National Park
We started the morning off by going to Manuel Antonio National Park for a little light hiking and to visit some of the beaches there. We walked the main trail to Manuel Antonio Beach & Espadilla Beach (it’s just a short walk between the two). This area was not crowded in the morning when we were there.
Again, we saw all kinds of animals including more capuchin monkeys (those little guys are everywhere), iguanas, and a blue morpho butterfly! Check out this guided tour of Manuel Antonio.
There are no food or drinks sold in the park. You are allowed to bring in non-alcoholic drinks, sandwiches, and fruit (nothing else).
Beware – there will be a bunch of official-looking people in the area that will try to sell you tickets, guided tours, and parking. Ignore them all and go all the way until you see the park entrance.
Buy your tickets at Coopealianza. The park is closed on Mondays, but open 7am to 4pm every other day, all year long.
Back to Playa Biesanz
After hanging out there for a while, we headed back to Playa Biesanz, where, as promised, we had our canopy and chairs waiting. We ate dinner at the beach and the food and service was great!
Beautiful, minimal waves, perfect water temperature, wildlife, chairs, cover from the sun, food & drinks – what more could you ask for?!?! I cannot recommend this beach highly enough!
Travel Day – Back To Reality
The drive from Quepos back to San Jose took about 2hrs. 45min. We were sad to go, but we really had a great trip and took home awesome family memories and amazing pictures!
Don’t Forget To Pack:
- Mosquito Spray
- Sunscreen – the sun here is no joke! Apply & re-apply (and make sure it’s reef safe)!
- Raincoat (it’s the rainforest, after all)
- Closed Toed Shoes (required in some parks). These are my favorite hiking boots for adults and kids!
- Water Shoes (you’ll want these at Tabacon & the waterfalls). Here are the ones I like for adults and kids.
I’d love to hear from you if you’ve been to Costa Rica and have other great places to recommend – comment below! Be sure to check out these 15 Must-Have Travel Apps before you go!
Until next time…
Until next time…
About The Author
My mission is to inspire and empower families to prioritize travel now, creating unforgettable memories and deeper connections with their loved ones.
I provide guidance and practical solutions to help busy parents integrate travel into their lives, fostering joy, fulfillment, and stress-free adventures. Don’t wait until it’s too late; the time to travel is now.
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