Is Costa Rica Family Friendly?
Costa Rica is undoubtedly one of the most exciting, family-friendly vacation destinations in the world.
On guided hikes through the rainforest, your kids will get a chance to see a rare ecosystem in action. Get your kids involved with wildlife conservation on a visit to see a rare sea turtle nesting site. Families can arrange to have a naturalist guide present during their trip – either for the entirety of the trip or just a few tours.
Learn about Costa Rican culture on a tour of a chocolate plantation. Make sure you and your kids don’t feel shy about practicing your Spanish – you can take lessons while you’re there, and Costa Ricans are happy to help you through a conversation.
Besides the educational opportunities, Costa Rica is also a place for kids to let loose and have crazy amounts of fun. You’ll cherish the looks on their faces after they go zip-lining ride through the jungle canopy, or rappel down a waterfall. To see Costa Rica at a slower pace, kayak along the coast, or go horseback riding along a river. While you stay at the beach, sign the whole family up for some surfing lessons. All of our adventure tours are safe, and our guides will help make your kids feel confident.
But what do families want the most from their vacation? Good quality time at an awesome getaway. Choose the right setting at a beach hotel or a villa where you can rest, relax, and cook meals together.
Related Questions
- When Is the Best Time to Go to Costa Rica?
- Where Is the Best Fishing in Costa Rica?
- Where Is the Best Surfing in Costa Rica?
- What are the Top Activities in Costa Rica?
- Where Are the Nicest Beaches in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica Surf Lessons
Costa Rica is blessed with two coastlines that receive consistently good swells, waves and breaks – oceanic conditions that are ideal for surfing. Surf schools throughout the country aim to help beginning and intermediate surfers hone their skills through hands-on, interactive instruction. Days begin with stretching along the shore and a pre-surf warm up. Beginners will learn practical surfing skills before entering the water, including safety, etiquette, entering and exiting the surf zone, catching waves, standing up, and finally, surfing itself. Intermediate instruction is focused on rapid improvement via catching and surfing as many waves as possible. Instructors, all of whom are certified lifeguards, are in the water ensuring that students are both having fun and remaining safe.
Costa Rica Rappelling
Rappelling tours are a fun, safe and exciting way to experience some of Costa Rica’s most magnificent landscapes. The sport, also known as canyoning, involves a controlled descent down a rock face using a secured rope. Oftentimes this descent is within boundaries of a waterfall, making it a memorable – and yes, moist – activity that even the most advanced thrill-seekers will enjoy. Rappelling tours are often held in conjunction with other adventure activities such as zip lining, white-water rafting, horseback riding, and more. Professionally trained Canyoneers manage the tours, so no experience is necessary.
Costa Rica Hiking Tours
From the flat plains along the coast to cloud forests atop the continental divide, Costa Rica’s landscape is diverse and teeming with life. The hiking here is excellent and for many travelers is a primary reason to visit the country. There are easy hikes along flat and well-maintained trails, as well as more challenging treks up mountains like Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest peak. Guided hikes provide a fun, safe and educational outdoor experience for travelers.
Costa Rica Turtle Nesting Tours
Every year from April to November thousands of sea turtles come ashore the beaches of Costa Rica to lay their eggs. Both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts are visited by over six species of sea turtles, whose golf ball-sized eggs will incubate beneath the sand for 50-70 days before emerging as hatchlings and beginning their mad scramble towards the sea. Nighttime nesting tours privilege travelers with observing either end of this ancient procession – the laying or hatching – and are sure to provide any tour taker with an unforgettable and unrepeatable experience.
Costa Rica Adventure Tours
Costa Rica is an adventure-seeker’s paradise. Although relatively small in size, the country offers an extraordinary range of activities. There are diverse landscapes to discover and exciting ways to explore them. People of all ages can enjoy these safe and thrilling activities. And if one adventure is not enough, there are plenty of other ways to experience the country’s diverse landscape - river rafting, zip lining, ocean kayaking, cave exploration, horseback riding, mountain biking, or hiking.
Destinations: Where to Go in Costa Rica
Deciding where to go in Costa Rica can be a bit overwhelming, because the country’s incredible biodiversity and variable climate offers a multitude of places to explore and enjoy. Nature enthusiasts will be in heaven as they walk through cloud forests, and wildlife havens such as the Caño Negro Refuge wetlands. Adventurers will get their adrenaline fix whitewater rafting over roaring rapids, zooming through evergreen forests on a zip line, and braving the jungle after dark on rainforest night tours. The beauty of Costa Rica is that the answer to the question “Where to Visit in Costa Rica?” is: everywhere! You can’t go wrong, because the country offers something for every traveller. Going with the family? You'll enjoy wildlife and adventure tours in the Arenal Volcano region of La Fortuna. Planning a couple's getaway? Treat yourselves to the beaches of Tamarindo. The magic and beauty of Costa Rica is that you can plan almost any type of holiday. So, whether you're in search of rest and relaxation, a place to stay near the airport when you’re in-country on business, or the chance to see a volcano or toucan up-close, we have the solutions for all of your Costa Rica travel needs.
Beachfront Hotels in Costa Rica
Looking for fresh ocean breezes, a view of the waves, or the sound of crashing surf? Then a beachfront hotel may be just the spot. These hotels sit right on the beach, and they provide direct access to sandy shores and wonderful ocean waves. They are a great place to enjoy a few days of beach-time relaxation. The hotel properties offer a variety of room types- some directly in front of the beach and others nestled in the shade a short distance away.
Costa Rica Cabins and Villas
If you’re looking for a peaceful and private accommodation, cabins and villas can be a great option. Rather, than close-proximity rooms within a single building, cabin and villas form a separate structure. Guests at these hotel properties walk on short paths between the reception, restaurant, and their own private cabins, villas, or bungalows. Many cabin and villa accommodations also provide more amenities than a standard room. They can include a full kitchen and a separate living area that are ideal for longer stays. (Please note that some units form a duplex, rather than a single unit.)
Canopy Tour and Ziplining in Costa Rica
Zip-lines above the canopy are in many ways synonymous with Costa Rica. Originally introduced during the 1970s, zip-lines have developed into one of the country’s most popular and widespread activities. Composed of steel cables and platforms strung at various heights between trees, they offer travelers a unique means of accessing beautiful and remote natural areas. And although they undoubtedly boost the adrenalin of each and every participant, zip-lines also educate their riders on ecology, botany, and reforestation practices. You can find zip-lines all over Costa Rica, but some of the best are in Monteverde, Arenal, and Manuel Antonio.
Costa Rica Horseback Riding
Horseback tours allow travelers to experience several spectacular places within the course of a few hours or a few days. Imagine riding through a misty rainforest before gearing up for a river rafting adventure, or perhaps crossing creeks and streams before soaking away the afternoon in geothermal hot springs. Horseback rides can take you to one place or ten, all the while making the journey one of the most memorable parts of the adventure. Inexperienced riders are welcomed, and tours can be arranged for both private individuals and larger groups. Although horseback riding is possible throughout most of the country, some of the better-known locations include Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Arenal and Rincón de La Vieja.
Costa Rica Learn Spanish
Have you ever wanted to study Spanish abroad? If so, this is the perfect opportunity for you. As a Spanish student in Costa Rica, you’ll have access to some of the finest facilities and best teachers in the country. You’ll learn from native speakers and study in small groups or in one-on-one sessions. There are options for every language level, from beginner to more advanced speakers, and courses that range from one week to several weeks. What’s more, you’ll live in some of Costa Rica’s most spectacular destinations.
Costa Rica Cultural Tours
Costa Rica’s culture is rooted in a peaceful, Catholic, agrarian society, and many of Costa Rica's most interesting cultural experiences are on the coffee farm, visiting the pineapple plantation, or eating a delicious helping of gallo pinto at the local soda (Costa Rican restaurant.) The country’s few museums and performing arts are mostly centered in the capital city of San Jose. Yet, for what Costa Rica may lack in high culture, it makes up for in human culture. As reflected in the popular phrase “pura vida” (pure life,) the easy-going nature of Ticos (Costa Ricans) is a shared cultural value that takes life “poco a poco” (little by little.) Friendly Tico guides lead many of the tours below with stories about the history and culture of their country.
Costa Rica Kayaking
Blessed with over 802 miles of coastline and boasting countless lakes, rivers and estuaries, Costa Rica is ripe for kayaking opportunities. Kayak tours allow for greater and more private exploration than mainland excursions, simply because there aren’t as many people on the water. The tours, which are open to both experienced and inexperienced kayakers, are a wonderful way to spot wildlife both above and below the water. Oftentimes they involve a combination with other activities, such as snorkeling or mountain biking. Places to kayak include Lake Arenal, Manuel Antonio’s estuaries and Jacó’s coastline, among others.
