travel with baby to costa rica

Costa Rica with a Baby

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When I was planning our first adventure as a threesome, I was nervous about where might or might not be appropriate to take a four-month-old baby. Is it too hot? Too cold? Too many mosquitos? Is it a Malaria area? What is the hygiene like? The list of concerns seemed never-ending! Eventually we decided on Costa Rica with a baby after having read extensively about how Matt and Jenn, who blog over at Two Weeks in Costa Rica , have travelled throughout the country with their baby. As brilliant and informative as their blog was, I was surprised that they were the only people who appear to have written about travelling to Costa Rica with a baby in tow, aside from the usual Trip Advisor and Lonely Planet forums. So I thought I’d share the details of our three and a half week trip as a guide for any families planning a similar trip in the future.

Planning your trip to Costa Rica with a baby 

First of all, I will give you a few details about the planning of our trip to Costa Rica with a baby. 

Travelling to any destination with children requires a little more planning than it might without children, but that doesn’t make it any less fun – it just requires a few extra hours on Google. First of all, you will need to find great flights. My go-to has always been Skyscanner, which I have been using for years to check flight prices, times etc. I find that this comparison website always finds me the best deals. I also like that it gives you an all-inclusive price for the family in the search results! If you’re looking for good deals on flights you can visit Skyscanner here . If your baby is small you will probably be fine with an infant ticket, although some parents choose to pay for a full price seat for larger babies. 

Monteverde with a baby

I live in England so it’s a given that I’m not a huge fan of the rain . Usually I would avoid destinations during their rainy season, but after reading that in Costa Rica this generally equates to a daily afternoon storm, I thought this could work for us. It would allow baby Isla the opportunity to have her afternoon nap. So after stocking up the USB with films and packing our raincoats we prepared for a couple of hours a day of rain….

This is not what we found on our first stop in Costa Rica with a baby, however! Monteverde is located high in the mountains and is literally in the clouds. Whilst the views on a bright sunny morning (the clouds were generally beginning to emerge as we woke up at about 7am) are beautiful, you are more likely to spend your time watching spectacular thunderstorms than you are gazing across the mountain-scape.

Rain aside, this was actually a pretty good start to the trip for our baby. It wasn’t too hot or humid and there are lots of opportunities to go out hiking and wildlife spotting, which is one Isla’s favourite things to do!

Arenal with a baby

How many babies do you know who had been swimming in thermal jungle waters, visited a volcano and seen a huge waterfall by age five months? Well we ticked all of these off on our visit to Arenal !

There is also tonnes to do here without baby – mum and dad just might have to take it in turns! We did zip-lining, and my husband did canyoneering and white water rafting while bubba and I had a chill day at the waterfall. 

Montezuma with a baby

This town reminded me of how Phi Phi, Thailand may have looked 30 years ago and it surely one of the best beaches in Costa Rica . This is a quaint little town with a cool hippy vibe. There are beautiful secluded beaches and amazing scenery. Isla loved relaxing on the beach here while mummy and daddy caught up on their vitamin D shortage after all of the rain at the beginning of our trip!

Samara with a baby

The highlight here was surfing. Obviously this was not something Isla could take part in but we took it in turns to look after her while the other rode some waves, or attempted to!

Tortuguero with a baby

This is the most remote village in Costa Rica and you have to take a motorised canoe to reach it. This was a cool experience – Isla was so engaged she had a feed and fell asleep! How many people can say they have breastfed on a canoe huh?! The village itself is very basic and I was not very happy with our accommodation here. Lesson learned: spend more money when travelling in Costa Rica with a baby as you will spend more time in your room and you will be bothered when your little one is crawling in dirt! You do get to see turtles laying their eggs though… which was really cool!

During our stay here the village had no electricity and no water for approximately 20 hours… and it was quite possibly the most humid place I have ever visited! Fortunately I think this bothered my husband and I more than it did the baby, but perhaps wasn’t the most ideal situation!

Accommodation is limited here so if you are travelling with children I would recommend you book in to one of the resorts (this is the one place that we didn’t use an Airbnb ). Make sure you book early though as they fill quickly! 

Puerto Viejo with a baby

This was a nice place and it was great to experience the Caribbean culture in Costa Rica with a baby- who knew it was so different from the West Coast!? Isla enjoyed dancing to Bob Marley and chilling on the beach but it wasn’t the best place that we visited in terms of suitability for children due to the strong rip currents in the sea and the general cleanliness. This part of the country was far less clean than the other areas we visited and there was a constant lingering smell of cannabis!

There isn’t much to do here aside from surfing and visiting the many wildlife refuges. We were particularly impressed though when this sloth came to say hello as we walked along the beach!

Manuel Antonio with a baby

This was the last stop on our trip around Costa Rica with a baby and was very relaxing. There is the most beautiful beach in the country here, although it was very touristy, and there were plenty of things to do in Manuel Antonio . Personally, we preferred the secluded beaches of Montezuma. There were lots of resorts here so I think many people stay around their hotel a lot of the time, especially seeing as the tide comes in so high that there is no beach in the afternoon, or at least not at the time of year we were there!

There are lots of nice bars and restaurants here, more so than anywhere else we visited in Costa Rica. Unfortunately with baby in tow we couldn’t drink too many cocktails, but we did find this unique bar that was really cool!

Tips for Travelling to Costa Rica with a Baby

All in all Costa Rica with a baby was a great choice. There was enough to keep her stimulated, without over-tiring her and the distances to travel were not too great. Here are a few lessons I learned about travelling Costa Rica with a baby!

• Roads are TERRIBLE, so make sure you have a good car seat
• Rental cars aren’t so great either so make sure you go with a reputable company and check the condition of the car thoroughly
• There isn’t a huge variety of food if you are weaning – we found we ate the same stuff a lot when self-catering. Most restaurants do have high chairs though
• There are a lot of mosquitos in the rainforest so make sure you have protection for your little one. We used these organic mosquito stickers which worked a treat – baby Isla didn’t get a single bite!
• People in Costa Rica love babies, so your little one will be adored and will get a lot of attention!
• Most places don’t have changing facilities in the toilets, but they don’t seem to care when you wipe your precious one’s dirty bum on the restaurant table…
• Accommodation is expensive and not always the highest quality, plan carefully to get the best deal
• Costa Rican bathrooms often come with a ‘death shower’. Google it, that’s all I will say…
• There are a lot of insects, so if your little one is moving around there is every chance he/she may eat a centipede, or spider, or God knows what else
• Take an umbrella with you for the sun as beaches don’t tend to have shade 

Wherever you go on your next trip, whether you choose Costa Rica with a baby or elsewhere… have fun!

For more on travelling Costa Rica with children you might also find this post helpful. 

Psssst! By the way, I have recently designed a flight log book to allow your kids to record all of the journeys! If you’re looking for a special way to record your children’s travel memories then head over to Amazon to take a look!

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Tiny Footsteps Travel

Costa Rica With Kids: The Ultimate 2024 Travel Guide

Heading to Costa Rica with kids? You’re in the right place. Costa Rica is a great place for family travel because its safe, it has a culture that caters towards tourism, and there are c ountless family-friendly activities that give your kids epic experiences that they’ll remember.

Between relaxing at the beach, hiking in the rainforest, spotting wildlife, visiting sustainable family farms and learning about how fruit, chocolate and coffee are cultivated – there’s so much to do in Costa Rica with kids.

We have been to Costa Rica multiple times with kids (from babies up to 9 years old) and travelled extensively to all of the main popular areas. We can advise on some great things to do in Costa Rica for different age groups as a family.

Everyone travels to Costa Rica differently – some people are looking for a relaxing beach vacation, while others are seeking adventure, such as forest zip-lining. (I’m more of a lush rainforest and volcano kind of person myself.) However, regardless of which parts of Costa Rica you prefer, there are suitable family-friendly activities in each area .

So, let’s jump in – everything you need to know about Costa Rica with kids!

Is Costa Rica Kid-Friendly?

Costa Rica is very kid-friendly. There are a lot of great activities that can be done with kids, between the rainforest, beaches, volcanoes, fruit farms and adventure activities like swimming, zip-lining, whitewater rafting and hiking.

There are countless kid-friendly tours related to these activities offered all over the country.

In addition, a big part of what makes Costa Rica so great as a family destination is that its purposely set up to be a place that tourists can move through easily.

They have set their country up to be accommodating and welcoming to tourists . If you don’t speak Spanish, you can find a lot of people (especially those that work in tourism) speak great English.

Safety in Costa Rica with Kids

Here’s what you need to know about Costa Rica in terms of safety (crime and violence, as well as wildlife)

Costa Rica is a safe country, with a low crime rate . Its crime rate is a bit higher than its neighbour, Nicaragua , (however, this could be due to differences in reporting and keeping track of crime.)

To be extra safe, be sure to keep valuables secured and locked away.

Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination, and has recovered almost fully in its tourism levels since the pandemic.

In 2023, Costa Rica received over 2.4 million tourists, which was higher than the previous year. We saw plenty of other families travelling in Costa Rica, with kids from babies and toddlers to older kids.

Costa Rica is also safe in terms of wildlife . Since its a tropical country, there are mosquitos, ants, bees, and spiders which can bite or sting, but the serious incident rate is pretty low, especially if you’re travelling to Costa Rica during the dry season ( December through April.) However, doesn’t hurt to educate yourself in advance on the different bugs in Costa Rica .

Best Time to Go to Costa Rica with Kids

The best and most popular time to visit Costa Rica is during dry season, between December and April.

The most popular months to visit are December and March , so things are a bit pricer during that time, and the main tourist highlights can get pretty crowded as well – so book your tours and hotels in advance if you’re travelling to Costa Rica during high season, to avoid missing out.

Travelling to Costa Rica during the wet season (May through November) is possible too; its a bit cheaper, and there are fewer tourists. It also might be buggier in some areas, and of course as the name suggests, there’s a higher risk of rain during that time.

Things to Do in Costa Rica with Kids

Whether you’re aiming for a beach vacation, or interested in adventure activities, Costa Rica has a wealth of activities that are suitable for all ages

1. Learn where your favourite foods come from

Costa Rica is full of family-owned, sustainable farms that produce some of our favourite items like chocolate, coffee, bananas , mangos and other fruits.

Visiting these farms gives your kids first-hand experience seeing where these foods come from. There are many tours that will allow you to sample some of the food too!

You will probably find tours to visit farms like these regardless of where in Costa Rica you stay. There are many of them in the La Fortuna and Monteverde regions, and that is where we did our farm tours.

The most family-friendly tour we did was Don Olivio Chocolate Farm in La Fortuna; we saw coffee and chocolate plants, sampled fresh fruit off the trees, made our own coconut water, and we also saw lots of wildlife.

2. See an active volcano

Costa Rica is home to over 200 volcanic formations; six of which are still active today.

Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna is considered to be the most beautiful volcano in Central America, while Poás Volcano (pictured below) is one of the most impressive because of its size – a 1.5 km (1 mile) wide crater, and 900 feet deep.

You can visit both Arenal Volcano National Park and Poás Volcano National Park, with a guide or independently through buying an admission ticket from the park website.

At Poás, you’re able to look right into the volcano crater . (However, you can’t do this with Arenal as its not safe to climb.)

Tours to Poás Volcano are commonly done from San José, where you can be picked up at your hotel and brought there safely with a guide – this is probably the best way to do it with kids.

Some tours go to just the volcano (which is about a 7 hour day), others take you to La Paz waterfall and nature park, which is about a 10 hour day from San Jose.

This family-friendly tour from San José will show you Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfall

3. Have a beach day

Costa Rica has a mix of beaches; some have soft sand, shallow water and calm waves- making them ideal for families with young kids ; and others have strong wind and waves, which make them great for surfing .

Costa Rica is a popular surfing destination, so if you want to surf, you’re in the right place!

There are surf lessons offered on many of the beaches that can be taught to children from 4 years old and up. However, if you’re looking for beaches with calmer waters, and suitable for younger kids, then read my post on family-friendly beaches in Costa Rica .

4. Walk on hanging bridges in the rainforest

Costa Rica has a number of forests that have hanging bridges; these are suspension bridges that are often 100s of feet in the air, allowing you to have a bird’s eye view of the jungle .

You can walk on these bridges either in a guided or self-guided tour. Read my post about where to find hanging bridges in Costa Rica .

Remember to bring insect repellant for adults, and mosquito-repellant stickers for young children if you’re planning to spend time in the rainforest.

These are needed anywhere in Costa Rica, but especially in the jungle where there are more bugs.

5. See sloths up close at a Sloth Sanctuary

Sloths tend to hang out very high in the trees, so they can be tricky to find. Your best chance of seeing sloths in the wild is if you book a guided tour, because the guide knows where to find them and will have good equipment (ie: telescopes) for you to get a good look.

The best place to see sloths up close is at the Sloth Sanctuary Selvatura Park , which is located just outside of Monteverde.

There are tours offered throughout the day. You must do a tour in order to visit the sanctuary, you cannot do self-guided. You’re given time after the tour to walk around, admiring the adorable sloths.

Pro Tip: The sloth and butterfly sanctuary in Monteverde also has an extensive giftshop where you can get some cute Costa Rican souvenirs.

6. Check out kid-friendly museums in San Jose

Many people who fly into Costa Rica land at the San Jose airport, which is the capital. If you plan to spend a night or two there before or after your flight, I highly recommend you check out some of the museums.

San José has some fascinating museums that are worth checking out as a family.

Here are the three museums in San José that I’d recommend visiting as a family:

• El Museo de Los Niños (Children’s Museum)- very family friendly interactive exhibits for kids, and both locals and tourists are welcome.
• El Museo de Oro (Museum of Gold) – An underground museum located in the main square, showing gold artifacts that date back to 500 BC
• El Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (National Museum) – learn about how societies developed in Costa Rica

7. Go Zip-lining

Zip-lining is a popular activity in Costa Rica, largely because of the abundance of tall rainforest trees and jungle valleys.

Costa Rica is known for its canopy zip-line tours which allow you to soar over forest valleys, giving you incredible views and also an exhilarating experience.

Children as young as 4 years old are allowed to do zip-lining in Costa Rica. Its considered safe for both young children and older adults, as the equipment is well maintained and lead by professionals who know what they’re doing.

One of the most popular areas to do zip-lining in Costa Rica is in Monteverde, because of the abundance of forests that are located there. There are also places in La Fortuna where you can do it.

Book your family-friendly zip-lining tour in Monteverde for ages 4+ here

8. Visit a butterfly conservatory

Costa Rica is home to 1,500 species of butterflies, and 12,000 types of moths. Butterflies are so important for the ecosystem (in Costa Rica and elsewhere) because they pollinate flowers, as well as buds that make food for humans, such as coffee, chocolate and fruit.

Costa Rica puts forth a lot of effort into environmental conservation and biodiversity, and they have a few different butterfly sanctuaries that you can explore.

Some of the ones I’d recommend are Spirogyra Butterfly Garden outside San José, The Butterfly Conservatory outside La Fortuna, and Monteverde Butterfly Gardens in Monteverde.

9. White water rafting

Costa Rica is a great place to do white water rafting because of its variety of rivers and rapids which connect to the ocean.

Different rivers have different “classes” from 1-5 which ranks them on how challenging they are. Class 1-3 is a good level for children who are on the younger side, so that the rapids aren’t too strong for them.

Generally, white water rafting is best for older children (minimum 5 years old) and some tours won’t accept anyone younger than 8 years old.)

Book your kid-friendly whitewater rafting tour in La Fortuna for age 5+

10. Do a night jungle tour

Many jungle animals, such as frogs, reptiles and insets are nocturnal, and your chances of seeing them are much higher at night.

Doing a jungle night tour was one of the coolest things we did as a family in Costa Rica. My oldest daughter loved seeing the green tree frogs, snakes and some of the many creepy-crawlies.

Jungle night tours can be done in quite a few of the rainforests in Costa Rica, depending on where you’re staying. There’s a fantastic tour in La Fortuna at Mistico Arenal National Park, but you will also find others in Monteverde and the Manuel Antonio region.

Be sure to take precautions if heading into the jungle at night, with appropriate bug-repellant, ( mosquito-repellant stickers for younger children) long-sleeve clothing and water.

Pro Tip: The tour you book will often give you guidelines for what you need to bring or wear for that tour, so be sure to read that fine print

11. Soak in a hot springs

Costa Rica with its abundance of volcanoes has a lot of pools that are naturally heated with geothermal energy from the ground.

The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is very famous for this, but there are a number of baths like this in Costa Rica too.

The world’s largest hot springs is located just outside of La Fortuna, called Baldi Hot Springs and Spa. Its located in the middle of the rainforest, and has 25 different thermal pools. You can stay at their resort , or buy a day pass (no need to book online – simply show up.)

Generally, children 3 years old and up can visit the hot springs in Costa Rica. In addition to Baldi, there are dozens of other hot springs in La Fortuna, and around the country, so you have your pick.

Grab your day-pass to the mineral hot springs in La Fortuna for ages 3+

12. Look over the crocodile bridge

The Crocodile Bridge is a bridge in southwestern Costa Rica where crocodiles tend to hang out under the bridge in the Tárcoles River, giving tourists a great view of them.

It wasn’t intentionally tourist attraction, but sort of became one as people discovered the amount of crocodiles that flock there. The water, sadly, is very polluted so you won’t be swimming – just watching these amazing wild crocodiles.

In addition to the bridge itself, there is a crocodile-themed Costa Rican restaurant, an ice cream place and public washrooms (at cost) in a plaza right beside the bridge. So the Crocodile Bridge makes a good stop during a road trip. There is parking just across the street from the plaza.

Crocodile Bridge is about 1 hour and 20 minute drive from San Jose, and 1 hour and 40 from Manuel Antonio National Park.

Good to Know: The crocodiles are about 100 m away from the bridge where you’re standing. The above photos were taken with a DLSR. To get good photos of the crocodiles, I recommend grabbing your best camera. Otherwise, just zoom in with your phone

13. Go birdwatching at Curi Cancha Reserve

Curi Cancha Reserve is a wildlife reserve with birds, and many other species just outside of Monteverde. It also protects part of the cloud forest.

You can do guided tours, self-guided tours, and even night tours here. You will see wildlife without a guide, but if you want to be guaranteed, then it might be best to go with a guide.

Curi Cancha is open every day from 7 am– 3 pm and 5:40– 7:30 pm. You should book your visit in advance on their website.

14. Make chocolate from scratch

In San Jose, there’s a chocolate store called “La Casa de Cocoa” (House of Chocolate.) You can visit the store to buy chocolate store, or you can register for workshops to make your own chocolate from scratch sourced with local ingredients.

The cocoa used to make the chocolate comes from sustainable Costa Rican chocolate from nearby farms. So not only are you supporting a small business, but sustainable farming as well. Not to mention, bringing home chocolate that you made yourself!

The chocolate making workshop is $30 per adults and $20 for kids. Visit their website to book a chocolate-making workshop or to arrange a visit.

How to Get Around Costa Rica with Kids

There are two main ways that people tend to get around Costa Rica, especially if they have kids in tow.

1. Stay in one place, and do tours

Many tourists in Costa Rica opt to stay in one central place and take private tours and shuttles to the different places they want to visit. The other option (what we did, was we drove around the country. San Jose – Fortuna – Monteverde – Manuel Antonio and then back to San Jose.)

2. Rent a car

Many tourists get around Costa Rica by renting a car. Driving in Costa Rica is generally safe, and a very popular way for tourists (including families) to get around.

Keep in mind that there are some areas that have uneven, dirt roads with potholes. This is especially true if you’re heading to the Monteverde region.

Children in Costa Rica are required to be in a safety seat until the age of 12. There are height and weight requirements that factor into this too.

What You Need To Know about Costa Rican Food

Between picky eaters and allergies, you may want to have some idea what kinds of foods your kids will be able to eat in Costa Rica.

Overall, you will find typical Costa Rican options, but since its a touristy country, there are a lot of options that cater to American tourists as well.

Costa Rican Restaurants

In Costa Rica, you’ll find a mix of “sodas” (traditional Costa Rican restaurants, often frequented by locals) and restaurants that cater to tourists, and offer several North American-style favourites. Traditional Costa Rican restaurants don’t usually have specific kids menus.

If you’re travelling with younger kids, be aware that there are usually high chairs in Costa Rican restaurants, but sometimes the safety features may not be what you’re used to. My baby daughter sat in a few that probably wouldn’t be allowed at home. Another option is to bring a portable high chair.

Both types of restaurants (Costa Rican and Western style) will serve some Costa Rican traditional beers which the adults may be interested in trying.

Typical Costa Rican Food

Traditional Costa Rican food consists of rice and beans, often with egg, meat, tortilla and/or veggies on the side. Its not spicy , so generally its not difficult for Western children to be able to eat it.

Here are some of the typical dishes you’ll find on a Costa Rican menu:

• Gallo Pinto (Costa Rica’s National dish, normally a breakfast food) consists of fried rice with egg and fruit on the side
• Casada (meaning “married”, usually a lunch or dinner dish) rice, with salad, choice of protein, and fried plaintans on the side

In high-end resorts and tourist-style restaurants, you’ll find tons of Western favourites that you’re used to – hamburgers, fries, pizza, and things like that. We did a mix of both in Costa Rica – eating in traditional “sodas” as well as some tourist-centred restaurants.

Costa Rica has a wealth of freshly grown tropical fruit which we normally only eat after its ripened on the trucks at home.

Be sure to take advantage of fresh bananas, avocados, mangos and papaya. You can enjoy these in restaurants, or even buy them from supermarkets.

What to Bring to Costa Rica with Kids

• Swimwear , for the beach, pool and/or hot springs
• Mosquito repellant. For young kids or adults, consider buying these stickers so you don’t have to worry about spraying chemicals on the body or the scent of it afterwards
• Decent hiking shoes that are waterproof if you’re planning on doing any rainforest hikes. The jungle terrain can be uneven, and sometimes wet
• Light rain jacket or poncho. You want it to be VERY lightweight like this one , because it can still be very hot and humid in Costa Rica, even when it rains
• At least one long sleeve clothing , especially if you’re heading to Monteverde as it can get chilly there at night
• A mineral sunscreen (mineral because its coral reef friendly.)
• A reusable water bottle

Best Areas to Go in Costa Rica with Kids

Overall, most tourists in Costa Rica stick to the areas along the Pacific coast, and the Central Valley (which includes San Jose, La Fortuna and Monteverde.) The Caribbean side of Costa Rica isn’t as popular for tourists, and some parts of it aren’t very safe.

The best place in Costa Rica for a family vacation depends on what kinds of activities you’re interested in doing. In a nutshell, here are the main tourist areas, and what they’re known for:

The things you do in Costa Rica with kids depend largely on what area of the country you’re visiting and what you’re interests are. Let’s go over what you need to know about each of these four main tourist areas, and things to do in those areas with kids.

Places to Stay in Costa Rica with Kids

There’s a huge variety of places to stay in Costa Rica as a family, including high-class resorts, eco-lodges, AirBnbs, and budget-friendly hotels.

We’ve done a mix of all of these things during our trips to Costa Rica – all of them can be done safely as a family with children. Check out my post on best family-friendly hotels in Costa Rica .

Costa Rica with Kids: FAQs

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about travelling to Costa Rica on a family vacation, and things to do with kids in Costa Rica

Is Costa Rica cheap or expensive?

Costa Rica can be both, cheap and expensive. Costa Rica is the most expensive Central American country to visit, but its still cheaper than Canada and the United States. If you’re looking for Costa Rica family vacations on a budget, then you could consider going during low-season, and stay in eco-lodges as opposed to resorts. You can save some money by following some good family budget travel tips.

Is Costa Rica a good vacation for families?

Costa Rica is a great vacation for families. It offers a mix of natural beauty, adventure and culture into one trip, and and also a number of fun family-friendly activities such as zip-lining, swimming at the beach, or hikes in the rainforest.

Is Costa Rica a good place to take kids?

Costa Rica is a great place to bring kids of all ages. Depending on how you plan your trip, Costa Rica can be the perfect mix of fun and educational for kids. Costa Rica allows children to explore things that they’ve never seen before but heard about (volcanoes, tropical animals and birds) and learn about some of the origins of their food such as their favourite fruits or chocolate. Furthermore, Costa Rica has a good commitment to sustainability and protecting the planet; visiting there could inspire kids to want to care for the planet the way Costa Rica does.

Costa Rica with Kids: Conclusion

By now , you hopefully have an idea of what kinds of things you want to do in Costa Rica on a family vacation, and where in the country you plan to visit and how to get there.

The main exciting things to do in Costa Rica with kids are: beaches, farm tours, hikes in the rainforest (guided or self guided), bird and wildlife watching, hot springs, whitewater rafting, zip-lining and gondolas, visiting volcanos, and exploring some of the towns and villages. Its the perfect place for a family adventure.

It is truly my opinion that Costa Rica is one of the best places you can travel to with your kids when they’re young. Its a diverse country, with so many opportunities for your kids to see and experience amazing things first hand: often things that they’ve only previously heard about in movies or books – volcanoes, rainforests, sloths, monkeys and tropical fruits on trees.

Buen Viaje!

Costa Rica with Kids: Babies, Toddlers, Big Kids & Teens

Costa Rica is a child’s wonderland. Slow-moving sloths, brilliant rainbows, ocean waves, smoking volcanoes, thrilling zip-lines, magical forest sounds, beautiful beaches, and a family-friendly culture all make Costa Rica a memorable place for a family with children to spend a family vacation .

This article will share our best tips for traveling to Costa Rica with kids. It is broken down into three sections:

• Toddlers & Babies
• Teenagers/Young Adults

Each section will give an introduction and general recommendations about traveling with each age group and then our tips on the best places to go, the best activities, and a packing list.

Traveling to Costa Rica with Toddlers (and Babies)

One thing that you will learn quickly when traveling with a family in Costa Rica is that babies and small children are treated like royalty. This is not to say that they are spoiled, but just that they spend most of their little lives hoisted in the arms of a loving uncle or a doting neighbor. What many travelers have been pleased to find out during their time in Costa Rica is that this affectionate culture extends to their children as well.

Family life is essential for every Costa Rican. Most people live near their parents, aunts, and uncles, and they all mind everybody’s business in a good way! This is why, wherever you go with your children in Costa Rica, locals will warmly embrace them , offering your family moments of respite by amusing your baby, imparting knowledge to your high schooler, or fostering playful interactions between their children and yours. Your kid will make friends – big and small – everywhere you go!

This general regard for the needs of little ones may give some peace of mind to families who are worried about traveling to Costa Rica with their children. However, traveling with babies poses some challenges that you should be aware of.

For one, there are bugs. From the occasional mosquito bite to an unsuspecting stinging ant hill, little children are bound to find themselves itchy and irritable during the trip, hence the need for a great bug bite salve (see packing list below).

Secondly, the climate can be a challenge. The tropical sun can be dangerous to sensitive skin, and the extreme temperatures of the hot beach, or the wet, windy cloud forest can feel overwhelming for a small child.

Finally, traveling between locations in Costa Rica can be tiresome for anyone, but especially for small children who feel confined in a car seat on bumpy, mountain roads, or while traffic moves slowly behind a lumbering truck.

For that reason, we have a few general recommendations for traveling to Costa Rica with babies or small children:

• Limit the amount of times you travel between locations within the country to avoid too many uncomfortable road trips
• Prioritize family-friendly accommodations, ideally boutique-style lodgings that are run and operated by a local family as they will provide more personalized support if you have any special needs
• Always check age requirements for activities and ask ahead about suitability for toddlers or small children, especially for hikes or visits to water areas such as rivers or oceans

Where to go and what to do

• The small towns of the South Caribbean like Cahuita , Puerto Viejo , and Manzanillo (and everything in between) offer plenty of calm, secluded beaches to enjoy with your little kids.
• Costa Rica prides itself on its direct efforts to protect flora and fauna in its territories. That’s why many private organizations have opened rehabilitation and rescue centers for animals that, for various reasons, need help to survive. Visitors are welcome in these wildlife rescue centers , and the entrance fee helps with the costs of supporting the animals. Your family can feel good about helping some animals in need, and it’s an excellent opportunity to closely look at amazing animals like jaguars, sloths, monkeys, owls, and other birds and learn about them in a controlled place.

What to pack when traveling with babies or small children

• Water wings (these are surprisingly hard to come by in Costa Rica)
• Bug spray and sting ointment. We suggest bringing a small first aid kit that may even include a thermometer, some baby Tylenol, motion-sickness medicine, and anything else should your child suddenly feel unwell. However, there are ample pharmacies available in every town with all of the essential medicines.
• Baby sunscreen – it is more expensive in Costa Rica
• Sun-protective gear like a floppy hat and SPF + swim gear
• Car seat or booster chair
• Water bottles and snack containers. Once you are in Costa Rica, you can buy fresh fruit and snacks at any neighborhood pulperia or local grocery store to cut up. Bananas also grow on almost every property and, if you ask the owner, are usually free for the taking since there are so many!
• A baby carrier or sling. You can leave your stroller at home as it will not be very efficient on the uneven, bumpy roads and non-existent sidewalks of Costa Rica.

And remember, don’t worry too much about traveling with a baby. Costa Rica welcomes around 80,000 baby Costa Ricans each year (for this statistic and other demographic statistics, check out this site ), so it is certainly a country that is equipped to meet your family’s unique needs.

Traveling to Costa Rica with big kids

Big kids ages six to 12 tend to LOVE Costa Rica. It is like a big playground for them, or their favorite animal show that has come to life. With all of the rivers, oceans, lakes, hot springs, and pools, it may feel like they never get out of their swimsuits. That means that by the end of the day, they are usually exhausted and ready for a full night of cricket-rich sleep until the next day’s adventures rise with the sun.

Another huge benefit to bringing your kids is to Costa Rica is that we have seen children find bravery they didn’t know they had – whether by joining a pick-up soccer game at the local plaza or by putting their heads under the water to snorkel – Costa Rica gives big kids ample opportunities to confront their fears and feel proud of themselves.

A family with big kids will be happy to count on a really awesome family itinerary that includes a nice combination of adventure activities each day, along with some downtime for recharging. Likewise, good planning is important because there are several activities with age limits – like canopying or white-water rafting.

General recommendations:

• Make sure your accommodations have a pool and, ideally, a small restaurant, or at least include breakfast so that there is one less meal to plan each day.
• Bring some fun interactive toys for your children to share with other children they meet to foster connection. This could be bubbles, temporary tattoos, or a frisbee.
• Arenal revolves around an active volcano and has almost every activity besides the beach.
• Manuel Antonio , in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica, also offers a little bit of everything for all families except for hot springs!
• Visit a local Costa Rican farm. Something as simple as seeing chickens and cows or visiting a banana plantation, a coffee farm, or a cacao plantation can be mesmerizing for your child and very interesting for adults. Besides a great experience, you can all discover new flavors together!
• Carara National Park in the Central Pacific
• Santa Rosa National Park , north of Liberia , has accessible trails.
• Poás Volcano National Park has a paved path to the volcano’s main crater.
• Irazú Volcano National Park’s route to the main crater is half cement and half sand.
• Rincón de la Vieja is a great place to go with the family, as there is zip-lining, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, or rappeling down a waterfall.
• Manuel Antonio National Park has one trail packed with gravel, so if you have a stroller, you should be ok to walk with a toddler.

What to pack when traveling with big kids

• Reusable water bottles so that kids can fill up their bottles with fresh water each morning and prevent waste
• Granola bars for those in-between moments
• Sunscreen, hats, SPF+ swimsuits
• A first-aid medicine kit with the essentials
• Books for quiet time and group activity books to play in the car like MadLibs or riddles. Costa Rican flora and fauna books are also a great way for children to begin to identify wildlife and feel empowered to understand the world around them.
• Headlamps for night hikes
• A variety of clothing based on your itinerary – shorts, and t-shirts for low elevation and pants and windbreakers for high elevation

Traveling to Costa Rica with Teenagers/Young Adults

Teenagers and young adults (12-22 years old) are often beginning to define their values and envision their role in the world, which is one of the reasons why we love helping families bring their teenagers to Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a great place to start or to continue learning about the world. Our sister company, Costa Rica Explorations , hosts service-learning programs for high school students.

General recommendations

• Include your children in the planning of the trip and help them feel empowered and prepared by keeping them abreast of each day’s plans.
• Discuss what it means to build cross-cultural awareness and how to non-judgmentally observe the local culture, customs, and attitudes of the people that they meet.
• Encourage them to identify something about Costa Rica that interests them and to become the group expert on that topic, for example, How did Costa Rica become associated with peace? , What are the main sources of electricity in Costa Rica? , or Where can you spot sloths?
• Discuss the importance of culturally sensitive conduct and attire to honor the place where you are traveling. This also helps to keep teenagers safe from dangerous situations. For example, most Costa Ricans would tell you that it is generally not a good idea to be on the beach at night. By learning the local customs, travelers keep themselves safe.

• Drake Bay is a once-in-a-lifetime destination that is most suitable for families with older kids (teens and tweens) due to the traveling time involved, the remoteness of the location, and the more adventurous activities.
• Incorporate a volunteer experience in your trip such as turtle nesting and truly see the “Circle of Life.” See a turtle nesting at Tortuguero National Park (northern Caribe) or Playa Grande (pacific north). Visit our in-depth guide about “ When & Where to See Sea Turtles in Costa Rica on Your Vacation .”
• Go White Water Rafting down one of Costa Rica’s famous rivers like the Pacuare River (Central Valley), Naranjo River (Central Pacific), or Sarapiquí River (Northern Plains).
• Explore the beautiful La Paz Waterfall Gardens
• Visit the Hanging Bridges in Monteverde cloud forest.

What to pack when traveling with teenagers/young adults

• Sunscreen and bug spray. Use both liberally the first few days of your trip until your skin has adjusted to the tropical sun and bugs.
• A pack of playing cards for evenings at the hotel.
• Depending on your trip itinerary, bring hardy clothing such as close-toed shoes (for hikes), pants (for horseback riding), and light jackets (for high-elevation locations).

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John Rabenau has been working in the eco-tourism & adventure travel industry in Costa Rica since 2002. He has worked in a variety of capacities from Outdoor Educator & Principle Guide to Itinerary Design Manager & Business Owner for numerous organizations. He has grown Costa Rica Escapes into one of the most reputable Costa Rica travel agencies since its creation in 2006, hosting more than 5,000 people with custom vacation itineraries.

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Traveling to Costa Rica with a Baby and Toddler

Published by riseandbrine on June 3, 2022 June 3, 2022

When we decided to have kids, it was on one condition: we needed to continue to travel! COVID threw a curve ball and put the traveling on hold for a couple years while we had our two kids, but with the borders opening up, it was time to get back out there. After A LOT of research, we decided on Costa Rica! We knew that traveling to Costa Rica with a baby and a toddler would not be easy, but it checked all the boxes for us.

The boys are now 2.5 years and 1 year old: possibly the most challenging ages to handle while traveling, but somehow we made it work. Costa Rica is an amazing country: the food is great, the people are friendly, the weather can’t be beat, and there are endless adventures to be had. There is really something for everyone in this tiny Central American country: even for babies and toddlers!

Our major concerns about traveling with a baby and a toddler included:

• Food and snacks
• Car seats & getting around
• Flight and airport logistics
• Crib and Sleeping arrangements
• Sun & heat protection
• Diapers! All the diapers.
• Water safety
• Clean drinking water & staying healthy
• Potty Training

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when traveling with small children! Luckily, we discovered an excellent travel agency who guided us through some of these concerns. After countless hours of research we came up with solutions for all the items on the list, which we put to the test on our 10-day trip to Costa Rica in May, and my advice is below.

Top tips for traveling with a baby and a toddler to Costa Rica:

• Great food, which happens to be baby-friendly! Our 1 year old lived off of rice, beans, fish, eggs, avocados, fruits, and plantains the entire trip. He couldn’t get enough of the Costa Rican food, which is not spicy, but very flavorful. Perfect for little palates! Our toddler loved eating fish sticks, chicken fingers, guacamole, and fish tacos. There was plenty to entertain him while at the table, from watching the wildlife in the open-air cafes, to playing in the sand in the beach-front restaurants, or watching the fire jugglers and live music after an amazing pacific sunset, while mom and dad got to enjoy a well-earned a beer. Also, everywhere has highchairs, which was very key for our littlest one. Bonus points for outdoor eating almost everywhere, so we don’t need to feel quite as bad when our baby throws food on the ground.
• Choosing Toddler and Baby-friendly Excursions: there are plenty to choose from! I highly recommend contacting Namu Travel (AKA: Costa Rica Vacations ) to set up your excursions (or your whole trip, like we did!). They have exclusive access to kid-friendly experiences, and local knowledge to set you up with the most baby and toddler-friendly activities. We hiked to a waterfall, visited a family farm, toured a coffee and chocolate plantation, and went on a sloth and wildlife hike. We opted out of the estuary boat tour in Tamarindo since our baby is very squirmy and doesn’t like to sit still, so I didn’t think 3 hours on a small boat surrounded by crocodiles would end well.
• Use an in-country Travel Agent. We were so happy we used Costa Rica Vacations to set up our trip. They ensured we had CAR SEATS and CRIBS during our drives and stays for the whole trip. Two critical pieces to the traveling-with-kids puzzle. The best part is that the price for a whole vacation – including private drivers and top-notch resorts – was actually cheaper than booking everything myself! With a toddler and a baby I did not have time to figure out international logistics and payments, and Costa Rica Vacations was a one-stop-shop that was a dream to work with as a busy mom. The agent we worked with (Rebecca Porter) had excellent customized recommendations, they also have 24/7 customer service, and a free in-country support team for extra peace of mind. Costa Rica Vacations was invaluable and saved me all of the logistical headaches that I definitely could not handle while juggling a baby and toddler. Use this referral link to get $200 off your trip with Namu Travel / Costa Rica Vacations!
• Choose Toddler and Baby-friendly Resorts: Our wonderful travel agent, Rebecca, was able to recommend kid-friendly resorts ( Arenal Spring Resort near La Fortuna, and the Diria in Tamarindo), which included amazing pools and free breakfasts. They were also conveniently located to minimize any excess walking & avoid long car rides. We usually don’t stay in fancy resorts, but with kids we were VERY happy that we stayed in high-end (but affordable) resorts with huge elaborate pools, and swim-up bars! We ended up spending a lot of our time in the pool–It was absolutely our toddler’s favorite part of the trip! The ocean in Tamarindo was a little too rough for swimming with toddlers, and the beach itself was very hot, even in the shade. The pool offered a cooler, and more contained alternative for our baby and toddler, and was a safe place for us to leave our stuff while we enjoyed swimming. Wherever you want to go, your personal Namu travel agent can recommend the best hotel to stay with kids so that you have the best possible experience.
• Bring an age-appropriate floatation device for each child to use in the pool: this will let you be hands-free in the pool to enjoy a fancy coconut drink, or a Guaro Sour at the swim up bar. We chose this coast-guard approved vest for our toddler, and this inflatable and very packable shaded float for the baby. Both kids loved their floaties: they were able to relax in the pool and feel more independent, and we were able to relax knowing they were safe, without us having to hold them in the water.
• Bring a durable compact stroller for each kiddo , plus a soft carrier for each. You do not want to carry your children everywhere since it’s so very hot and toddlers can get heavy and restless after more than 20 minutes in a carrier. That said, our carriers were very valuable while hiking. We used the Ergobaby Omni 360 with cool air mesh , which actually stayed relatively cool even in the heat. The compact strollers were lifesavers for us, even though the sidewalks were very rough or non-existent. Plus they fit in the overhead bins on the flights. Our GB Pockit Plus and Zoe XLC strollers held up great and I was amazed at the durability of both strollers. We took them everywhere! From a night market in Tamarindo , to a jungle hike on a remote farm. The strollers doubled as places for naps throughout the day, so we didn’t feel we needed to rush back to the hotel for nap time. Both strollers also fit very comfortably in the overhead bins on the airplanes (all the planes were larger aircraft, like the Boeing 737). The gate agents put gate-check tags on them since they did not know how small the strollers fold, but after folding up the strollers to board they didn’t ask any questions.
• Bring wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and lots of sunscreen for everyone . Near the equator the sun is fierce – especially for Irish New Englanders traveling in the spring! We used this SPF 50+ mineral sunscreen on both kids the whole trip, plus the iPlay lightweight hat , and long sleeve rash-guards , and the kids didn’t get a smidge of color.
• Bring refillable water bottles for everyone. Our first resort had a fountain of filtered water that we were able to use to refill our bottles for the first half of the trip. At the second hotel we needed to buy 2-gallon jugs from the convenience store since they didn’t have a water fountain. Having water bottles that clipped onto our diaper bag was invaluable so we could always have fresh water with us, without having to buy many small plastic (often over-priced) water bottles. I bought a 32oz Camelback bottle before we left for Costa Rica, and was glad we had the bigger size so we could share it instead of carrying 4 bottles.
• Costa Rica is a safe country, with a great medical system, and a kid-friendly culture. Upon arrival we were escorted to skip the line at Immigration with our children. Customs was a breeze and we were through in just a few minutes. Locals adored our kids, were very accommodating to our stroller parade, and the staff at the resort were absolutely wonderful with them. The country also has an excellent medical system. Luckily we didn’t need it, but it was great to have the peace of mind that Costa Rica’s medical facilities are affordable, accessible, and high-quality. There were pharmacies near where we stayed, which can provide basic medical needs. As a bonus, our travel agency’s 24/7 help line could help find medical facilities at any time.
• Buy the airline-approved virtual COVID tests for re-entry into the United States. As of right now, Costa Rica does not have any COVID-testing entry requirements, or mask requirements, which takes a level of stress out of the vacation equation. However, the USA still does require a COVID test for everyone over two years old, including citizens, to re-enter the country. We bought American Airlines approved travel COVID tests , which we did virtually over the hotel’s wifi with our cell phones. Each test is virtually monitored and takes 15 minutes. This was much-preferred over the other alternatives, which include either getting to the airport over 4 hours early for testing, or paying $60 per test -or more- with a reservation at a local clinic. The travel COVID tests cost $180 (with shipping) for 6 tests and were mailed to my house in advance. They are also reimbursable through most insurance companies, or you can pay via FSA. Just make sure to plan ahead and order them early to give time for shipping.
• Potty training? Don’t sweat it. But do use pull ups. Our 2.5 year-old had recently begun potty training before we left for Costa Rica. Before we left, he had been having accidents a few times a week, and while sleeping. We decided to use pull-ups for most of the trip to eliminate any extra headaches. We only used two pull ups a day, so we didn’t need to bring too many. The pull-ups didn’t impact his training at all, and he actually was accident-free for the first 6 days! I think he was hyper-aware that he was in a new place. We also did not bring any kind of potty training seat for him. Instead we just held him over the toilet and he did fine. We also brought lots of training underpants but didn’t end up using them much, since the pull-ups were more convenient.
• It wont be perfect. I am one of those people who can barely function if there are toys to be picked up, dinner to cook, clothes to fold. My to-do list takes over my brain until each item is checked off. Some of these chores disappear while on vacation, but not all of them. I spent the first few days in Costa Rica completely stressed out, trying to make everything perfect and clean and tidy, and trying to get the kids to behave or nap or sit still or be quiet. I soon realized that this was a complete waste of my energy! It is very important on vacation to let the little things go, and have fun! Your hotel room will be a mess as soon as your kids open their cute little backpacks, your plane seats will be full of crumbs from unknown sources, and the tablet will have yogurt smears all over it within 10 seconds of you cleaning it. Give yourself a break from making everything perfect, and just enjoy this special time with your family! It is vacation, after all. 🙂

Traveling to Costa Rica with a baby and a toddler – or traveling anywhere with two young kids – has a special set of challenges. We learned a lot about traveling with a baby and a toddler on our trip, and we made many mistakes along the way. I am sure our next trip will go much smoother now that we know the basics. Here were our top lessons learned, so hopefully you can learn from our mistakes and avoid any extra challenges during your Costa Rica vacation.

Things to avoid when traveling with a baby and toddler:

• Do not even think about carry-on only. Check your luggage : We did not check luggage on the way to Costa Rica (“Why not?!” You might ask. Because, we are crazy. And we “ usually fly carry on only “. But that was before kids. And kids require all of the things, even whilst traveling). With our two carry-on strollers, all of our luggage, a toddler, and a baby, our hands were extra-full the entire time in the airports. We checked our two Osprey backpacks (which we normally LOVE for carry-on-only travel) on the return flight, which helped. But we still wish we just took one huge suitcase and checked it, instead of juggling our two backpacks , two packable duffels , and our lightweight diaper bag , plus strollers, plus the kids. It was a lot to manage. With one big suitcase, we could have checked ONE bag, and brought the diaper bag on the plane with the two strollers.
• Don’t overpack: Costa Rica has many grocery stores and corner markets with anything you might have forgotten. We brought diapers for the first four days, plus swim diapers, plus pull-ups, and wipes! Diapers and wipes are all the same price as in the US, and we were able to buy what we needed there. There are also swim diapers for sale everywhere, and pull ups are available at the larger grocery stores. Our private drivers that Costa Rica Vacations booked for us were all super friendly, and they stopped at larger grocery stores for us along our drives so we could stock up on snacks and diapers. You also do not need to pack too many clothes , as you can easily do laundry along the way. We did bring a few small toys: a toy dinosaur and matchbox cars for the toddler, and a set of stacking cups and a teether for the baby. I am glad we had something to keep their hands and mouths busy at times. But there is no need to go overboard on packing many toys since there are so many other fun things to do!
• Fly into Liberia, or San Jose: whichever is closer to your first destination. After being cramped on the flight, the last thing you will want to do is try to contain the children in a car for another 3+ hour drive. Luckily our children are great in the car and they ended up napping during most of the drive.
• Get flights with extra leg-room, or use credit card points to upgrade to first class. Extra leg-room means your baby can move around on the floor instead of in your lap during the entire flight. It would have also avoided the chair-shaking game our baby invented, which I am sure the other passengers didn’t enjoy as much as he did. We learned about this tip after our trip, but it makes so much sense with a baby or young toddler. Luckily, our toddler approved of the Fire Kids Tablet and toddler headphones we bought for the trip, and he spent the whole flight watching his favorite episodes, reading new books, and playing toddler-friendly games. This was also a lifesaver at nap time when he needed to settle down from a morning excursion, and eliminated the need to bring heavy books with us, since we downloaded tons of great digital books on the tablet. Though we did bring this excellent paperback sloth book which is set in Costa Rica!
• Do laundry in your hotel room. Bring a few laundry detergent sheets and do laundry in the hotel sink. Since you are packing warm weather clothes for everyone (including two small, messy people), your sink laundry loads are small, and essential. We used the hotel’s laundry service once (about 9 USD for a very small load) but the laundry was returned to us with a very heavy perfume smell, which was not ideal for a toddler or a baby. I did laundry in our hotel room three times after that throughout the trip, and the clothes dried very quickly in the air conditioned room.
• No need for layers, pack for warm and hot weather. Even at night, the air is warm. We brought UPF hiking pants and a light sweater for ourselves and our kids, but we never used them, and they took up valuable space in our luggage. DO bring two sets of bathing suits!
• Pack snacks, but not TOO many. Like I mentioned, you can buy snacks — such as crackers, granola bars, pretzels, puffs, baby crackers, fruit smoothie pouches, fresh fruit, and drinkable yogurts — at grocery stores and convenience stores along the way. Lucky for my toddler, they love drinkable yogurts in Costa Rica just as much as he does, and there was a huge selection in most stores. I packed a massive bag of snacks for the trip, wondering if it wasn’t enough, but we didn’t even eat half of what I brought.
• Jet lag is not great, but it gets better. Costa Rica is a great choice for traveling with a baby and a toddler from the USA because the time difference is minimal, or non-existent, depending on your departure city. BUT for a couple days our kids were waking up for the day at 3:30am, because in their minds it was 5:30am — their normal wake-up time. In retrospect, I would have begun shifting their internal clocks before we left for Costa Rica so that we would have a head-start on the time shift. It did help that the sun sets rather early in Costa Rica in spring and summer (about 5:30pm) since it is close to the equator, which helped our toddler and baby feel tired much earlier than at home in New England where the sun sets after 8pm in spring and summer. Our bedtime in Costa Rica was often 7:30pm!

Additional Tips on Traveling to Costa Rica

• Language : In Costa Rica, tourism is so prevalent that many employees in tourist destinations have at least some english proficiency, and most tours are bilingual in English and Spanish. However, it can be helpful to know some basic Spanish before you go. At the very least, download the Google translate app with the Spanish to English language on your phone before you go so you are prepared in a pinch.
• Travel Insurance: We felt very safe on our trip to Costa Rica, but we were staying ON the beaten path for the whole trip. In my previous travel expeditions, when I traveled OFF the beaten path more frequently, all my belongings were stolen on a bus in Costa Rica in 2006. A good tip is to always keep an eye on your belongings, don’t bring valuables, keep your phone out of sight, and it never hurts to get travel insurance. Our insurance policy was about $150 for all four of us, and it covered things like airport delays, sicknesses (not just COVID), missed connections, lost luggage, and other mishaps that can easily happen when traveling anywhere with children. I would recommend purchasing travel insurance just for the peace of mind.
• Vaccines : [This is not medical advice and I’m not a doctor] We chose to get the typhoid vaccine for ourselves and our 2 year old, in addition to staying up to date with regular immunizations. It’s not approved for kids under 2, so our baby did not get the Typhoid Vaccine. He did, however, receive a couple other routine vaccines that he would have normally received when he was a little older, including MMR and Hep A. We went to a travel clinic in Boston that was covered by our insurance, and they were wonderful. It was a nightmare figuring out how to get insurance to pay for the vaccines, but finally we found this hospital where they were covered. It also turns out some insurance companies will cover vaccines received at a pharmacy, and some pharmacies can order specific vaccines if you know what you need.
• Upset Stomach: Our travel clinic recommended bringing powdered juice mix and powdered electrolyte mix in case we ended up with TD, so we could stay hydrated. We also brought kids tums and regular tums, and Travelan . Luckily we didn’t need this, but it’s not uncommon to have digestive issues while traveling if you aren’t used to the water. Just avoid raw, unpeeled vegetables/fruits, and unfiltered water, and you should be fine.
• Daily Schedule: Our daily schedule included an early wake up, breakfast at 6am, then setting out on a scheduled excursion around 7:30am. We returned around 12pm and had lunch (often just leftovers from the night before — thank goodness for mini-fridges in the rooms!). After lunch the kids would nap or have quiet time, and then we’d spend the rest of the afternoon in the pool. Around 4:30pm we’d shower, and have dinner at 5:30 just in time for sunset. Bedtime was around 7:30/8pm for all of us. This schedule worked perfectly for our early-risers!

Traveling with a baby and a toddler is especially challenging because each of them has very different needs. It was exhausting, but honestly it was not any more exhausting than staying at home with them. The challenges are different, but overall it was a very positive experience for all of us.

The most exhausting part of traveling with kids this age was not being able to have a break from managing the tantrums and emotional needs of a toddler, along with a baby who is learning to walk and puts everything in his mouth. Most babysitting services and kids clubs don’t accept kids younger than 3 or 4 years old, so we were really on our own with no other options. However, not having to cook, clean, drive, or fold laundry for ten days was quite magical. Next time we travel, we will be bringing help (ie.: our parents) or visiting others who can help with the kids, so that maybe we can feel like we are on vacation.

Happy Travels! – Kristen & family

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How to Travel with a Baby in Costa Rica

When my son was a baby, Costa Rica seemed like a good choice to visit since it was pretty close to home and we’d heard it was beautiful. It turned out to be an easy and safe experience, with a bit of planning and prep.

Costa Rica is very family-oriented, and the locals will take notice of your baby. Expect people to stop and say hello, attempting in Spanish to make them smile or laugh.

Everywhere we went felt like one giant outdoor playground, so our son had plenty to explore and play in. Splashing around in the water was his absolute favorite thing, and there’s a lot of it in Costa Rica. Here’s everything to know before traveling to Costa Rica with your baby:

Getting Around

You can get around Costa Rica a few different ways, but not all of them are kid-friendly.

There’s no national bus system, and I can assure you they won’t have car seats for your little one. Buses also take a long time to get from place to place, and my kids don’t like sitting still that long.

Another option is a taxi or shared car, but you’ll need to call ahead to have any hope of a baby seat, or bring and install your own . Most companies should have what you need if you plan ahead, but will usually charge a fee.

We opted to take transportation into our own hands and rented a car. By booking in advance online, we made sure a car seat was part of the deal so we didn’t have to travel with one . There’s a slight surcharge for requesting a child seat, but for us it was well worth not having to lug our own through the airport.

Costa Rica isn’t a big country, but getting around isn’t always a piece of cake. The winding roads had my wife in a tizzy but didn’t seem to bother my son in the least.

None of our drives were longer than three hours by design, so we weren’t crammed in a car all day. Since we did rent, we could stop to see cool views or stretch our legs whenever we wanted. If our son fell asleep, we could power through and get to our next destination quickly.

Most roads in the country were really nice, except for the jaunt up to Monteverde. We knew the roads were unpaved on the way up (and down the other side), so we took this section carefully.

Where to Stay

There aren’t many large hotels around Costa Rica with amenities for kiddos. Instead, you’re likely to find cute little family-owned places. We prefer those, anyway.

Before leaving the States, we planned out our stops. Landing in San Jose, we immediately left the city and traveled north to Arenal for three days. This gave us time to see the area at a slower pace, including the volcano, rainforests, and waterfalls. The cute little town was a treat to walk around, and my son even hit it off with some of the local kids.

We ended up staying at the Springs Resort just outside of town. It was serene, had lots of open space to run around in, and served breakfast every morning. They also had a crib for our infant to sleep in.

After our time in Arenal, we headed south and up into the mountains of Monteverde. Seeing the cloud forest was at the top of our list for this region, but we also wanted to visit a cacao plantation. Three days here was the right amount of time for what we ended up doing.

There weren’t as many places to choose from, but we settled on the Historias Lodge . It too was a bit away from the town itself, and our room was a bit cramped with a hotel crib . They did have an amazing breakfast, and this was one of the places that really doted on our son. Kind of made us feel like family.

Finally, we drove back down the mountain and south to the area around Manuel Antonio beach. The last four days of our trip were all about enjoying sandy beaches.

We stayed at the Karahe Hotel right on the beach so we didn’t have to do much of anything during our time there. It was a bit far from restaurants, but nothing beat having the Pacific at our doorstep. The hotel blessed us with a big room and a pack n’ play for the baby to sleep in, so we were set.

I used Booking.com to make all our reservations. The site works well because you can see if a hotel allows children and whether they have things like cribs or pack ‘n plays available. This helped narrow down the options that would work for our family.

If you’re having trouble finding amenities in the hotels you’re checking out, you could buy or rent a pack ‘n play in-country. Be aware that depending on where you’re at, a store with baby supplies may not be close by.

We opted not to deal with the hassle of bringing a portable crib from home, but that’s certainly another option. Just juggling a stroller and our backpacks is enough for me in stressful airport situations, but airlines tend to let you check kid items for free .

Costa Rica is all about natural landscapes and beautiful scenery. We wanted to get close to waterfalls, hike through cloud forests, and check out a volcano or two.

When we traveled to Costa Rica, my son was able to walk a bit on his own. Still, there was no way he’d be able to handle these kinds of hikes with his little legs.

To compensate, I brought along am older version of the Osprey Poco LT child carrier with an aluminum frame that sits on my back. It fits like a backpack, so I could use the straps to spread out his weight on my shoulders, back, and hips.

We used this thing just about everywhere we went and took out the kiddo from time to time for him to explore and me to get a rest. I gotta say, it worked wonders.

The inconvenience of getting the carrier through security was nothing compared to having it at our disposal. We got to do all the hikes we wanted and then some, and my son had a great time seeing the world from up there.

This includes a steep set of hundreds of stairs leading down to a popular waterfall near Arenal Volcano. I’ll never forget the old ladies commenting on how strong my legs were going to be after climbing back up to the top.

If your child’s even smaller, using a baby wrap like the one Solly offers would work much the same way.

Many Costa Rican beaches along the Pacific are incredible and some of the best in the world. Most are clean, safe, and very inviting for lounging, a swim, or a snooze. We let our son explore with supervision, and the waters were calm and warm enough for him to splash around.

I was never worried about either one of us stepping on something unsanitary or sharp. After stepping on a sea urchin in the Dominican Republic, I’m always on the lookout for natural concerns as well. I didn’t see anything on the beaches here.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding in public can be a hot topic in certain countries, but Costa Rica isn’t one of them. It’s common to see women breastfeeding in public. You’re going to see it everywhere, and it’s not the cultural norm to even cover up.

If it doesn’t bother you, you can be as open and free as you want. People won’t look away from you, and don’t be surprised if you get smiles and nods from both sexes.

There’s not a lot of crime in the country , especially once you’re out of the capital. Just like in any American city, pay attention to where you go at night. The most common instances of crime with travelers involve theft.

Food and Water

The food in Costa Rica is delicious. Fresh fruits and juices are everywhere, and the locals love eating dishes with meat, rice, beans, and plantains.

For the best food safety, I opt for places I see the locals go. If it’s packed with locals and especially their kids, you can bet the food there is going to be good.

Whether you pick a street vendor or a sit-down restaurant, the food is generally safe to eat anywhere in the country. I never felt leery about giving anything we ordered to my son, and he loved eating all of it.

Tap water is typically safe to drink in more established areas. We picked up a container of 2-liter bottled water more for convenience than anything. More than once we filled it up from the tap to save on waste.

This meant my wife and I had no issue letting our kid drink water or juice, and fruit was also fair game. If someone in your family has a particularly sensitive stomach or if you’re mixing up formula , just stick with bottled water as a precaution.

Child Seats in Restaurants

Every restaurant we walked into always had some form of child seat available for our kiddo to sit in while dining. The most common were wooden ones, but we did find a plastic one along the way. He was always safe and secure.

We were already past the formula stage when we visited Costa Rica, and we had no trouble finding milk for our little one to drink. Costa Ricans pasteurize their milk, so I was never worried about our son drinking it.

If you’re still using formula or need to pick up some baby food, there are a number of locations in the capital. Walmart and Maxi Pali are the big-box stores – you can find diapers, wipes, and the like as well.

Things get a lot harder outside of San Jose, as these chains are a lot more sparse. You may have to ask the locals about mom-and-pop shops carrying items you need in the town you’re in.

Baby supplies in Costa Rica may not be brands you’re familiar with, and they tend to be pricier than what you’d pay in the States. Without overstuffing your suitcase, pack the essentials you’ll need to save time scouring for them while on vacation.

We brought a stroller with us down to Costa Rica, since every airline I’m aware of lets you check them for free. We opted for one with smaller wheels to reduce weight for moving around while in town.

I can honestly say it didn’t seem worth it, as the sidewalks in some areas were uneven. I think we would have been fine if we had brought a bigger stroller .

Looking back, I probably would have just stuck with the child carrier even in town. It only weighed a few pounds and was much easier to lug around. In the end, the stroller didn’t get a ton of use.

Holding Your Baby

Ticas (an endearing term for Costa Rican women) love babies. I can’t tell you how many times we had someone come over and ask to hold our son. Being from the States, this totally caught us off guard. This just isn’t something we do!

These women can be quite insistent about it, putting out their arms and speaking fast Spanish that makes your head spin. We never felt threatened by these gestures, and in some cases the ladies were just trying to give us a break so we could eat.

It’s okay to say no to these requests, although you may have to say it a few times. We ended up taking advantage of it from time to time, but always made sure our kiddo was within our line of sight.

Watch the Heat

The temperature rarely changes in Costa Rica. It’s in the 80s year-round, with only the amount of rain differing from month to month. Most vacationers visit in the dry season (December through April), which means a lot of sun.

Our baby carrier had a cute canopy to keep the sun off my son while we were adventuring. I’d strongly suggest something similar, or at least make sure to bring along a hat to protect your child’s head.

Otherwise, we made sure to always have lots of water on hand and made frequent stops for fresh juice and popsicles. We also spent a lot of time playing by the water, whether it was at the bottom of a waterfall or at the ocean.

It surprised us that the temperature remained pretty constant even after driving up into Monteverde and the cloud forest. The tree cover was a nice reprieve while searching for a rare Quetzal bird.

Washing Stuff Along the Way

Kids plus stuff means things are going to get dirty. If you’re traveling for a while or have a mishap with clothes, it’s easy to get items clean.

The hotels we stayed in had services on-site and would wash clothes for us for a set fee. We’d try to cram as much as we could into the bag in the morning and would have freshly laundered clothes by evening.

If this service isn’t available where you’re staying, you’re bound to find a laundry service somewhere nearby. You probably won’t find a self-service area, since those are quite rare.

Kid Supplies

We brought some sippy cups from home that my son was used to using. He can get picky about what he drinks out of, and we didn’t want him fussing the entire trip.

Upon arriving in Costa Rica, we picked up a small bottle of dish soap to use as needed. Whenever we used a cup, we’d just wash it with tap water and the soap. If you’re concerned about upset tummies, you can do the same with bottled water.

Final Thoughts

Traveling with a little one may not be the easiest thing, but it is so rewarding. It melts my heart seeing my son enjoy experiences around the world, even if he won’t remember all of them. We take our kids everywhere we go, and I personally wouldn’t have it any other way.

This post was written by guest author Noah Zelvi s.

Kristin is the founder of Parenthood Adventures, combining her love of travel and newfound joy of motherhood. She's the creator of one of the most-read women's travel blogs in the world, bemytravelmuse.com, with a readership in the millions each year.

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Costa Rica with Kids | A Fun-Filled 6-Day Itinerary for Families

• Post author By Melissa
• Post date June 10, 2024
• 2 Comments on Costa Rica with Kids | A Fun-Filled 6-Day Itinerary for Families

Costa Rica is an ideal tropical location for a family vacation. Often considered an adventure destination, the country offers so much more than just adrenaline-pumping activities. It’s also a nature-lover’s paradise.

With waterfalls, rainforests, volcanoes, and exotic wildlife, visiting Costa Rica with kids can also be a learning experience. The country is one of the most family-friendly destinations in Central America and is a great place for kids to explore, have fun, and possibly even see animals like sloths and monkeys up close.

If you are considering a trip to Costa Rica with kids, there are a few things to know before your trip that will make your Costa Rica family vacation more enjoyable. But trust us, even if your children are still really young, visiting Costa Rica with a toddler or a baby can even be a great experience. 

This guide to visiting Costa Rica with kids includes essential information to help you prepare for your trip, plus a list of the top family-friendly activities and our detailed 6-day Costa Rica itinerary .

Table of Contents

Our experience visiting Costa Rica with kids

Visiting Costa Rica with kids can be a great experience for the entire family regardless of how old or young your children are.

In fact, we visited Costa Rica when our daughter was just a baby. Luckily, we had grandparents traveling with us on a multigenerational vacation , so they were happy to lend a hand which allowed us to do some of the activities that are not exactly baby-friendly.

Although known for its extreme sports, there is plenty to do in Costa Rica with kids who are too young for activities like zip-lining and rappelling. Although now that our daughter is older, we can’t wait to take her back!

Things to know before visiting Costa Rica with kids

Planning a family trip involves much more than just choosing the best kid-friendly activities. So, here are a few things to know before your Costa Rica travels.

Costa Rica is one of the safest countries in Latin America. The people of Costa Rica live by the saying Pura Vida , which literally translates to “pure life”. Essentially to live pura vida is to live a stress-free life of happiness and relaxation.

For this reason, Costa Rica is a very safe place to visit with kids. Although, as with any destination, we always recommend vigilance, being aware of your surroundings, and trusting your gut instinct at all times.

We even found driving in Costa Rica safe , but more on the roads below!

Costa Rica is a very welcoming destination for families. It is one of the things we liked most about the country! The Ticos, as Costa Rican locals are called, generally seem to love children, especially babies.

Everywhere we went people would stop us to talk to our daughter, and waitresses would offer to hold her while we dined in restaurants. 

Spanish is the official language in Costa Rica, but you can get by speaking English only. Most people in Costa Rica know some English, particularly in areas where tourism is the main industry.

However, as with any foreign country, we recommend at least attempting to learn a few words in the native language . Regardless of where we go, it has been our experience that locals always appreciate it when you at least try to speak their language.

The colón is the currency of Costa Rica. If you are staying at a resort, many offer currency exchange services. But a lot of the shops and restaurants in touristy parts of Costa Rica also accept American dollars.

While most of Central America is thought to be cheap to visit, Costa Rica is one of the more expensive Latin American countries . 

However, it is possible to travel through Costa Rica on a budget . You just have to plan ahead, do a little research, and know what things cost in advance.

Unlike most countries in Central America, in Costa Rica it is generally safe to drink the water out of the tap or faucet.

Although if traveling with small children, we usually opt for bottled water when traveling just to err on the side of caution. It is especially good to have bottled water handy if traveling with a baby who uses formula . 

Also, it’s important to note that some of the resorts use reclaimed water which is not potable. It is safe for washing but do check first before drinking it freely.

Infrastructure

The roads are not great in Costa Rica, but they aren’t horrible either. We read a lot of horror stories about the roads in Costa Rica prior to our trip, so we were pleasantly surprised to find driving in Costa Rica wasn’t as bad as we expected. 

Still, you will likely find some dirt roads or roads that have huge potholes due to excessive rainfall, particularly in the areas of the country that are densely covered in forests.

When to visit Costa Rica with kids

Costa Rica basically has two seasons: dry season and wet season.

The dry season, which lasts from December through April, is the most popular time to visit Costa Rica. During the dry season, you will likely experience way fewer pop-up rainstorms and way more sunshine.

The wet season, which lasts from May through November, is still a great time to visit Costa Rica, but be prepared for afternoon rain that typically comes down heavy but only lasts a short time. The other downfall of visiting Costa Rica during the wet season is that it may be cloudy, even if it is not raining.

How to get to Costa Rica

Costa Rica has two international airports, Liberia (Daniel Oduber) and San Jose (Juan Santamaria).

Which airport you fly into will depend on where you want to visit in Costa Rica. We flew into Liberia, located in the northern region of Guanacaste. 

Our 6-day Costa Rica itinerary primarily covers two regions, Guanacaste and the Arenal Volcano area. However, if you are wanting to visit the east coast of Costa Rica or the southern area of the country, flying into the capital city of San Jose is the better option.

Where to stay in Costa Rica with kids

We spent our Costa Rica family vacation in the regions of Guanacaste and Arenal. With only 6 days in Costa Rica, it is best to limit yourself to two regions, otherwise you will spend all your time driving. Here are a few hotels and places to stay in each region.

Whether you are wanting to visit the beach or the rainforest, Costa Rica offers some incredible and affordable options for both. We split our time between the beaches and the rainforests.

Guanacaste is known for its arid, dry climate and stunning coastline. The coast is popular with beachgoers looking for an all-inclusive resort vacation.

We stayed at the RIU Guanacaste Resort . While the resort had everything that we needed for a couple short days, it lacked amenities for kids.

If you are looking for an all-inclusive resort in Guanacaste that is more suited for families, Planet Hollywood Beach Resort is located right on Culebra Bay only 19 miles from the Liberia airport. The resort has a phenomenal kids club and lots of great on-site activities and off-site excursions for families who are visiting Costa Rica with kids.

CHECK CURRENT PRICES AND BOOK PLANET HOLLYWOOD BEACH RESORT HERE

The area surrounding Arenal Volcano National Park is known for its adventure activities and majestic scenery. It is another widely popular area of Costa Rica to visit.

We stayed at Hotel El Silencio del Campo , which offers private villas or chalets, on-site hot springs, and a complimentary farm experience. 

Read our full review of Hotel El Silencio del Campo or check rates and book your stay here .

Other popular hotels in the Arenal area for those visiting Costa Rica are the Baldi Hot Springs Resort Hotel , which has on-site water slides and waterfalls that are great for both kids and adults, and Tabacon Thermal Resort , which is known for having the best hot springs in the area. 

Six-Day Costa Rica Itinerary

This 6-day Costa Rica itinerary offers both relaxation and adventure. Both beaches and rainforests. Here is our complete itinerary for visiting Costa Rica with kids.

• Beach and resort activities in Guanacaste
• Relax and live the Pura Vida life
• Sunset cruise

Llanos de Cortes waterfall

• Cafe Macadamia

Lake Arenal

La fortuna waterfall.

• Arenal Volcano National Park

Hot Springs

• Ziplining canopy tour
• Hanging bridge tour

Farm experience

Rafting tour, what to do in costa rica with kids.

Following the itinerary above, here are some of the best things to do in Costa Rica with kids, or without! 

Guanacaste Beaches

Guanacaste is home to endless beaches. What makes the beaches in Guanacaste so unique is that they are all so different. You’ll find unforgettable white sand beaches, as well as gold, gray and black sand beaches. 

If you have more than 6 days in Costa Rica and love the beach life, spend a few extra days beach hopping in Guanacaste. Some of the most popular beaches to check out are Playa Hermosa, Playa Negra, Playa Samara and Playa Grande.

Find the best tours and beach activities in Guanacaste

Llanos de Cortes waterfall is arguably one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Costa Rica. Only a 30-minute drive from Liberia, it makes for a great stop when driving between Guanacaste and Arenal. 

The waterfall cascades into a shallow and calm pool of water that is perfect for swimming. The chilly water is very refreshing, particularly on a hot day. Around the waterfall, you can often spot monkeys hanging out in the tree canopies above. 

The largest lake in Costa Rica, Lake Arenal sits at the base of the majestic Arenal Volcano. The man-made lake generates power for the country and is a popular spot for adventure activities like kayaking and windsurfing, as well as fishing for rainbow bass. 

Cafe y Macadamia is a great place to take in the beauty of Lake Arenal while enjoying some delicious Costa Rican cuisine.

Book a kayaking adventure on Lake Arenal

Perhaps one of the most visited and one of the best waterfalls in Costa Rica , La Fortuna Waterfall, or Catarata Rio Fortuna, is a 230-foot-tall cascade located in a biological reserve which is part of the Arenal Volcano National Park. 

Like Llanos de Cortes, the pool at the base of the water is popular for swimming. But the hike to get there is a bit longer than the short walk to Llanos de Cortes. It will only take about 15 minutes to descend down the 540 steps to the waterfall, but climbing back up the staircase on the return trek will take at least double that amount of time.

If hiking isn’t your thing, you can book a horseback ride that also takes you to the waterfall. Either way, experiencing the beautiful Costa Rica landmark is a must for anyone visiting the Arenal region, as it is one of the most popular attractions in the country.

Arenal Volcano

The Arenal Volcano is not only a Costa Rican landmark, but also an important national park and conservation area. The volcano, which is often concealed in a dense layer of fog, is Costa Rica’s most active volcano. It last erupted in 2010 and is currently considered to be in a resting phase. 

While you cannot climb Arenal Volcano, there are lots of great guided hikes in the national park that take you to its base and through fields of volcanic rock that remain from the lava flow from the 1968 eruption that devastated the area.

Find the best tours and hikes in Arenal Volcano National Park

After hiking you’ll probably be ready for some much-needed relaxation. There is no better way to rejuvenate your muscles and your mind than a dip in Costa Rica’s famous hot springs.

With all the geothermal activity around the Arenal Volcano, the area is also world-renowned for its beautiful thermal springs. 

Tabacon Thermal Resort is home to the most popular and most beautiful hot springs in the area. A visit to the hot springs is included if you choose to stay at the swanky resort.

However, you can also book a visit separately or book a combo tour that includes the La Fortuna waterfall, a guided Arenal hike, and a visit to the hot springs.

Zip line Tour

Ziplining in Costa Rica is one of the activities the country is best known for.

Not only is this adrenaline-pumping adventure safe, but it is also a suitable activity for kids as young as 5 years old and doesn’t require a lot of skill or physical fitness. 

With 90% of the native animals and 50% of the country’s flora and fauna living in the canopies of the rainforest, booking a ziplining canopy tour is a great way to possibly spot exotic birds, monkeys, sloths, and other creatures that dwell in the rainforest.

Hanging Bridge Tour

Like a zip line tour, the hanging bridges in the Arenal Rainforest take you into the tree canopies on long suspension bridges.

During times of dense fog, it will seem like you’re walking directly into the clouds, without being able to see the other side of the bridge. There are several different hanging bridge tours in Arenal . 

You can easily book a hanging bridge tour online to experience Costa Rica from the treetops.

Costa Rica is a very green country, not just in the way of lush vegetation, but conservation is important to them, and many Costa Ricans even grow their food.

A farm experience is a great way to teach children about respecting the planet while also entertaining them. This was included at Hotel Silencio del Campo where we stayed. 

However, if you choose a different hotel, you can always book a farm experience separately. This tour includes sloth watching, cow milking on a traditional Costa Rican family farm, and a traditional lunch prepared with farm-fresh ingredients. 

Finally, a rafting tour along Rio Balsa is another great kid-friendly activity in Costa Rica. With class 2-3 rapids, the guided rafting experience is great for adventurous families visiting Costa Rica with kids or first-time rafters who want to test out their adrenaline.

When you aren’t giggling and getting splashed with water from the river, you’ll also enjoy spotting wildlife along the banks as you paddle through the slowing rolling rapids in an isolated rainforest river canyon.

Other family-friendly things to do in Costa Rica for kids

We could have stayed in Costa Rica much longer as there were many parts of the country we were unable to explore due to time constraints. We would recommend giving yourself at least ten days in Costa Rica to see more of the breathtaking beauty Costa Rica has to offer.

Here are a few other kid-friendly things to add to your Costa Rica itinerary if you have extra time.

Manuel Antonio National Park

The most visited national park in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio is located along the central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica southwest of San Jose.

The park is home to beautiful beaches, forest trails and of course, wildlife!

Butterfly Conservatory

Located on the southern side of Lake Arenal, the Butterfly Conservatory would be an easy addition to this itinerary. Butterflies are one of Costa Rica’s biggest exports. You can see all the different species of butterflies at the conservatory.

Monteverde Cloud Forest

Similar to Arenal, Monteverde Cloud Forest is a popular destination for ziplining and hang bridge tours.

Spanning more than 10,000 acres, the forest reserve draws roughly 70,000 visitors each year who come to see the colorful assortment of flora and fauna in a dream-like forest almost always covered in clouds.

Tortuguero National Park 

Another one of the fascinating national parks in Costa Rica, Tortuguero would be especially cool for those visiting during the late summer, when the Leatherback Turtle eggs hatch, and the baby turtles make their way to the ocean.

Like many activities in Costa Rica, Tortuguero National Park would be an incredible learning experience for kids and adults alike. Located along the northeast coastline, the park is best explored by boat, kayak or canoe.

Sloth Sanctuary 

Located near Puerto Limon along the east coast of Costa Rica, the sloth sanctuary is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. They offer sloth tours every day but Monday where you can meet and learn about sloths and their habitat.

Your family may even be able to see baby sloths in the sloth nursery. How cute is that?! Need I say more?

La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park

Home to one of the most famous waterfalls in Costa Rica and the largest animal sanctuary, La Paz Waterfall Gardens is just 45 minutes from San Jose International Airport, making it an easy addition to any Costa Rica itinerary that starts or ends in San Jose.

You can easily take a day trip to the nature park or stop there on your way to Arenal. 

Have a question or comment about visiting Costa Rica with kids? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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What city is the Sloth Sanctuary in? My little boy LOVES sloths and would love to be able to hold one!

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The Best Costa Rica Itinerary for Families: Easy Planning and Fun For the Whole Family

February 2, 2024 By Sammi 38 Comments

If you plan to visit Costa Rica with kids, here are our Costa Rica itinerary for families. This 7 day Costa Rica itinerary for families has maps and photos to help you plan and is perfect to fit into a 1 week spring break.

We have written two Costa Rica family itineraries in this post. One is a very easy and popular one, going to main tourist destinations and flying in and out of San Jose International Airport (airport code SJO). Another is an itinerary going to slightly less touristic destinations flying in and out of Guanacaste Airport (airport code LIR). Both include beach and rainforest.

This post includes affiliate links.

How to Get Around Costa Rica With Kids

First, let’s talk about how to get around Costa Rica with kids. Our personal recommendation is to rent a car or book private shuttles .

Renting a Car and Driving

Driving is the most flexible way to get around Costa Rica . You can throw all the kids stuff in the car, stop anytime and anywhere and it’s much more comfortable. Go where you want, when you want. Additionally, you have more lodging options.

The downsides are that you have to drive and figure out routes. Also, for some families, it’s just 1 adult who drives the whole time which can be very tiring for them because some routes can be 3-5 hours long.

Type of Car

For a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 young kids, a sedan can work if you are going to destinations that don’t require any type of high clearance car or 4wd. These are places like San Jose , La Fortuna , Manuel Antonio , Tamarindo , Flamingo , Samara, Playas del Coco , Papagayo Peninsula , Jaco and Puerto Viejo (in Limon).

However, a SUV would be best to have enough room for all the kid stuff, child seats and luggage. A high clearance car would also be required if you want to explore or stay at more remote Airbnbs or vacation rentals.

Other things to know: Nearly all car rental companies in Costa Rica offer baby and booster seats for an extra cost. I recommend to ask for a photo of the seats they have so you can check it. However, most Costa Rica car rental agencies do not provide infant seats (less than 1 year) so you will need to bring your own.

Read more about renting a car in Costa Rica and get our car rental discount and extra benefits like free baby and booster seats here!

We recommend booking private shuttles instead of shared. Private is more comfortable and more flexible as you have the entire vehicle to your family. You don’t have to share the vehicles, worry about your kids crying or throwing a tantrum with other passengers or stress about if you need to make an emergency stop to the bathroom.

Then at your hotel, you can book tours with transportation. You will want to pick hotels that are either close to town or have their own restaurant and more amenities.

Private shuttles pros: They pick you up directly at the airport, allow you stop for food, bathroom breaks, can pick up and drop off at vacation rentals and the driver’s usually speak basic to intermediate English. You will have the entire vehicle to yourself so you can spread out in the car. Additionally, private shuttles will bring baby and booster seats for most ages 1+ or 4+.

Tip: Ask them for a photo of the child seats they have because some companies have the seats without locking seat belts or clips.

Price for private shuttles: Usually around $180-220 USD for common routes like San Jose to La Fortuna, San Jose to Manuel Antonio for 1-8 people.

Read more about shuttles in Costa Rica here and if you’d like a quote for a private shuttle, pleas contact us!

Most Popular 1 Week Costa Rica Itinerary for Families (Rainforest, Volcano and Beach)

This 1 week Costa Rica itinerary for families goes to San Jose (Landing at San Jose International Airport) – La Fortuna – Manuel Antonio – SJO Airport. This is an extremely popular itinerary because it’s perfect for families of all ages, especially first time visitors.

Map of this Costa Rica itinerary for families

Click here to see the interactive map with the driving route, hotel recommendations, destinations and things to do.

Day 1 San Jose: Land in SJO, Travel to La Fortuna

As soon as you land in San Jose Airport, pick up your rental car or get picked up by your private driver to go to La Fortuna . This drive takes around 3 hours without traffic but plan for at least 4 hours (more if you are landing around rush hour).

If you are landing after 3 PM, I recommend to stay a night by the airport and then leave early the next morning. It gets dark in Costa Rica at 6 PM everyday and most businesses close around 8/9 PM. It can also take you around 2-3 hours to complete immigration, customs and pick up your rental car in high season. For these reasons, we don’t recommend to drive this route if you are landing after 3 PM, especially in the rainy season. Also, there is a section along the way from the airport to La Fortuna that gets very foggy and curvy with no streetlights.

Even if you book a private shuttle, we recommend to stay in San Jose for the night if you are landing in the evening. You do not want to be arriving in La Fortuna at 1 AM with tired, hungry and cranky kids. Also some hotels do not have 24 hour reception.

You can read this post about driving from San Jose to La Fortuna for tips on this drive.

Recommended hotels in San Jose for families with free airport shuttle and free hot breakfast: Hotel Aeropuerto , Adventure Inn , Hampton Inn & Suites , Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Cariari and Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport Costa Rica . All nice and clean hotels close to the airport. Booking a room at the Adventure Inn? G et 10% off using the promo code “mytanfeet” on their booking page!

Why La Fortuna?

La Fortuna is one of the best destinations in Costa Rica for families. This area has very good tourist infrastructure, a ton of hotels at various price points, many restaurants and a plethora of activities for all ages. It’s one of the best destinations to see the rainforest and volcano in Costa Rica.

Recommended hotels in La Fortuna for families: Los Lagos Spa & Thermal Resort , Arenal Manoa , Arenal Springs Resort and Arenal History Inn . All very nice hotels with hot breakfast included with beautiful volcano views and a pool or their own springs.

Day 2 La Fortuna: Safari float, guided walk, hot springs

Now begins your family adventure in La Fortuna! Also remember if you want to book any of these tours, get our discount on La Fortuna tours here!

For your first day, our recommendations for family friendly activities in La Fortuna are a river safari float, guided walk and hot springs.

Morning Safari float: This is the perfect wildlife watching tour for families. You float down a calm river for 2 hours while your guide paddles and points out animals. The Peñas Blancas safari float is only a 25 minute drive from La Fortuna so it’s great for a half day morning activity. No walking or strenuous activity.

After Lunch Guided Walk: We highly recommend Rainforest Cafe for lunch. Then for the guided walk, we highly recommend Bogarin Trail (1.6 kms or 1 mile easy and flat trail), Mistico Hanging Bridges ( 3.2 kms or 2 miles, kids have to be at least 6), the Arenal Volcano National Park or Arenal 1968 private reserve. I recommend the latter three for older kids and the Bogarin Trail for young ones.

Then, you’ll go on a guided walk in La Fortuna.

Evening/Night Hot Springs: No trip to La Fortuna is complete without a visit to the hot springs! If you are staying at a hotel that doesn’t have its own hot springs, there are many resorts you can visit. Baldi, Los Lagos, the Springs and Kalambu are excellent for families. All of them have waterslides and Baldi has a dedicated kid section and you can have dinner at the hot spring resort. Read more about the Arenal hot springs here. We also offer a small discount for The Springs Hot Springs Day Pass , this place is awesome for families who are not on a budget. They have a water slide and riverside pools and springs.

Our Personal Recommendations

I highly recommend a guided walk for families because it can be fascinating for the kids to learn about the tropical rainforest and animals. Many Costa Rican naturalist guides are good at engaging and interacting with kids to keep them interested.

Day 3 La Fortuna: Zipline, chocolate tour, hot springs/night walk

Now it’s time for a little bit of excitement! Today you’ll go ziplining for your first activity.

Morning Ziplining: Ziplining is a must do in Costa Rica and La Fortuna has many zipline tours for all ages. Arenal Ecoglide is best for young ones and the little ones will go with a guide. For the older kids, Arenal Mundo Aventura, Arenal Canopy and SkyTrek are great options. We recommend to zipline in the morning.

For lunch, we recommend Pollos Fortueños Restaurant. They have a small playground outside for kids.

After Lunch Chocolate tour: Take a chocolate tour for an interactive and fun 2 hour experience. Guests learn all about chocolate, starting from the cacao trees and to how they process it. Best part of this tour is you will get to sample lots of chocolate!

Then for the night, you can head back to the hot springs or take a night walk . La Fortuna is an excellent place for night walks and kids absolutely love it! They’ll get to search for creatures like insects, spiders, snakes and frogs.

Another Option

We also recommend to check out La Fortuna downtown if you have time. You can hangout at the local park which has a beautiful view of the church and volcano and lots of souvenir stores. Many locals go to this park in the evening so it’s a nice way to immerse your family in a little bit of the La Fortuna life.

If you want to spend some time at the park, first go to the Chocolateria (right by the park) to get a coffee, chocolate, ice cream or pastries and sit in the park to enjoy tour treat. Lots of fun to people watch and the kids can enjoy the local life.

Day 4 Travel to Manuel Antonio

Today you will travel to Manuel Antonio . La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio is a 5 hour drive so this will be a long driving day. Along the way, you can stop at Jaco (big surfing beach town) or the Crocodile Bridge . You can read this post on how to get to Manuel Antonio for tips. We recommend to leave before noon so you can arrive in Manuel Antonio during daylight.

Once you arrive and check in to your place in Manuel Antonio, relax and get ready for tomorrow!

Why Manuel Antonio: It is another top destination in Costa Rica with lots of hotels and restaurants and good tourist infrastructure. It is home to a gorgeous national park and beautiful beaches. Lots of beach fun for the kids!

Recommended hotels in Manuel Antonio for families: Tulemar , Si Como No , Parador , Hotel La Mariposa . All these hotels offer family rooms and breakfast included. Manuel Antonio tends to have more high end, expensive hotels. There are also many vacation rentals in Manuel Antonio.

Day 5 Manuel Antonio Antonio National Park

Morning Manuel Antonio National Park: Today you will visit one of the most beautiful national parks in the world, Manuel Antonio National Park . You can visit this park on a self guided walk or with a guide. Since you already did a guided walk in La Fortuna, it’s not absolutely necessary to do a guided walk in this park too but you can if you want. This park is home to hundreds of birds, mammals, reptiles and plants!

If you need transportation, we recommend to book a tour as they’ll provide round trip transportation and the national park ticket (which have to be pre-purchased online now). Click here to get our Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour discount!

The kids will love walking through the rainforest and playing in the sand at the beautiful white sand beaches. There is a ton of wildlife in this park with lots of monkeys!

Remember the park is closed on Tuesdays so make sure to plan your days in Manuel Antonio accordingly.

After you’re done, head back to the hotel to relax, shower and nap. In the evening, watch the sunset and have dinner at one of the ocean view restaurants like Cafe Agua Azul, Emilio’s Cafe or Raphael’s Terrazas.

Day 6 Manuel Antonio: Relax, sunset catamaran

Today is a relaxing day. You can enjoy the pool, go to the Espadilla beach or go shopping. In the evening, you can finish off your Manuel Antonio trip with a sunset cruise that departs around 1 PM. They have water slides and a nice lunch spread, lots of fun for the family.

If your family still has the energy, you can go white water rafting (kids must be older than 8 for rafting), take a surf lesson or horseback riding (must be at least 6 years old) for the day. That’ll end your trip off with a bang!

Don’t forget to get our Manuel Antonio/Quepos tours discount here!

Day 7 Travel to San Jose

Today you’ll travel back to San Jose. You don’t need to leave very early so sleep in and enjoy the last few hours in Manuel Antonio before checking out. You can book a hotel by San Jose International Airport and spend your last night getting ready to go home. You can read our recommendations for hotels near SJO Airport with free shuttle (or without shuttle) here.

Day 8 Fly out of SJO Airport

Time to go back home!

If You Have More than 1 Week

For those who have a bit more time, you can add on another destination to this itinerary. Here are some ideas.

• After landing in San Jose, stay a night or two at the Peace Lodge in Vara Blanca before heading to La Fortuna. The family can see the waterfalls and animal sanctuary at La Paz Waterfall Gardens (about 1 hour from San Jose, 2 to La Fortuna).
• After La Fortuna, you can stay a couple nights in Monteverde before heading to Manuel Antonio. (3 hours driving from La Fortuna, then 3.5 hours to Manuel Antonio). You can do more ziplining, visit a bat jungle or butterfly garden or do some more hiking.
• Check our Costa Rica 13 days itinerary !

Another Costa Rica Itinerary for Families

Here is an itinerary if you are flying into Liberia International Airport in Guanacaste and want to visit slightly less touristic destinations. You will get beach, nature, wildlife and rainforest in this itinerary. For this itinerary, it is recommended to rent a car because of the destinations as Guanacaste is more rural with less transportation options.

This itinerary goes to Liberia (LIR Airport) – Samara – Bijagua – LIR Airport.

Click here to go to the interactive map with driving routes, hotel recommendations, destinations and activities.

Day 1 Liberia

Fly into Liberia International Airport and pick up your car rental. Drive 2 hours to Samara , a mellow beach town in South Guanacaste. A high clearance car will be highly recommended for this itinerary, particularly in rainy season.

Why Samara? Samara is a small beach town that has decent tourist infrastructure, beautiful beaches and good restaurants. It’s kind of like Tamarindo (another surfing beach town that’s popular with families in Guanacaste) but less touristy and has less of a party vibe. Great beach town for families and the beach is really fun for kids.

Hotels in Samara for families: Hideaway Hotel , Sol Samara, Samara Pacific Lodge , Villas Playa Samara (all-inclusive). All these hotels have family rooms.

Planning tip: If you don’t want to drive that long, Tamarindo is a good option for a fun and lively beach town as it’s 1 hour from Liberia Airport. Another option is Playas del Coco , a 25 minute drive from the airport which is a more laid back, fishing village.

Day 2, 3 and 4 Samara: Beach, Surf, Ziplining, Kayaking

On day 2, you can hit the beach and join the kids with a surf lesson! Samara is a good beginner surfing beach and you can take a class right on the beach. Usually classes are 4-8 people but you can request a private class for just your family.

On day 3, hop in your car and take the family to explore! There are several nice beaches around like Carrillo . You can also check out the small waterfall, La Roca, just outside of Samara.

On day 4, kayak to Isla Chora (30 minutes one way) and snorkel at the island. This can be done in the morning or afternoon. You can zipline at Wingnuts after or before your kayak. Great fun for the whole family! There are also sunset cruises in Samara the family can enjoy.

Day 5 Travel to Bijagua

Today you will drive to Bijagua . It is about a 3 hour drive. Take advantage of the travel day to stop at a couple of places.

You can stop at the Llanos de Cortes waterfall in Bagaces along the way. Great waterfall for kids as they can swim and play in the pool. Also, it’s only a 5 minute walk from the parking lot to the waterfall.

Another option is Vandara for volcano hot springs, ziplining, cultural experience, waterslide and more. (2.5 hours from Samara, then 1 hour to Bijagua). Get a discount in our link!

Why Bijagua? Bijagua is the tiny rural town near Tenorio Volcano National Park. Although it’s small, it is a beautiful rainforest area and good place for one or two nights with kids so they can experience a rural Costa Rican town and lifestyle.

Recommended hotels in BIjagua for families: Casitas Tenorio B&B , Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel and Celeste Mountain Lodge .

If you arrive early enough in time, some of the lodges in the area have a working farm and families can take a quick farm tour. Kids can see cows, goats, horses and chickens up close and learn how to milk cows! It’s a fantastic way for kids to experience rural Costa Rican farming life.

Day 6 Bijagua: Rio Celeste Hike

Today you’ll visit the stunning Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park. This 6.5 kilometer hike (4 miles roundtrip) is one of the most beautiful hikes in Costa Rica ! You’ll see the Rio Celeste waterfall and the sky blue river.

The trail to the waterfall is very well maintained and is a paved trail. If you have toddlers or babies, you can bring them in a child carrier backpack. Just make sure you are able to carry them going up and down the steps to the waterfall. Strollers are not allowed in the park.

The entire hike can take around 3, 4 hours.

After the hike, you can have lunch at one of the local restaurants right outside the park. Also don’t forget to visit the Rio Celeste Free Pool so the kids can play and swim in the sky blue river.

Day 7 Fly Out of Liberia International Airport

Bijagua to Liberia International Airport is about a 1 hour and 30 minute drive so enjoy your last few hours in Bijagua and Costa Rica. Make sure to get to the airport 2 hours before your flight.

Important Things to Know About Traveling with Kids in Costa Rica

• If your kids have allergies to food or medicines, make sure to write them down. It will also be helpful to write down the translation in Spanish of the name and active ingredients. Bring all necessary medications.
• If you rent a car, we recommend to get a prepaid SIM card so you can have a Costa Rican phone number in case of emergencies.
• If you are traveling with multiple families for just a few days, consider staying at an all-inclusive resort instead. It is a lot less stressful!
• If you are spending Christmas in Costa Rica or New Years, make sure to book your accommodation and transportation well in advance as those dates book up very fast. (Book at least 4-6 months out).

For more tips, read our post for things to do in Costa Rica with kids.

I hope this Costa Rica itinerary for families post helps you with your trip planning!

There are affiliate links in this post.

Reader Interactions

April 20, 2024

Hi there, I’m considering a trip to CR and we’re tied to Easter holidays next year. We’re travelling with 2 children (aged 8 and 6) and a baby, plus my parents (early 70’s). My thought was, flight into Liberia, transfer to Bijagua. Stay 3 nights. Then onto Arenal stay 3 nights, Monte Verde 2 nights then onto beach, possible Playa Hermosa 7 nights, then return to Liberia airport. In your opinion would this be a good itinerary for our family of mixed ages, or any advice? Thank you

May 2, 2024

Hi Katie, yes that’s fine, just make sure it’s Playa Hermosa Guanacaste, there are many other Playa Hermosas throughout the country.

March 30, 2024

Will be traveling with a 2YO, so trying to avoid too many long drives. Any suggestions for a great place to spend a night between MA and returning to SJO (we are currently thinking SJO>La Paz>La Fortuna>MA>SJO – we have 1 week.)

March 31, 2024

La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio is about a 5 hour drive, so that’s quite long, in case you want to stay a night in between or find a closer destination

Camila says

March 28, 2024

Hello, we are a brazilian family of 3, my husband, our son 6 years old (almost 7) and myself. We are planning a July trip, and thinking about Tortuga + La fortuna + Papagayo or Tamarindo + Monteverde. Do you think this itinerary is good for us? And for the time of the year? And we need to rent a car to do so, right? Or is it possible to arrenge private shuttle from one place to another? But what about in the city, taxi? Thank you

April 11, 2024

Hello Camila, we have sent you an email with more information

December 16, 2023

Hi, We are visiting CR next Easter for a week(7 and half day technically). We would like to spend most of the time in La Fortuna/Monteverde, but do not want to miss Manuel Antonio. Do you think if it makes sense if we rent a car in the morning in SJO(we will arrive late in the evening), drive to MA, visit the national park and beach before it closes, and leave for Monteverde on the same afternoon? I know it is about 4-hour drive so can we stay the night somewhere in the middle to avoid driving in the evening, and will still be able to arrive Monteverde at around 9am?

December 18, 2023

I don’t honestly recommend it…Easter is the second busiest time (just as busy as Christmas actually) and traffic is pretty horrendous going in and out of SJO and to the coasts. You will spend more time driving in the car than actually in the park and the park will be very busy and crowded during Easter Week. We also do not recommend to drive to Monteverde at night because the last stretch of 15 kilometers or so is the road going up the mountain without full guard rails or any streetlights and it is a very curvy, narrow road. It gets dark by 6 PM everyday so even if you leave the national park by 3 PM which you do, you will be driving the mountain section in the dark.

It is also important to note that you must park tickets in advance which I recommend to do weeks in advance for Easter week and the Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays. If you stay somewhere halfway, there is not really much on the route but you might be able to find an interesting Airbnb or simple hotel along the route.

Nathan says

August 11, 2023

Hi – We’re going to Costa Rica in October for 7 days with 4 kids (3, 8, 11 and 13). Would you still recommend San Jose – La Fortuna – Manuel Antonio? I’ve read there is more rain in October than other months.

August 14, 2023

October is our rainiest month in Costa Rica for most of the country, you can still visit but there may be big rains in those areas particularly and may not be able to do as much as you would during drier months. If you can only visit in October, the Caribbean is a better option as it’s their summer month ( Tortuguero and Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica )

Colleen Palte says

August 4, 2023

In La Fortunate do you recommend Spring Resort over Baldi. We are here for 2 full days (not counting our travel days) and we’re looking for hot springs, water slides and volcanoes hikes.

I personally like Springs over Baldi but it is much more expensive!

August 3, 2023

Love your blog!

We are planning to visit in late June 2024 and we want to see a volcano hike and hotsprings in La Fortuna then Head to MA. What do you recommend? And I listened to your podcast on Amateur Traveler (amazing) Sam talked about hikes in MA National park but I wasn’t able to write down the names. What are her favorites? We are traveling with 4 teenage boys myself and my husband.

Hi Colleen, for the volcano hike you can visit Arenal Volcano National Park or Arenal 1968 and then in Manuel Antonio National Park you can hike the trails to Playa Gemelas and Punto Cuchillo or around the Punta Catedral (both if you’re a good hiker)

Melody says

June 23, 2023

Hi! I have 2 children aged 5 & 8. I would love to do the Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges with my kids and am seeing mixed comments on the age limit. Are there any restrictions to age limit for the Arenal hanging bridges?

June 26, 2023

Hi Melody, with our partner the minimum age is 5 (we also sent an email with more information to book the tour)

Alanna says

May 12, 2023

Hello! We will be in CR for a month. Starting with La Fortuna then Samara then Manuel Antonio. We know the drive from Samara to MA will be long and we’re thinking of breaking it up staying overnight somewhere, can you recommend a good place to stop for the night? Is Jaco about half way? Thanks!

May 24, 2023

Hello Alanna, we have sent you an email

Susie hollingsworth says

March 12, 2023

We are staying in playa del coco for the week. Do you know if there is a zip lining place that will allow a 7 year old that is only 50 pounds? Also what is closest mud bath/hot spring. Want my three kids to experience that

Thank u so much love your blog

March 14, 2023

Yes you can go to Diamante Eco Adventure Park if your child weights at least 66 lbs (30 kilos),

February 2, 2023

We are coming this summer with our 5, 9 and 11 year old kids. We’ll be there for 23 days, flying in and out of Liberia. What are your recommendations for that length of trip?

Hi Katie, you can check all our itineraries for various options: Costa Rica itinerary ideas

September 13, 2022

Great website! I booked an 11 night trip next July. We will fly into SJO and out of LIR. I am speaking with a few travel agencies but am wondering if I should plan the trip myself since I have time. I would love to visit Arenal, debating on visiting Monteverde, and trying to figure out what beach I would like to end my trip. I would love to go to Manuel Antonio but it appears to be a 5 hour drive from LIR. Any other suggestions? My kids will be 11 and 7 and adventurous! Also, do you recommend booking excursions prior to the trip?

September 14, 2022

Hi Celia, I recommend to take a look at this itinerary as its pretty much exactly what you’re looking for, just choose one beach destination instead of two: 2 week Costa Rica itinerary

August 29, 2022

Hi! We are thinking about 8 days with kids (10 and 7) in October I am reading that this is rainy season. Would you alter your 7/8 day itinerary in October or would you keep The itinerary the same? Thank you!

August 30, 2022

you can definitely still do it but it does rain quite a bit in October so you’d need to plan your activities in the morning and be flexible with activities in case they get cancelled due to rain. It may be better to go to Puerto Viejo instead as its the summer month on the Caribbean coast. You could do SJO – Puerto Viejo – Fortuna

Me Linh says

May 15, 2022

Our family arrive in Liberia at 1pm after a 5 hour flight. We plan to rent a car to drive to Arenal (3+ hour). Do you recommend we stay overnight in Liberia the first night and leave the next morning or do you think it is safe to plan to rent a car immediately and drive to arenal on the same day? one of your post suggested NOT to drive long distance if we arrive in afternoon… Trying to plan our itinerary for hotel and car rental based on this decision. Thank you so much! Your blog is the most helpful! it is amazing

May 24, 2022

It gets dark by 6 PM everyday and we’re in rainy season now so you could still technically make it there in the daylight if immigration/customs isn’t too long (Right now May is not a very busy month) but make sure you use a GPS and get a SIM card as well as download your Google Maps offline just in case. Also just a warning that route to La Fortuna gets really really curvy at one point so if you are concerned about driving that in the dark because there are no street lights in that section, I’d stay somewhere halfway instead the night you land. Make sure to take anti nausea medicine to prevent car sickness for this route

Marina Temkin says

August 10, 2021

We are doing la Fortuna, Samara and then have three more nights before flying out of Liberia in the morning. What do you recommend for those three nights? Our kids are 3 and 6.

You can check our post for an itinerary idea with Samara, the one that goes to Bijagua.

Marci Mange says

April 21, 2021

Hi! Which of these two itineraries would be best in July? We have 11 and 21 year old daughters. They’d love zip lining, whitewater rafting, beaches, waterfalls, wildlife. Hikes are good, but nothing too strenuous.

I would go with the San Jose – La Fortuna – Manuel Antonio one.

elizabeth maher says

March 3, 2020

Hi. We are trying to plan our Spring Break trip to Costa Rica and are completely dazed and confused. Unfortunately we only have 6 full days. We would like to spend a couple of days in the rainforest and a few days at a nice beach. We do not know if we should go to Arenal or Monte Verde for the rain forest part. Which one would you recommend? Then we were thinking of heading up to Playa Conchal Beach and staying in a VRBO at the Westin as a lot of the websites I have looked at says that it one of the most beautiful beaches and it is close to Flamingo Beach and Tamarindo if we wanted to go to one of those beaches for the day. My daughter loves a great pool and a beautiful beach but we really want to take her to the rainforest for some ziplining and waterfalls. We are so lost I’m about ready to throw in the towel. Is there any help you can give us or any recommendations. kindly, beth

March 4, 2020

You can check our post Arenal vs Monteverde to help you learn more and decide (Arenal would be better for short itineraries. Flamingo and Conchal are both nice places, the Westin is super nice and that beach is gorgeous. You can read our guides below.

Playa Conchal Flamingo beach Costa Rica Tamarindo Costa Rica

For 6 days, a lot of people will do 3 nights Arenal, 3 nights Guanacaste.

January 6, 2020

Hi! We are planning a two week trip to Costa Rica, we are visiting La Fortuna, Monteverde And Manuel Antonio. What else can you recommend for us? Our kids are 12, 9 And 6.

January 7, 2020

Hi Greta, there is a section with recommendations of what else to add if you have more days (Peace Lodge, Jaco, San Jose, more days in those destinations, etc.)

December 29, 2019

Hi This is great. We went to Costa Rica last year and did LA Fortuna, Monteverde, Montezuma and Uvita. We are looking to go next year, flying in and out of Liberia for 2 weeks, so the second itinerary is great but is there any areas you can recommend for snorkeling? Many thanks Vicky

December 30, 2019

Snorkeling is best up in the Gulf of Papagayo area, Samara doesn’t have that great of snorkeling but we did the kayaking to the island and did some very easy, simple snorkeling there.

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Is It Hard to Travel in Costa Rica with a Baby?

Absolutely not! Traveling with a baby to Costa Rica might require a little extra thought, planning, and caution; but it can also be a rewarding and empowering experience for you and your family.

It can be pretty intimidating to bring your baby to Costa Rica. As a father of a young daughter and with friends who have children, I’m always concerned with safety and feasibility when traveling.

Here are some tips that I’ve learned while exploring and living in Costa Rica over the years on how to travel more easily in Costa Rica with your baby.

Travelling in Costa Rica with a Baby

Having a baby means making sacrifices. It’s not unheard of for soon-to-be parents to move to a kid-friendly neighborhood, trade in their sports car for a more practical sedan, and sometimes even face the tough decision of leaving their job. But does becoming a parent also signify having to retire your adventurous spirit?

Costa Rica is an excellent destination for people with children because it is safe, family oriented and filled with breathtaking beaches, charming cities, and majestic mountains that are sure to satisfy the whole family.

If you’re a new parent who is dreaming of a Costa Rican getaway, here are some tips that can help you juggle parenting without giving up on your pursuit of wanderlust.

Bring Your Baby’s Birth Certificate

Assuming that you will be flying to Costa Rica , it is essential to bring your baby’s birth certificate along for the ride. Although the Transportation Security Administration does not require children under 18 who are traveling with an adult to carry their own form of identification, not bringing your baby’s birth certificate can end up costing you some big bucks.

Because babies under two are allowed to fly for free, many airlines require proof of your child’s age to help ensure that you aren’t taking advantage of the free flight policy.

Failure to prove your child’s age can result in the airline requiring you to purchase a separate seat for your child, so take a moment to pack a copy (it doesn’t have to be the original document) and err on the side of caution.

Find a Direct Flight to Costa Rica

Even the most frugal individuals will agree; it’s worth every penny to take a direct flight when you’re traveling with a baby. Switching terminals and napping next to a Panda Express during a 5-hour layover is hardly tolerable to adults, let alone infants.

Not only does the change in altitude sometimes cause babies severe discomfort, but airports are also very stimulating environments that can leave your baby feeling fussy and overwhelmed for the duration of your journey.

By minimizing travel time, you are also reducing the risk of your infant being exposed to germs and viruses commonly found in airports.

Thankfully, most major international airports in the United States have direct flights to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose and Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, the two main airports in Costa Rica.

Carrying Your Baby

If you haven’t already discovered the magic of babywearing, now is the time. Babywearing is the practice of literally wearing your baby in a sling or other kind of carrier, and is perfect for traveling.

Babywearing allows parents to give their babies the same comfort and sense of security as being held while freeing up your hands so you can fully enjoy the sensory experience of your trip.

These devices are perfect for almost every traveling occasion; such as hiking in Santa Rosa National park, shopping in Dominical, or taking a relaxing stroll on one of Costa Rica’s 300 beaches and 800 miles of coastline.

Buy Bottled Water

Tap water in Costa Rica is drinkable in most of the country, aside from a few rural and underdeveloped regions. However, individuals with sensitive stomachs, infants, and the immunocompromised are still advised to err on the side of caution and stick to bottled water.

If you’re formula feeding your baby or like to offer your baby water alone, be sure to stock up on bottled water to bring with you everywhere you go. By utilizing bottled water, you will eliminate the risk of your baby getting cholera, typhoid, dysentery, or any other waterborne illness.

If for whatever reason you don’t have access to bottled water, another option is to boil tap water vigorously as an effective means of water purification.

Feeding Your Baby

If you’re a breast feeding mom, be sure to be mindful about what you pack to wear on your trip.

That super cute romper that you envisioned yourself wearing on the beach might not seem so attractive when you’re accidentally exposing yourself on a bus to Alajuela while trying to nurse a hysterical toddler.

Dresses and blouses with buttons tend to work well for nursing moms and make feeding on the go discreet and convenient. Also, consider carrying a nursing cover with you at all times, just in case you are unable to find a private place to nurse and find yourself at the mercy of a demanding and hungry baby.

How to Keep Your Baby Warm

Even if you’re traveling to Costa Rica during one of the warmer months, be sure to pack some long sleeve shirts, pants, and socks for your baby to wear.

Because the safety of most commercial bug sprays has not been tested on infants, clothing will be the most effective repellent against mosquitos and other insects during your travels.

Although the Costa Rica government takes mosquito-borne illnesses very seriously and is continuously working to eradicate the risk of exposure, there are still some mosquito-borne threats to remain mindful of.

The three main concerns in Costa Rica are:

• Zika Virus,
• Dengue Fever
• Chikungunya.

Keeping your baby’s skin wholly covered, not venturing too deep into the rainforest and not conjugating near pools of standing water are the best ways to minimize the risk of contracting a mosquito-borne illness.

Protect Your Baby From The Sun

Packing sunscreen for your Costa Rica adventure might seem like a no-brainer, but many parents are surprised to learn that sunscreen is not recommended for babies under six months by the Food and Drug Administration.

This is because babies tend to have more sensitive skin as well as a lower body-weight to surface-area ratio compared to adults and older children, which increases the chance of irritation and other side effects.

Because keeping your baby out of the sun might not always be an option in Costa Rica’s tropical climate, be sure to bring a hat and breathable, cotton clothing to keep your baby protected from the sun’s harmful rays.

Many beach-bound parents also invest in a pop-up tent, so young babies can enjoy the beach with their parents while bypassing the risk of developing a sunburn.

Pack Baby Friendly Snacks

Although Costa Rica cuisine has vibrant entrees guaranteed to satisfy every appetite, babies can be particularly stringent food critics. More than likely, your baby will be excited to try all the local produce and fresh seafood that Costa Rica has to offer, but it’s always good to be prepared just in case you find yourself lacking immediate access to food, or just want to be extra cautious in avoiding potential allergens.

Consider traveling with a ziplock bag full of non-perishable foods such as dried fruit, crackers, or teething biscuits, so you always have something to offer your baby as needed.

Find Baby Friendly Beaches

If you’re planning on spending some shore time in Costa Rica, be sure to select beach destinations that are family friendly. Although Costa Rica’s stunning Pacific coastline is a world-class surf destination, your baby probably isn’t quite ready to hang ten.

Instead, consider spending time in the Gulf of Nicoya or Costa Rica’s calmer Caribbean coast, where you and your baby can wade in the clear blue water without having to worry about rip tides.

Playa Blanca, Playa Chiquita, and Punta Uva are three of many great Costa Rican beach options for travelers with young children.

Final Thoughts

Location matters more than usual when you’re traveling with a baby. It is essential to find a destination with a variety of family-friendly activities without compromising safety, convenience, and comfort.

Thanks to its gorgeous geography, hospitable tourism industry, and laid back vibe, Costa Rica is the perfect destination for new parents who are in dire need of a little pura vida.

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Meet The Mungers

Traveling to Costa Rica with a Baby

November 6, 2021 Leave a Comment

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We promised we wouldn’t stop traveling after kids so when Kennadi was 4 months old, we got her Passport and booked our first international trip to Costa Rica! She was 7 months old when we traveled and I have to say, I think she was the perfect age for our first big trip. Read below for important information on traveling to Costa Rica with a baby.

Traveling looks very different with a baby involved but it is SO worth it to share the experience with them. There are many things to consider when traveling with a baby and hopefully this post can help.

Safety and Choosing Costa Rica

Safety was definitely my husband’s main concern when we were researching where we wanted to travel. For me, safety was a priority but I really wanted to make sure we could have nonstop flights to wherever we went. And preferably not a huge, drastic time change for our first international trip with Kennadi. I had traveled to Costa Rica in 2019 and absolutely fell in love with the country. Costa Rica has such a variety of activities and sight-seeing to offer and the people are SO incredibly nice! I never felt unsafe when I visited, even driving across the country. For us, Costa Rica is only a 6 hour, nonstop flight from Los Angeles. My husband was bummed he didn’t get to travel with me on my last trip to Costa Rica so after discussing safety and flights, we chose Guanacaste, Costa Rica!

An important thing to plan for when traveling internationally with a baby is access to health care. We personally chose to purchase travel insurance to make sure we wouldn’t run into any issues if we needed to go to an emergency room or hospital. My husband, being a medic, prepped a huge first aid kit with everything we would possibly need for ourselves or Kennadi in an emergency. For Costa Rica specifically, bugs are a concern. We only had issues with mosquitoes and luckily Kennadi didn’t get bit at all. We packed  bug spray  and  wipes  and used this on Kennadi every night.

I wouldn’t say I love to pack but I do love having everything planned to make sure I don’t forget anything. Aside from our everyday items we needed for Kennadi, there were some specific things we needed to bring and plan for when traveling to Costa Rica.

• Sleep: We made sure to call our resort (prior to booking) to make sure they had cribs available. We did not want to have to bring a pack n play on the airplane so this was really important to us. When we got there, the crib was a pack n play and it was perfect. Tip: Make sure you bring your own crib sheet! You never know what they will have or how clean it will be. Thank goodness we brought a crib sheet because they had the mattress wrapped with a shower curtain as the sheet, haha!
• Bathing: We opted against packing a travel or inflatable bath for her. It was going to be another item to pack that we didn’t find necessary. Our room did not have a bathtub but we had a huge walk in shower. I just took Kennadi in the shower with me to bathe her and it was extremely easy.
• Feeding: This is really dependent on if you are breastfeeding, pumping, and have started solids or not. For me, I exclusively pumped and supplemented with formula. Kennadi was also eating solids and purees. We packed a cooler with her bottles and frozen breast milk to bring with us on the plane. We also brought premixed/ready to pour formula (bring an extra bottle just in case), two squeeze pouches per day, and Gerber puffs. Two other must have items for us were the  Baby’s Brew Portable Warmer  and  Elvies!
• Eufy Camera:  This camera is one of our absolute favorites for traveling with a baby. I personally don’t feel comfortable without having a monitor on Kennadi while she is sleeping. For $40, this camera makes the perfect monitor! At our resort, the rooms had a separate bedroom and living room. We chose to have Kennadi sleep in the living room so it could stay dark and we wouldn’t have to worry about noise in the bedroom and waking her up. With that being said, the  Eufy Camera  made for a perfect monitor. It is small, lightweight, and easy to set up. As long as your resort has wifi, you will be able to connect to it on your phone and voila, you have a monitor!
• Diapers and Wipes: I cannot emphasize this enough, make sure you bring enough! Of course, we could have found diapers and wipes in Costa Rica if we absolutely needed to but it would not have been easy. Our resort did not have any diapers or wipes in their shop and the closest store was a 30 minute drive. We ended up counting how many diapers we went through in a day at home and then added 2 to that number and packed that amount for the trip (knowing this would be more than enough since she would be in a swim diaper during most days.)
• Car Seat / Stroller: We use Nuna Pipa car seat and Uppababy Vista V2 stroller for every day use but did not want it to get banged up during travel. We opted for the  Chicco Bravo and Keyfit 360.  My husband already had the car seat in his truck so we found the matching stroller on Facebook Marketplace. This stroller was AMAZING for our trip! We needed the car seat for our rental car in Costa Rica and on the plane. The car seat snapped right onto the stroller which was really convenient for the airport. Once we were at our resort, we used just the stroller during the day and reclined it for naps.
• Carry On: We brought a small carry on suitcase for the important things we might not have been able to replace had the airline lost our luggage. This also was really helpful in not going over the 50 lb. weight limit for our checked luggage as we put many of the heavier items in the carry on. In the carry on we had Kennadi’s formula, squeeze pouches and food, first aid kit, crib sheet, Owlet, Eufy camera, pool float, diapers and wipes, and some of her outfits and pajamas.

For more on packing for a baby, click  here .

Flying with a Baby

I am pretty sure flying with a baby makes every parent pretty anxious. I know we were! Luckily, Kennadi did way better than we expected. Our flight times were ideal; her bottle and nap time were right around take off. I think this made a huge difference in how calm she was during the flights.

For an in depth guide on flying with a baby, click  here.

Westin Reserva Conchal: Guanacaste, Costa Rica

We ended up booking our trip through Costco. We love Costco Travel because their packages include everything! Our package included the resort with all-inclusive meals and drinks, flights, and private transfers to and from the airport. The only thing we booked separate was our rental car (and only because we needed it just for a few days and not the entire trip.)

Costa Rica is a large country with a lot of different things to offer! For this trip, our priorities were to relax on the beach and see the rain forest so we chose Guanacaste region. Then we decided on a rental car so we could also visit Monteverde Cloud Forest. The last time I visited Costa Rica, I also visited Arenal in addition to Monteverde and Guanacaste. I HIGHLY recommend Arenal but not with a baby. What makes that region so amazing is all of the activities. Unfortunately, zip lining, white water rafting, hot springs, and bungee jumping just don’t really work with a baby but older kids would absolutely love it!

Once we knew we would stay in Guanacaste, we looked over our options and chose  Westin Reserva Conchal.  This resort stood out to us because it was all-inclusive, had large rooms (necessary for baby stuff), was family friendly, and had a private beach. The resort was beautiful! It was a lot more spread out than we had anticipated but our room was right by the pool and restaurants and they have golf carts to help move around the resort. The staff was incredibly friendly and were obsessed with Kennadi! We heard “Hola baby” nonstop all day long. It honestly made our first trip with her even more special with the staff loving all over her and being so accommodating.

Renting a Car

As mentioned, we opted to rent a car for 3 days of our trip. We knew we wanted to do a day trip to Monteverde to hike in the cloud forest. We chose 3 days so we could also do two half day trips to surrounding areas.

Our rental car actually came with a baby car seat but we still chose to bring ours since we were going to use it on the plane. Well, thankfully we did because the “baby car seats” in Costa Rica were forward facing toddler seats. Definitely would not have worked for a 7 month old!

Driving in Costa Rica is a whole adventure in and of itself. The roads on the way up to Monteverde are extremely windy and mainly dirt. Luckily, every rental car you will find has four wheel drive and trust me when I say it is a necessity! Make sure to pay extra for the hotspot in the car so you don’t risk losing signal when trying to navigate unfamiliar roads.

We didn’t have much of an itinerary for our trip aside from the days we planned to leave the resort. I will get to those below but figured it may be helpful to share how we enjoyed vacation while (for the most part) sticking to our baby’s schedule.

One big change when traveling with a baby, no more sleeping in on vacation! At home, Kennadi’s sound machine turns off at the same time every morning. We didn’t do this on vacation but she still woke up around her usual time each morning. I didn’t mind since I needed to pump in the morning. I would wake up and pump while I got ready for the day. Once Kennadi woke up, we fed her and then got her dressed. We would grab our pool stuff and her bottles, load up the stroller, and then head to breakfast.

Kennadi took her two naps poolside almost every day. We laid her down in the stroller, shaded her, and turned on the  stroller fan  and  sound machine  and she slept perfectly.

At the Westin, you had to have reservations for the restaurants for dinner. Their options were 6 pm or 8 pm. Neither of these were really ideal since Kennadi usually gets her bottle around 7:15 pm. The first two nights, we opted for the 6 pm time slot. We ate our dinner and then rushed back to our room to feed her and put her down… but then we were stuck in our room. And she was pretty fussy both nights at dinner.

On the third day, they only had the 8 pm time slot and it turned out to be perfect and is what we stuck with for the rest of the trip. With the later dinner time, we didn’t have to leave the pool or beach as early to go to the room to get ready. After we got ready, we changed Kennadi into her pajamas, turned the lights off, and fed her. This worked out well for me too as I did my night pump during this time. Once she was asleep, we laid her down in the stroller, covered the stroller with a blanket, and headed to dinner. Luckily for us, she stayed asleep every night (even when we transferred her to the pack n play.) It was SO much more enjoyable to be able to relax at dinner not being on a time schedule or trying to keep her entertained and happy. We were able to have drinks after dinner and just enjoy time as a couple but with her sleeping in the stroller right next to us.

Monteverde Cloud Forest

In my opinion, this is a must see and completely worth the drive. If your baby doesn’t typically do good in the car, then maybe skip it because it is a very long drive and makes for a long trip. We did it in one day, which is not ideal, but can definitely be done! Monteverde was a little over three hours from our resort. We decided to leave at 5 am in hopes of arriving in the town around breakfast time. We had everything packed and in the car the night before. We kept Kennadi in her pajamas and put her straight into the car seat. She stayed asleep until her usual wake up time (yay!) I was able to pump and feed her while we were driving, thanks to the  Elvies  and  Baby’s Brew.  She entertained herself the rest of the drive until we arrived for breakfast.

We chose to have breakfast at  Orchid   in Santa Elena and it was delicious! It was nice to stretch out and eat after the long drive. Once we finished breakfast, we drove to the entrance of the Cloud Forest and got ready to hike. We packed our  Ergo 360 Carrier  and it was great for hiking. We were hiking during Kennadi’s nap time and she fell asleep in the carrier. We had her bottle with us for when she woke up. It took us around three hours to complete the entire loop in the forest.

When we were done hiking, we had enough time to go back into town, Santa Elena, before needing to drive back. We had lunch at  Taco Taco …best tacos ever! Then we grabbed coffee at  Café Monteverde  for our long drive back (make sure to purchase some coffee beans to take home!) We did not want to be driving in the dark because it showed rain in the forecast. We did get rained on (which was pretty scary on their roads) but made it back to the resort right after sunset. Driving 6 hours in one day with a baby was not the easiest; our drive back had a few stops for diaper changes and breaks but it was worth our fun day in Monteverde!

When we realized Tamarindo was only 20 minutes from our resort, we knew we had to visit the famous surf spot. We drove there one morning after breakfast and headed back to the resort around lunch time. Tamarindo is a really small town with one long main street. The shops are on one side and the beach is on the other side. We brought the stroller and it was NOT easy pushing it around. It would have been much better to have worn her in the  carrier  but we left it at the resort. We didn’t surf but we did spend time on the beach, shopping, and visited  Volcano Brewing Co.

Llano de Cortez Waterfall

We had looked up a few different waterfall options and this one seemed to be the closest and easiest hike wise. It took us a little over an hour to get to the main parking lot for Llano de Cortez. It could have been time of year (August) but it was completely empty! After we parked, we followed the path towards the entrance and could already hear the water. We quickly realized it was only a few flights of stairs down until you are at the waterfall! I was carrying Kennadi in the  Ergo Baby carrier  and it was really easy.

There were locals down at the waterfall who were SO accommodating. They showed us the best walking paths and took tons of pictures and videos for us. The waterfall was stunning! I would not miss this if you are traveling nearby! On the way back to the resort, we stumbled upon a small microbrewery,  Numu   in Liberia. The beer was great and the owner was amazing. Definitely recommend a quick stop there!

Overall, traveling to Costa Rica with a baby takes some planning but it was so much easier than we expected and completely worth it! Do not hesitate if you are debating on traveling with your baby to Costa Rica. You will have an incredible experience!

Are you planning a trip to Costa Rica? Already traveled there? I would love to hear about it below! Have questions? Comment below or connect with me on Instagram! And don’t forget to subscribe to be notified of new blog posts.

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The answer is yes!

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Traveling with young children means looking at the world as if you were here for the first time. You are sure to see them enjoying every new thing as if it is the most amazing thing they have ever laid eyes on, therefore you don’t need anything too great or glorious to keep them interested and entertained.

Traveling around Costa Rica with young children on a family vacation is exactly that and more, because every beautiful tropical flower on a trail, colorful food in a small restaurant, an animal hanging from a tree on the beach, or a pleasant breeze from a stunning viewpoint do the trick.

Costa Rica is also a wonderful place to travel with a baby. First of all, it is very safe. There are not many crimes and you do not have to worry if the food and water are clean. If your child is on solid foods, feel free to let him try exotic fruits and even try local specialties.

There are also many things to do with babies. From visiting national parks and reserves to hanging out at the beach, there are plenty of places to bring a baby. Costa Rica is also a fairly small country, so it’s easy to plan a trip that doesn’t require too much driving.

Tico family life

Family life is very important to all Costa Ricans. Most people live close to their parents, aunts, and uncles, and they all care about everyone’s business, in a good way! That is why in all the places where you walk with your baby or your baby, Costa Ricans will welcome you and give the whole family a break while making your baby laugh, teaching something or encouraging their own children to play and interact. with you. Your child will make friends, young and old, wherever you go!

Some practical aspects to keep in mind

– Most, but not all, restaurants have high chairs available. Usually, they are not the plastic ones that you are used to, but the wooden ones made by hand with a Tico touch.

– If you need a crib, obviously make sure you stay in a hotel that offers one. Many of the larger hotels (especially the chains) have them and some smaller ones as well. If you end up staying somewhere without one, you can always bring or buy a simple Pack ‘n Play when you get here. However, keep in mind that depending on where you are visiting, it may not be convenient to find one and it will probably be expensive.

– Car seats or booster seats are required in Costa Rica for children 12 and under. Although Costa Rica has a car seat law, it is often not enforced. You will see unrestricted children in the back seat or even in the front of a car. Families sometimes even travel with their children on motorcycles when they cross the city. Still, as a visitor, be sure to comply, as the fine for not complying with the law is 198,000 CRC or around 400 USD.

– One thing that is difficult when traveling with a baby in Costa Rica is the lack of stations to change babies. You will very rarely find them in restaurants, even good ones. You can sometimes see them in rest area type restaurants, but it is unusual. Be sure to bring a travel size changing pad for changing diapers on the go.

– While breastfeeding in public in some places is controversial, that is not the case in Costa Rica. In fact, it is the exact opposite here. Most mothers in Costa Rica breastfeed and do so openly.

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Two Weeks in Costa Rica

Travel and Moving Blog

Having a Baby in Costa Rica: Part 1, Prenatal Care

• Jenn and Matt
• Living In CR

155 Comments

With only weeks until our new addition arrives, we thought it was time to start sharing our experience of having a baby in Costa Rica. Moving here, we knew that having a baby was part of the plan. We both wanted kids, but with our old jobs in the United States, we didn’t think we’d be around as much as we’d like when the baby was born and during those early years. Moving to Costa Rica and working from home through our website has allowed us the flexibility we were looking for. Now, after traveling around the country for the first two years, we have finally settled down in one place and have a baby on the way in November! This post will share our experience so far with prenatal care and how the system works in Costa Rica. Keep an eye out for part two on delivery, which we’ll post sometime after the baby is born.

IMPORTANT NOTE (May 2020) : This post is from when we had our first baby several years ago. We have since had a second baby and used a different doctor. We also delivered at a different hospital (a private hospital in San Jose instead of the small private hospital in San Isidro). We have a new article called Having a Baby at Hospital CIMA about our recent experience. We recommend reading it, since our perspectives have changed some. 

This post shares our personal experience and what we’ve learned from others. We are far from experts on this topic so opinions may differ. Hopefully, though, this is a good starting place if you’re thinking of having a baby in Costa Rica.

In Costa Rica, children are held in high regard and protected to the fullest extent of the law. The law goes so far as to guarantee free health care for any child from conception to one year old. This means that all pregnant women, regardless of whether they’re Costa Rican or a foreigner, can have a baby and receive prenatal care through the public healthcare system at no cost. Public healthcare, called the Caja , usually is available only to residents and citizens who pay into the system, but pregnant women are an exception.

Public vs. Private Healthcare

We considered having our baby through the public healthcare system. After talking to other moms, both Tico and gringo, and scouring the Costa Rica expat groups on Facebook, we learned that the quality of care really varies across the country. Some of the public hospitals near San Jose are supposed to be the best and we heard that one of the hospitals in a city near us was very good too. Others, though, especially in more rural areas, don’t have a great reputation.

For us, since this is our first child and we have no idea what we’re doing, we really wanted medical staff who spoke English. We’ve heard that the way it works in the public system is you get assigned a doctor and nurse for your prenatal care and they stay with you for the entire pregnancy. You also get priority in the system and get to make appointments so that you don’t have to wait in long lines to be seen.

The drawback, though, at least if you don’t speak Spanish, is that your doctor and nurse may or may not speak English (most likely they won’t). Mainly because of this, we opted for private healthcare. Although we’re working on our Spanish every day, we aren’t advanced enough to understand a lot of medical terminology. Plus, having a baby is one of those situations in life where you’re already nervous enough so having to deal with a language barrier seemed like too much.

Another consideration for us was that private health care is very affordable in Costa Rica. Even without health insurance, we could easily cover our expenses by paying out of pocket. That made the decision much easier. 

Choosing a Private Doctor

Once we decided on private care, we had to make the harder decision of whether to go to San Jose to one of the private hospitals like CIMA or Clinica Biblica or to stay local. A lot of expats choose to go to CIMA, both for their monthly appointments and delivery.

CIMA is a state-of-the-art hospital, similar to what you would find in North America. The equipment is modern, the doctors are supposed to be very good and many speak English, and overall, the experience is supposed to be what you’re used to if you’re from North America. We liked the idea of knowing what to expect and being comfortable, of course, but were also weighing the fact that we live almost four hours from San Jose. That had us exploring more local options, even if it was just for prenatal care.

After we found out we were pregnant and really had to figure out a game plan, we connected with an expat from the town over who had recently given birth in Costa Rica. It turned out that she had her prenatal appointments with a private, English-speaking doctor in San Isidro de El General , a small city just 45 minutes from where we live near Dominical. She told us that she loved her experience with the doctor and was very happy with her care. This seemed to be the perfect solution.

Our Experience: Prenatal Care

We’ve been seeing our doctor for the last six months, the one in San Isidro who was recommended, and have had such a great experience. He always takes the time to talk with us about how I’m feeling and if we have any questions about anything. The care feels very personalized, and even though he is a busy doctor, we almost never feel rushed out like we sometimes did with our doctors in the US. He seems to be an expert in the field too. Over time, we’ve learned that he studied in Chile and is an expert in identifying birth defects and other prenatal problems through ultrasounds.

One of the things we appreciate most about our care is that I get an ultrasound (3D or 4D) at every single appointment. From talking to friends back home, it seems that ultrasounds are given much less often there and we love the little check-in it provides each month. We not only love seeing the baby, but also enjoy watching our doctor study the image on the monitor, identifying the different organs and telling us what he’s looking for.

All of this personal care is costing us only about $90 per appointment.

The facility is nice too. The doctor’s office is in a plaza right in downtown San Isidro de El General. He has a waiting area just like you would expect, with a TV, some magazines, a receptionist, and air conditioning throughout. His office is adjacent to the waiting room. There is a space for his desk where we always spend some time talking, and an adjoining room with an examination bed, ultrasound machine, and other equipment.

Getting Ready for Delivery              

Staying local vs. going to san jose.

As you might have guessed, since we love our doctor so much, it was hard to decide where to deliver. A lot of expats who opt to see a private doctor nearby choose to deliver at one of the private hospitals in San Jose. This was originally our plan too. We figured we’d see the doctor in San Isidro and then when our due date got closer, go to CIMA and find a new doctor for delivery. As we’ve mentioned, we live quite far from San Jose, so if we did this, we’d have to leave our place near Dominical in the weeks leading up to my due date and rent somewhere in San Jose waiting for the baby’s arrival.

Over the course of our appointments, we became so comfortable with our doctor that we couldn’t imagine switching mid-course. Most importantly, I was really confident in him, and we both liked his medical ideology. Unlike a lot of doctors in Costa Rica, he is pro natural delivery, water births, and even home births. Once again, our decision was easy. We would deliver at the private hospital in San Isidro and keep our doctor. Since my pregnancy isn’t high risk, we didn’t feel the need to go to San Jose.

Clinica Labrador

Recently, we toured Clinica Labrador (now Hospital Las Americas) where we’ll deliver to get a sense of what to expect. It is definitely more simple (think rural US hospital) but seems more than adequate. The head nurse was very knowledgeable and walked us around to the different rooms, explaining (all in Spanish) what would happen in each place. We’ll have a private room and have heard that the place is virtually empty most of the time so you often have the whole floor to yourself. Our doctor later explained that he would be with us the entire time too, even in the early stages of labor. We left feeling really good about the whole experience and can’t wait to share how it actually goes.

Update : Since we wrote this post, the Labrador underwent a major renovation and is now called Hospital Las Americas. We have heard from people that the facility is much nicer now. If you’ve delivered at the new hospital, let us know how your experience was in the comments below.

Final Thoughts

Those are our thoughts on what it has been like to be pregnant in Costa Rica. One other thing we want to mention, aside from the practical info, is that the Ticos absolutely love babies. The culture adores children, and everywhere we go, strangers admire my growing belly. Many give me a smile when they pass by and others want all the details: how far along I am, if it’s a boy or a girl, and even if we have a name picked out. We felt welcome in this country before but even more so now that we’re going to have a little Tico. We can’t wait to bring him into this beautiful place.

Have a question about having a baby in Costa Rica? Ask us in the comments below.

Last Updated: May 15, 2020

More Posts on Having a Baby in Costa Rica:

• Having a Baby in Costa Rica: Part 2 – What it was like delivering a baby at a small private hospital in Costa Rica.
• Having a Baby in Costa Rica: Part 3 – Focusing of the paperwork involved to get your baby’s birth certificate, passport, and more.
• Where to Buy Baby Stuff in Costa Rica – Best places to buy baby gear in Costa Rica without breaking the bank.

More Resources

• Tico Times Articles: A Costa Rica online newspaper for expats, The Tico Times , has two very helpful articles about having a baby in Costa Rica. Here they are: Giving Birth Through Costa Rica’s Public Health Care System and West Side (Birth) Story: Isla arrives at CIMA .
• Pura Vida for Parents : Short e-book from a woman who lived in Costa Rica with her two young children. The book has lots of anecdotes from different moms across the country who have had a baby here or are raising a family.
• Families with Children in the Central Valley – Awesome Facebook group with friendly expats living in Costa Rica with kids. This is a great place to ask specific questions about giving birth, schools, etc.
• Ocho Vez – Great blog post from a Canadian woman living in Costa Rica who used the public health system for prenatal care and delivered at CIMA.

Raymond Forbes Photography / Stocksy United

Centering yourself on a surfboard or yoga mat, descending into bat-filled caves or ascending misty volcanic peaks – relax and enjoy the ride of Costa Rica.

Best Time to Visit

Best places to visit, attractions, must-see attractions.

Teatro Nacional

On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned…

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Central Valley & Highlands

This polished storybook garden complex just east of Volcán Poás offers the most easily digestible cultural experience in the Central Valley and is the…

Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio

Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around

Featuring lush jungle, picture-perfect beaches and craggy headlands, this tiny park (1680 acres/680 hectares) absolutely brims with wildlife (and often…

Playa Negra

At the northwestern end of Cahuita, Playa Negra is a long, black-sand beach flying the bandera azul ecológica, a flag that indicates that the beach is…

Southern Caribbean

Off a dirt road marked by Punta Uva Dive Center is a quiet, idyllic cove that could double for a scene in the film The Beach. When the water is calm, it…

Parque Nacional Isla del Coco

Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa

Around 500km southwest of the Costa Rica mainland, Isla del Coco is a natural wonder that teems with wildlife, including the largest schools of hammerhead…

Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal

From 1968 until 2010, Volcán Arenal was an ever-active and awe-striking natural wonder, producing menacing ash columns, massive explosions and streams of…

Wilson Botanical Garden

The world-class Wilson Botanical Garden is internationally known for its collection of more than 2000 native Costa Rican species. Species threatened with…

Top picks from our travel experts

The 16 best things to do in costa rica.

Montezuma Waterfalls

A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…

Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste

Península de Nicoya

Las Baulas national marine park encompasses the entire beach at Playa Grande, as well as the adjacent land and 220 sq km of ocean. This is one of the…

Parque Nacional Tortuguero

Caribbean Coast

This misty, green coastal park sits on a broad floodplain parted by a jigsaw of canals. Referred to as the ‘mini-Amazon,’ Parque Nacional Tortuguero is a…

Museo del Jade

This museum houses the world’s largest collection of American jade (pronounced ‘ha-day’ in Spanish), with an ample exhibition space of five floors…

Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja

Northwestern Costa Rica

Given its proximity to Liberia, this park (about 160 sq km) feels surprisingly uncrowded and remote. Named after the steamy main attraction – the active…

Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio

The park's heavenly blue river, waterfalls and lagoons are among the most spectacular natural phenomena in Costa Rica; as a result, the park is known to…

Playa Ventanas

Tucked behind a grove of coco palms, this crescent-shaped, black-sand-and-pebble beach has elaborate rock formations at either end, and is called …

Playa Cocolito

Here's your chance to see a waterfall crashing down a cliff, straight onto the rocks and into the ocean. El Chorro Waterfall is the pièce de résistance of…

Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro

Arenal & Northern Lowlands

This remote, 102-sq-km refuge has long lured anglers seeking that elusive 18kg snook, and birders hoping to glimpse rare waterfowl. During the dry season…

Maquenque Eco-Lodge

Set on 80 glorious bird-filled hectares, 20 unique bungalows (including five gobsmacking tree houses) overlook a lagoon and tropical garden; additional…

Parque Nacional Carara

Central Pacific Coast

Carara is the famed home of one of Costa Rica’s most charismatic bird species, the scarlet macaw. While catching a glimpse of this tropical wonder is a…

Parque Nacional Los Quetzales

The Road to Chirripó

Spread along both banks of the Río Savegre, Parque Nacional Los Quetzales covers 50 sq km of rainforest, cloud forest and premontane forest lying along…

Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional

This 85 sq km coastal refuge extends from Punta India in the north to Playa Guiones in the south, and includes the beaches of Nosara and Ostional. It was…

Pacuare Lodge

There are two ways into this dream of an ecolodge, both equally adventurous. Most arrive at its remote location on the Río Pacuare by raft, via a…

Parque Nacional Volcán Poás

Here's your chance to get frighteningly close to this extremely active volcano, which last erupted in 2017. At an elevation of 2708m, the mighty Poás is…

Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde

Monteverde & Around

This beautiful cloud forest reserve came into being in 1972, when the Quaker community (which had already set aside a third of its property for…

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Best Things to Do

From water sports and mountain hikes to rainforest wildlife watching and cloud-forest birding, these are the best things to do in Costa Rica.

Things to Know

On a recent trip to Costa Rica, on a hike in the remote forests of Volcán Tenorio National Park, the sky unexpectedly opened up

Transportation

If you're wondering how to navigate Costa Rica's roads, airports, and ferry terminals, here's the scoop on getting around this impressive country.

Visa Requirements

Costa Rica is a stunning country that's beloved by travelers. Here's everything you need to know about its entry requirements before you go.

Money and Costs

There are plenty of ways for cost-conscious travelers to save some colones– here are ten top tips for traveling on a small budget in Costa Rica. 

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Costa Rica is the easy way to dive into Central America with kids in tow. Here are our top family adventures, from surf beaches to volcano hikes.

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Costa Rica Travel Restrictions: What Travelers Need To Know

Updated September 27, 2021

Is Costa Rica open for travel? Yes! But there are some Costa Rica travel restrictions that travelers need to know about before they book their trip. 

Browse through this guide to learn what travelers need to provide before they travel, and what Costa Rica is like right now. Though there are a few hurdles travelers need to jump, it’s still definitely possible to have an incredible Costa Rica trip. 

Is It Safe To Travel To Costa Rica Right Now?

As coronavirus travel restrictions go, Costa Rica is fairly easy to visit. But is Costa Rica safe right now? 

Like most places, traveling to Costa Rica comes with an elevated risk because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Delta variant arrived in Costa Rica this summer, which caused a surge of cases across the country. 

Cases today are still fairly high. The CDC gives Costa Rica a Level 4 rating , their highest categorization, and recommends avoiding travel — especially if you’re unvaccinated. 

But it is still possible to travel to Costa Rica. The country was one of the first to open to Americans last year, and it offers plenty of outdoor activities — beaches, mountains, national parks, and more — for anyone looking to avoid crowds. 

So what do travelers need to know about traveling to Costa Rica? What kind of covid travel restrictions does the country have in place, and what is life like in Costa Rica right now?

Costa Rica Travel Restrictions To Know Before Your Arrival

All travelers to Costa Rica must fill out the country’s Health Pass at least 72 hours before travel. Once you’ve done this, you’ll receive a QR code that you can present once you arrive. 

After that, further Costa Rica travel restrictions depend on whether or not you’re vaccinated.

Vaccinated Americans just need to provide their CDC vaccination card. 

Unvaccinated Americans , however, must present proof of a medical insurance policy that can cover any costs related to the coronavirus. This requirement is for unvaccinated travelers only — Costa Rica no longer requires vaccinated travelers to present proof of medical insurance. 

That said, Costa Rica has fairly lax travel restrictions compared to other destinations. At this time, travelers do not need to present a negative test or quarantine. So what are things like in Costa Rica right now? Has the country largely reopened? 

What To Expect On A Trip To Costa Rica

All in all, Costa Rica has largely reopened. However, the country does have a number of pandemic policies in place in an effort to keep everyone safe and cases low. 

Namely, many places in Costa Rica are operating on restricted hours: 

• Beaches are open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m
• National parks are open from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Most businesses are open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• The country also has a nightly curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. 

Bars in Costa Rica are open but operate at a limited capacity. Same with hotels. And concerts, nightclubs, and other large gatherings are currently banned, 

In addition, Costa Rica has also placed limits on drivers. Drivers can only use their cars on certain days, which depends on their vehicle plates. However, this restriction does not extend to taxis or rental cars. 

Travelers should be prepared to follow other rules about masking and social distancing. On public transit and in enclosed indoor spaces, for example, masks are required.  

Why Travel To Costa Rica Right Now

As long as travelers are willing to navigate these Costa Rica travel restrictions, it’s entirely possible to have an incredible trip. Costa Rica has always been a fantastic destination, but it’s an especially wonderful place to visit right now. 

Research suggests that the risk of the coronavirus is lower outside, and Costa Rica offers plenty of fresh-air activities. Top places to visit in Costa Rica include the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Playa Punta Uva, and the Arenal Volcano National Park — all spectacular destinations that are outdoors. 

In places like these, travelers can indulge in some of the best things to do in Costa Rica, from relaxing on a beach to hiking through a forest, to scuba diving, birdwatching, and more. 

Although the city of San Jose is plenty cool — and a great place to stay in Costa Rica — most travelers pass through the city on their way to other destinations. 

So if you’re nervous about being in an urban environment, worry not! Costa Rica is more about nature than cities, and travelers will find lots to explore in the country’s wide-open spaces. 

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This Small But Mighty Costa Rica National Park Is A Perfect Blend Of Beach And Rainforest

P eople travel to Costa Rica for all kinds of reasons. From the incredible food to unforgettable natural wonders, this Central American country is a marvel. And since more than half of the country is covered in lush forestry, you'll probably be spending time exploring the flora and fauna while you're there. One of the most popular places to do this is Manuel Antonio National Park, which is  also an exceptional setting for a family vacation to Costa Rica . 

Of the 29 national parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio is the smallest. Even so, at 683 hectares or over 1687 acres, this park is far from tiny. You could easily spend hours here just wandering the walkways or lounging at the beach. That's right, Manuel Antonio has beach access, too. Not only that, there are actually two beaches in the park — Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Manuel Antonio. You'll hardly believe you're still in the park unless you look around at the dense forest that planks the beachfront. The duality is unsurprising since this region is widely considered one of the best choices for a little bit of everything in Costa Rica . 

But with so many other national parks, all of which are bigger than Manuel Antonio, what makes this itty bitty park so special? After all, it's not as if there is a shortage of beaches or rainforests to see in Costa Rica. 

Read more: 15 Most Breathtaking Destinations To Swim With Turtles, According To Travelers

Manuel Antonio National Park Has Unparalleled Biodiversity

Thanks in part to its astounding variety of ecosystems, from the coral reefs off the beaches to the rainforests, Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. If you go snorkeling, you can find all kinds of brightly colored tropical fish and other sea life, but if you look up into the trees, you'll see a whole different kind of biodiversity.

That's because Manuel Antonio is home to more than 100 species of mammals, 350 bird species, 346 plant species, and who knows how many types of insects. Everywhere you look here, you'll find something new to be in awe of. You may see some sneaky squirrel monkeys leaping from tree to tree or even a mama sloth carrying a baby — if you're lucky. 

One of the amazing things about this park is that you may see the aforementioned Central American squirrel monkeys, which are an endangered species. When we went to Manuel Antonio, we saw quite a few of these little critters swinging around or watching us from trees. If you're hoping to spot one, you need to pay close attention (and probably bring binoculars) because these squirrel monkeys are anywhere from 8.8- to 11.6-inches big though their tails can add 14-18 inches to their tiny frames. 

Hire A Professional Guide

When you go to Costa Rica, you probably want to see sloths. Not getting a chance to spot them is actually  the biggest complaint many tourists have . If you visit Manuel Antonio National Park without a professional guide, there's a good chance you won't see one at all — or a lot of the wildlife, for that matter. Why? Well, the above photo was taken by placing our phone against a telescope. There's no way we would've spotted that sloth otherwise.

A guide is your best chance to get the most out of your visit to Manuel Antonio. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of fake guides out there (especially at the front gate) who will take your money and waste your time. Be sure you hire a guide before going to the park, check online reviews, or book a guided tour through the park itself . 

It is incredible what a knowledgeable guide can show you while walking through the park. You could be exploring at a quick pace when all of a sudden the telescope is plopped down and your guide has spotted a thumb-sized insect in a nearby tree. How did they see that so easily? Experience. And it will be an experience you'll cherish forever. 

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Destination of the Year 2024: Costa Rica

Destinations.

• Central & South America
• Destination of the Year 2024

Introduction

Picture yourself on a white-sand beach, surrounded by palm trees. In the distance, surfers ride the breaking waves. Behind you rises a dense rainforest, where white-faced capuchin monkeys jump from branch to branch. Welcome to Costa Rica . 

I grew up in Costa Rica, and while I’ve lived all over the U.S., I'm always drawn back home. In the northwest, a dry tropical forest stretches down the Nicoya Peninsula. The laid-back beach towns that dot this part of the Pacific coast include Nosara, a mecca for surfing and yoga, and my favorite, the lesser-known San Juanillo, which still has the charm of a small fishing village. Farther south, Santa Teresa has an intriguing mix of cultures and superb international cuisine.

Venture inland and you’ll reach the Guanacaste pampas, with its sabaneros — Costa Rican cowboys — and rich pre-Columbian and colonial history. I love to walk through the town of Nicoya, one of the first Spanish settlements in the country and the home of the Chorotega people.

On the Caribbean side of the country, you’ll find the freshwater canals and serene rivers that meander through the rainforest of Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero National Park. In Limón, the vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture includes the sounds of calypso and an aromatic cuisine built around strong spices and coconut milk.

If hiking is your passion, try the Camino de Costa Rica, a 174-mile trail that cuts across the country: starting in Barra del Pacuare on the Atlantic coast and eventually winding into the Dota Mountains — the place where I grew up. 

Off the Osa Peninsula, in southern Costa Rica, is the Golfo Dulce, a sanctuary for Pacific humpback whales. The region is defined by mangrove swamps and Corcovado National Park, which protects one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world — and where it is possible to see a jaguar strolling along a white-sand beach.

I could go on and on. There is no single recipe for enjoying Costa Rica. Any road you take will likely bring the same result: a sense of wonder and a desire to return. We Costa Ricans are relatively few — the population barely exceeds 5 million. But we’re proud of our shared idea that things will always turn out fine and that life is, above all, beautiful.

— Ronny Rojas

Cover shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max

Cover Story

If 2024 is your year for retirement, then one, congratulations, and two, we've got a destination for you to consider moving to in your golden years. 

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