by Marina K. Villatoro

Costa Rica may look small, but its amazing distances are deceiving to all. It is one of the most kid friendly countries in Central America, a place for adrenaline junkies, nature lovers to come face to face with birds and endangered wildlife, and for families to experience a rare tropical experiences! Miles of clear, turquoise coastlines and lush tropical rainforests teeming with the abundance of flora and fauna where you might just get a few curious looks from the monkeys and birds hanging out in the trees. Costa Rica is full of live historic museums where you can see plants and animals up close while learning all about them. There are butterfly and hummingbird gardens, live frog and reptile museums, botanical gardens and zoo and animal rescue centers. And this is just the beginning. Did you know that Costa Rica has over 160 national parks, wildlife refuges, biological reserves, wetland or other type of conservation areas in Costa Rica? Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro In Costa Rica, everyone can enjoy lovely tropical beaches, adrenaline filled adventures, lots of natural wonders, brilliant culture and all the needed conveniences of an ideal vacation.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro SAN JOSE San Jose is a city full of interesting museums worth visiting that kids of all ages would definitely enjoy as they get to learn a little bit of Costa Rica’s history. You’ll get to learn about Costa Rica’s Indigenous tribes, the pre-Columbian era and how colonialism affects Costa Rican people nowadays. WHAT TO SEE & DO Several historical museums are in close proximity to each other that you can hop from one museum to another in a day either by bus, taxi or by walking. Stroll the Savannah Metropolitan Park which is located in the heart of San Jose and has wide open spaces, trails, fountains and lagoons that attracts picnickers and sports fans alike with its shady trees and excellent sports facilities. The Avenida Central is a fascinating shopping district full of shops and restaurants in downtown San Jose. It is the best place for people looking for bargain shopping and souvenirs for the family. Plus, to simply people watch! Enjoy walking around the Central Market as it is a great place to find offbeat gifts and souvenirs during your travel and where you can taste authentic Costa Rican foods.

CENTRAL VALLEY Central Valley is an ideal place to stay for those people looking for peaceful and quiet environment while enjoying the advantages of the city’s lifestyle. The Poas and Irazu volcano are two of the famous attractions among tourist. Central Valley consists of the provinces of San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela and Cartago. The region of Central Valley is often overlooked and underappreciated but it is an excellent base for exploring the local attractions in the provinces of the region. WHAT TO SEE & DO The Poas Volcano National Park has trails that will lead you up to the volcano’s active crater and get the chance to see it up close. Walking along the park you will pass through dense vegetation and see different wildlife in the area. The La Paz Waterfalls & Gardens will absolutely amaze you. Going to the park is scenic and as you hike inside the lush rainforest you will be impressed with several waterfalls. Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro The Butterfly sanctuary, the hummingbird gardens and the dart frog exhibit are other attractions worth visiting inside the park. The Doka Estate Coffee Plantation is where you you’ll be able to learn first hand how the small coffee beans are planted, harvested and processed. The view from the coffee farm's mountainside is spectacular.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro ARENAL Arenal is an amazing place for the more adventurous traveler. The area has a lot to offer in terms of activities or for those seeking some retreat from their busy life. WHAT TO SEE & DO Arenal offers all sorts of fun tours - water rappelling or white water rafting, skytrek and canopy tours or trekking the hanging bridges. And after that soak your tired muscles in hot springs to end your day. The Arenal National Park that includes a cloud forest and thousand acres of rainforest is teeming with wildlife such as different species of colorful birds and butterflies, tropical plants, monkeys, reptiles and amphibians like poisonous frogs and crocodiles. Spend a fun evening in La Fortuna. A small, charming town. Try a typical Costa Rican restaurant – SODA and find great souvenirs while enjoying the locals go about their business.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro WHAT TO SEE & DO Manuel Antonio National Park is a lush tropical rainforest with great network of trails where you could walk around and explore the forest to see and appreciate the rich flora and fauna of the park. The beaches in Manuel Antonio are definitely the most beautiful in Costa Rica. Tropical forest surrounds the area of white sand beaches with dazzling blue-green waters great for snorkelling. Surf, swim or just have a tan under the sun. MANUEL ANTONIO Manuel Antonio is a beautiful destination that boasts of magnificent white sand beaches and lush tropical rainforest. The town of Quepos has a great variety of restaurants and stores for shopping everything & anything and experience their lively outdoor market every Saturday. Plus enjoy a stroll along the boardwalk to the Quepos Piers where the charters for the fishing tours leave from.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro MONTEVERDE A perfect destination for every tourist looking for a real nature experience. The town is famous for its cloud forest, coffee plantations, friendly locals and adventures one can explore. WHAT TO DO & SEE Monteverde cloud forest is remarkable for the biodiversity of wildlife. Hike through the bridges and trails and admire the swamp forest, the river trail with waterfalls and the La Ventana which has an observation deck with a wide view of an elfin forest below. Walk on the first Costa Rican Hanging Bridges of Monteverde a fabulous way to see and feel the rainforest up close. The Sky Trek and Canopy Tour are for the more adventurous one but you can still enjoy watching the cloudforest above by riding in the Sky Tram. The nearby Santa Elena town has several restaurants and artisan shops. Restaurants here offered both local, SODAS, and international cuisine. You will surely enjoy mingling with the local farmers and sample their fresh produce and baked goods, especially the milk products.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro PUERTO VIEJO A beach lover’s paradise on the shores of the Caribbean sea and where the famous Salsa Brava wave can found. It is a small Caribbean town where reggae music is the national anthem and swinging in a hammock the local past time. WHAT TO SEE & DO Puerto Viejo is famous for surfers due to its outstanding waves. The natural treasures of the area are just a minute away from Puerto Viejo like the Playa Chiquita, Manzanillo, Monkey Point and Gandoca. The town is full of restaurants and bars and plenty of shopping opportunities which offer the perfect mementos for your travel. Ride a bike and explore Puerto Viejo and the nearby Manzanillo. The sceneries around the town are beautiful and you can stop and enjoy the beaches along the way.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro CAHUITA A relaxing paradise on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica with picture perfect beaches and trails that leads to lush coastal rainforest. waiting to be discovered Kids will love a walk along the white sandy beaches of the park while spotting animals like sloths, monkeys, iguanas etc. Cahuita’s Caribbean cuisine is among the best in Costa Rica. The best Caribbean rice and beans are available in most local restaurant, SODAS, and main dishes like meats and fishes are coconut-infused. WHAT TO SEE & DO Visit the only Sloth Center in the world and interact with the adult sloths & see the sloth nursery. Experience canoe ride through the river where you can see the sloths in their natural habitat. The “slothspital” is where the injured and orphaned sloth is cared for before being returned to the wild. Cahuita’s Playa Negra is a beach town with black sands while the white sanded beach is inside Cahuita National Park. Swim & snorkel in the warm calm waters of the beach. The coral reefs here are among Costa Rica’s finest and are a home to abundant marine life.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro TORTUGUERO Tortuguero is Costa Rica’s prime eco-tourism destination and also the most important nesting ground of the green turtles. Tortuguero literally means place of the turtle. A network of rivers and canals lies behind its beaches. Tortuguero is a protected area that contains some of the greatest bio-diversity you can find in Central America. WHAT TO SEE & DO Because there are no roads, the town of Tortuguero can only be reached using boat or small aircraft. Kids will love visiting “The Amazon of Costa Rica”. Visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy Center and museum which is located at the far north of the village of Tortuguero. It is where you can get to learn all about the nesting cycles of the turtles, facts about other wildlife and the current developments in Tortuguero. A boat tour to the Tortuguero National Park can get you close to nature, you will be able to see lots of land, air and water flora and fauna which Costa Rica is famous for. These include monkeys, caiman, river turtles, iguanas and different species of birds.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro TAMARINDO Tamarindo is a fun and small beach community in Guanacaste. It is well known area for surfing with tons fo surf schools. And don’t forget great eats and plenty of shopping. WHAT TO SEE & DO Tamarindo has all sorts of beaches some with calm waters and good for swimming while other sections are ideal for surfers of all levels. Tamarindo Beach has all sorts of activities world class sport- fishing, sailing, surfing, ATV tours, turtle watching, canopy tours and many more. It is a colorful town where you can find several bakeries, an outdoor vegetable market, art galleries, pottery stores, boutiques and beauty spas. The town is also full of restaurants that serve both local and international cuisines. And if your kids are old enough you can check out the nightlife which is booming and on the beaches. But the best part, are the sunsets!

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro MONTEZUMA Montezuma lies on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and was once a remote fishing village with a laid back feel. The village is also known for its bohemian vibe and striking beauty of its beaches, rivers, scenic waterfalls and natural pools. WHAT TO SEE & DO Walk around this bohemian town, where you see cute old wooden houses and street parties happening everywhere. Never a shortage of restaurants, outdoor jewelry vendors and shops that are all open til all hours of the night. But the best part is watching the street performers. You can see fire dancers, jugglers, puppet shows, hand walking, musicians and hemp jewelry maker are just a few. Montezuma is a small town with a great nightlife for the older kids, and even young kids too. The restaurants here are known for their excellent cuisine where Mediterranean dishes are Montezuma’s hallmark. Hiking along the coast of Playa Cocolito is one of the most remarkable things to do while in Montezuma. A two-hour hike on undeveloped coves and beaches you will reach the waterfall El Choro that pours off the cliff and into the ocean below a truly memorable spot to see. If you want to bath in freshwater, you can hike along the many rivers around Montezuma. There are numerous natural pools and ‘jacuzzi’ like areas where the jungle is your backdrop. Hiking along the river you will pass to three waterfalls but only the second falls has a pool that is deep enough for jumping. The waterfall is over 50 feet tall and it is a popular jumping spot.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro PLAYA DOMINICAL A tranquil beach town south of Quepos and often regarded as the place of every surfer’s dream. The town offers beautiful sunrise to the southeast and a dramatic sunset in the northwest. There are nice hotels, restaurants and bars to choose from. Dominical is a small town with breathtaking sceneries, lush rainforest and marine parks. WHAT TO SEE & DO Playa Dominical is the surfer’s paradise in Costa Rica, the wave heights here rarely drop below waist high. You would surely encounter surfers from all over the world if you stroll towards the middle stretch and further north of the beach. Recommended for experienced surfers, but there are plenty of surf instructors around to teach everyone of all ages. Walk along the dirt road and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the beach and the town’s laid back feel. Sunset walks on the beach are by far the coolest way to spend the afternoon. But around sunrise you can see seafood vendors and fishermen returning and selling their fresh catch of the day. A don’t miss is to eat in one of the open air local restaurants. Practially all restaurants offer great views of the beach and a chill beach bum feel.

Take the kids along – by Marina K. Villatoro PUERTO JIMENEZ A coastal town perfect for every nature lover. Serene beaches, amazing wildlife, mangrove swamps and verdant rain forests is what makes up Puerto Jimenez. WHAT TO SEE & DO Puerto Jimenez is known for it’s proximity to Corcovado, sport fishing, dolphin and whale watching, snorkelling or simply enjoying the sunset from the piers. It is also a fantastic gateway to Cabo Matapalo for those looking for unspoiled beaches and hot surf breaks. The beaches along the town are excellent for parents with kids as the waters are very tranquil around town. It’s a great idea to hang-out on the pier where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Golfo Dulce and the Pacific ocean with awesome picturesque sunsets in deep reds and orange colors. A walk along Puerto Jimenez is where you would find a good number restaurants, several small stores and fun boutiques.