Our Family Adventure in Costa Rica this Summer

Planning our trip to Costa Rica felt exciting but also a little overwhelming. There’s so much to do there that it’s hard to narrow anything down. I wanted nature, adventure, and family fun without overloading our days. We ended up splitting our trip between La Fortuna and the Manuel Antonio area. It worked out better than I expected.

For the first half of the trip, we stayed in La Fortuna. It’s a place that lives up to the hype. Lush rainforest, waterfalls, and adventure around every corner. We hiked through jungle trails, swam in a waterfall pool, and went white water rafting on class 2 and 3 rapids. It was just the right amount of adventure without feeling too wild. That part of the trip was a total highlight, and it didn’t feel rushed at all.

For the second half, we headed to Manuel Antonio, near Quepos. This area feels completely different. More beachy, more laid back, but still packed with things to do. We spent time at Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, where the beaches are unreal. Think soft sand, turquoise water, and monkeys in the trees. The kids went ziplining with Gary and Kristin while I got on an ATV for the first time ever. It was loud and muddy and so worth it.

I really like reading about other people’s trips so I can learn through their experiences. I hope that this post will do that for you. Here is everything we did—what worked, what surprised me, and what I’d do again. And yes, there are definitely some things I’d plan differently next time.

Getting There

We flew Spirit airlines out of MCO (Orlando) direct to SJO (Costa Rica). The four adults in our family, my husband, myself and two of our adult daughters—all opened the Spirit credit card and pooled our bonus points to pay for 6 out of the 7 tickets. So we paid for one seat and 4 bags. Still pretty expensive, as Spirit charges an arm and a leg for baggage (whether it’s checked or carry-on). The flight was about 3 hours (a smidge over, I think).

Once we arrived and got through customs, we headed to the shuttle to take us to the rental car location. I had rented the largest SUV they had for my husband to drive the seven of us, with our 4 bags. The description of the Palisade said it fit 7 people and 4 suitcases. I did not do this easily. We ended up having to fold down a seat in the middle and stack two suitcases there. They kept sliding everywhere despite my husband’s effort to secure them with the seatbelt and his phone charging cord. I mention this in case anyone with a large family wants to plan ahead on this.

We had a 3-ish hour drive to our first VRBO. We made a lunch stop about midway at a local brewery called Manada Coyote. It was in the middle of nowhere, down this really steep dirt hill. We were all super anxious about the super treacherous drive to get to the restaurant, but it was worth it. The service was top-notch with yummy food and delicious craft beers.

After lunch we continued to the VRBO and enjoyed dinner in town that night at a local establishment. They will use the word SODA when it’s a local family- owned eatery.

Three Days In La Fortuna, Costa Rica: Waterfalls, Rafting, And Rainforest

La Fortuna has a little bit of everything. Volcano views, hot springs, jungle trails, and more. It’s a solid choice if you want to feel like you’re in the heart of nature but still have restaurants and shops nearby.

Here’s what we did during our three nights:

• We started with a rainforest hike. You’ll want good shoes for this—it’s slippery and muddy. But the views? Worth every step.
• Next up was the waterfall. You do have to walk down a bunch of stairs to reach it, but the swim at the bottom feels amazing. When I say a bunch think 500 stairs down and then those same 500 stairs back up. The water is cold, but it feels refreshing, especially after that humid hike.
• White water rafting was a family favorite. We did class 2 and 3 rapids, which felt adventurous but still safe for kids. The guide, Pato, was fantastic. They cracked jokes, gave us safety tips, and kept things moving at a fun pace. He also put a little plant clipping in each of our helmets as “camouflage.”

Between all of that, we made time to relax at our VRBO and grab local food. Everything runs on a slower pace here, which honestly helped us enjoy it more.

Tips for La Fortuna:

• Book tours ahead of time if you’re going in peak season. I really love Viator and we booked all of our tours through them.
• Bring a waterproof phone pouch or leave your phone behind for rafting.
• Bug spray is a must. Rainforest means bugs. Lots of them. My daughter, Kaitlyn, had a ton of bites on one her leg, and that was with her using bug spray with deet.

Driving in Costa Rica

After our three nights in La Fortuna, we took the treacherous mountain drive to Manuel Antonio. Never in my life will I do this drive again. I hear now of people who hired drivers. We couldn’t do that because our rental car couldn’t hold another with the luggage, but we’d have to find a way. The roads were very curvy. The GPS was on a small delay, just enough to miss those tiny turns every 30 minutes or so onto different roads. My husband, Gary, was the driver and I was the navigator and both jobs were equally as stressful. The drive took almost 6 hours. We stopped three times to break up the long drive, which added more time to the 6 hours too.

We stopped at Zarcero topiary garden which was outside of a church. The property was small and the perfect small pit spot. There was a restroom outside of the church for $1 per person and a small market for snacks across the road.

Our second stop was to Puddlefish brewery. We laughed when we walked up to this place. You couldn’t get more American. Everyone there were American tourists and most of the workers were American as well. Gary and I love our breweries, though, and the kids were happy to have some American food after eating all Costa Rican for the past several days.

The third and final stop was a waste. It was to Crocodile bridge, and there was literally one crocodile. We have more than that in Florida, so it was not impressive.

A short drive ahead to the VRBO and we settled in for the night. Gary grabbed groceries from the market and my son, Brandon, cooked us a simple dinner to end a long day of travel.

What It’s Like At Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio

The second half of our Costa Rica trip brought a whole different vibe. Once we got to Manuel Antonio, everything slowed down. The jungle was still there, but this time, we were right by the ocean. Beaches, palm trees, and plenty of wildlife.

We spent most of one day inside Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio. It’s one of the most popular national parks in the country, and it’s easy to see why.

Here’s what stood out:

• The beaches inside the park are picture-perfect. Clean, calm, and swimmable.
• There are monkeys everywhere—howler monkeys, capuchins, and even sloths if you look close enough.
• The walking trails are well marked, and they’re not too hard. Bring water and sunscreen, though. It gets hot.
• Bathrooms and out-door showers are near the beach

You’ll want to get there early. The park limits how many people can enter each day, and it fills up fast. We bought tickets online and arrived before 9 AM, which gave us plenty of time before it got crowded. We were stopped twice for ticket checks and paid around $5 US for parking. The system was organized.

I will say we were pressured to hire a guide to walk us to the beach. We declined over and over again and made our way on our own. The path is very clear how to get to the beach and I’m guessing it’s about a mile-long walk. It’s the same way the guides take you, but the guides have scopes to spot the animals. Honestly, there were so many guides that when they stopped, we did too and looked in the direction that they did and used our phone cameras as scopes.

A few things that helped:

• No food is allowed to be brought into the park
• No plastic water bottles (disposable) allowed
• Yes, you can bring reusable water bottles
• Closed-toe shoes were better than sandals for walking
• Bring a portable charger; the battery starts dying faster when you are using your phone as a scope to see sloths and monkeys

Ziplining, ATVs, And Family Adventures Near Quepos

We didn’t just sit at the beach in Manuel Antonio—though that would’ve been fine, too. This area has plenty of ways to stay active. I’ll admit, this part of the trip pushed us out of our comfort zones in the best way.

The day after the beach day, Gary, Kristin, Lacey, and Brayden went ziplining. They flew over the trees like it was nothing. The guides were great and kept everyone safe and laughing the whole time. They did a multi-line course that started slow and got faster with each one.

While they did that, I went on an ATV tour. I had never driven one before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It turned out to be easier than I thought. Loud, bumpy, and messy—but so fun. We rode through the palm plantations, muddy trails, and small streams.

I’m super scared of heights, so that’s why I didn’t go ziplining. Kaitlyn and Brandon were supposed to go ziplining too, but both woke up sick.

This part of Costa Rica gave us the chance to try new things without overthinking it. We signed up, showed up, and had fun.

Getting Around, What We Packed, And What I’d Do Differently

Costa Rica is beautiful, but it’s not the easiest place to get around unless you’re prepared. Like I mentioned, the roads between La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio take time. It’s not about the miles—it’s about the curves, hills, and random potholes.

Here’s what helped:

• Having cash in the local currency. In Costa Rica they use the Colon. This helped with tipping and tolls.
• Bringing an iPhone charging cord USB to C cord for the car.
• Having WhatsApp downloaded on my phone as that’s how the tour operators and VRBO hosts like to communicate

Packing smart made a big difference:

• Quick-dry clothes helped after rainy hikes.
• Water shoes worked better than flip-flops at waterfalls.
• We brought snacks for the car rides. Some drives were long with no good food stops.

A few things I’d do differently:

• I would have taken the optional insurance. We had a minor accident backing up into a tree stump and the rental car sustained damage.
• I’d stay one more night in Manuel Antonio. It felt too short once we settled in after the long drive.
• I would’ve found a van to rent or bigger SUV.

Final Thoughts On Our Family Trip To Costa Rica

This trip to Costa Rica gave us everything we wanted—nature, beach time, adventure, and family fun. I’m glad we split it between La Fortuna and the Manuel Antonio area. Each spot had its own feel and its own kind of fun.

Here’s what we covered:

• In La Fortuna, we hiked through the rainforest, swam near a waterfall, and went white water rafting.
• In Manuel Antonio, we explored a national park, saw monkeys, and played in calm, clear water.
• Ziplining and ATV rides pushed us out of our comfort zones in the best ways.
• We rented an SUV and learned to navigate the roads of Costa rica (sort of)

If I had to sum it up, Costa Rica is the kind of trip where you don’t need to plan every detail. Just pick a few great spots and be open to the experience. The country will do the rest. Every turn feels like a new adventure.

Next time, I will add comprehensive car insurance and get a bigger van. But overall, I wouldn’t change much.

I’ve already saved ideas for future trips on Pinterest, especially for other parts of the country we didn’t get to see. If you’re planning a visit soon, start there. It’s full of inspiration and real tips from other travelers.

Whether you want jungle hikes, lazy beach days, or high-energy adventures, Costa Rica delivers. And you don’t have to be an expert traveler to enjoy it. You just have to show up and let the country do its thing.