Costa Rica with Kids: The Ultimate Family Trip

Costa Rica with Kids: Wildlife, Adventure & Time to Unwind

Costa Rica is high on many people’s travel wish lists, and after experiencing it firsthand with my family, I completely understand why. From incredible wildlife to unforgettable adventures, I’d love to share our trip with you and give you a real insight into what this amazing destination has to offer.

San José & Poás Volcano

We started our journey flying into San José, where we spent two nights. We arrived in the evening, and our arranged transfer was ready and waiting to take us to our hotel. After something to eat, we went straight to bed ready for an early start the next day.

It wasn’t too difficult getting up for our 8am start, thanks to still being on UK time, and we met our private guide for the day.

Our first stop was Poás Volcano. We were lucky to have a clear day, which made a big difference. The views into the crater were impressive, and the kids were amazed by the scale of it, with the steaming crater and its striking green turquoise lake. It’s still an active volcano, with a major eruption in 2017 that led to the park being closed for around 16 months.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

After a clear morning at the volcano, we headed on to La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

Before getting to the waterfalls, we explored the rescued wildlife reserve and butterfly observatory, which are all part of the grounds.

This ended up being such a fun stop. Before going to Costa Rica, I’d really wanted to see toucans, and here we saw them properly up close, which felt pretty special. We also saw sloths, scarlet macaws and even jaguars, which kept everyone interested.

The butterfly observatory was a real highlight, with hundreds of bright blue butterflies flying all around you, landing on your hands and clothes. It felt interactive and a bit surreal at times.

Then on to the waterfalls themselves, which were just as impressive, huge cascades surrounded by lush rainforest.

Tortuguero, Caribbean Coast Adventure

The next day we were picked up early, 7am, to head to Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast. It’s a bit of a journey, around four hours with a stop for breakfast, but it all felt part of the experience.

From there, we switched to a boat to reach our hotel, which took about an hour and a half. This was honestly such a great part of the trip, travelling through narrow waterways with dense rainforest on both sides, slowing down every now and then to spot wildlife along the way. It didn’t feel like a transfer at all.

We stayed for two nights in small cabin style rooms right in the forest by the water, which felt different to anywhere else we stayed. We were woken up by howler monkeys in the morning, loud is an understatement, and there was wildlife everywhere you looked.

We spent our time just exploring, walking around, spotting sloths, different monkeys and loads of birds. We also visited the local town and did a canal boat tour, which was a great way to see even more of the area.

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Arenal, Hot Springs & Adventure

Our next stop was Arenal, where we stayed for four nights. We were picked up by private transfer after lunch, at the same place we’d stopped for breakfast on the way to Tortuguero, which felt like a familiar pit stop by this point.

We stayed at Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs Resort, which ended up being the kids’ favourite hotel of the whole trip. There are seven hot springs spread around the grounds, all slightly different temperatures and surrounded by lush plants, right next to the main pool. There’s even a swim up bar in one of the hot spring pools, which we made the most of, cocktails, warm water and a relaxed atmosphere, hard to beat.

Our first excursion here was the hanging bridges. We had a private guide who was brilliant, not only spotting wildlife we would have completely missed, but also doubling up as a photographer, so we came away with some amazing pictures. My daughter was a bit unsure at first with the swinging bridges, but she got used to them pretty quickly.

We then visited La Fortuna Waterfall. You can swim in the pool at the bottom, but I’m not great with cold water, so I stayed out while my husband and daughter braved it. My son and I took on the important role of photographers instead.

The next day we went zip lining through the jungle. I’d love to say the views were incredible, but it was pouring with rain, and we were going so fast we had to keep our eyes shut half the time to avoid it. Still a really fun experience though.

In the evening, we did a night walk where we saw, and heard, a huge variety of frogs and insects. I loved it, but my son said it was the worst thing he’s ever done, slightly dramatic, but he really doesn’t like insects.

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Nicoya Peninsula, Time to Unwind

Our final stop was the Nicoya Peninsula, where we stayed for six nights at Lagarta Lodge.

We were picked up again by private transfer, and I have to say, all our transfers throughout the trip were excellent. They felt more like mini guided tours, with stops along the way to point out wildlife, places of interest and share bits of local history.

The Nicoya Peninsula is on the Pacific coast, and you notice the change, it was much hotter, with high humidity.

The hotel itself was stunning, with infinity pools overlooking a private nature reserve and out towards the beaches. It was the perfect place to slow things down, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt that relaxed.

We spent most of our time here enjoying the pools and exploring nearby beaches. We hired a car, which made it much easier to get around and see more of the area at our own pace.

My husband and I also squeezed in one final wildlife walk, where we were lucky enough to spot an anteater having his breakfast, such a nice way to round off all the wildlife we’d seen on the trip.

The food here was also a highlight, lots of fresh fish, sushi, poke bowls and great steaks, so there was something for everyone.

Why Costa Rica Works So Well for Families

Looking back, Costa Rica really delivered on everything we hoped for as a family, adventure, wildlife, and time to properly switch off.

Easy to get around with private transfers, wildlife everywhere without needing long hikes, a great mix of activity and relaxation, and hotels that genuinely work for families.

It’s one of those destinations that feels easy to travel around but still offers so much variety, from rainforest and volcanoes to beaches and wildlife at every turn.

If you’re thinking about Costa Rica as a family holiday, I’d absolutely recommend it.