Exotic Costa Rican Adventures for the Entire Family

Ticos, as Costa Ricans call themselves, love children. This created opportunities to meet locals that we wouldn’t have had otherwise when I traveled through Costa Rica with my wife and two kids a couple years ago. But more importantly, to me Costa Rica is what family travel is all about. The country is safe—Costa Rica is Central America’s first democratic nation—non-commercial and possesses incredible natural diversity.

We were drawn to Costa Rica because the variety of terrain and potential activities ensured there was something for everyone. In a country about the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica has the Pacific coast where sun, surf and sand are the primary attractions, and the Caribbean coast, which is home to Tortuguero, the “Amazon of Central America.” (Read our accompanying feature on Tortuguero.)

Between the two coasts is an impressive mountain range sporting no fewer than seven active volcanoes, one of which, Volcán Arenal, has been active almost daily since 1968, when it wiped out an entire village. (Read our article On the Volcano’s Edge for more active volcano destination sights.)

• San José is a typical Latin American capital, filled with religious and commerce institutions, coexisting side by side.
• Donna M. Airoldi

Do You Know the Way Through San José

Most visitors to Costa Rica have to go through the country’s capital, San José, especially if you’re taking ground transportation to get around the country. They don’t necessarily spend a lot of time there, and for an understandable reason. They’d much rather be participating in all the outdoor, wildlife and/or ecotourism adventures that have made the country a popular destination in recent years as opposed to spending their vacation time in a crowded urban area. (Read more about viewing Costa Rica wildlife in our related Into the Wild article.)

If you do find yourself for any amount of time in San José though, there are a few worthwhile sights and activities. The Museum of Jade—once you find the correct office building in which it’s housed on the 11th floor—is worth the visit for those keen on history and culture lessons. Some pieces from the Jade Museum’s vast collection date back to 500 B.C. Jade played a key role in pre-Columbian cultures and was more important than gold.

Afterwards, the Central Market (Mercado Central) is a great place to shop and eat like a local, with small food counters serving up tasty comida tipica dishes: empanadas, rice and beans, and meat and fish. A lovely place to stay that also offers an excellent restaurant and killer desserts is the Hotel Grano de Oro, an old home that has been converted into a charming hotel.

• A bridge disappears into the distance in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
• ElCapitan

If you have a free day, hire a driver or book a tour for a day trip to Volcán Poás National Park, north of San José. Leave early, as best viewing times of the large crater lake are in the morning, before the clouds and mist roll in. On your way back to San José, stop by the La Paz Waterfall Gardens for a hike through 70 acres of cloud and rainforest.

Monteverde: A Walk in the Clouds

After San José we headed straight for Monteverde and the famed cloud forest, where you can see the equally famous blue morpho butterflies, sloths (if you’re lucky), monkeys, and a wide variety of birds and insects. We stayed at the Cabañas Los Pinos, a small family-run business consisting of 12 cabins; children 11 years and under sleep free. I highly recommend it. Standard cabins start at $65 per night; family cabins at $120.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the best-known cloud forests in Central America. The proximity of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts on either side of a tall mountain range creates a veritable cloud factory. In the forest, clouds whiz by propelled by impressive wind velocity. I’ve watched some from a 747 that don’t go by nearly as fast. And the clouds are so low it seems that you can reach up and touch them, creating a kind of Timothy Leary effect. The persistent mists make the setting somewhat surreal, as sounds escape the mist, yet their creator remains shrouded.