Last Updated: May 19, 2025
If you are like most people visiting Costa Rica for the first time, you only have so many vacation days to burn before rushing back to the demands of work and school. To help you use your time wisely, this guide lists all places to go in Costa Rica, what’s special about each one, and why you might want to (or NOT want to) go there. Don’t try to visit every place or you will be spending most of your time on the road (and some very bumpy roads at that). Instead, just pick two or three places to visit in a week or two, to savor a wide range of experiences that make Costa Rica a standout vacation destination.
You can use this guide to craft your own perfect itinerary and visit off-the-beaten-path destinations. Or if you’re looking to save time, see my fully pre-planned 7-day itinerary from Liberia Airport, or 7-day itinerary from San Jose. Both are specially designed for families and showcase the best of Costa Rica in a week. Also, check out my Step-by-Step Travel Guide to Costa Rica for all the nitty-gritty details to help you plan your trip.
To make it even easier to decide where to go, I’ve loosely ranked all of the places to go in Costa Rica on this list. My ranking is based on Costa Rica’s unique strengths as an ecotourism destination, and how practical it is for a family to get there and enjoy its main attractions. If you ask five different people for the best place to go in Costa Rica – you will likely get five different answers. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide what’s best for you.
#1 Monteverde
What is it best for? – My number one destination for Costa Rica is Monteverde, home to beautiful misty cloud forests. These types of high-elevation forests are much rarer than even tropical rainforests, and they are breathtaking to see firsthand. Selvatura Park’s 2-mile trail, with eight hanging bridges overlooking the virgin canopy, is one of the best ways to experience these forests. It is also easily manageable even by the youngest travelers.
Monteverde also hosts most of the iconic Costa Rican activities like ziplining, butterfly gardens, secluded waterfalls, night tours and coffee farms. Monteverde’s cooler weather gives you a break from the oppressive heat of the coastal beaches, and it can be enjoyed in the rainy or dry season. If there is only one place you have time for, and you want to experience a natural wonder unlike anywhere else in the world, then go to Monteverde’s cloud forests.
Is it worth it? Yes, if seeing one of Costa Rica’s finest feats of forest conservation is important to you. If you have kids, you might want to avoid the more well-known Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with its lengthy hiking trails. Instead, opt for the hanging bridge trails at Selvatura Park or Treetopia. You need at least 2 nights to experience the best that Monteverde has to offer. You can reach Monteverde from Liberia airport, San Jose Airport or La Fortuna in about 3 hours, but the roads can be challenging for inexperienced drivers.
To plan your time in Monteverde, see my full list of Things to do in Monteverde here. Also download my free Kid’s guide to Costa Rica’s forests, to help turn this experience into a learning opportunity they will not soon forget.
Best Overall Place to Stay: Hotel Belmar
Best for Families with Kids: Valle Escondido Nature Reserve and Hotel
#2 La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal
What is it best for? Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal provide some of the most beautiful mountain vistas in the country. Enjoy these views while soaking in the warm, soothing waters of the many hot springs in the area. You can easily visit two of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country from here – La Fortuna Falls and Rio Celeste. Bogarin Trail is one of the best trails to take your kids sloth-spotting. Kids as young as three can join in the adventure with ziplining, water rafting, chocolate tours, and countless more family-friendly activities.
Is it worth it? Yes – if you like volcanoes, hot springs and adventure activities. Keep in mind that views of the volcano are often obscured by clouds even in the dry season. In the rainy season, you may not see the volcano at all. Three nights is a good amount of time to spend here.
Download your free Wildlife Spotting Guide and Kid’s Guide to Arenal Volcano before you go. Also check out my List of Things to do in La Fortuna to plan your time here.
Should you do both Monteverde and La Fortuna? You will find many similar activities in La Fortuna and Monteverde like hiking, hanging bridges and ziplining. So this is a great question to ask. If you want to experience Monteverde’s unique cloud forests, and also enjoy Arenal volcano, hot springs, and wildlife, then it is absolutely worth doing both. The scenery and ecosystems are different enough that it will not feel repetitive. But if you want to keep driving to a minimum, pick the one that is most appealing to you.
It takes about 3 hours to get here from Liberia Airport, San Jose or Monteverde. The journey from La Fortuna to Monteverde is further than it looks on map. This is because you will have to go all the way around Lake Arenal, or take a boat ride across the lake. Both these routes are very scenic, so think of them as part of your sightseeing rather than dead travel time.
Best Overall Place to Stay: The Springs Resort at Arenal
Best for Families with Kids: Los Lagos Resort
#3 Manuel Antonio and Southern Pacific Beaches
What is it best for? Manuel Antonio has some of Costa Rica’s most stunning beaches backed by rainforests that stay lush and green year-round. It has a high concentration of wildlife that can be spotted from easily walkable trails. About 3 hours from San Jose, it is the most visited national park in the country, so it can get really crowded. There are many accommodation options here, but because of all the cliffs, only very few select luxury resorts have direct beach access.
To avoid the crowds, you can drive south for an hour to more laid-back beaches like Dominical and Uvita. It’s also much easier to find budget beachfront accommodations near Dominical.
Is it worth it? If you are flying in or out of San Jose, and you want a one-stop destination that gives you beach, rainforest and wildlife, then this is the best place to go. You can easily spend your entire week of vacation here balancing beach time with day trips to see wildlife, waterfalls, ziplining, snorkeling, kayaking and more. The chance of rain here is higher than the northern Guanacaste beaches, even in the dry season, but it helps keep the forests green.
Just be prepared that for most hotels, you will have to drive your car or take transport to get to the beach. If being beachfront is important to you, then stay closer to Jaco or go further south toward Dominical.
If you visit La Fortuna or Monteverde first, or you are flying out of Liberia airport, it can be a very long and tiring 5-hour drive. You effectively lose out on a day just being on the road. You will see plenty of forest and wildlife in La Fortuna and Monteverde, so skip the long drive and consider visiting the many gorgeous beaches closer to your departure airport.
Best Overall Place to Stay: Tulemar Resort
#4 Guanacaste, Tamarindo and the Northern Pacific Beaches
What is it best for? Beautiful beaches and beach towns dot the coast here, along with some of the fanciest resorts in the country. Playa Hermosa is one of the best family beaches in Costa Rica, with affordable boutique hotels and just 30 mins away from Liberia airport. Tamarindo is a busier tourist hub and a great place to get a reasonably priced private surfing lesson for the entire family – even if you’ve never done it before. If you don’t have time to go to La Fortuna, Rincon de la Vieja National Park is within day-trip distance and has hikes, waterfalls, and small natural hot springs.
Is it worth it? If you are flying out of Liberia airport, and you want to enjoy a few days of beach time before you depart, this is the best place to go. A night or two here works well at the end of any itinerary that includes La Fortuna and Monteverde. In the dry season, it almost never rains and you are virtually guaranteed hot sunny weather. However, in March and April, the forests turn brown and dry compared to the lush rainforests in the south.
Check out my 7-day itinerary from Liberia Airport to get recommendations on what to see and do in this area.
Best Overall Place to Stay: Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort
Best for Families with Kids: Hotel El Velero
#5 Jaco and Surrounding Beaches
What is it best for? A well-developed tourist beach town, it is the closest option to San Jose about 1.5 hours away. Near Jaco are several impressive and uncrowded beaches to choose from like Playa Esterillos and Playa Blanca. You are also within day-tripping distance to explore more places like Manuel Antonio and Isla Tortuga. Nearby Carrara National Park is particularly known for Scarlet Macaws. This is a great place to enjoy beach activities, surfing and dining without having to drive too far from San Jose.
Is it worth it? Jaco beach has a reputation for having a party-vibe. In recent years, it has become much more family-friendly with a few really nice beachfront resorts. Still, Jaco itself can feel a bit crowded and touristy. Instead, drive to its neighboring beaches and you are rewarded with far fewer crowds and some of the prettiest stretches of coastline in Costa Rica. If you are coming from La Fortuna or Monteverde, and flying out of San Jose, there is no need to drive any further to end your vacation on a beautiful beach.
Check out my 7-day itinerary from San Jose to learn more about the best beaches and places to stay in this area.
Best Overall Place to Stay: Alma Del Pacifico
Best for Families with Kids: Club Del Mar Oceanfront
#6 Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park
What is it best for? This is the most remote corner of the country with 160 square miles of pristine rainforest that is home to one of the densest concentrations of wildlife on the planet. If you’re looking for an entirely off-the-beaten-path experience, and you’re ready to work (and pay) for it, then you will be rewarded with a rainforest immersion experience that few will see in their lifetime.
Is it worth it? This adventure is only for those who can cope with the demands of the forest. Hikes can be long and grueling, the weather is hot, humid and wet, and emergency medical facilities are not easily available. Resorts in this area will not even accept children below a certain age, so you can only visit with older kids and teens. It takes a whole day of road travel or a combination of domestic flights and boat transfers to get here from San Jose. Be prepared to dedicate around 5 days of your itinerary for the trip to be worthwhile.
Best Overall Place to Stay: Lapa Rios Rainforest Lodge
#7 Puerto Viejo and the Caribbean coast
What is it best for? This part of the country is known for its Afro-Caribbean, non-touristy vibe. South of the main town of Puerto Viejo are several gorgeous and uncrowded beaches. Nearby Cahuita National Park, with its coastal tropical forests, offers some wildlife spotting opportunities.
Is it worth it? This part of the country has a different weather pattern to the rest of Costa Rica. It rains here consistently year-round. In the dry season, many visitors prefer the sunshine-guaranteed beaches on the Pacific coast. But if you are visiting in the wet season, particularly September and October, the Caribbean coast actually has better weather and less rain than the rest of Costa Rica. It takes about 4-5 hours to drive here from San Jose – a longer drive than many other easier-to-reach beaches. It is also harder to combine this destination with La Fortuna and Monteverde because it is in the opposite direction.
#9 Southern Nicoya Peninsula
What is it best for? This part of peninsula is lined with empty beaches and lush coastal greenery. Because they are further away from either airport and still a newly developing region, they don’t get nearly as many visitors as the northern beaches, Jaco or Manuel Antonio. This region has become a favorite for surfers, backpackers, expats and digital nomads who come here for longer stays and to get away from it all. There are fewer hotels, tours and activities but you can take a yoga lesson, hike the beaches or simply relax. Playa Samara and Playa Conchal are particularly picturesque and have calm waters that are safe for families.
Is it worth it? The biggest factor to consider here is travel time. Beaches here are about 3 hours from Liberia airport, and 5 hours from San Jose or La Fortuna. There are many gorgeous and uncrowded beaches closer to San Jose or Liberia. If this is your first trip to Costa Rica, or if you only have a few days for your beach stay, it might not be worth it to spend the extra time driving here.
#7 Tortuguero
What is it best for? Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast, is like a mini-version of the Amazon jungle. The landscape here is mainly navigated by boat or kayak through rivers, mangroves and canals alongside a beautiful rugged coastline. It is most famous for its sea turtle nesting that occurs here from July to October. You can access turtles nesting sites more easily on the Pacific coast, but your chances of seeing them are significantly higher here. The area has a remote and undeveloped feeling with very few roads and facilities.
Is it worth it? Tortuguero is either a very long journey by road and boat, or a domestic flight from San Jose. Either way, you need at least 3 extra days in your itinerary. If turtle nesting is important to you, you need to time your trip according to the season. These tours occur after dark and may be hard for young children. Tortuguero is also very remote with no roads or cars, so medical facilities and other amenities are not readily available. If you visited the Amazon jungle, Tortuguero may feel smaller in comparison.
#10 San Jose
What’s best about it – San Jose is the capital city and has some interesting museums, a vibrant market and a great food scene. Just a couple of hours outside town, you can visit Poas Volcano to see one of the world’s largest active crater lakes – if the clouds allow it. You can also visit the beautiful La Paz Waterfall Gardens and wildlife sanctuary that kids might enjoy as an introduction to the wildlife of Costa Rica.
Is it worth it? If you are flying from San Jose and you have to spend the night there before or after your flight, it is worth joining a short food and walking tour to see the city’s main sights. If you are flying out of Liberia, it is best to focus on Costa Rica’s natural wonders and skip the city entirely.
Best Place to Stay near Airport: Hilton Garden Inn San Jose Airport
Best to stay inside the City: Hotel Presidente
Ready for the Next Step?
- Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Costa Rica for Families – Know everything you need about flights, food, currency, rental cars, accommodation and activities
- 7 Day Itinerary from San Jose Airport or 7 Day Itinerary from Liberia Airport
- Which Airport should I fly into?
- Download a Free Wildlife Spotting Guide and other Costa Rica Fun Facts for Kids by subscribing to my Newsletter.
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