Costa Rica: Horseback ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

The famous La Fortuna waterfall is breathtaking and well worth the effort to get to it – but after a solid few days of strenuous activity, this expedition was a bit too much for our little family. Pick up was set for early – we received a note at our hotel the night before moving it back to 7:30 am. We arrived at the stables and signed the usual waivers, then got a little instruction on what...

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Costa Rica: The community of La Fortuna

While visiting the Arenal (aw-ray-nawl) region, we fell in love with the little community of La Fortuna. La Fortuna means “the fortunate,” and it is a well-earned name. There are a few versions to the story of how the name came about, but my favorite goes like this: When the nearby volcano erupted in 1968, death and destruction was the result to the west. Two villages were completely destroyed....

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Costa Rica: It Rained

Our last night at Samasati Nature Retreat, it rained. It started once we were all safely tucked inside the shelter of the Tempest Pearl House, and continued through the night. We retreated to our beds, and it rained. Thunder filled the air from time to time, and it rained. The little one sought the safety of Mom and Dad’s bed, and it rained. Morning came slower than it had other days, no...

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Costa Rica: Sometimes Plan B Means Taking A Leap

After a long day of snorkeling, bike riding, and exploring, Cameron wanted to ride a motorcycle, so while Justin and I relaxed at Johnny’s Place, he went off to find a place that rented them. He asked a few people on the street and was directed to two places – the first was closed, and the second he couldn’t find. So as the sun went down, he returned, and he and Justin made a pact. While the girls...

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Costa Rica: A Visit to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean Coast

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (just Puerto Viejo to locals) is a funky little town, nestled into south of the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, about 30 km from the border with Panama. The community has a real international flavor, with Jamaicans, Australians, Italians, and more adding their spice to the local culture. The main road is lined with small boutique hotels, shops, cafes, and assorted vendors...

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Costa Rica: Cahuita Snorkel and National Park Hike

Picturesque and sleepy, the town of Cahuita was a pretty little community 17 km north of Puerto Viejo. We arrived early in the morning to see residents in matching shirts worked together to clean the streets in the wake of a World Cup game the night before, and drove through the burg to a shed at the edge of a long row of boats wedged into the trees. There we were joined by our boat captain...

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Costa Rica: A Rustic Getaway at Samasati Nature Resort

It was the beginning of our two weeks in Costa Rica, and what we really needed was to set the scene. We needed to unplug, shed the constant activity and communication of our everyday lives, and dive in. We couldn’t have chosen a more perfect place to do just that. Set on 270 acres atop a hill between in the Limon province, Samasati Nature Resort is a beautiful lodging space set back from the...

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Costa Rica: Six Easy Steps to Arrival

Arrival in a new country can be a crazy moment with a family in tow. Here is what the process will look like when you arrive in Costa Rica… Paperwork There is no need to apply for a Visa ahead of time when heading to Costa Rica (from the U.S.). Some simple paperwork is all that is required, and the flight attendant will pass the forms out on the plane. Have handy a pen and the address where you will be staying in Costa Rica (if you will be staying multiple places, the first works), along with...

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Costa Rica: One Size Fits All – Our Costa Rican Itinerary

With two adults, two teenagers, and a pre-schooler along for the ride, it is no small feat to find an itinerary to fit everyone’s needs. Two weeks in Costa Rica took that challenge and went above and beyond. When you have your 16-year-old talking about how great his trip was while your 4-year-old goes on and on about all the amazing things she saw – game over. You win! Below is the itinerary we laid out with our fantastic agent, Christian, at Costa Rica Online Travel. (Learn more about our experience...

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