After spending last year not traveling too much as a family (other than road trips) we decided that in 2019 we were going to make family trips VS trips individually with friends a huge priority. Matt usually likes to travel in order to go surfing, so after looking through places we decided on Costa Rica as a destination I had never been to, and one that has pretty decent surf, but kid friendly activities as well. We split the trip into two parts – the part on the beach where Matt could catch some waves, and then the part more inland where we could hike, visit hot springs, and find other non-beach related activities. Hudson is at a better age for travel now, since he understands what is going on and enjoys relaxing on the airplane and watching his favorite shows, so it’s made it a bit easier for us to explore again like we did before kids, or when he was a teeny baby! Here’s everything we did in Costa Rica…
DAY ONE – DAY FOUR: TAMARINDO, COSTA RICA
We flew from JFK airport to Libera, and it was about a 5 hour flight in total. We opted to travel on an early afternoon flight from here, so when we got to Costa Rica it wasn’t too late, and we were still able to grab dinner. Our hotel in Tamarindo was about an hour drive from the airport, and we rented a car for the trip, since we had luggage and surfboards. Hudson was able to nap on the car ride, since he doesn’t nap on planes anymore, and when we got to Tamarindo we went out and grabbed tacos for dinner! yum!
Where we stayed in Tamarindo
We stayed in a hotel called La Ramona in Tamarindo – it was a bit off of the main strip, so it was quieter and better with Hudson, but it was also not right on the beach which was somewhat of a negative that we knew when we booked it. I was sort of bummed when we got there, because the photos of the room that I had booked were from a room we weren’t given, but the manager was really nice, and offered to switch our room the following day when the room opened up. After all was said and done we ended up just staying in the room we were given. The pool was PERFECT for Hudson though, because it had a little ramp to walk in, so he could walk in on his own accord. He had a great time swimming every day, and the breakfast that was included was delicious and homemade. They also had cute dogs on the property that Hudson loved. All-in-all, I’d recommend it if you’re traveling with little ones, or if you want something a bit more remote than a large resort kind of hotel.
Where We Ate / What We Did in Tamarindo
Sprout Tamarindo
This cute lunch spot (pictured above) has delicious healthy options, and toys for the kids to play with! I had a delicious smoothie and a chicken salad, and it was one of my favorite meals from the trip!
Tamarindo Coffee Roasters
We stopped in this coffee shop a few times, as it was (in our opinion) the best coffee in Tamarindo!
Green Papaya Taco Bar
We also ate here twice (it’s hard to find a place your kid loves too!) – but this spot has the coolest vibe. They had swinging chairs outside, and the most delicious drinks and tacos. I had chicken tacos on the first time we went, and a burrito the second time, and both were wildly delicious!
Volcano Brewing Co
We stopped and hung out here one day, and it had nice live music and an outdoor sitting area on the beach. The beer was good too!
Bamboo Sushi Club
We ate dinner here one night, and were super impressed with how delicious the sushi was, and the prices were not outrageous either!
Playa Grande
Matt surfed here a few times, since the waves were a bit less crowded. Theres a nice shady spot with trees to sit with kids, if you’re traveling with children! It’s about a 30 minute drive from Tamarindo
Marbella
We drove here one morning, it’s about an hour drive from Tamarindo but worth the day trip! Matt surfed all morning until the wind came onshore, and there’s a little restaurant with hammocks that is open air that Hudson and I hung out at!
DAY FOUR – DAY SEVEN : LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA
We drove from Tamarindo to the Arenal region, about a 3 hour drive, but to break up the drive we stopped in to Ponderosa Adventure park to feed some animals and take a safari tour. Hudson LOVED it, and it was well worth the money (which I think cost maybe $20 per person for lunch included).
Where We Stayed in La Fortuna
We spent the next few nights staying at the Arenal Lodge, and we were SO happy with our choice. Our room had a beautiful balcony overlooking the rain forest, and the hotel grounds were so lush. It was also a bit quieter than some of the other local hotels that had hot springs within them, and the road to enter the hotel was about a 15 minute drive, so it felt extremely secluded. They had a cute playroom for Hudson, a gym, and a restaurant that we ate breakfast at and 1 of our dinners. It was all-in-all a really awesome hotel, and we were so happy with our stay!
Where We Ate/ What we did in a La Fortuna
Tabacon
We spent half of one day swimming in the hot springs at tabacon. It was a bit pricey, but we enjoyed every second of it. There was a swim up bar, so many gorgeous hot springs on the property, and a normal temperature pool if your kids are scared of the hot water like Hudson was! We also had lunch on the property at the yummy buffet
Mistico Hanging Bridges
We spent an entire morning hiking around the property, and it was GORGEOUS and also well worth the (somewhat expensive) price! I think it cost us about $35 per person to hike, plus we rented an $8 stroller that was also a smart idea, since some of the ground was harder to push on. But the entire hike was gorgeous, filled with amazing hanging bridges, tons of birds and nature and waterfalls everywhere you turn. It was one of my favorite things we did
Bogarin Wildlife Trail
We walked this trail at dusk one night, and the owner had told us that we may not see any sloths since it is too late in the evening, but we decided to walk the trail anyway. I’ve read great reviews, and if you were to go in the early morning you’d probably have better luck than us. We actually did see a sleeping baby sloth rolled up into a ball in a tree.
Organico
We ate lunch here one day, and the food was absolutely delicious. It is vegan, so everything we ordered was healthy fruits and veggies! yum!
Arabigos
This was our favorite coffee spot – the coffee was so good that I drank it black! It was also outdoor, and had the cutest little setting with hung up string lights.
These were our top favorite places, I really hope this helps you if you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica. Please let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
