Planning a vacation to Costa Rica with family can be both exciting and overwhelming. With the right Costa Rica tips, you can create an unforgettable experience to Costa Rica with kids. Whether you’re creating a Costa Rica travel plan full of lush rainforests, stunning beaches, or incredible wildlife, this Costa Rica travel guide will answer questions for all travel families.
Traveling to Costa Rica with a solid plan will help you make the most of your family trip to Costa Rica. In this Costa Rica vacation guide, you’ll find real-life Costa Rica travel tips for all your trip questions. Here’s all you need to know about family-friendly Costa Rica hotels, best time to visit Costa Rica, how to travel to Costa Rica with a phone and credit card, and more.
Ready for my 10 day Costa Rica itinerary? Your Costa Rica vacation with kids is all planned with cities, sights, sloths, and stays! “Costa Rica 10 Day Epic Itinerary: How to Visit with Kids”.
Quick Jumps to Costa Rica Vacation Questions
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How to Book a Flight to Costa Rica?
Flying into Costa Rica has become easy as most of the largest airports in the US have direct flights to Costa Rica. It’s only four hours from Atlanta to Costa Rica flight – tempting, right? If only planning Costa Rica travel ended there!
Which Costa Rica Airport Should I Use?
With two international airports in Costa Rica, you need to know where to visit in Costa Rica and where to stay in Costa Rica. Without looking at the map of Costa Rica, you may end up driving hours extra together to your different destinations and back to the airport. There are lots of smaller, private airports scattered all over Costa Rica… if you’re fancy like that.
San Jose’s airport (SJO) is Juan Santamaria International Airport, the larger and cheaper Costa Rica international airport. Located in the capital of San Jose, SJO is in the middle of the country. As this Costa Rica airport San Jose is closest to the popular tourist area of Monteverde Cloud Forest, the monkeys of Manuel Antonio, and the view of Arenal Volcano.
If you’re headed to the beaches of northwest Costa Rica – where the surfing is the best – you might consider flying into Liberia (Guanacaste). This Costa Rica airport is on the Guanacaste peninsula close to the Nicaraguan border. If you are planning to drive around Costa Rica, it’s only three hours from Liberia to Arenal Volcano; it’s doable. However, it’s 4.5 hours to Manuel Antonio. As I said above, you have to figure out where you’re going first.
If you see a great deal on a flight to SJO, this would be a good bet because its the closest to most Costa Rica destinations.
What time should my flight arrive in Costa Rica?
Although you may not want to start your Costa Rica vacation for family early in the morning, you’ll want to get an arriving Costa Rica flight as early as possible because you want to arrive by midday. Most likely, you’ll be renting a car and driving several hours to get to your first destination. You do not want to have to drive on dark, sometimes very bumpy Costa Rican roads in the dark. Check what time sunset happens so you’re not surprise with early darkness!
If you are planning to buy groceries for meals at your rental house, also bear this in mind. You don’t want to arrive and not have time to safely walk to the little grocery store.
Where Do I Stay before my Costa Rica Flight Home?
Especially since the roads in Costa Rica can be problematic, don’t plan to drive to back to the airport the same day as your flight. I HIGHLY suggest that you get as close to your airport the night before; that’s a level of stress I don’t want.
Ask these important questions before you book your hotel near the airport.
- Does the hotel offer a free or paid shuttle to the airport in the morning?
- Does the first drive to the airport leave early enough for you to get to the airport at least three hours before the flight?
- Does that first drive from the hotel early in the morning to include the drive time to the airport. The San Jose airport is about thirty minutes outside of downtown, so make sure you route it accordingly.
- Will the rental car company will come get the car from your hotel the night before you leave? There’s no sense paying for an extra car rental day if the hotel will drive you to the airport.
- Does the hotel either have an on-site restaurant (ours did) or is within walking distance of restaurants for your last supper in Costa Rica?
- Is there entertainment at the hotel if you arrive earlier in the evening? Aim for a hotel with a pool. The kids will want one, and it’s a great way to get some energy out for a good night of sleep.
~~~~> We found a San José hotel that fits all these requirements: Adventure Inn, San José, Costa Rica. This hotel offers transport to the San José airport, rooms large enough for a family of six, a swimming pool at the hotel, and an in-house restaurant. Book today at Adventure Inn in San José.
Can You Drink the Water in Costa Rica?
Not having to worry about Costa Rica water safety is one of the reasons I consider Costa Rica travel an easy first overseas destination for travels. One less thing to worry about on international travel with family means one less thing to worry about!
Don’t have to worry about filtering water. On our first trip to Costa Rica, I did have a bit of tummy problems which I thought might have been due to filling up my bottle inside Manuel Antonio National Park. I can’t verify that. During this last family trip, none of us had any difficulties during the whole two weeks in Costa Rica. We filled up our refillable water bottles at the house every morning and took them in the car.
Should I Bring a Refillable Water Bottle to Costa Rica?
Speaking of bottled water in Costa Rica… The country is very aware of the impact of single-use plastics on its environment, they have passed laws prohibiting the sale of some items like plastic straws and cutlery. It looks like they are making moves to limit the sale of disposable water bottles as well.
If you visit Manuel Antonio National Park, they do not allow you to bring snacks inside the park that are in any disposable containers. You can bring refillable water bottles and fruit. We had to throw away some groceries at the entrance. Don’t plan to get get hungry during this Costa Rica adventure. (It says there is a kiosk there that serves food, but I never saw it.)
Is Costa Rica Expensive?
Although I haven’t traveled to many other Central America or South America countries recently, our trip and other people report that Costa Rica is not a cheap place to visit. To eat out as a family of six, meals would cost us almost $100. Granted, they would have been cheaper if we had eaten at very local shops and not in the tourist areas.
Costa Rica food has become very globally diverse. You could eat every meal during your Costa Rica trip from a different ethnicity of food without repeating. Even in the small town of Manuel Antonio, there were at least five different countries of food represented.
Additionally, almost all national parks will require payment to enter and, knowing that tourists are willing to pay, you will have a higher rate for non-national park surfing and other on-beach activities. Especially in touristy areas, it felt like the tourists were very much targeted, coming after our rental cars to take a fee to park or enjoy a free beach. If you don’t do the research, you might fall for this trap as well.
If you add into this the cost of hotels – many of which do not offer rooms for larger families – and any extra sight-seeing excursions, there will be many chances to break your Costa Rica budget.
What Language Do They Speak in Costa Rica?
The primary language of Costa Rica, like the surrounding other Central American countries, is Spanish. There are some pockets of indigenous groups with their own language, but we never encountered them. Costa Rica family travel may also include some Spanish immersion learning. The Costa Ricans are so used to visitors, that for the most part, they were very eager to teach us some phrases and speak with my kids in broken Spanish. Don’t hesitate to try!
Do They Speak English in Costa Rica?
Although the Costa Rica official language is Spanish, they are so dependent upon visitors, that many more popular destinations have a minimal understanding of English. English in Costa Rica is a requirement in schools, and there are many immigrants from English-speaking countries. Check out this full answer on Rosetta Stone.
~~~> If you love the idea of international family travel, but the Spanish barrier makes you nervous… Do what our travel family did. Plan a family trip to Scotland. You get an international trip to see how your kids deal with the pressure without the language barrier. I’ve even done all the planning at “Scotland in 10 Days: The Epic Family Itinerary You Need Now”.
How Difficult is Travel in Costa Rica if I Don’t Speak Spanish?
If you are sticking to hotels, tourist areas, and big cities, you will be able to get along fine without speaking Spanish on your family trip to Costa Rica. I had to speak Spanish when asking for directions in small town, but these days, the translator apps are so handy, that it shouldn’t be a problem at all. If you are renting a house from a local, plan to have more Spanish requirement than in a big hotel if you need their assistance for any reason.
Tour guides will offer several language options, and due to the popularity of Costa Rica with Europeans, many will additionally speak German or French. Our tour guide at Tenorio Volcano National Park discussed with my son how he uses DuoLingo to learn language for his tour groups. Those few real-life conversations about the importance of language learning did more to convince my kids to take Spanish seriously than my years of homeschooling. My kid started DuoLingo the minute we got home.
~~~> If you’re really worried about the Costa Rica language barrier, stay at a larger resort. When I found Finca Luna Nueva lodge, I seriously planned the rest of our trip around availability at this Costa Rica eco-resort for families. Here’s my full Finca Luna Nueva review and post, or jump right here to book FLN before it fills up!
What to Pack for Costa Rica?
Simplify your Costa Rica packing list and make it easy with packing a carry-on backpack; no checked baggage needed for this warm vacation. If traveling for Costa Rica family activities, you don’t need much more than beach gear, casual shirts and shorts, rain gear, and good shoes. Plan to wear the game clothes for ocean and daily adventures. You don’t need multiple outfit changes when you plan well!
Don’t stress about packing Costa Rica. Here are some extras you don’t want to forget!
- Water-proof Beach and Travel Bag – This is my new favorite everything bag. Not only can you pack it small in your luggage if you don’t need it, but it even comes with a small wet bag for keeping stuff dry. (And it’s family owned at Isla and Kai. Win win!) It even has a zipper to keep those monkeys out of your stuff at Manuel Antonio NP — it really is a problem!
- Closed toe sandals for adults – These are a requirement for some Costa Rica family adventures like Mistico Hanging Bridges and some water sports. Don’t question it; it’s for protection. Our kid used these sandals.
- Quick dry daily clothes – Grab quick dry shorts (short for boys and the best shorts for mom). Plan to wear a sun shirt for ocean and outdoor fun. You don’t want to put wet stuff back on, and staying in a hotel doesn’t give you a dryer!
- Refillable water bottles – As I said above, disposable plastics are restricted in Costa Rica. Grab some light-weight water bottles that won’t weigh down your bags.
- Rain gear – Even though you’re tempted to load up on rain gear for the rainy season, don’t overdo it (and remember how hot those ponchos are). Wear your fast dry clothes, consider some disposable ponchos, and pack a travel umbrella. Local Costa Ricans don’t wear rain gear; they keep doing and expect to dry.
- Sunscreen! – Sunscreen lotion is very expensive in Costa Rica. If you want a spray, expect to pay $20 for a bottle. If you’re checking a bag, put your sunscreen in there. Otherwise, load up on small reef safe sunscreen bottles for your carry on – keep it ocean friendly!
Should I Have My Cell Phone in Costa Rica?
During our family Costa Rica trip, we said over and over again how glad we were we had add international service to our Verizon plans. Even though we had WiFi at our rental house and Costa Rica hotels, we used it consistently while driving around and to make plans for our Costa Rica activities. Your phone will make planning a trip to Costa Rica so much easier when in the country.
Now, if the question is, “Should my teen take her phone to Costa Rica?”, I will always say no. Let them disconnect and get back in touch with the world. It’s one more thing to lose or accidentally take in the ocean.
Your Costa Rica vacation with kids awaits with all details about the cities, sights, sloths, and recommended vacation rentals! Check out “Costa Rica 10 Day Epic Itinerary: How to Visit with Kids”.
Do I Need an International Phone Plan in Costa Rica?
With Verizon, we automatically bank one travel day per month that accumulates; this was used to have international data during our trip. If we didn’t have this Costa Rica phone plan, I would have added a one month plan which is cheaper than incidental use every day unless I plan to only have it on several days a week.
Additionally, since I planned for my Verizon phone in Costa Rica, we didn’t need to add pay for GPS rental on our rental car. Just make sure you bring a charging cord for the car with a USB? Mom and Dad both didn’t have cell phone plan; just Mom since I do all the travel planning.
Many people use digital SIM cards during travel, but I personally haven’t done this. Might be a good option though!
Will I Have Cell Phone Service in Costa Rica?
We had better and more consistent cell phone coverage in Costa Rica during out trip than we have at home while driving in the Georgia country side. At least with our Verizon plan. Check out this Verizon international coverage map or look at a similar one from your phone plan.
What are the Best Apps for International Travel?
Using a cell phone in Costa Rica is more than just making phone calls and texting photos back to friends. Travel phone apps will help with getting around Costa Rica highways, communicate with lodging, get flight notifications, and book Costa Rica attractions.
- Waze – Although we usually use our iPhone maps in the United States, we found Waze way more reliable for driving around Costa Rica. I do suggest you familiarize yourself with it ahead of time as it is very different with lots of new icons to figure out.
- What’sApp – From my experience, many international places depend on What’s App to send messages with travelers and among themselves – at least in Europe and Central America. I relied on this to meet with our Manuel Antonio house rental as well as to communicate with our excursion companies. Don’t expect locals to pay for international calls. Whats App is one of the best travel apps, and free over WiFi and your cell provider.
- Google Translator – Speak into this app and it will real time translate for you on the screen. This would be very helpful at the grocery store or restaurant if needed. Make sure you download the language over WiFi if you aren’t going to have Costa Rica phone coverage. You can even use this to work on your language learning by holding it up to objects and getting the word in Spanish.
~~~> Worried your kids will “be bored” without phones to entertain them? Have everyone disconnect in the evening with some fun travel games! Here’s our list of favorite travel games for all ages.
When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Costa Rica?
Wondering when to go to Costa Rica? You’re going to find reasons to go or avoid for any time of the year. Here’s the way I look at it.
Should I Visit Costa Rica in the Wet Season?
When you visit Costa Rica in the wet season, expect to have rain once a day. However, this doesn’t mean that it will rain every day. People in Costa Rica don’t stop activities (or even use an umbrella) when it rains; they just keep walking and expect to dry off. Bring some extra supplies and you will do fine.
If you’re worried about what to pack in the rainy season, jump to this Costa Rica packing list, and see how we keep our rainy season travel simple.
Should I Visit Costa Rica in the Dry Season?
When you visit Costa Rica in the dry season, it’s possible that the country wouldn’t have had a drop of rain for half a year. When we were there in May, we got a rain shower while tubing down Rio Celeste. They said that was the first rain in six months.
Because it was so dry, the water in the stream was low which made it difficult for tubing. The guides were pulling us down the river sometimes because it was too low. If you plan on water sports, consider going in the wet season or at least early in the dry season. Additionally, the dry season means that there will be less water in the waterfalls.
Should I Plan to Rent a Car in Costa Rica?
Although you could stay at one Costa Rica hotel which would pick you up from the airport and take you back, this would be a different type of vacation.
When we stayed at Finca Luna Nueva, there was a group who had come by hotel shuttle from the airport. When you stay at a similar all-inclusiveresort, there are many activity options connected to the resort, so you can have day trips and experience chocolate tours, animal encounters, or adventure days through the resort transportation. If you get the best Costa Rica resort, there will even be activities and things to do at the resort without leaving.
For our last trip, we used Adobe Car Rental Costa Rica. They picked us up from the airport for us to get the rental at their nearby office. We were in a car within half an hour, and instead of tryin to up-sell us on extra features, they even told us we didn’t get the pre-arranged GPS feature since I had coverage on my cell phone. A Costa Rica car rental isn’t cheap, but there wouldn’t have been a Costa Rica road trip without it.
Why is Costa Rica a Good Vacation for Families?
In my opinion, Costa Rica is a great first international destination for families – once again, my opinion. It’s relatively small to get around. The language barrier isn’t a really big deal. The roads are pretty well maintained if you plan to drive around the country. It has a high tourism rate which means that, in most places, they will speak English and make your experience relatively simple. The water is safe.
And the kids will love the water and the animals. This isn’t a “boring” history and museum trip. This kids will have less to complain about, so everyone will be happier.
~~~> If you’re wanting a more meaningful international trip for teens, read “World Mission Trips 101: How to Let Your Teen Go”. Teenage missions are even more life-changing than family travel!
Why is Costa Rica a Bad Vacation for Families?
Yes, I just said Costa Rica is a great first overseas trip. However… The touristy areas are very touristy. Because of that, there are limitations placed on the number of people who can enter some of the national parks – looking at you Manuel Antonio. If you’re looking for an authentic, off-the-beaten path experience, I would head to the east coast of Costa Rica or find some smaller towns. It is possible here but not at the main places.
Not to mention, if budget is an issue at all, I don’t think Costa Rica is your place. Many of the surrounding Central American countries cheaper. They may not have the monkeys and sloths as much in abundance, but they would be cheaper.
Can You Use Credit Cards in Costa Rica?
Credit cards for the win! Technology at the grocery store is winning in Costa Rica when compared to the United States. In contrast to the stores in the US which often have broken credit card tappers, every one I encountered in Costa Rica worked! Partially, it may be just because it is easier than worrying about trying to communicate with foreign shoppers.
Make sure you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee. You will save money by not having to depend on the conversion rates that different stores and restaurants are offering you. This is a great way to add in some real life homeschool math during your trip!
Don’t get bogged down in the details of planning your Costa Rica family vacation with kids. Simplify it by stealing my 10 day Costa Rica itinerary! Check out “Costa Rica 10 Day Epic Itinerary: How to Visit with Kids”.
Can You Use US Currency in Costa Rica?
Because you pay a conversion rate to change your US dollars to Costa Rican colones, we didn’t hardly use cash at all. We converted some at the Costa Rica airport – probably not the best rate. But once we realized (most) everyone took our credit cards at grocery stores and restaurants, we hardly used it. We did use it to buy souvenirs at small shops, but they would have just as willingly taken US dollars. Yes, convert some money or get it from your home bank ahead of the trip, but don’t feel like you have to get a lot.
My Top Foreign Currency Tip
When traveling, I tend to double check all the math being done. Download a currency conversion app. Practice some math skills. Or use the conversion part of your Apple calculator.
Many places you go, the cashiers will often have their own calculator where they type in the total price in colones and the conversion rate they are using to figure it out in US dollars. They’ll do this even if you’re paying with credit card. Make sure you are getting a reasonable rate. I would usually sit there with my phone open while they ring up my order to make sure the total was being added correctly and to make sure the conversion (if there was one) was accurate.
Bonus tip: It will actually save you money if you don’t have them convert and just pay in colones. As long as you make sure your credit card will work with foreign currency, save yourself from losing a percentage of the transaction through an unnecessary conversion. You’ll just see it on your credit card statement in colones. No problem.
Ready to Book Your Costa Rica Vacation?
Finding family friendly Costa Rica hotels took longer than any other aspect of our Costa Rica planning. Save time and check out these tried and tested hotels. We stayed at these resorts and at a home rental in Manuel Antonio. Check out this unique rental house; man this would have been cool!
- Adventure Inn, San José, Costa Rica – This hotel offers transport to the San José airport and has rooms large enough for a family of six. Enjoy an evening of swimming at the hotel and eating at the hotel restaurant. Click here and book Adventure Inn today.
- Finca Luna Nueva, La Fortuna, Costa Rica – Read all about why I planned our entire Costa Rica trip around availability here! Read this article again and book your Finca Luna Nueva trip now!
- Hotel Rio Celeste – Only minutes from Tenorio National Park and the beautiful blue Rio Celeste, this little hotel and its beautiful tropical grounds was a perfect base for exploring. Check out Hotel Rio Celeste here.
Make sure you head over to this super-detailed Costa Rica planning post! “10 Day Epic Itinerary: How to Visit Costa Rica with Kids”. All the planning has been done for you here.
Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions to help plan your Costa Rica vacation.
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Thanks for stopping by my little corner! Here’s to your next adventure.
I’m Bobbie. As transplants from Texas, my family of six is on a mission to discover all of Georgia’s amazing places, experience amazing road trips across the United States, and create a homeschool life along the way.
Want to adventure like me? Reach out! I’d love to chat. Stop by my Instagram or Pinterest page to discover more of our adventures.
Want to work with me? I’d love to work with your destination and tourism board to help other family travelers see all you have to offer.
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