My Favorite Costa Rica Activities
I just love Costa Rica! Pura Vida says it all. The people are so friendly and there is so much to do. We love exploring the beaches, finding hidden waterfalls, and seeing all of the animals — a variety of monkeys, colorful birds, and sloths. You can visit several ecosystems within a short drive from rainforest to the cloud forest and two coasts. The food is so fresh and amazing. We have visited three times and our family always feels safe there. It is a destination that we consider visiting again when deciding where to take our next trip.
Here are my favorite activities — in no particular order.
These are my honest opinions and recommendations — I do not receive any compensation or discounts during our travel. This story does include some affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please click the links to support my blog.
Zip lines
Costa Rica has crazy awesome zip lines. After you experience these you will double-think zip lining any place else — this is hard to top!
We went with Sky Trek in La Fortuna; they are now called Sky Adventures with “Sky Trek” the name of the zip lines. There are others in the are as well and most offer combination tours. We added on their hike with a naturalist (“Sky Walk”). The hike takes you across several very long and high hanging bridges and down to a picturesque waterfall. The guide teaches you a lot along the way — most memorable for us was learning about the leaf cutter ants. They are hard workers!
Of course you are here for zip lines and wowza they are fast, high, and long. Look for coatimundis in the trees on your tram ride up. Oh, those views from the top and from the zip lines! Younger kids have an opportunity to join in but have to double up with a guide for more weight. Our youngest guy did this and it worked out well.
Surfing
Costa Rica is surfer paradise! Rent boards or take a lesson. We have taken lessons at both Jaco and Dominical. Both beaches had awesome long gentle rollers for beginners. And, this activity is not just for the kids. My husband learned how to surf in Costa Rica in his early forties! On the other hand, my youngest guy started surfing at seven years old and was just as good as the rest of us!
Waterfalls
There are well-known falls and many more that a local can point you towards. Wear your swimsuit because it is a blast to get in and swim around. You may want to bring a towel too! Remember, do not leave anything visible out in your car.
Beach hopping
With all that coastline you better believe the beaches are awesome! If you have that rental car, get out and explore. We usually go in November when it is not high season; we have had stretches of beaches all to ourselves. I wish I could give you a favorite, but there are so many amazing beaches in Costa Rica that I can’t pick just one.
Hiking and wildlife
This hardly needs an explanation — there are plenty of hiking opportunities in Costa Rica. Along a beach. In the jungle. Over volcanic rocks. To a waterfall. So much fun! We have had memorable hikes in Manual Antonio National Park, Arenal 1968 Lava Trail, Corcovado National Park, Uvita, Monteverde Cloud Forest, and so many more. Be on the lookout for incredible wildlife while you are in Costa Rica. Get used to looking up in the trees for sloths, birds, and monkeys!
Go out on your own or with a guide. It is really nice to take a guided tour at some point to learn about the history of the area and the wildlife, flora, etc. Guides know where to look for birds and animals so you usually see more. A guide can point out things you may otherwise pass right by!
Hot springs
Most of Costa Rica’s hot springs are in the Arenal Volcano area. Go on the cheap to a natural spot in the thermal river near Tabacon or visit the thermal pools at an area resort. Most resorts offer day passes if you are not staying there. We enjoyed the lovely Tabacon without kids — this luxurious resort hosts a several pools with gorgeous landscaping. We changed gears to the more engineered Los Lagos with kids. Kids and adults alike will have fun on the hot tub water slides. Los Lagos also has butterfly and other farms and take a drive up to the observation deck before leaving.
We also enjoyed the hot springs pools further north at the remote Blue River Resort in Rincon de la Vieja. They also had a sauna heated by the thermal river and a mud bath. However, our oldest son accidentally walked into the hot river (long story!) and got scalded. Please be careful.
Horseback riding
We found the stable horses to be healthy and well cared for. If it matters to you, ask the company how much trotting or galloping they allow. Some do and some do not. We did an afternoon jungle ride to a waterfall at the Blue River Resort in Rincon de la Vieja. We were able to gallop for awhile which was fun. Although I am not really sure they wanted us to go as far or fast as we did!
White water rafting
We have gone on two rafting excursions with H2O Adventures — they were great. Our first trip was on the Pacuare River out of San Jose. Our second one was on the Savegre River from Manual Antonio. Your rafting company will make suggestions based on the time of year and level you want to experience. We like level 3-4 rapids now, but level 2-3 was better when the kids were younger. Bonus: you will likely spot amazing wildlife along the way!
Ocean kayaking
This is a fun tour and may include some snorkeling as well. We did ocean kayaking at both Tamarindo and Uvita. Uvita has a unique sandbar — it is out of this world to ride the waves both back and forth as the tide comes in.
