Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast Family Tour

Braulio Carrillo is Costa Rica’s largest national park and receives far fewer visitors than Arenal, which is the country’s most popular destination. Rolling hills and dark green rainforest set the scene along with swirling mists and a sense of old-world mystique. An open gondola will provide a perfect introduction to the rainforest nature, and these aerial trams travel slowly through the rainforest canopy and are an ideal size for families. From the rainforest canopy, you can explore with your eyes and ears without needing to hike or get muddy on the trails. After half a day in the national park, you will spend the evening at a lodge that is hidden inside the trees.

You will continue your rainforest adventure this morning with a mix of hiking and ziplining adventures in Braulio Carrillo National Park. The open gondola is best-suited for exploring during the middle of the day. Hiking is better during the morning because it is cooler and less humid. Your guide will outline a variety of possible trails, so your hike can be tailored to the ages and fitness levels in your family. After the rainforest floor, you will return to the canopy, but this time, by zooming between the trees on a zipline. After lunch back at the lodge, you will be transferred to Rio Pacuare and a charming lodge on the river.

Today, you will be able to feel the seclusion of a river that is mostly inaccessible by foot or road. On a private white-water rafting trip, your family will be in the same raft as a guide. You will start with some gentle beginner rapids and grow accustomed to the experience, especially how to paddle and what to do if you fall into the water. After covering half of the river, you can choose whether to continue or to stop for the day. This will also be up to your guide, who can make a decision on whether it is safe enough for you to paddle on to more advanced sections. It is hard to predict the situation before you arrive, but you will have a full day on the water, exploring an exotic landscape that sees very few visitors.

Puerto Viejo is an enchanting town on the Caribbean coast that is dominated by Afro-Caribbean culture and rich swathes of nature. After a transfer to your hotel, you will be met by a local guide who can tailor the day to your interests. Your guide can arrange a cultural Puerto Viejo tour, which includes a Caribbean dance lesson or Caribbean cooking class. Cahuita National Park is another option, and here, you can indulge in a short stroll to hidden beaches, searching for howler monkeys and tree-hanging sloths along the way. Superb snorkeling can be enjoyed inside the national park, and this is also accessible from the shore.

Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge is semi-wild and great for families. Its lush rainforest is similar to Braulio Carrillo, but the animals are concentrated in a relatively small area, which means that you can see many without a zipline or gondola through the canopy. During this week in Costa Rica, you should encounter at least three different monkey species along with a full repertoire of tropical birds. Jaguars are a different story because these magnificent creatures are rarely ever seen in Costa Rica’s national parks; however, Jaguar Centro de Rescate will provide you with an almost guaranteed experience with this predatory legend of the Americas. You will meet some of these animals, and almost every family visit includes time with a jaguar. After a morning in Manzanillo, the afternoon will be at your leisure.

The private transfer from Puerto Viejo to San Jose will take four and a half-hours. That does allow a little morning time to enjoy the beach although you may be busy making sure everything is packed for your journey home. Your hotel is literally on the sand, so your kids can have space to run around and swim before you venture back toward San Jose. For morning departures from San Jose, you will need to stay another night in the capital. Later flights are better as you can savor some final hours on the Caribbean coast before starting the trip home.