This trip was all about packing three generations of our family into a rented Hyundai Staria and seeing how much of Costa Rica we could fall in love with in 9 days. Grandma, grandpa, our five-year-old, our friend Kat, and the two of us covered Panama City, La Fortuna, Rio Celeste, Tamarindo, and Monteverde, and came home tired, mosquito-bitten, and already planning how to get back. We are usually the cool-weather, Europe trip travelers, so it was fun to get out of our usual adventures and try something totally different. This is our full Costa Rica family trip itinerary, full of the good, the wet, and the flat tire we’ll be laughing about for years.
Our 9-Day Costa Rica Itinerary at a Glance
- Day 0-1: Travel day + Panama City layover
- Day 2: Fly into San Jose, Starbucks Hacienda Alsacia, drive to La Fortuna
- Day 3: Horseback riding + La Fortuna waterfall, Arenal Hanging Bridges, hot springs
- Day 4: Rio Celeste hike, river tubing, our infamous flat tire
- Day 5: Drive to Tamarindo, ATV beach tour
- Day 6-7: Monteverde — mangrove estuary tour, cloud forest, coffee/cocoa/sugar tour, night hike
- Day 8: Alajuela, chasing (and mostly missing) volcano views
- Day 9: Fly home
(Full day-by-day details and booking links are below, or grab our complete itinerary breakdown (coming soon) for planning your own trip.)
Away We Go!
We flew Copa Airlines from San Diego to Panama, and booking wasn’t the smoothest process — a few phone calls and a little patience waiting for prices to drop made it work out. The flight itself was about what you’d expect from an overnight international flight: no seatback screens (bring your own device, though at least they have a mount), a broken recliner in our row, and not much sleep. The food was solid for airplane food, and we drank an embarrassing amount of guava juice.
Panama City Layover
Copa’s extended layover program let us spend a full day in Panama City instead of just passing through, which was a great way to cross Panama off the list without a separate trip. We booked a private tour through Panama Your Way, and our guide Gabriel picked us up straight from the airport. If you ever have a Panama layover, we can’t recommend them enough; they handled everything except our hotel.
First stop was the Panama Canal, where we watched a massive ship move through the locks and learned the history behind one of the most impressive engineering feats in the world. The IMAX film on-site is worth the watch; it was included with the ticket. We were so tired from travel, though, that we fought staying awake in that dark, cool room.
From there, we wandered the Amador/Admiral Causeway, which is touristy, but a pretty drive with a chance to feed the fish and take a photo with the iconic Panama sign.
Casco Viejo
Our last stop of the day was Casco Viejo, Panama City’s old town; our guide drove us through the history before dropping us off at our hotel. We decided to check out a Geisha coffee tasting experience (not a formal tour, more of a presentation, but genuinely interesting). It decided to downpour on our walk over; that was interesting. We tried all three roasts alongside dates, a truffle, and flan, and it was a great experience, even a little wet. Geisha coffee is pretty different than the coffee we were used to, and even from the Costa Rican coffee we would come to find out.
Dinner was at Fonda Lo Que Hay. The fish came out whole, flambéed tableside (🔥), alongside an incredible seafood plate with octopus. We stayed at a small, charming hotel called Oasis. I should note that while there is an elevator in the main area, the rooms have stairs to the second-story bedroom. It was also loud if you’re near the rooftop deck, but cute and central. One tip if you’re headed to Panama in August: it is hot and humid, and the rain, while warm, comes down hard. A good packable rain jacket proved worth my splurge. (More on that in our Costa Rica packing list).
Gabriel picked us up again the next morning, bright and early for the airport. If you’re weighing whether to use a layover program instead of just stopping over, do it. A full day and night in Panama City turned a long travel day into its own mini adventure.
But First, Coffee (Farm)
Our Costa Rica family trip in San Jose and picked up our rental. A Hyundai Staria with the third row removed to make room for luggage. We booked through MyTanFeet, who gave us a discount and answered all my questions before we ever left home. The van seated all six of us comfortably, charged every device we owned, and sipped gas so slowly we only filled up once during the entire trip. It wasn’t 4-wheel drive, which is generally recommended for the wet season, but we never ran into a road that actually required it.
On the way to La Fortuna, we stopped at Starbucks Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks’ actual working coffee farm. The farm walk was a great overview of how the beans are grown and processed. The views over the property are fantastic, but it was smaller than we expected, though worth the stop. As a former Starbucks barista, I’ll be honest: the coffee tasting was a little underwhelming, since it was just one brew rather than a lineup of roasts paired with food. The paths were also hillier than advertised and not especially cane-friendly, which was tough for my father-in-law. Lunch (sandwiches, pastries, a few specialty drinks) arrived right as our tour was starting, so we ended up packing it to go. Still — the view of the farm alone made it worth the stop.
Off to La Fortuna
From there it’s about a three-hour drive to the Arenal/La Fortuna area. Do this drive during the day if you can, both for the views and for road visibility. We checked into a VRBO; the host, Gabby, greeted us with fresh coconuts and couldn’t have been a more gracious host. Too much cloud cover to see the volcano that first evening, but the place had comfortable AC’d rooms and a lovely patio to unwind on.
Dinner was at Fortuneño. We got tacos, arroz con pollo, a chicken wrap, and a soursop smoothie in a charming little space. They were slammed at their main location but offered faster seating a couple of minutes down the road at their second spot, just a few minutes’ walk up the road,
La Fortuna: Horses, Hanging Bridges, and Hot Springs
We started the morning horseback riding to La Fortuna Waterfall. What a way to see the beautiful scenery of La Fortuna; definitely recommend! We had a patient and knowledgeable guide. Our five-year-old rode her own horse tethered to his; she was ecstatic. We stopped for coconut water straight from the coconut along the way.
The waterfall itself required a million steps down (and back up), and the water was freezing, but it was stunning.
In the afternoon we did the Arenal Hanging Bridges guided tour at Mistico Park. I’d read that the trail was a fairly flat, easy walk — it is not. It’s hilly, though manageable. It wasn’t as bad as I thought for anyone with a fear of heights. My mother-in-law white-knuckled her way across, but she survived. I just kept my eyes up above the horizon. The park has over 350 bird species and 700 plant species, and the guide was worth every colón. He spotted animals we absolutely would have walked right past. The trail includes six hanging bridges (though one was closed while we were there, to the dismay of my mother-in-law *sarcasm) over 3.2 km and takes around 2.5 hours.
Hot Springs to End the Day
We ended the day soaking at the hot springs at Relax Terminales. A day pass was about $10, which was perfect since we only had a couple of hours. Two separate areas: one with a pirate ship bar and a dinosaur, plus a cold pool and a string of increasingly hot pools. We never made it to the hottest ones; they get HOT. The second area had seven pools of varying temperatures, a few slides, and snack bars scattered around. After the horses and the hike, soaking our bones was exactly what we needed. We grabbed food beforehand at a soda in the same parking lot. The food was fine, but the service was rough. In hindsight, we wished we’d known about the other options right there before settling.
Rio Celeste’s Blue Waterfall (and a Flat Tire Ordeal)
We left early for the Rio Celeste hike in Tenorio Volcano National Park. It is open 8 am–4 pm with last entry at 2 pm. We went around 11 am and didn’t see many animals, and it rained for roughly a third of our walk. The canopy offers some cover, but a real rain jacket is non-negotiable here. The famous blue water was only partially blue that day. And the main viewing platform was closed, so we saw it from the steps rather than up close. Still pretty, just not the postcard shot. We continued to the mirador just past the falls, which wasn’t especially spectacular. Entrance is $12 per person. Booking online in advance is required through the SINAC reservation system. Fair warning: the booking site is finicky, and have everyone’s passport info ready before you book.
In the afternoon we went river tubing with Costa Rica Authentic Experiences. It was, honestly, a highlight of the entire trip. We showed up 45 minutes late thanks to a mix-up on our part (we thought our booking was for 2 pm; it was for 1:30), and got lost on top of that. The guides were unbelievably understanding and waived the late penalty entirely (we tipped generously to make up for it). The water was cool, pretty, and not as vividly blue as it can be, but the guides made everyone — including grandma and our five-year-old — feel completely safe. If you’re coming to Rio Celeste, book this.
Dinner and a Flat
Dinner was at Tapirus, just up the road from our VRBO, and it was fantastic. The waiters wear bow ties and greet you at the door, so we wondered if we could afford it. Only to find out it’s surprisingly reasonable. Caribbean chicken with yucca, shrimp, sea bass, and chifrijo was enjoyed by all.
Then, walking out, our waiter stopped us to inform us we had a flat tire. Great. I got on the phone with Adobe to get the info. Meanwhile, we figured out where the tools we needed were and moved to a lit spot in the parking lot. It was all going well until we could not get the tire off. We kicked and pulled; nothing. The owner of the restaurant ran to his house down the road for tools. Then he called a friend. All while waiting for roadside assistance (we were in a less popular town, so no surprise no one was close). The friend who came ended up straight-up Hercules-style throwing the spare at the old tire, and after a couple of times the tire popped off. Then we got the new one on, finally.
We cannot believe how hard and crazy that was; changing a tire is usually not this hard! It was so amazing how nice everyone was and how helpful they were. While it was stressful in the moment, it will definitely be one of the lasting memories of the trip.
We stayed at Hikers Hideaway, a VRBO with serene views and a wraparound porch perfect for morning bird-watching. The hosts stocked the kitchen with breakfast supplies. There’s a trail on the property we didn’t have time for. We regretted not booking an extra night here to actually slow down.
Tamarindo: ATVs, Beaches, and a Baby Bird
We grabbed coffee along the way out at the Starbucks in Llano Grande; the crew wanted coffee, I just wanted a mug for my travel wall. Then headed to Tamarindo for an ATV beach tour with Transfers 506. David drove a four-seater with the grandparents; I took a two-seater with our daughter, and Kat rode solo. The guides made everyone feel safe the whole way. We stopped at the prettiest, warmest beach of the entire trip to swim and drink smoothies. Plus one more gorgeous beach we wish we’d bookmarked to come back to. We snacked on some fresh pineapple at the end, which we shared with a resident lizard, Lucy. Another little bonus was to hold a bird the tour company was rehabilitating. My daughter was ecstatic.
We stayed right in town at Villas Macondo. Small rooms; could’ve used a lot more pillows, but the location made it worth it for an overnight. A resident black cat named Biolah patrolled the area around our rooms, and the pool was a great cooldown after the ATVs. We ate at a food hall a block away (smashburger, arepas, pizza… there was something for everyone) and finished with gelato from a stand across the street. One warning if you stay here: watch out for the birds on the wire out on the side streets. A couple of us learned the hard way.
Monteverde: Mangroves, Cloud Forest, and Monkeys in the Trees
We started the morning with pastries and fresh sourdough bread from Breaking Bread Bakery and coffee from Derecho Sagrado across the street. One thing I learned on this trip is that Costa Rica isn’t big on decaf, so I stuck to a chai, but the cinnamon honey latte our friends got was fantastic. We took our daughter to the beach and found a ton of seashells. Worth knowing: it’s not actually legal to take shells out of Costa Rica. We didn’t know this beforehand, and thankfully it wasn’t an issue, but plan accordingly.
From there, a mangrove estuary tour with Native’s Way took us along the water by boat. We spotted crocodiles, birds, lizards, crabs, and monkeys, with drinks and fresh pineapple included.
The drive to Monteverde is long but beautiful, winding up into the mountains. We stayed at a bnb called the Moon Wonders with gorgeous views and so much charm, and had dinner at Tingos nearby. This was genuinely one of the best meals of the trip. The Caribbean sea bass and chicken were perfectly seasoned, the vegetarian chifrijo was excellent, and the little empanadas and chicharrón plate disappeared fast. I had a tapache cocktail unlike any version I’ve had at home.
Monteverde
We woke up the next morning to an entire troop of monkeys in the trees around the VRBO. It was one of those “we live here now” moments. After coffee and pastries at a café in town, we headed to Treetopia for the cable car ride through the cloud forest. Full transparency: the walk at the top was shorter than we expected, and the hanging bridges are a separate purchase we skipped. In hindsight, we’d have preferred just doing the walking trail instead of the cable car. We only chose the cable car because one member of our group walks with a cane. We wanted him to be able to see the forest too.
The highlight of Monteverde, though, was the Don Juan 4-in-1 tour. It is an interactive coffee, cocoa, and sugar cane tour (sugar cane straight off the stalk is surprisingly good) followed by their two-hour night tour. We spotted lizards, a porcupine, and a bunch of bugs. My five-year-old loved using the flashlights to hunt for eyes in the dark. Note: closed-toe shoes and long pants are required for the night tour. A rain jacket and water bottle are recommended.
Alajuela: Chasing Volcanoes and a Hole-in-the-Wall Dinner
We started with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast and excellent smoothies at Stella’s in Monteverde. Our Bnb host recommended it; it was reasonably priced, with good food and a covered patio that kept us dry during light rain.
We’d planned to stop in Puntarenas for brunch, but it wasn’t as interesting as we’d hoped, so we kept driving. A quick stop at Playa Caldera let us dip our toes in warm water on black sand, though it wasn’t a spot worth lingering. The weather stayed cloudy and wet, which meant Poás Volcano was a no-go — always a gamble in August.
By the time we reached Alajuela, we were tired and hungry, and stumbled into a tiny soda called Restaurante El Fogoncito near our VRBO that turned out to be one of our favorite meals of the trip. The staff made us feel completely at home, played a little game that won one of us a tote bag, and spoiled our daughter with cookies.
Heading Home
We had an early flight out, so our last day was all travel. We stopped for salsa Lizano in the airport gift shop and grabbed a few last-minute souvenirs. Then had a layover in Panama. Interesting note: they do security screening at the gate for flights heading to the US. It was a long day but an easy one; we came home already missing the food, people, and country. Our five-year-old started kindergarten the next week, so it really was back to reality fast. Costa Rica earned a permanent spot on our “we’re coming back” list to our surprise.
Planning your own trip? Check out our Costa Rica packing list for exactly what we brought, or dig into our city-by-city guides for La Fortuna, Rio Celeste, Tamarindo, Monteverde, and Alajuela for more detail on each stop.