Active Family Getaway to Costa Rica: Monteverde, Manuel Antonio & Drake Bay - 11 Days

Day 1: Arrive in San José, Transfer to Monteverde, Cloud Forest Night Walk

Welcome to Costa Rica! A Central American gem and one of the world's most biodiverse countries, Costa Rica's varied landscapes, nature, and wildlife make it a great family-friendly destination. After touching down in San José, a driver will be waiting to take you three hours northwest of the capital to Monteverde. This small town in the Cordillera de Tilarán mountain range is one of Costa Rica's main ecotourism hotspots, known for its cloud forests, wildlife, and endless choices in outdoor activities and adventures. After getting settled at your lodgings, spend the rest of the day recharging after your flight.

When evening approaches, you'll get your first look at the cloud forest with a kid-friendly night hike. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel at sunset, and you'll make the drive out to the trails. Begin your walk through the forest, watching it come alive as nocturnal animals (nearly 80% of the animals that live here are nocturnal) emerge. Your expert guide will share information about the forest and the different species and will be quick to point them out, giving you and the kids a chance to see frogs, bats, insects, and rare creatures like kinkajous or ocelots—none of which you'll see during the day! 

Day 2: Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure, Selvatura Sloth Sanctuary 

It's all about high-flying fun today as you head back into the cloud forest, starting with a walk along the forest's hanging bridges. Meet your guide in the morning and begin your nature walk, traversing the forest canopy as you take in sweeping views of the surrounding reserve. Learn about the mammals, birds, and plant life that thrive here while you gain a better understanding of the importance of preserving what is one of the last tracts of cloud forest in Central America. 

After your walking tour, tackle one of the most popular activities in Costa Rica—ziplining through the forest canopy! Your guide will get the family harnessed up, and you'll take a wild ride down the mountain, flying through the density of the cloud forest. You'll also get to see and hear the natural activity of birds, insects, and other mammals as you soar across the treetops in a truly memorable experience.

Later today, visit the Selvatura Park Sloth Sanctuary for an up-close and personal encounter with smiling, tree-dwelling sloths. The sanctuary is home to more than 20 sloths who were taken in due to poaching, habitat destruction, illness, or accidents—all of which make the sloths unable to be reintroduced into the wild. The exhibits closely replicate their natural habitat, and you'll be able to observe them roaming the trees in freedom and safety. Your guides will share information about the species, their habits, and the efforts made to protect them and their environment.

Day 3: Cloud Forest Guided Hike, Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Dive even deeper into Monteverde's nature today with a gentle guided hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. This family-friendly, four-hour adventure showcases the region's incredible biodiversity, and you'll learn about the mammals, birds, and plant life that call the forest home. Birders in the family will love the more than 350 species of birds, and you're also likely to see monkeys, frogs, and other wildlife. After the hike, stop at a women's artisan cooperative, where local women sell handmade crafts and other goods, then return to town.

This afternoon, learn more about some of Costa Rica's biggest exports: coffee, chocolate, and sugar. Take a guided tour of a local farm, where working farmers will show you how coffee is grown and processed, and you and the kids will get a chance to see the "coffee cherries" as they're harvested. Visit the drying patio, where you'll see how the hot and dry climate allows the coffee beans to dry naturally, and stop in the warehouse, where the beans are stored in fiber sacks that allow them to breathe and complete their aging process. 

Next, you'll see what will probably be the favorite part of the day for kids and adults alike—the chocolate processing center! See how small cocoa beans are transformed into chocolate and learn about traditional methods used to roast and grind them. Of course, there will also be chocolate to sample. End with a visit to the sugar cane fields, where your guide will educate you on the importance of sugar cane in Costa Rica. The kids can extract sugar from the stalk with a traditional press, and you'll all get to try a glass of pure sugar cane juice.

Day 4: Transfer to Manuel Antonio, Family Beach Day 

Get ready for some coastal fun as you head to the beaches of Manuel Antonio. This popular resort district is located just south of Manuel Antonio National Park, offering endless expanses of sand and sea, rainforests, and abundant wildlife. Your driver will pick your family up from your hotel after check out, and you'll make the scenic 3.5-hour transfer to your accommodations in Manuel Antonio. Once you've checked in, make the most of those gorgeous sandy shores with a family beach day.

Start at Playa Espadilla, which is actually comprised of two beaches, Espadilla Norte and Espadilla Sur. Espadilla Norte is located closest to town and has equipment rentals, restaurants, lifeguards, and other amenities, while Espadilla Sur is part of the national park—you'll need to pay a fee to enter, and it's about a 30-minute walk through the jungle to get to the beach. 

If the kids are interested in beachcombing and marine life, spend some time at Playa Manuel Antonio. This is also part of the national park but is considered more easily accessible than Espadilla Sur. With pure white sand and clear waters, this is an excellent snorkeling spot, and the tidal pools around the beach are brimming with sea life. Smaller kids will love seeing the small fish, crabs, and sea urchins in the pools, and teens can snorkel with tropical fish. Tonight, relax at your hotel or take the family to dinner at a local restaurant. 

Day 5: Kayak the Mangroves of Isla Damas, Horseback Ride to Tocori Waterfall

Explore the mangrove forests of Isla Damas via kayak today. You'll be picked up from your hotel (exact departure times depend on the tides) and your guides will take you to the mangroves, where you'll don your life vests and climb into single or double kayaks. Paddle along the natural canals and forest canopy as your expert guide points out birds such as herons or ospreys, and the kids look for wildlife such as white-faced monkeys, anteaters, and iguanas. Float through the gentle currents and past Isla Damas along the way. This is a great family activity for all ages, with no kayaking experience required! 

Later, learn more about Costa Rica's exotic plants and rare wildlife with a horseback ride through the Tocari Ecological Reserve. Your guide will transport you to a ranch near the reserve, just a few minutes outside of town. After everyone receives a safety and equipment briefing, you'll mount up for a ride through the jungle. Enjoy a relaxing ride along the trails at a pace determined by your family's individual comfort and abilities.

After riding for about an hour, you'll leave the horses on the trail and continue on foot, getting a closer view of the exotic plant and animal life here and visiting the rushing waters of Tocori Waterfall. Take a dip in the pristine waters and cool off while indulging in delicious local fresh fruits and drinks. After resting and refreshing, it's back to the horses for a ride through the meandering Tocori streams, returning to the ranch in time for lunch. Enjoy a traditional Costa Rican casado (plate lunch with meat, rice, and beans) at the ranch, and the kids can visit with the horses before you return to Manuel Antonio.

Day 6: Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

You'll want to rouse the family early this morning as you set out on a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. At 1,680 acres (680 ha), this is the smallest of Costa Rica's national parks, but it's also one of the most biodiverse, with a vast range of plants and forested areas, and wildlife that includes sloths, monkeys, and hundreds of bird species. The rainforest here runs all the way from the mountains to the coast, stretching across white-sand beaches and coral reefs. 

Meet up with your expert naturalist guide and head out along what are mostly flat, easy trails that are good for all fitness levels. Learn about the more than 300 species of mammals and birds that call the reserve home, and see some of them in their natural habitats. Your guide will have a spotting scope on hand so everyone can get a look at even the shyest residents. You'll also have time to walk through the rainforest to the park's expansive beaches, where the kids can take a dip in the surf. Have lunch at the park's restaurant before returning to town.

This afternoon, see some of the sights around Manuel Antonio town. In addition to glorious beaches and Manuel Antonio National Park, there are plenty of things to see and do. Stroll the city center, stopping in at one of the many local shops or treating the kids to ice cream, or visit the beach, where you might get to see some whales breaching offshore. The waters around Manuel Antonio are great for whale watching, as the migration patterns of humpback whales bring them here much of the year. If the kids want to get a closer view, you can also opt for a whale watching tour.

Day 7: Transfer to Drake Bay, Gateway to Corcovado National Park

You're off to Drake Bay today, a small coastal village located on the Osa Peninsula in the far southwest of Costa Rica. This area is considered one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, home to 2.5% of its species, and it's the gateway to Corcovado National Park, one of the country's most remote and rugged national parks. About as far off the tourist trail as you can get in Costa Rica, Corcovado is also famous for having the largest tract of rainforest on the Pacific coast, which is home to almost 500 species of birds and other wildlife.

After the four-hour transfer, check in at your accommodations, then take the family out for a walk along nearby trails to stretch your legs, or relax on the beach and enjoy the brilliant colors of the sunset over the ocean. Sample traditional cuisine at a local restaurant before returning to your hotel for the night. 

Day 8: Snorkeling Fun at Isla del Caño

Take a snorkeling excursion to Isla del Caño, an amazing marine biological reserve located just 45 minutes from Drake Bay via boat. You'll meet up with your boat captain at the docks and head out, cruising through the blue ocean waters while taking in the incredible morning views across the horizon until you arrive at Caño. While the island itself is quite beautiful, the real attraction is underwater. Once you and the kids get your equipment on, dive in and see why! 

The reefs and waters of the island are famous for snorkeling and diving, and you'll be treated to more than 15 species of coral, huge banks of colorful fish, rays, sharks, morays, and turtles. It's also very common to see dolphins and whales. After visiting this otherworldly underwater realm, you'll go to nearby Playa San Josecito, where you'll have lunch, and the kids can snorkel some more, or you can take a family hike on the trails around the beach. 

Day 9: Corcovado National Park Boat Tour & Hike

Go deep into the far reaches of the jungle in the remote Corcovado National Park today, traveling by boat and by foot to see the unspoiled wonders of the rainforest. The park is a spectacular blend of rainforest and pristine coastline, containing more than 10 different ecosystems, including lowland rainforests, palm forests, cloud forests, coastal beaches, and mangroves. As your family explores, make sure everyone keeps a lookout for some of the park's rarest and most endangered inhabitants: giant anteaters, tapirs, scarlet macaws, and jaguars, among others.

Your journey begins at Playa Agujitas, where you'll take a 30-minute boat ride along the peninsula's western shore to the San Pedrillo Ranger Station. As the boat comes in bow first, you'll splash the final feet to shore, evoking the experiences of early explorers to this remote region. Once on land, enjoy a guided hike through the rainforest and along the shoreline, taking in the sights and sounds of the park's wildlife. During the hike, the kids might like to stop at one of the park's many waterfall swimming holes, or you can all relax on the beach and watch the waves roll in before returning to Agujitas by boat.

Day 10: Fly to San José, Self-Guided City Tour

Your last full day in Costa Rica takes you from jungle to city as you depart Drake Bay and fly back to bustling San José. Once you've had a chance to rest and regroup, head out on a self-guided tour and explore this vibrant metropolis. Start with a visit to Mercado Central, where you'll find local vendors selling produce, souvenirs, and delicious street foods. From here, head to Parque Central, a lovely green space with fun outdoor art sculptures that the kids will enjoy. Not far from the park is the Teatro Nacional, built in the late 1800s and an excellent example of neoclassical architecture.

See the Museo del Oro Precolombino (Pre-Columbian Gold Museum) and the Museo del Jade (Jade Museum), where your family can learn about Costa Rica's rich history and culture. Then, walk through the historic Barrio Amón neighborhood, home to cafetalero (coffee grower) mansions built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of this area's historic buildings have been converted into hotels, restaurants, and galleries. The district is also known for its theater, dance, and musical performances—seeing a show could be the perfect way to spend your last night in the city! 

Day 11: Depart San José

Your Costa Rican family adventure comes to an end today. At the appointed time, a driver will collect you from your hotel and transfer you to the airport, where you'll catch your flight home or to your next destination. Safe travels! 

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