Our family trip to Costa Rica was an incredi...
Costa Rica | Mar 21 - Apr 2, 2024

Jen
Jen M.
Mequon, WI | Reviewed on May 02, 2024

Our family trip to Costa Rica was an incredible experience. We originally planned it for March of 2020. The world shut down a day before we were scheduled to leave. Our travel experiences did not disappoint and more than made up for the fact that we had to put our trip on hold. We are appreciative for Kimkim for honoring our plans and letting us postpone our trip. The itinerary for our replanned 2024 adventure was adapted to the fact that our kids are older and we had many adventures.
The first lodging we stayed at was Las Brisas de Arenal, a family owned hotel that consists of separate lodging buildings. Carlos and his family are kind and we still exchange what’s app messages with him. Our daughter (8 years old) fell in love with their dogs and we all loved the parrot Matilda. The picturesque surroundings are amazing and relaxing. Lounging in the hammock on the patio outside our room overlooking the Arenal volcano puff stream into the air was a wonderful way to siesta in the afternoons. The breakfasts of fresh fruit, coffee with warm milk, eggs and toast sustained us before our adventures daily.
Out first experience was a river float tour on las Peña Blancas. We saw so many animals including sloths, iguanas, toucans, monkeys, piranas, and other beautiful birds.
Other favorites was zip lining above the canopy and soaking in the hot springs. The volcano hike was a bit much in the heat of the afternoon for our kids.

After La Fortuna, we traveled south to Manuel Antonio. La Mariposa hotel was accommodating and we all love the breakfasts and swimming in the infinity pool each day. The view of the ocean, seeing the parrots and monkeys in the trees was like a dream. The surrounding beaches are beautiful. Restaurants are within walking distance. We went in a waterfall daylong adventure that was a family favorite, exploring 5 different waterfalls that included a natural waterslide, and a delicious lunch.
We learned so much information and history about Costa Rica on all of our planned trips. Everyone we met was kind. The culture and people are welcoming and shared so much of their beloved country.

We highly recommend traveling to Costa Rica, planning a trip with KimKim and learning about our world. Our trip expanded our horizons and we will look to take another family adventure in the near future.

Hotel Reviews
Brisas Arenal
Alajuela Province, La Fortuna

Las Brisas de Arenal feels like our home away from home. A family owned and operated hotel that is surrounded by the beauty of Costa Rica! We would stay there again! Carlos and his family (including dogs) are friendly and made us feel welcome. We were able to relax there in between daily adventure around La Fortuna. We highly recommend Las Brisas.

Authenticity & Character
Family owned and operated. Genuine people centered. Beautiful!
Location
We traveled through the cloud forest to get to Las Brisas. All of our trip was planned with transportation arranged for day trips and the hotel wasn’t too far.
Staff
We really enjoyed getting to know the staff. We formed a connection that we keep to this day through what’s app messages.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Our room was cleaned daily. It was comfortable and relaxing. We kept the AC on due to the heat and had no issues.
La Mariposa Hotel
Manuel Antonio

La Mariposa is within walking distance to many restaurants. We were comfortable in our room and loved the beautiful view of our room overlooking the ocean. The breakfasts were delicious . The staff were kind and accommodating.

Authenticity & Character
La Mariposa has character and charm.
Location
The location is a good spot. There is a shuttle to and from the beach multiple times per day. We had transportation arranged for our day trips which was a good plan.
Staff
The staff were all friendly and accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
The grounds and rooms were very clean.
Park Inn San Jose by Radisson
San José

The Park inn was a good stop overnight in San Jose before going out the next day back to the US.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel seemed a lot like those in the States and met our needs.
Location
An ideal location with a quick van ride to the airport.
Staff
The staff were kind and accommodating
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms and common sizes are clean and comfortable
Activity Reviews
Self-Guided Manuel Antonio Beaches
Self-Guided Manuel Antonio Beaches
Manuel Antonio

We ended up relaxing at the hotel, opting for the pool over more adventures to the beaches.

Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River
Safari Float on the Peñas Blancas River
Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved the river float. We saw so many animals, sloths, monkeys, iguanas, lizards, fish, and birds. Our kids loved paddling the rafts and even had a chance to take a cold dip in the river. The river float was a perfect first adventure in Costa Rica. It was fun, relaxing, and we learned so much.

Quality of Experience
The experience really was wonderful! Seeing animals in their natural habitat that we would only otherwise see in a zoo was a really great experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guides and driver were friendly and knowledgeable. And they truly love what they do!
Transport
The transport was great. The air conditioned van was really nice.
Arenal Volcano Hike & Paradise Hot Springs & Meal
Arenal Volcano Hike & Paradise Hot Springs & Meal
Arenal/La Fortuna

The volcano hike was in the heat of the afternoon and was a bit much for our 8 year old. We learned a lot! Would probably spilt this up as an excursion separate from others if doing it again.

Food
The food at the hot spring was buffet style and we all were very hungry. It was decent.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide was knowledgeable
Transport
The van ride was smooth and quick
Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hikes
Arenal Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hikes
Arenal/La Fortuna

The rainforest hanging bridges tour was a chance to see poison dart frogs in their natural habitat. We learned about the primitive and secondary forests and the importance of tourism in Costa Rica.

Quality of Experience
A great experience. So much fun and informative
Food
The food provided was delicious
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We learned so much about the history of Costa Rica!
Transport
Smooth and quick
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a family favorite! What an exhilarating experience! The whole excursion was fun and we highly recommended it.

Quality of Experience
We had never been ziplining before. Whizzing above the canopy was so fun.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Everything was fully explained.
Transport
The transport was easy and our ride back was timely.
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

The park was crowded given it was Easter week. We had already seen so many animals on our trip. The guided tour was worth it as we met people who visited the park without a guide and had trouble seeing animals.if we were to go again we would go for the beach alone. It was beautiful!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Catamaran Adventure with Meal
Catamaran Adventure with Meal
Manuel Antonio

The catamaran trip was a chance to be out in the ocean. We didn’t see any dolphins. The crew was friendly. The snorkeling portion was fast and we would have liked more time in the water. The slide in the boat was fun for the kids.

Quality of Experience
More time snorkeling
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Friendly and knowledgeable crew
Transport
Transport via van was efficient, close to our hotel.
Local specialist: Adam Gomez
Adam
Adam Gomez
Local specialist in Boulder (Kimkim HQ) | Replied on May 31, 2024

Jen!!! Your trip sounded amazing!!! 🙌

I love that your daughter was able to see so many animals! 🐒 Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience! It's great to know that Las Brisas de Arenal and La Mariposa Hotel provided such memorable stays and that you enjoyed the activities and natural beauty.

La Mariposa has some of the best views, and I am so glad you got to experience that! ☀️

I'm happy Kimkim could make this trip special for you. I'm looking forward to helping you plan your next family adventure!

Be well,
Adam