Costa Rica is known for it’s natural beauties. Just as most places that thrive off the tourist industry you will only find the beautiful parks and animals on the postcards you find in gift shops. I have decided to turn this post around and talk about 5 places you might want to keep off your itinerary for your next vacation to Costa Rica. Keep in mind these are personal opinions and I would love to hear your thoughts as to what you think about my list, love it or hate it.

1.) Raft Virilla River – The Virilla River is located in San Jose and is the  dumping area of all the sewage in the San Jose area. Without a sewage system in San Jose it makes for one of the most dirtiest rivers in all of the Americas.

2.) Swimming in Tarcoles River – If you are headed to the beach just before the Jaco area you will arrive to the Tarcoles river. Chances are you will see a good number of local and foreign tourist getting pictures of the American Crocodiles. This happens to be one of the most populated rivers of Crocodiles in all of the Americas and we highly suggest you do not swim. It is also where the Virilla Rivers runs to.

San Jose Poop-Shoot to Virilla River

3.) Driving through San Jose at Rush Hour - You can imagine like any big city rush hour is bad. But in San Jose it is one of the finest. When I arrived to Costa Rica 11 years ago there were a total of 750,000 vehicles in the country. Now there are 2 million. Makes for a long drive through San Jose and even longer if you get stuck at the intersection at the famous Pozuelo Factory which smells delicious because of the cookies they make. Just always makes me hungry.

4.) Bribe a Cop – Although this has been the system for years now it is becoming less and less. I know a few stories of foreigners that have done bribes in the past and have tried to get away with it again and they did not have the same results.

5.) DO NOT EAT ANY ICECREAM SANDWICH THAT IS NOT A TRITS! - Simple enough if you decide you will be eating an icecream sandwich on your vacation days in Costa Rica make sure it is the Dos Pinos Trits. I have been doing Tours for over a decade in Costa Rica and I always make it a point that my clients try the Trits atleast once. It is literally jaw-dropping amazing!

Working as an owner of a small adventure company in Costa Rica I have had every family you can imagine on my tours. During over 200 different Costa Rica Family vacations I can only rave about the excellent parents I have had the opportunity to meet and have picked up many parenting skills from many of them (even though I only have 3 dogs).

Everyone knows that vacation time is usually based on “what she wants” and a little bit of some fun for “him”. What is not usually discussed is the health benefits of vacation. The reason it gets no attention is because most vacations are just one week. Most ways to improve your health are usually stretched out over 8 week diets, 30 day abs, or a lifestyle change of granola and milk from a virgin cow.

If the trip is for “him” or “her” just remember that its “them” that can reap some positive health benefits from traveling. I am not a doctor but I have toured plenty of Doctors across Costa Rica and many have agreed with my list.

1.) Lowers Stress – Kids these days are stressed out just like the parents are. Having a week off of doing what the family wants to do is often something new and relaxing for the kid. Being in a hotel room and jumping on the bed for 5 minutes or slamming their brother in the face with a pillow is all ways of getting stress out. The activities on vacation are usually filled with kids clubs, rafting, ziplining, or hiking through the jungle and these are all action packed adventures that will lower the stress level.

2.) Expands the mind – Going on vacation expands the mind. Our world as connected as it is still struggles with thinking a little bit outside the box. A vacation opens the small minds up to new cultures and ideas. This is a health benefit of the mind that your kids can take back home.

3.) Unstructured Activities - Did you ever realize that much of the week at home is structured activities. If it is piano practice, to soccer practice, to honor society, then 2 hours of homework, dinner, shower, and 1 hour of TV and bed… This is a problem and does not allow for kids to develop their imagination. Being on vacation often allows time for building a sand-castle (…what is a “sand-castle” – an app?). It also allows for you to sit in a park and watch pigeons and just be someplace that ignites the mind. Very important to always have some downtime to allow for this to happen on vacation.

4.) Opportunity for New Eating Habits – Many kids have diets that really should not be served in most prisons. We are what we eat. Many places you travel especially Costa Rica have more locally grown food. Understanding the process of what we eat and where it comes from is important on all vacations. Many diets are new foods that might ignite an interest in certain types of foods. For example I have had parents tell me after visiting Costa Rica that their kids fell in love with fruit. I do a thing on every tour where I have a fruit of the day and this allows kids to try some of the best tasting fruits of the tropics.  This ignites the kids to think of fruit as a tasty food from enjoying the mangos, papaya, and many other Costa Rican fruits.

5.) Facing Fears – Afraid of heights sometimes is a serious issue and its  not safe to fight it. Other times it’s a minimal fear and a little adventure on a trip is all you need to have your kid asking to go to flight school. Facing fears can be of many different things on vacation. The idea of opening children up to different languages and cultures is one sense of understanding the difference of people on the planet and getting over a fear of association with other cultures. The other fear is a little adventure such as rafting, ziplining, or even horseback riding. Everyday life back home usually does not open up the new opportunities to challenge fears of such. Allow your child to challenge some of their fears on vacation and you will bring home a more confident child than you arrived with. This will enhance overall health for your kids.

If you are like many visitors to Costa Rica chances are you have seen the Arenal Volcano, the Monteverde Cloudforest and the Manuel Antonio National Park. In recent years my love for Manuel Antonio has taken a back seat to many other areas of Costa Rica. There is just a little too much going on and the crowdedness of the National Park makes it more like a mini-zoo than it does a protected area for animals to roam in their natural state. If you are looking for a Costa Rica family vacation with a little more flavor to it then read on.

I’ve decided I am going to replace Manuel Antonio with the Caribbean wildlife refugee known as Gandoca-Manzanillo which is located about as far south on the Caribbean as you can go. Here you will not run into large groups of tourist and you will also not have the large luxurious hotels you can find in the Manuel Antonio area which is probably a good thing because it goes to show that Manzanillo will stay the small quaint town it is for many years to come. You also have the option of doing some incredible snorkeling on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica which Manuel Antonio really does not offer.

With a short walk in the reserve you are guaranteed monkeys, sloths, and probably even the famous eye-lash pit viper but don’t worry you will see it before it sees you because it is bright yellow. There are places to stay nearby and even a couple of luxurious options such as Le Cameleon in Puerto Viejo and Almonds and Corals in Manzanillo. You will not be disappointed if you are looking for a Costa Rica family vacation filled with natural flavor and fun.

If you are looking to expand your mind a little bit and have a vacation that will truly leave you rested, rejuvinated, and in love with a new country then Costa Rica might be your best option. The best part about doing Yoga in Costa Rica is the natural beauties this small country has to offer. Along with the natural beauties you have the options of taking part in some activities for half of the day such as rafting or ziplining.

The yoga itineraries we have planned for small yoga groups have been itineraries where we stay in one spot and do yoga in the morning and during the evening but also have time for learning and enjoying this amazing country.

There are two areas I like to plan yoga vacations in Costa Rica. The first is the area of Dominical which is located just south of the popular touristy area of Manuel Antonio. I like this area because it has great activities that are only take you a half day to do. There are also many houses in the area that can be rented with cooks allowing you to operate the perfect yoga retreat.

The second area is the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. There is much to do in the area and again most are half day trips. The Caribbean side has the yogi feel when you arrive and there are countless amounts of yoga studios. Here on the Caribbean you can enjoy the lifestyle of riding your bikes during your off time and taking part in many other activities such as snorkeling, rafting, and visiting indigenous people, and some great nature hikes also.

Costa Rica has other established yoga centers that are more of the all inclusive package and make for a great trip for individual travelers or those that have a group and are looking for the stress free vacation. Just to name a few of the more popular spots to find some great yoga in Costa Rica are Nosara Yoga Institute which is located in the northern pacific, Pura Vida Spa and Yoga Retreat which is located 30 minutes from the San Jose Airport in Alajuela, Luna Lodge in Corcovado which is very much off the beaten path on the southern pacific, and La Cusinga has a one of a kind yoga center which is also found on the southern pacific. Along with these places there are many more and almost all resorts now will offer some yoga sessions for you to enjoy during your stay.

Let me know if you want help planning your next yoga vacation or if you are a yoga instructor and just want to operate your own retreat but just need some advice on where to go and what to do, I would love to help.

It is often hard to convince those “tourist” that have been reading Lonely Planet or Frommers that skipping Monteverde and Arenal Volcano during your Costa Rica Family Vacation might not be a bad idea.

The key word I used in the first paragraph is the word “tourist” as these two areas are loaded with tourist. Now if you consider yourself a traveler and you want to visit the not so touristy areas but at the same time just as beautiful I can suggest two places to replace the Monteverde Cloudforest and the Arenal Volcano.

First of all it is important to remember that in 2010 the Arenal Volcano stopped erupting and although it is still active it is simply not what it use to be. Funny how things work because as the Arenal Volcano began calming down the Turrialba Volcano began acting up. The Turrialba Volcano offers breath-taking views of a smoking volcano in an area that is not crowded by tourism. You also see the Turrialba volcano clear more days out of the year than the hit or miss Arenal Volcano. There are many activities and hotels in Turrialba just not as over crowded as in the Arenal area.

The Monteverde Reserve is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Costa Rica and still is not the easiest to get to. As beautiful as it is there are other cloud-forest in Costa Rica and one that you might find very similar to Monteverde is an area called San Gerardo de Dota and nearby lodges such as the Trogon or Savegre Lodge. Staying here with a good naturalist guide that we provide here at Costa Rican Resource will give you a sense of being in Monteverde 30 years ago.

Costa Rica is on the map and a little extra research is always worth making your trip the standard Costa Rica vacation or something a little bit different that I can assure you will be just as enjoyable if not more.

Costa Rican Resource

1-855-CRR-TOUR

Families — www.crrtours.com

Students — www.crrtravel.com

Most parents have traveled with kids and know their own kids best. What you might not know is the country you plan on visiting with your kids. Planning a Costa Rica Family Vacation needs to take into account all the basic necessities kids need to make a vacation kid-friendly along with a few other ideas you might not be thinking of.

1.) Long Car Rides in Costa Rica – These can be difficult for kids in any country but in Costa Rica many of the roads are bumpy, curvy, and change elevation quite often. Kids can get car sick and the constant elevation can also play its toll. A private tour works best and know places to stop to break up the drive is also nice. Very important is do not try and jam all the spots into a one week vacation. Costa Rica looks small but it is very mountainous terrain.

2.) Jump Out of the Raft – A Costa Rica trip can be filled with some great adventures from ziplining or maybe whitewater rafting. If the guide says things are safe let the kid be a kid. Chances are they have been waiting for the adventure parts of the trip and encourage them to get out into the water and get immersed in the natural wonders around.

3.) Don’t do Full Days – The humidity, sun, and the adrenaline from acitivities in Costa Rica have it’s toll on kids. You will notice you and your children can get drained pretty quick in Costa Rica. At 9 degrees above the equator the sun is intense and the kids experience some excitement on the zipline that will leave them ready for a nap by 3pm. Costa Rica is common for the 3pm coffee but maybe your fam would do better with a 3pm nap.

4.) Get Creative – Costa Rica has so much to do and so many talented guides that can make it a very educational experience. Encourage your kids to learn about the different animals and natural wonders of Costa Rica. Make games to play like “I Spy” or “Nature Bingo” allowing the kids to have games that will bring their attention to nature and make them more aware. Offer prizes for the winners.

There are many things that can affect wether a vacation goes good or bad for your family. You should also be conscience of how your vacation is affecting the local families around you when you visit a foreign area. After having guided many Costa Rica family vacations I thought I would pass on 6 common ideas that come to mind when explaining to people the ethics of traveling:

1.) Be Aware of where you money Goes - You try to make good investments in the stock market for a better future so you best try to make good investments to environmentally friendly and locally owned hotels for a better future also.

2.) Learn & Respect Local Customs and Traditions - Remember your way is not the only way.

3.) Protect the Flor & Fuana – Do not take souvenirs such as sea-shells, stones, or plants.

4.) Look for Low Impact Activities – Driving 4-wheelers through the rainforest is to some animals the same as driving a 4-wheeler through your living room. Take advantage of enjoying other activities while on vacation that you can not find at home.

5. Conserve Water – If you don’t need something washed don’t wash it like your hotel sheets every night. Water is on the brink of being the next gold and it’s time we start treating it like that.

6. Leave all your Preconceptions of the world at home – there is a wonderful and exciting adventure ahead of you with something to learn behind every door. Nobody on Earth will ever know everything and never understand why so many people do so many different things. The best part about traveling is being blessed enough to feel the rush of something so different. Embrace it and Enjoy!

I have to be honest when we have families that are looking for luxury or a honeymoon couple that wants to stay in the top spot then Nayara is our choice. Unfortunately it is often full and some travel dates are not flexible so you have to go with the second option. The second option in the are would have to be The Springs because of it’s rooms and view.

The benefits of Nayara is that it has better access, better food, and the layout is more horizontal.

The Springs does not have the best food but more things to do on the grounds, and a much larger Resort type feeling.

One comment about The Springs that we often hear is that the food is not on par with the rooms. The rooms are some of the finest you will ever stay in but the food is still a work in progress it seems. Don’t worry there are many places we can take you out to eat in the town of La Fortuna like the Don Rufinos or Donde Perla for a very tasty, fancy, and 1/2 the price of The Springs meal. Another comment on The Springs and this is more of a personal one is that they used too much concrete. It gives a whole new meaning to the term “monolith” as it is concrete ontop of concrete for about 5 stories. It does have some nice wood finishings and you might not even notice the concrete because they make it look like rocks just as they do in their sister property at The Waterfall Gardens.

I can not imagine you would be bummed staying in either or and both are of high end lodging but all in all it just depends what you are looking for. The Springs might have a little more to do for the kids but Nayara is certainly a WOW-Factor when it comes to small and luxurious although I hear they are doing another 30 rooms which would put them up around 70 so bye bye to the days of having Nayara as a small and cozy place. Maybe atleast they will have rooms available for more dates as they are always slammed.