Coast to Coast Adventure: Tortuguero, Arenal Volcano & Guanacaste - 9 Days

Day 1: Arrive in San José

Welcome to Costa Rica, the land of pura vida! After arriving at Juan Santamaría International Airport, in the capital of San José, a local representative will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day you'll have free to explore the city at your leisure.

Perhaps take a stroll through Mercado Central (Central Market), featuring over 200 shops, food stalls, and sodas (traditional restaurants). Then visit the Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan Church), whose interior combines Greek Orthodox, neoclassical, and Baroque styles and features wood carvings and stained-glass windows. There's also a pair of popular museums in San José. The Museo del Oro Precolumbino (Pre-Columbian Gold Museum), holds a large collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts, and the Museo del Jade (Jade Museum) features the world's largest collection of pre-Columbian jade artifacts.

Be sure to explore Barrio Amón, a historic 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, making Amón a popular bohemian district. For dinner, you might want to opt for a restaurant in the hills of Escazú. This elevated region on the western edge of the city offers panoramic views of the valley below. No matter where you go, though, the whole city is filled with delectable restaurants serving everything from traditional local to forward-thinking fusion cuisine.

Day 2: Transfer to Tortuguero National Park

After breakfast, you'll depart early in the morning for Tortuguero National Park on the northern Caribbean coast, stopping en route for a snack. Maybe try the gallo pinto (rice mixed with black beans), Costa Rica's unofficial national dish, often served with eggs or cheese.

Getting to Tortuguero is an adventure in itself. On this nearly four-hour road trip, you'll head northeast out of town, leaving the concrete jungle of San José behind as you enter the tropical rainforests of Braulio Carrillo National Park. As you wind around the green mountains at various altitudes, exotic flora and fauna will present themselves depending on the elevation. Squirrel monkeys can be found here, as can scarlet macaws.

After passing small towns and banana plantations, you'll reach a small boat dock along the network of canals that feed into the Tortuguero River. Once aboard for the approximately 90-minute trip, you can relax and enjoy the ambience as you zip along the calm waters—maybe make a game of spotting fish and birds as you enter Tortuguero National Park. Once you arrive, the rest of the day is free for you to relax in your hotel (where meals are included). If you do decide to dine out, the area isn't lacking for restaurants—you'll find everything from pizza and crepes to jerk chicken and fresh-baked banana bread.

Day 3: Turtle Spotting in Tortuguero

Tortuguero is unique in that, unlike many national parks in Costa Rica, it almost exclusively revolves around the water. Today, you'll hop in a canoe and navigate the network of arterial waterways that snake around this protected area. Keep your camera at the ready because you'll be on the hunt for various denizens of the reserve, including manatees, spectacled caimans, river otters, and rare birds. Among these, you'll likely spot macaws, toucans, and kingfishers.

Back on terra firma, you'll have plenty of time to explore Tortuguero's 22-mile expanse of beach. It's a favorite nesting area for three different species of turtle: the hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea turtle. All of these nest in the area from July through October (mostly at night), and seeing the mother turtles lay their eggs is a memorable experience. If you come from February to July, you'll spot the leatherback, which at 6-7 feet (2 m) long and up to 1,500 pounds (680 kg), is the largest sea turtle in the world.

Day 4: Transfer to La Fortuna

After breakfast, you'll make the three-hour trip to the town of La Fortuna, best known as the base for exploring Arenal Volcano National Park. Located north of the Tilaran Mountains, the cone-shaped Arenal juts out from the San Carlos Plains like a giant arrowhead. After checking into your hotel, you'll have the rest of the day to explore on your own. 

If you want to get close to the volcano, kayaking on Lake Arenal provides awesome views of its peak, as does a mountain bike ride toward the village of El Castillo. Or, opt for a ziplining tour through the forest canopy, where you'll not only cross canyons but pass by waterfalls as well—and all with a view of the majestic Arenal Volcano in the background.

For dinner, enjoy one of La Fortuna's over 100 restaurants. The cuisine here runs the gamut from traditional Costa Rican, Mediterranean, Italian, and pizza. There's even an Argentine steakhouse.

Day 5: Hike Arenal 1968 - Tabacón Hot Springs

After breakfast, you can take the morning to relax. In the early afternoon, you'll visit Arenal 1968, a private reserve named after the year of the last major eruption of the volcano. The event was so catastrophic that it transformed some of the region's topography: lava fields now dominate one side of Arenal. Trails wind through those lava fields as well as the surrounding rainforest. Along the way, you'll find lookout points featuring prime views of the volcano.

After hiking the trails, soothe your muscles with a dip in the mineral-rich waters in and around the Tabacón Thermal Resort. These hot springs have been used as therapeutic baths for more than 200 years, and the resort includes a spa where various treatments, like couples massages, are performed in outdoor bungalows.

End the day with a nice dinner at the resort's restaurant, which serves Costa Rican dishes as well as international fare.

Day 6: River Float & Chocolate Tour in Arenal

This morning, you'll be part of a safari float on the Peñas Blancas River. This three-hour river tour puts you in direct contact with the area's abundant wildlife and beautiful natural scenery, and it's a perfect activity for first-time rafters or families with small children.

After lunch, which is served alongside spectacular views of Arenal Volcano, you'll get a hands-on lesson where you'll learn about the origin, history, and current production of one of Costa Rica's most famous exports: chocolate. Participate in the harvest of cacao and the drying and grinding of the seed that produces creamy cocoa butter. You'll also learn how the traditional chocolate drink was developed centuries ago and, of course, sample the chocolate freshly made on-site.

From here, you'll have the rest of the day to relax in La Fortuna. For dinner, a few suggested restaurants are: 

• Café Mediterraneo, a friendly osteria serving up homemade pasta and pizza. 
• La Parrilla de María Bonita, for perfectly cooked steak as well as Mediterranean dishes like falafel and baba ghanoush. 
• Rancho Perla is a popular open-air restaurant (you may even spot sloths hanging from the nearby trees) serving well-prepared Costa Rican staples.
• Don Rufino, a local favorite, offers a more upscale option and a varied menu that includes risotto, ceviche, and steak. The bar overlooks the street, which makes for excellent people-watching, too. 

Day 7: Transfer to the Gulf of Papagayo

Road trip time! This four-hour drive takes you west through Guanacaste, past volcanic mountain ranges, flatlands, and villages as you head toward the fabulous Pacific Coast. Stop for a bite and enjoy traditional foods, fresh local fruits, or perhaps a batido (fresh fruit smoothie)—a kid favorite, especially made con leche (with milk). As the dry plains and tropical dry forests slowly give way to azure seas, you've arrived at your destination, Papagayo, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.

Once you arrive, you can rest up at your hotel or spend the afternoon exploring with a sea kayak and snorkeling tour that's ideal for families. You'll paddle across the turquoise waters of Tamarindo Beach to the white sand of Capitán Island, you'll have the chance to see the coral reef teeming with exotic fish.

Day 8: Beach Day & Sunset Catamaran Sail in Guanacaste

Today is all about beach time. After breakfast at your hotel, get out and explore the coastline around Guanacaste. Maybe hit Playa del Coco, which is a popular fishing village with many salsa bars, restaurants, and nightlife. You could even try a little surfing.

In the evening, you'll board a catamaran in the Golfo de Papagayo for a sunset sail. The boat will drop anchor in a calm bay and you'll enjoy some snorkeling while the crew prepares a dinner feast. While you eat, bask in the sunset over the horizon while making sure to keep an eye out for dolphins, sea turtles, flying fish, or even a breaching whale.

Day 9: Depart Costa Rica

It's time to say adiós to Costa Rica! After breakfast, you'll transfer to the airport and catch your international flight home.

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