Adventure Packed 7 Day Itinerary in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is known for its renowned beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, and diverse wildlife. The wellness culture is also huge there if you’re into yoga, the outdoors, and healthy eats then you’ll love the overall environment.
When to visit:
There is a rainy and dry season in Costa Rica. I’d highly recommend visiting during the dry season to enjoy the scenery without constant rain. The dry season is typically from December to April. We went for new years and there was still a ton of rain and cloudy weather. A lot of the hikes you won’t be able to see the main views. When it rains it rains so make sure to prepare ahead of time for it!
Where to Fly into:
There are two major airports LIR and SJO. They are both far away from each other and depending on where you are flying in from the prices might be more or less expensive so consider both when booking. I would start by flying into LIR and starting the adventure in the rainforest and then finishing with the beach. You can always fly in and out of one or the other depending on the rental car drop off agreements.
How to get around:
I highly recommend renting a car in Costa Rica. It is such a process and they will try to charge you so many fees on top of what you already pay for. They claim you have to buy their specific insurance in Costa Rica and tell you it’s illegal if you don’t have it. We used a budget car rental and had the worst time trying to negotiate a price. Do your research before renting the car and stand up for yourself with the additional fees.
Costa Rica is very spread out so factoring in driving time is crucial when creating an itinerary! There are some shuttles you can take to get from city to city, but it is also very expensive per shuttle ride so I highly recommend getting a group of friends and splitting the car!
What to pack:
Costa Rica is very humid and rainy and takes days for things to dry to keep that in mind when packing your clothes!
Rain jacket
Swimsuits and coverups
Hiking shoes
Microfiber Towel
Quick drying clothes
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Flowy dresses
Athletic clothes
Sunglasses
7 day itinerary
Day 1: La Fortuna
Rio Celeste Waterfall
Start the road trip by heading to Rio Celeste Waterfall. Go as early as possible because you have to pay for a time slot to enter. We had to wait over an hour just to hike it and there isn’t a ton to do around the town. They won’t let you reserve in advance so getting there early is an easy solution to avoid crowds and wait times.
Hot Springs
After a morning hike, drive to La Fortuna which is about an hour a half drive from the waterfall. There are multiple hot springs near La Fortuna. We opted to find a free one on the side of the road instead of paying for a day pass. Costa Rica is an expensive country so we figure if we can find a natural free one then may as well save some money. The Springs Resort is a popular place to stay and relax if you have a bigger budget than we did. Baldi hot springs are a great option if you want to get a day pass. Tabacon is one of the most popular ones, but also offers a luxury experience so it is pricey. Right across from Tabacon is where we went and it’s literally called free natural hot springs. It was crowded, but was very enjoyable.
Sloth Tour
If you still have time left in your day I would do a sloth tour! They also have some at night as well. We drove around in hopes to see a sloth in the wild, but unfortunately had no luck seeing one. In hindsight I wish we tried a tour, but it still is not a guarantee to see one. The night ones have more luck, but I wanted to take photos of them! The Bogarin trail is a well known place to see sloths. You can also try Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde cloud forest.
Where to Eat
Eat dinner at Restaurante Fortuneño! It is a trendy restaurant with fun craft cocktails and delicious plates. They have a wide variety on their menu and it was worth the 45 minute wait. I tried their ceviche and nachos and both were solid.
Rio Celeste Waterfall
Day 2: La Fortuna
Arenal volcano
Start the morning by hiking to the Arenal Volcano. The day we wanted to hike it was down pouring rain so there were no views of the volcano in sight. We were planning on doing the Arenal 1968 Volcano View and Trail Loop which is an easy 2.6 mile loop.
Ziplining Tour
If you have it in the budget I would book a zipline tour with Sky Adventures after the hiking adventure
Drive to Monteverde
You will be tired, after hiking and an epic adventure, however if you are feeling up for it I would start the drive and try to get all the way to Monteverde cloud forest.
Day 3: Monteverde
Cloud forest reserve
Start the hike in Monteverde cloud forest reserve. There are 8 miles worth of trails so there is a lot to see. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and natural hanging bridges.
Coffee Tour
I would end the day with a chocolate and coffee tour and Don Juan is a popular one to go with
Dining Experience
Once again if you have a large budget and are a foodie indulge in a 9 course meal at San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience
You can choose from a 6 or 9 course meal and the price varies. There is also a cocktail or wine only experience for a lot cheaper. This would be a great date night or special occasion place by literally enjoying your meal in a private treehouse.
Day 4: Monteverde and Drive to Manuel Antonio
Coffee/ Breakfast / Roadtrip
Grab a good breakfast and coffee at Stella’s Cafe before a long drive ahead
It is a 4 hour drive from monteverde cloud forest to Manuel Antonio so this day is less packed and more of a travel day!
Jaco
Stop in Jaco for a late lunch at Soda Garabito
If you have more time or want part of the day in Jaco I would explore Carara National Park and of course go to the beach. Jaco is also known for good surf spots!
Drive to Manuel Antonio
Check into where you are staying and enjoy dinner and a sunset at Cafe Agua Azul
Day 5: Manuel Antonio
Coffee and Breakfast
Grab a coffee and breakfast at El Patio de Cafe to fuel before a big beach day
Surf and Beach Day
If you know how to surf then rent a board and enjoy the day in the ocean otherwise you can always take a lesson. If you’re looking for a surf school the Surf Manuel Antonio is a great option!
Eat and watch the sunset at El Avion which is technically in Quepos
Day 6: Manuel Antonio to Santa Teresa
Travel Day
Enjoy a slow morning for another travel day to get to Santa Teresa
If you’re loving Manuel Antonio then I would spend a half day at the beach before heading out and embarking on yet another road trip. It takes about 5-6 hours to get from Manuel Antonio to Santa Teresa. If this is too much I have listed two other options to not make the itinerary as packed.
Day 7: Santa Teresa
Yoga Class
Take a Yoga class in the morning to recover from all the travel and move your body a little! You can’t come to Costa Rica and not at least attempt a yoga class. No experience necessary just show up and that’s enough :)
Coffee and Breakfast
After yoga you’ll want to indulge in a coffee and breakfast at a cafe! The roastery coffee is delicious and well priced
Beach Day/ Surf
After you have fueled up I would head to the beach and if you loved surfing the In Manuel Antonio then you’ll love it here too! you aren’t into surfing again then either hike Montezuma Falls or rent an Atv and explore the coastline!
Eat an early dinner at Satori Sushi
Sunset horseback ride
A horseback ride on the beach is another quintessential thing to do in Costa Rica so book your tour through Ollie’s Adventures
Other Itinerary Options:
Option 1:
If This Itinerary is too packed for you consider skipping Manuel Antonio and taking a road trip along the coast towards Tamarindo and slowly make your way back to Liberia
Option 2:
Another option is to skip Santa Teresa and do a day trip to La Tortuga island and then head out from San Jose or Liberia
