Costa Rica Spring 2011

Costa Rica........with our good friends from Chicago!

Traveling to Costa Rica has been on my 'bucket list' for a good long time. This year it finally moved to the top of the list. In the meantime we'd been talking to our Chicago Traveling friends (Bob & Marilyn) about a 2011 trip since we missed all of 2010. I tried to get them to sign-up for a Vantage land tour but we couldn't get the timing right. It really interfered with their Curling activities and our twins eleventh birthday at the end of February.

Their 'bucket list' had Africa and Costa Rica as a tie. We investigated tours to both and nothing seemed to jell so we decided to put our own tour together and Costa Rica seemed to be the easiest. Our last trip together was the Fall of 2008 to Egypt - just in time, eh.

We wanted to go during the dry season between December and May. We decided we would go mid March for a month. It would be toward the end of the dry season and perhaps fewer people. Bob & Marilyn were also trying to get their two sons to go along with their families. We felt the more the merrier. As it turned out only their Son Greg, his wife Pam and daughter Mackenzie could make it but only for the latter half of the trip.

First we created an itinerary covering the areas we thought most interesting. That pretty much covered the whole country. Costa Rica in not all that large but has a wide diversity of things to see and do. Once we had the itinerary in place we divided up finding accommodations at each of the areas. Click here to see the detailed itinerary.

The trip starts on March 16 and the map above shows all the areas we will visit. We fly into San Jose where we spend the first four nights. We arrive early evening and check into a condo fifteen minutes from the airport. We're told that San Jose is just a big bustling city with not a lot to see. So maybe we'll do a half day cruising around San Jose and then either a half day tour of Doka Coffee tour including Grecia & Sarchi or we do it on our own. We are also moving to our hotel in Heredia (Bougainvillea) for the next three nights. From here we can explore the Poas Volcano, Brauille Carrillo N.P. and some local towns.

Next day we should rise early and head for Cartago (14 miles from SJ)and the Irazu Volcano (22 miles from Cartago). After checking out the Volcano (over 11,000 feet and cold - layer) we head back to Cartago (La Negrita housed in the city's Grand Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles) and on to the Orosi Valley Loop. From Cartago head south toward Paraiso (check out Lankester Jardines - orchids) on the way and then east on route 224 toward Ujarras. Stop to see the ruins of the Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Limpia Concepcion (1693). Continue east to the end of the Cachi Lake to the dam & spillway. Continue on around the lake to Cachi and Casa el Sonador. Continue and if time permits (I doubt it) head south to Tapanti N.P. or continue on to Orosi. In Orosi see the Iglesia de San Jose de Orosi. Back to Heredia for a good nights sleep for tomorrow we head for the north Caribbean Coast and Tortuguero and the turtles.

This morning we're heading to Cano Blanco to find our boat transportation to the Tortuguero. The only to get there is by plane or boat. We drop our car and pay for security. Cano Blanco is not on the map. Hopefully with our GPS and locals we will find it. The boat leaves Cano Blanco around 1:00 and takes a few hours to get there. We'll be here for two nights which is really only one day. We'll spend that day touring the Tortuguero N.P. The next day we are back on the canal boat to get our car in Cano Blanco - hopefully secure. Let's not forget to have dinner at Miss Junie's restaurant.

After picking up our car we head east to Limon on the coast then south along the coast to Puerto Viejo. We're here for three nights. Here will visit Cahuita N.P., take advantage of the great beaches at Manzanillo and visit the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge.

After a restfull few days we hit the road to head back toward San Jose and Arenal Volcano. Since it's a pretty long drive we are stopping overnight at Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. Next on to the town of La Fortuna and our Lodge at Arenal (hopefully we'll see some volcano action). Maybe there will be time to hit the big zip line near Braulio Carrillo N.P. If time permits we'll visit the Tabacon Hot Springs and waterfalls. Next day we'll spend touring the Arnel N.P. Then it's off to driving around the north side of Arenl lake to Monteverde Cloud Rain Forest for three nights. Optionally we can hire a driver to do the driving and we can take the boat across the lake and a taxi to our new home. Today we meet up with the rest of our crew (Greg, Pam & Mackenzie).

Today we'll tour the Monteverde Cloud Rain Forest and maybe a zip line and overhead platforms. Or maybe it would be better to visit Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve instead. I'm told it is less crowded and just as good. There are also a number of other interesting things to do in this area. Next day we head out to the Pacific Coast and Tamarindo and more beach time. We'll need the rest.

We're here for three nights. Now will explore Costa Rica's 'Gold Coast', the great beaches and the Nicoya Peninsula. Perhaps we can get as far north as Rincon N.P. Or we can just veg. Next we head down the coast to Jaco. Maybe we can take the car ferry across the Golfo de Nicoya.

Jaco is a popular beach resort area too. It is also just north on Manuel Antonio, a real destination area. We are here for three nights. Manuel Antonio N.P. is the main attraction as well as the magnifiscant beaches. I also want to look at property in that area. There are several new developments.

From Jaco we're heading South down the Pacific Coast toward the OSA Peninsula as far South as one can go. Because of the distance we are stopping for a night at Playa Tortuga just to break up the long drive. We are staying at the "Lookout."

Next morning we'll continue South to our new home in Montapalo where our host will have prepared a great evening meal for the seven of us. We are staying at the Quinta Sonada (www.quintasonada.com) for three nights giving us plenty of time to tour Corcovado N.P.

It's now time to head back toward San Jose. We'll follow the mountain route stopping at San Isidro for the night and continue the next day toward San Jose. Our last night may be the condo we stayed at the first night but we will decide that after we get to Costa Rica.

Go see Costa Rica Itinerary