Itinerary
- Day 1
San Jose
You'll arrive in San Jose and check in at your hotel for a 5 pm welcome meeting where you'll meet your tour leader and other families. If your flight gets in early, the grid-patterned streets downtown are worth walking around on your own. There's time for optional activities and dinner in the evening if you'd like.
Optional Activities
- Visit Spirogyra Butterfly Garden
- Explore San Jose city streets
- Group dinner at a local restaurant
Landmarks Spirogyra Butterfly Garden - Day 2
Santa Rosa de Pocosol
Head out to Juanilama, a small agricultural community with just 200 people in the Santa Rosa de Pocosol region. You'll stay with a local family and go on an agricultural tour where the kids help plant vegetables and pick produce. After that, you'll prepare and cook a traditional meal together using what you collected.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Traditional meal prepared with family using collected vegetables)
Included Activities
- Agricultural tour in Santa Rosa de Pocosol
- Cooking class with local family using collected produce
Optional Activities
- Free time to wander around the community
- Day 3
Santa Rosa de Pocosol to Arenal
Drive west through the northern part of the country toward Arenal, about 1 hour away. The iconic Arenal Volcano here rises 1633 metres in a near-perfect cone shape. Once you arrive, you can wander around the cloud forest and rainforest at your own pace, or just relax by the hotel pool and take in the volcano views.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore Arenal area at your own pace
- Relax by the hotel pool
Landmarks Arenal Volcano Lake Arenal 
- Day 4
Arenal
Start with a hike to the Peninsula section of Arenal National Park near Lake Arenal. The easy 1.5 km trail takes about an hour and gives you great views of the lake and Tilaran Volcanic Mountain Range. Climb the observation platform (roughly 12 metres high) for a closer look at the volcano. Later, you'll take a 45-minute boat tour along the lake's forested shores and islets to look for wildlife. The afternoon is yours to do optional activities in the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hike to Peninsula section of Arenal National Park (1.5 km easy trail with observation platform)
- Boat tour along Lake Arenal forested shores
Optional Activities
- Arenal 1968 Trail hike past old lava flows (shorter route available for families with younger kids)
- Sky Tram ride
Landmarks Arenal National Park - Peninsula Section Lake Arenal Tilaran Volcanic Mountain Range Arenal Dam - Day 5
Arenal to Monteverde
Travel to Lake Arenal's shore, then cross the lake by boat toward Monteverde with great views if the weather cooperates. You'll see Arenal Volcano get larger as you approach, which is really something. Once you reach La Fortuna, a vehicle takes you to your hotel near the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. There's an optional visit to a Butterfly Garden if you want to check it out when you arrive.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit nearby Butterfly Garden (additional cost)
Landmarks Lake Arenal Arenal Volcano La Fortuna Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve 
- Day 6
Monteverde
Get a different perspective of the forest by walking across suspended bridges on a canopy walk in Monteverde. Watch for different bird species, including the hard-to-spot resplendent quetzal, blue-crowned motmot, or emerald toucanet. The rest of the day is free, so you might visit an orchid farm, try zip-lining through the trees, or hike through the forest at dusk to see creatures that come out at night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Canopy walk across suspended bridges in Monteverde
Optional Activities
- Visit orchid farm
- Zip-line through the trees
- Dusk forest hike to see nocturnal creatures (weather dependent)
Landmarks Monteverde Cloud Forest - Day 7
Monteverde to Manuel Antonio
Head south on the Pan-American Highway past beaches and palm plantations toward Manuel Antonio, a drive of about 6 hours. You'll stop at a local family home for a cooking class and lunch with traditional Costa Rican dishes, which is something kids really enjoy. Arrive at your accommodation near the national park in the late afternoon. That evening is free, and while dinner at a local soda restaurant is optional, it's not included in your package.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Homecooked lunch at local family home with traditional Costa Rican cuisine)
Included Activities
- Cooking class and lunch at local family home with traditional Costa Rican cuisine
Optional Activities
- Dinner at a local soda (traditional Costa Rican restaurant)
Landmarks Manuel Antonio National Park 
- Day 8
Manuel Antonio
After breakfast, take a 3-hour guided walk through Manuel Antonio National Park trails with a local naturalist guide. You'll learn about the area's wildlife and plants while spotting howler monkeys, two- and three-toed sloths, iguanas, and other animals. In the afternoon, your family has free time to explore at your own pace, relax on the palm-lined bays, or try optional water activities like kayaking, surfing, or fishing.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- 3-hour guided walk through Manuel Antonio National Park with naturalist guide
Optional Activities
- Relax on palm-lined beaches
- Kayak in the ocean (equipment rental for extra cost)
- Surf (equipment rental for extra cost)
- Fish in the ocean (for extra cost)
Landmarks Manuel Antonio National Park - Day 9
Manuel Antonio to San Jose
Spend your final morning in Manuel Antonio with nothing scheduled before heading back to San Jose in the mid-afternoon, about 3 hours of driving. There are no planned activities once you arrive in San Jose, but there's an optional group dinner available if you want to get together and talk about the trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Free time in Manuel Antonio
- Group dinner in San Jose
- Day 10
San Jose
This day has no scheduled activities. Just make sure you check out of your hotel by the required time if you're leaving. There's an optional Tropical Rainforest and Chocolate Urban Adventure available through urbanadventures.com if you want to do something before departing.
Optional Activities
- Tropical Rainforest and Chocolate Urban Adventure tour (available through urbanadventures.com)
