Costa Rica is the perfect place to visit for nature lovers and offers a huge range of activities. On our first visit to Costa Rica, we wanted a combination of beach, hiking, and wildlife. This is the exact one week trip we took for a first visit, starting in Guanacaste and ending in La Fortuna.
Costa Rica Itinerary Overview
This itinerary combines some time in Guanacaste, the province encompassing the Pacific coast, and the Central Valley (specifically, the town of La Fortuna at the base of Arenal Volcano). With its beaches, jungles, volcanoes, and wildlife sanctuaries, there’s so much to do that one week can only offer a sliver of what Costa Rica has to offer. But one week is perfect to experience two different regions without too much time in transit.
Here's what to expect from this itinerary:
- Beaches and a catamaran tour
- Vocano and waterfall hikes
- Eco-parks full of wildlife sightings
- Hot springs
- Ziplining and whitewater rafting
Travel Logistics
There are two international airports in Costa Rica. Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia is the smaller of the two, in Guanacaste, and Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is in the capital of San José. Flying into one airport and out of the other works well for this itinerary (though will make your car rental pricier if you're wanting to keep a car the whole trip).
Although Costa Rica is a fairly small country, it can take longer than you might expect to navigate between different regions, thanks to the narrow, often winding roads. We have heard that the road conditions are sometimes poor during the rainy season (May to June), but we have not personally seen this.
Tip: We prefer not to move between hotels too much, so for a week-long trip, we pick two spots to serve as our base for day trips. This itinerary therefore does not include Monteverde Cloud Forest, which is an awesome nature preserve. You could modify this itinerary to include a night at Monteverde by spending one less night in Guanacaste, or adding another night if you're able.
Day 1: Fly into Liberia in Guanacaste
We started our trip in Guanacaste, the westernmost province of Costa Rica. Liberia airport (LIR) is within an hour of some nice hotels, longer if you want to stay further south. There are a number of great beachfront hotels - some big brands, some boutique - all along the coast. I would choose a hotel based on the type of beach you prefer and proximity to any tours or eco-parks.
Our Recommended Guanacaste Beach Hotels
1. Westin Reserva Conchal Luxury
An all-inclusive beachfront resort on Playa Conchal with golf course, lagoon-style pool, spa, and a variety of restaurants and bars. There are also adults-only club level rooms with a quiet pool.
2. Curiol Hotel Mid-Range
A small eco-hotel near Playa Potrero with a relaxed jungle vibe, with a pool, on-site restaurant and bar, and free breakfast. Within walking distance of the beach.
3. La Ramona Charming Hotel Budget
A boutique hideaway in Tamarindo with just five stylish suites, a pool, garden terrace, and breakfast, all within walking distance of the beach and town.
If you’re not as interested in beach and water activities, look at the hotels around Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja, which tend to be more secluded. Whether you stay close to the beach or inland, you can easily fit both experiences into a couple of days.
On our first trip, we wanted a few days to simply relax (as we got to leave the kids with their grandparents!), and opted to stay at the Westin Reserva Conchal, which is an all-inclusive beach resort. It was a splurge, but we enjoyed not having to worry about the additional cost of our meals and drinks, and there is an adults-only section with a serene pool.
After settling into your hotel, spend some time exploring the beach. Our resort was located on Playa Conchal. If you prefer to stay near Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja, spend some time soaking in the hot springs.
Day 2: Visit Playa Conchal, Try Surfing in Tamarindo, and Enjoy a Sunset Catamaran Tour
There are dozens of great beaches in Guanacaste. If you decide to rent a car, spend some time exploring the coast. But if you'd rather not drive, you can get around by Uber, or potentially hotel shuttles. Playa Conchal is a beautiful beach where the sand is actually made up of tiny seashells. This is where the Westin and a few other resorts are, so it gets busy, but was not overly crowded in our experience. There is some decent snorkeling here.
We personally are not surfers, but have heard there’s great surfing on the west coast. For beginner-level surfing (including lessons), go to Tamarindo or Playa Grande. Tamarindo is definitely lively and may be more crowded; Playa Grande, less so. Some of the best surfing for those more advanced is found at Playa Negra.
Grab lunch on the beach. In the afternoon, take a catamaran tour. There are a number of tours you can find that depart from different beaches, but we speifically took the Blue Dolphin Sailing Adventure Tour, which leaves from Tamarindo and is reasonably priced. The crew will take you to a spot to snorkel, kayak, or paddleboard. Dinner and drinks were included and we had amazing sunset on the way back.
Tip: If you choose a hotel more inland near the national park, some of the beaches are only about a 1.5 hour drive. For a catamaran tour that will be easier to get to than the Tamarindo one, look for one that departs from Playa Coco like the Marlin del Rey Snorkel Sunset Cruise.
Day 3: Tour Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park
In the northern part of Guanacaste, Rincon de la VIeja Volcano National Park is home to an active volcano, as well as the dormant Santa Maria. Come here for the hiking and waterfalls. Private tour guide operators nearby offer white water tubing, guided hikes, ziplining, and other activities.
Pay close attention to the hours and buy tickets online in advance (you can no longer buy them at the gate). The park is divided into two sections - the Pailas and the Santa Maria sectors - that have different operating schedules.
- Santa Maria is open Thursday through Monday, 8am-3:30pm.
- Pailas is open Tuesday through Sunday, 8am-3pm.
- The entrance fee for both is $16.95 for adults and $5.65 for kids.
Day 4: Transfer to La Fortuna
The drive from Guancaste to La Fortuna is 3.5-4 hours, if your Guanacaste hotel is near the coast. The drive takes you around Lake Arenal, which is the perfect place to stop for lunch overlooking the lake. On our first trip, we hired a private transfer as we weren’t sure what the roads were like in the rainy season, though we found we easily could have made the drive ourselves. But we enjoyed having a local person show us around a bit, take us to a great spot for lunch (Café y Macadamia), and pull over to point out sloths high in the trees.
Tip: Be prepared for some twisty roads, in case anyone in your party is prone to car sickness. My wife and I both started feeling a bit ill as we went higher into the mountains on route 142, and our driver told us this was pretty common among tourists. If you choose to book a private transfer, don't worry about asking your driver for a break now and then.
Check into your hotel in La Fortuna and enjoy the volcano views. We stayed at Nayara Gardens, a luxury resort with secluded rooms. There is a separate section of the resort called Nayara Springs with private villas that is adults-only and more expensive, but guests of the Gardens side are permitted to use the adults-only pool on the Springs side that has an unreal view of the volcano.
If you get to La Fortuna early enough in the day, you might enjoy exploring downtown for local shopping and dinner. We used our hotel's shuttle since we didn't have a car; Uber is an option as well.
After dinner, take a night jungle walk tour. This gives you an entirely different look at the wildlife than you’ll catch during the day. Some tours groups leave earlier (around 6pm), but there are also tours that depart at 8pm, leaving you time for dinner downtown.
Our Hotel Recommendations in La Fortuna
1. Nayara Gardens Luxury
A five-star resort with volcano views, secluded villas with private hot tubs or plunge pools, multiple restaurants, and spa. Some villas have volcano views and there is an adults-only pool on the Nayara Springs side.
2. Hotel Lomas del Volcan Mid-Range
An eco-lodge featuring rustic wooden bungalows and terraces with volcano views. There is an onsite restaurant and bar, spa, and wellness activities.
3. Volcano Lodge Budget
A relaxed hotel near with simple rooms, restaurant, and spa. The on-site hot springs makes this hotel stand out at the affordable price.
Day 5: Take a Guided tour of Arenal Volcano, Fortuna Waterfall and Mistico Park
Having a tour guide in Costa Rica for at least some of your hikes is worth its weight in gold. Guides are certified in eco-tourism and are able to point out twice as much wildlife as we would be able to spot on our own. Our favorite experience was a day-long tour that combined hikes to Arenal Volcano, Fortuna waterfall, and Mistico Hanging Bridges Park. The hike around Arenal is fairly easy; the waterfall is more moderately difficult, but short. Mistico was fantastic; we had amazing view of the rainforest and the volcano, and saw so much wildlife. Our guide brought a telescope and set it up for us along the way as he spotted animals in the distance.
If you'd rather see Mistico via a self-guided tour, this costs $28 for an afternoon slot and $32 for the morning. Tours depart every 30 minutes 6am-3:50pm and can be booked in advance online.
Day 6: Go Ziplining and Whitewater Rafting
Going ziplining at some point through the rainforest should essentially be required when in Costa Rica; the jungle views are incredible. La Fortuna is also near two rivers with whitewater rafting of varying difficulties. The Río Balsa is more mild and family-friendly, while the Sarapiqui is more intense. This tour combines both ziplining and whitewater rafting for an full-day experience.
If that's not your thing, there are a number of other activities around La Fortuna to try:
- Canyoning and waterfall rappelling
- Raft safari float
- Horseback riding
- River or lake kayaking
- Bike tours
- Coffee and chocolate farm tours
- Cooking classes
In the evening you can spend some time soaking in the hot springs. Some resorts include complementary access. If you think you'd like to spend time at the hot springs on multiple days, look into one of those resorts, like the Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa for a luxury stay, or Volcano Lodge for a budget-friendly option. Day passes if you're not staying at a resort often run $40-$100. We were a fan of Termalitas for a day pass option as it only cost around $8, and we weren't planning to spend a lot of time there. It's definitely much more simple than some of the pricier springs. There is an onsite restaurant if you want to grab dinner there, or you can bring in your own food and beverages.
Day 7: Depart San José
Have breakfast at your hotel and head to San José for your flight home. The drive from La Fortuna to San José is around 3 hours if you're driving a rental or booking a private transfer. You can also book a shared shuttle, but I would allow for 4 hours in that case.
My Final Thoughts on a First Visit to Costa Rica
Costa Rica is beautfiul, warm, and inviting. There are so many exciting experiences you can pack into one week; but two weeks is event better to add in a drive further south to Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Park. Either way, you'll hear locals espouse the pura vida lifestyle you'll want to bring home with you.