19 Stunning Destinations in Costa Rica You Must Explore

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This post is about Costa Rica.

You want to talk about the dream destination? Costa Rica has everything you could possibly imagine and then some! Let’s break it down.

Where do I even start? This month full of adventure was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The idea of this trip began because Europe was getting boring. Haha not actually! I just felt a lack of challenge when I explored Europe these last couple of times. (wow talk about privilege huh?) I was itching for some adventure, a new sense of culture shock. And so why not dip my toes into Latin America?

When choosing which countries to visit, the choice was an easy one. Costa Rica has been a country I’ve been dreaming of visiting since high school. And Peru…I mean…Machu Picchu, need I say more? The itinerary began to form. My sister would be accompanying me for our ten days road tripping around Costa Rica. Then I would travel solo to Peru and head straight into the Amazon Rainforest (so casual). I’d then stay in Lima for a couple of days before my coworkers would join me in Cusco. We stayed in Cusco for ten days doing day trips from our homebase city.

There’s a lot to unpack here. Like A LOT. So, I guess let’s start with the beginning?

Costa Rica.

HOW TO GET TO COSTA RICA

No matter where you are coming from, you are most likely flying. The main airport in Costa Rica is San Jose, the capital city. San Jose is a great place to start your adventure since you have access to pretty much everything you could need before you start your road trip.

HOW TO GET AROUND COSTA RICA

Rent a car! I highly recommend biting the bullet and renting your own ride. It frees you from any tour or itinerary. You explore at your own pace! The roads in Costa Rica are pretty well kept for the most part. If you plan on going to some “hidden gems” that involve some off roading, I’d recommend renting a car with four-wheel drive capabilities. There was only a couple of times that we took our rental on some sketchy roads, and I was so thankful to have 4WD in my back pocket. If you have ever driven on a dirt road in your life, then you will be fine driving in Costa Rica. The drivers themselves in Costa Rica are also pretty tame. We never had a situation where we dealt with scary drivers on the road. I would recommend looking up some of the road signs though. There was a time or two where I accidentally went the wrong direction on a one-way street. Woops!

WHERE TO STAY IN COSTA RICA

Because my sister was with me, we decided on Airbnb’s throughout our trip. The towns we stayed in were some of the most popular destination spots in Costa Rica. We stayed in La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio! We spent four nights in La Fortuna, one night in Monteverde, and two nights in Manuel Antonio. I highly recommend spending a good chunk of your time in La Fortuna. There is so much to do here, so take your time to really explore.

Staying in Monteverde, Costa Rica

I wish we had spent at least one extra day in Monteverde. The town looked like such a fun place to walk around, and the cloud forest reserve needs a full day by itself to wander through. When I come back to Costa Rica, I will definitely be giving Monteverde the time it deserves. I’d recommend AT LEAST two nights here.

Staying in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio was an interesting one. It was probably the most touristy place we stayed on our trip, and you could tell. The prices were higher, the locals were trying to scam you left and right, and everything felt inauthentic. I genuinely only enjoyed this place because we paid to enter the National Park to go to the beach. Our second day we did also find a secluded beach just down the road from us that was peaceful. The hammock on our Airbnb balcony was also a saving grace. 

So, I would say if you wanted to visit Manuel Antonio, you should avoid Manuel Antonio beach at all costs. Head right to the national park. And make sure to do your research before you go. There are tons of different parking lots that locals will try to get you to park in claiming it’s “official national park parking”. DON’T LISTEN TO THEM! The address for the real parking is HERE. You can tell immediately that you are in the right spot because the workers aren’t yelling at you to park or trying to block you from driving passed them (yes this happens – talk about anxiety!!).

WHAT TO DO IN COSTA RICA

LA FORTUNA / LAKE ARENAL – ADVENTURE IN COSTA RICA

I have a whole separate blog post for La Fortuna because there is SO MUCH to do here. Between relaxing in hot springs and ziplining through the jungle, there is no shortage of activities in La Fortuna. Go check out that blog post to see everything there is to do in La Fortuna!

MONTEVERDE

Like I said above, Monteverde still holds so much mystery that I am dying to return to. But we did discover some of the magic with our short time there. 

CLOUD FOREST BIOLOGICAL RESERVE – HIGHLIGHT OF COSTA RICA

The biggest of course being the Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. This expansive protected property has dozens of trails to adventure through. I recommend giving yourself at least a couple of hours here. If I had two days in Monteverde, I would’ve done a full day here – half the day with a guide and the rest exploring solo. We didn’t see many animals as we chose to opt out of a tour, but just wandering around and admiring the vegetation was enough to make me happy.

CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE TOUR

My sister and I compromised on a tour that included both coffee (her) and chocolate (me). This tour was through Get Your Guide, but the actual chocolate and coffee plantation is owned by Don Juan Tours. Our guide was a wonderful storyteller and very knowledgeable of not only Costa Rican chocolate and coffee but those worldwide! You walk through the entire process of both treats and even get to participate in helping make some. Then of course there is plenty to taste throughout the tour. I even tried the different kinds of coffee and loved the dark roast! Highly recommend!

MANUEL ANTONIO

As I mentioned above, Manuel Antonio wasn’t my favorite. But there were some beautiful moments that I am happy to gush about! 

MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK      

Manuel Antonio National Park was definitely the highlight of our time there. You are paying to enter an expansive protected area of private beaches and closer encounters with wildlife. We saw tons of monkeys, giant iguanas, an armadillo, colorful crabs, and more! And that was without a guide! The beach itself was stunning. We had multiple moments where we looked at each other dumbfounded that we were actually experiencing this tropical paradise. The beach we chose to spend the day on is called Playa Gemelas. It is number eight if you are looking at the Manuel Antonio NP map. The trail to get there is a boardwalk over the marshland, and it takes about 15 minutes from the entrance.

BIESANZ BEACH

On our final day in Costa Rica, we stopped by this hidden beach before heading into San Jose. Just a short ten-minute drive off the main road, this beach is so secluded there isn’t even parking! I plugged the coordinates into the GPS and when it said I had arrived, I parked off the side of the road. You’ll be looking for some stairs that seem to just drop you into the middle of the jungle. But if you keep following the “trail” you will find signs for “La Playa”! On our way, we were greeted with a whole family of monkeys jumping from tree to tree. By the time we got to the beach (a short 15 mins later), we were joined by only a few other people. This was the perfect way to say goodbye to Costa Rica!

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA

Because we flew on a discount airline (yes Spirit Airlines flies to Costa Rica, who knew?), my sister’s flight home wasn’t until 1AM the following day. We got an Airbnb for the night, so we had somewhere to rest before I dropped her at the airport. We decided to see some of the city before checking into our Airbnb. 

SAN JOSE CENTRAL MARKET

This market is more of the typical markets you will see in Latin America. They have everything from fresh produce and meats to flower booths, pharmacy goods, and even a pet shop!

MUNICIPAL CRAFTS MARKET – COSTA RICA SOUVENIRS

If you are looking for more souvenir type things, then this is the market for you. Chocolate, coffee, shirts, knick knacks, ornaments, you name it!

BARRIO ESCALANTE FOOD CENTER

This is a great place to try a bunch of different food from different vendors. There are at least a dozen different booths representing different food establishments and a great outdoor seating area. The vibes were immaculate! The best mushroom tacos I have ever had in my entire life. I will never forget them. That means you must go. 

EXTRA ROADTRIP STOPS IN COSTA RICA

LA PAZ WATERFALL GARDENS

Want to get up close with some of Costa Rica’s coveted wildlife? This park is basically a zoo with a hike to five different waterfalls! A quick and easy way to knock a bunch off your Costa Rica bucket list. We hit this stop when leaving San Jose to drive to La Fortuna. Added an extra hour to the trip, but we both agreed it was worth it to get out and stretch our legs!

RIO CELESTE WATERFALL – Most Beautiful Waterfall in Costa Rica

This was easily the most beautiful waterfall in Costa Rica. The blue hues of the water took my breath away. This one you simply cannot miss! And if you want to swim in the blue water, you’ll just have to reach out to me either here or on my Instagram, so I can send you the coordinates to this super-secret swimming spot!

LLANES DE CORTES WATERFALL – Swim Under A Waterfall in Costa Rica

Another absolutely beautiful waterfall! This one is a little out of the way if you are driving from La Fortuna to Monteverde, but I highly recommend you take this detour. This is one of the waterfalls that you can actually swim in! It was such a nice break from the car ride, and the little beach there is perfect for sunbathing and picnicking!

CROCODILE BRIDGE

A quick stop off when traveling from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio! Crocodile bridge is just your average bridge, but what lies beneath is truly something out of Indiana Jones! Park your car in the dirt parking lot, tip one of the men there to babysit your car and take a little walk along the bridge to see some of the largest crocodiles I have ever seen! These are wild animals, so you should not try to get any closer than standing on the bridge with the rest of the tourists. What a cool yet random thing to do on your way to the beach!

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT – COSTA RICA

That was our trip to Costa Rica in a nutshell! Don’t forget to check out my post all about La Fortuna! This post would’ve been twice as long if I had included it here. 

Costa Rica exceeded my expectations, and there is still so much more to explore! I know for sure I will be back again. Until next time!

This post is about Costa Rica.

Looking for other adventurous trips? Check out my Grand Tetons National Park post and my post on Killarney National Park in Ireland.

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