Costa Rica Vacation plan in late June and early July

the tours we took were long ago, so I can't help in that department. You
can google on costa rica tours, and you can have a look at travelzoo.com,
possibly gate1.

If you want a nice beach vacation, just get yourselves to flamingo beach,
and the resort there. It's a beautiful beach, not a lot to do exept enjoy
it.

There are a lot of tour companies in Costa Rica. With a family, you can
winnow it down by skipping over the adventure tours, because kids aren't
allowed on some, and a 3yo isn't possible. Actually, you may want to
consider leaving that child home, with a promise for the future. Kids that
age don't usually enjoy travel, and they can hinder the entire trip for all
of you. Your other children sound the right age for an adventure.

You still haven't said much about your wants, so I'll shut up.

Keith

"AA" wrote in message
.. .
The most informative so far. I thank you so much. You made me start
contemplating between self guided vacation or a tour.
Do you have any recommendation for tours?
Thanks
AA

"k" wrote in message
news
I guess I'm not sure what your questions are. Yes, you can save some
money by doing the trip on your own, but how much you'll save is an
unknown.

I just looked at car rental prices for the last two wks of June, and
right now Europcar is the best, with a RAV-4 for US$221, and I believe
you'll be stuck with $15-20 per day for mandatory insurance. That should
be a good vehicle for your family. You can get out from under the
mandatory insurance if your credit card provides it.

At Arenal you can get a 2-bedroom cottage for a night or two, You'll
have to look into specific hotels to see if a 2-bedroom suite is more or
less than just getting two rooms. Food is inexpensive, and depending on
how you're willing to eat it, it can be downright cheap.

So, without going totally el-cheapo, the five of you should do okay on
$200 most days for room and board. That will buy rooms at a decent
place, and three square meals. I just noticed that you have a 12-yr old,
so figure a bit more for that one, if he/she is anything like ours at
that age.

What might make a tour more appealing to you are the things you'll do on
a tour. Yes, you can take all the same boat rides, jungle tours and the
like on your own, but they're pricey if you do it yourself. A typical
tour includes at least a jungle boat ride and a canopy tour, another boat
for birding near the coast, and visits to volcanos. On your own those
could add up to serious money. Tours often also include things you can't
do on your own, such as farm or home visits. As someone else mentioned,
Costa Rica is not the easiest place to navigate. Major roads are kept in
decent condition, but the trucks in front of you won't be, so even short
distances on good roads can take long, and become very aggravating.
Secondary roads on the Pacific side are usually in good repair, but you
often have to guess where you're going. On the Caribbean side the roads
tend to be awful, as are most unpaved roads in the country.

Our second and third trips there were with tours, and we learned enough
to keep going back on our own, but we usually stay at one of several
destinations and kind of park there. We wouldn't know these places and
our friends there if we hadn't visited first on tours. (Our very first
trip was as backpackers, and we rode the bus everywhere we couldn't walk.
We didn't learn much, except that the climate, people, and food were to
our liking.)

You don't mention where you're coming from, either, and there are now
international flights into the airport at Guanacaste, so if you want a
beach vacation you can check out flights into there.

If you're city lovers, San Jose doesn't promise a lot, but it's nice
enough. There is a gold museum under Plaza de la Cultura, that is very
neat indeed, and probably the best museum in the country. Watch your
step on all but the main sidewalks, because the rest are maintened by the
same folks who take care of the back roads, and it's very easy to trip
and fall.

You have to balance some things when deciding whether to take a tour or
do it on your own. If you hate the idea of touring, then go for it on
your own.

It's your first time there, and possibly even to that part of the world,
then a tour makes a whole lot of things easier. The downside to tours is
that they will always include things you probably wouldn't do on your
own. In CR these days, that will include a visit to Sarchi, which is
famed for its oxcarts. The tradition and fame are real and deserved, but
the presentation these days is bogus for the most part.

On our first trip, the Sarchi oxcarts were still in demand and we saw the
craftsmen putting them together. Even then we saw some that were being
sold with extras, like slide-out bars and plumbing for a wet bar. You
probably wouldn't want an oxcart anyhow, so they sold all kinds of
beautiful wood and leather goods. They still do, but now the tags say
made in Philippines, the leather isn't real, and you can save the better
part of a day by not stopping. It's gone from good and interesting to
pure hokum.

Look at some of the tours available on the Internet. Most are
inexpensive, and you can compare to what you'd spend on your own. Of
course, if you just want a beach vacation, then Guanacaste is probably
your best bet. There are many miles of unspoilt beaches in many
different communities. You'll want to keep an eye on your kids, because
the surf can be tough, but it's simply gorgeous - California with warm
water, if you will.

Have I answered the questions you haven't asked yet?

You will love Costa Rica regardless of your mode of travel. Your only
disappointment will likely be the amount of litter along the roads in
such a 'green' country, but taking out the trash doesn't seem to be a
habit that's taken hold yet.

Keith


"AA" wrote in message
news
I appreciate the input received so far, but I wished we could get more
guidance and advice than criticizing each other.
thanks


"k" wrote in message
et...
"NealR2000" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 29, 9:54 pm, "k" wrote:


I think you are the one who is being snotty. Mr. R's response was
fine and not in the least bit offensive. Yours was. He came across
to me as someone who wants to encourage people to travel having done
their own research. Why do you assume that he, and travelers like
him, would somehow miss good hotels and food? Travel books have all
that stuff.

Sorry, but Mr. R describes a tourist, then claims travelers are somehow
better and would never do what a tourist does. It makes no sense, and
it's a phrase that's been banned from all the good travel magazines.
Travel is the part where you waste time in airports, sit in cramped
planes and buses and trains, and go from point A to point B, where you
become a tourist if you do anything else at all. There is absolutely
nothing wrong with being a tourist, and there is nothing at all wrong
with the people who choose to go on group tours. Nothing.

We prefer solo travel, but will often take a tour to somewhere new,
especially somewhere with a language we can't decipher, which describes
most of Asia. If we go back to a place, it's on our own. A lot of the
fun of going places is meeting people, and you will never do that if
you're already viewing them with disdain because they're 'tourists' and
you're somehow better than that.

Mr R advised against being a tourist, and offered nothing useful. I
made several suggestions and comments about my favorite country. I
guess I'm just not accustomed to being talked down to by elitists like
Mr. R, but if that's your thing, go for it.

We bought an ox cart down there (stores wine bottles). It is boxed in
pieces when you buy it down there making it very easy to carry and put
together once you get back home. Jane


"k" wrote in message
news
I guess I'm not sure what your questions are. Yes, you can save some money
by doing the trip on your own, but how much you'll save is an unknown.

I just looked at car rental prices for the last two wks of June, and right
now Europcar is the best, with a RAV-4 for US$221, and I believe you'll be
stuck with $15-20 per day for mandatory insurance. That should be a good
vehicle for your family. You can get out from under the mandatory
insurance if your credit card provides it.

At Arenal you can get a 2-bedroom cottage for a night or two, You'll have
to look into specific hotels to see if a 2-bedroom suite is more or less
than just getting two rooms. Food is inexpensive, and depending on how
you're willing to eat it, it can be downright cheap.

So, without going totally el-cheapo, the five of you should do okay on
$200 most days for room and board. That will buy rooms at a decent place,
and three square meals. I just noticed that you have a 12-yr old, so
figure a bit more for that one, if he/she is anything like ours at that
age.

What might make a tour more appealing to you are the things you'll do on a
tour. Yes, you can take all the same boat rides, jungle tours and the
like on your own, but they're pricey if you do it yourself. A typical
tour includes at least a jungle boat ride and a canopy tour, another boat
for birding near the coast, and visits to volcanos. On your own those
could add up to serious money. Tours often also include things you can't
do on your own, such as farm or home visits. As someone else mentioned,
Costa Rica is not the easiest place to navigate. Major roads are kept in
decent condition, but the trucks in front of you won't be, so even short
distances on good roads can take long, and become very aggravating.
Secondary roads on the Pacific side are usually in good repair, but you
often have to guess where you're going. On the Caribbean side the roads
tend to be awful, as are most unpaved roads in the country.

Our second and third trips there were with tours, and we learned enough to
keep going back on our own, but we usually stay at one of several
destinations and kind of park there. We wouldn't know these places and
our friends there if we hadn't visited first on tours. (Our very first
trip was as backpackers, and we rode the bus everywhere we couldn't walk.
We didn't learn much, except that the climate, people, and food were to
our liking.)

You don't mention where you're coming from, either, and there are now
international flights into the airport at Guanacaste, so if you want a
beach vacation you can check out flights into there.

If you're city lovers, San Jose doesn't promise a lot, but it's nice
enough. There is a gold museum under Plaza de la Cultura, that is very
neat indeed, and probably the best museum in the country. Watch your step
on all but the main sidewalks, because the rest are maintened by the same
folks who take care of the back roads, and it's very easy to trip and
fall.

You have to balance some things when deciding whether to take a tour or do
it on your own. If you hate the idea of touring, then go for it on your
own.

It's your first time there, and possibly even to that part of the world,
then a tour makes a whole lot of things easier. The downside to tours is
that they will always include things you probably wouldn't do on your own.
In CR these days, that will include a visit to Sarchi, which is famed for
its oxcarts. The tradition and fame are real and deserved, but the
presentation these days is bogus for the most part.

On our first trip, the Sarchi oxcarts were still in demand and we saw the
craftsmen putting them together. Even then we saw some that were being
sold with extras, like slide-out bars and plumbing for a wet bar. You
probably wouldn't want an oxcart anyhow, so they sold all kinds of
beautiful wood and leather goods. They still do, but now the tags say
made in Philippines, the leather isn't real, and you can save the better
part of a day by not stopping. It's gone from good and interesting to
pure hokum.

Look at some of the tours available on the Internet. Most are
inexpensive, and you can compare to what you'd spend on your own. Of
course, if you just want a beach vacation, then Guanacaste is probably
your best bet. There are many miles of unspoilt beaches in many different
communities. You'll want to keep an eye on your kids, because the surf
can be tough, but it's simply gorgeous - California with warm water, if
you will.

Have I answered the questions you haven't asked yet?

You will love Costa Rica regardless of your mode of travel. Your only
disappointment will likely be the amount of litter along the roads in such
a 'green' country, but taking out the trash doesn't seem to be a habit
that's taken hold yet.

Keith


"AA" wrote in message
news
I appreciate the input received so far, but I wished we could get more
guidance and advice than criticizing each other.
thanks


"k" wrote in message
et...
"NealR2000" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 29, 9:54 pm, "k" wrote:


I think you are the one who is being snotty. Mr. R's response was
fine and not in the least bit offensive. Yours was. He came across
to me as someone who wants to encourage people to travel having done
their own research. Why do you assume that he, and travelers like
him, would somehow miss good hotels and food? Travel books have all
that stuff.

Sorry, but Mr. R describes a tourist, then claims travelers are somehow
better and would never do what a tourist does. It makes no sense, and
it's a phrase that's been banned from all the good travel magazines.
Travel is the part where you waste time in airports, sit in cramped
planes and buses and trains, and go from point A to point B, where you
become a tourist if you do anything else at all. There is absolutely
nothing wrong with being a tourist, and there is nothing at all wrong
with the people who choose to go on group tours. Nothing.

We prefer solo travel, but will often take a tour to somewhere new,
especially somewhere with a language we can't decipher, which describes
most of Asia. If we go back to a place, it's on our own. A lot of the
fun of going places is meeting people, and you will never do that if
you're already viewing them with disdain because they're 'tourists' and
you're somehow better than that.

Mr R advised against being a tourist, and offered nothing useful. I
made several suggestions and comments about my favorite country. I
guess I'm just not accustomed to being talked down to by elitists like
Mr. R, but if that's your thing, go for it.

I have info that I wrote and have kept about Costa Rica info that I will cut
and paste for you. It has all the phone numbers you would need. Jane

Every once in awhile someone asks what to do in Costa Rica. I went there
three times in one year and loved it! I am not any part of the travel
industry (I wish!), but there is a tour that I would highly recommend anyone
to take their first full day in CR just to get a good overview of the
country. I just happened to run across this info again, and thought I'd
pass it on. This tour is called "The Highlights Tour" and it is operated by
Ecoscape nature Tours. Their telephone number is (506) 297-0664/FAX
297-0549 and their e mail is:
This tour is allllll day long. They pick you up at your hotel in an
air-conditioned mini bus and you see: Poas Volcano and Cloud Forest, La Paz
Waterfalls, ride through the Braulio Carrillo National Park, take a jungle
boat cruise up the Sarapiqui River (you will see all kinds of wildlife),
breakfast at a beautiful bed and breakfast overlooking the Central Valley
and coffee fields in Alajuela. Lunch is at Selva Verde Lodge where you can
see some beautiful birds and wildlife. They also stop along the way to see
a place that has huge numbers of hummingbirds--all kinds of varieties--that
come up close. They also have tarantulas on display. Oh, also there was a
stop at a coffee plantation. You get back to your hotel around 7 in the
evening. Makes a very full day
and you see so much. The price of this is $79 per person, and worth every
penny.
Another place I would not want to miss is Arenal Volcano. I've stayed at
the Arenal Observatory Lodge twice. It is quite rustic, but gives you a
"National Geographic" feel--which is the group that originally built this
place. Reservations phone # is (506) 257-9489. The Lodge number is (506)
257-5033. Fax number is (506) 257-4220. e mail is
.. Do not miss the morning hike with Giovanni. He will take you up to the
old lava flow and also through the forest pointing out animals, birds, and
insects that you would otherwise walk right by without him pointing them
out. He is a walking guide book of knowledge. He literally will tell you
what page of the guide book a certain specie can be found on! (then he
proves it!) In the same area, is the Tabacon Hot Springs Resort, which you
can go to for the day even without staying at their hotel. It is a
beautifully manicured "park" with multiple naturally heated hot springs.
The volcano is what heats them up. Some are hotter than others. There is a
clean, modern locker room where you can rent towels, change clothes, take a
shower, etc. Don't worry about being "in shape" to enjoy it. You'll see
all kinds of people from all over the world enjoying the springs. You can
also have spa treatments done there if you want. They have a nice
restaurant there as well.
Hope this gives you a head start on a few things you might want to take in
when you go to Costa Rica. Just don't make the mistake of seeing a map or
mileage charts thinking you can take in too many things in one day. The
roads are twisty and turny. And there are giant pot holes and sheer drop
offs. My recommendation is to leave the driving to those who know the area.
It's not expensive to take local transportation or to hire a driver. Have
fun! Jane

"janerene" wrote in message
...
We bought an ox cart down there (stores wine bottles). It is boxed in
pieces when you buy it down there making it very easy to carry and put
together once you get back home. Jane


"k" wrote in message
news
I guess I'm not sure what your questions are. Yes, you can save some
money by doing the trip on your own, but how much you'll save is an
unknown.

I just looked at car rental prices for the last two wks of June, and
right now Europcar is the best, with a RAV-4 for US$221, and I believe
you'll be stuck with $15-20 per day for mandatory insurance. That should
be a good vehicle for your family. You can get out from under the
mandatory insurance if your credit card provides it.

At Arenal you can get a 2-bedroom cottage for a night or two, You'll
have to look into specific hotels to see if a 2-bedroom suite is more or
less than just getting two rooms. Food is inexpensive, and depending on
how you're willing to eat it, it can be downright cheap.

So, without going totally el-cheapo, the five of you should do okay on
$200 most days for room and board. That will buy rooms at a decent
place, and three square meals. I just noticed that you have a 12-yr old,
so figure a bit more for that one, if he/she is anything like ours at
that age.

What might make a tour more appealing to you are the things you'll do on
a tour. Yes, you can take all the same boat rides, jungle tours and the
like on your own, but they're pricey if you do it yourself. A typical
tour includes at least a jungle boat ride and a canopy tour, another boat
for birding near the coast, and visits to volcanos. On your own those
could add up to serious money. Tours often also include things you can't
do on your own, such as farm or home visits. As someone else mentioned,
Costa Rica is not the easiest place to navigate. Major roads are kept in
decent condition, but the trucks in front of you won't be, so even short
distances on good roads can take long, and become very aggravating.
Secondary roads on the Pacific side are usually in good repair, but you
often have to guess where you're going. On the Caribbean side the roads
tend to be awful, as are most unpaved roads in the country.

Our second and third trips there were with tours, and we learned enough
to keep going back on our own, but we usually stay at one of several
destinations and kind of park there. We wouldn't know these places and
our friends there if we hadn't visited first on tours. (Our very first
trip was as backpackers, and we rode the bus everywhere we couldn't walk.
We didn't learn much, except that the climate, people, and food were to
our liking.)

You don't mention where you're coming from, either, and there are now
international flights into the airport at Guanacaste, so if you want a
beach vacation you can check out flights into there.

If you're city lovers, San Jose doesn't promise a lot, but it's nice
enough. There is a gold museum under Plaza de la Cultura, that is very
neat indeed, and probably the best museum in the country. Watch your
step on all but the main sidewalks, because the rest are maintened by the
same folks who take care of the back roads, and it's very easy to trip
and fall.

You have to balance some things when deciding whether to take a tour or
do it on your own. If you hate the idea of touring, then go for it on
your own.

It's your first time there, and possibly even to that part of the world,
then a tour makes a whole lot of things easier. The downside to tours is
that they will always include things you probably wouldn't do on your
own. In CR these days, that will include a visit to Sarchi, which is
famed for its oxcarts. The tradition and fame are real and deserved, but
the presentation these days is bogus for the most part.

On our first trip, the Sarchi oxcarts were still in demand and we saw the
craftsmen putting them together. Even then we saw some that were being
sold with extras, like slide-out bars and plumbing for a wet bar. You
probably wouldn't want an oxcart anyhow, so they sold all kinds of
beautiful wood and leather goods. They still do, but now the tags say
made in Philippines, the leather isn't real, and you can save the better
part of a day by not stopping. It's gone from good and interesting to
pure hokum.

Look at some of the tours available on the Internet. Most are
inexpensive, and you can compare to what you'd spend on your own. Of
course, if you just want a beach vacation, then Guanacaste is probably
your best bet. There are many miles of unspoilt beaches in many
different communities. You'll want to keep an eye on your kids, because
the surf can be tough, but it's simply gorgeous - California with warm
water, if you will.

Have I answered the questions you haven't asked yet?

You will love Costa Rica regardless of your mode of travel. Your only
disappointment will likely be the amount of litter along the roads in
such a 'green' country, but taking out the trash doesn't seem to be a
habit that's taken hold yet.

Keith


"AA" wrote in message
news
I appreciate the input received so far, but I wished we could get more
guidance and advice than criticizing each other.
thanks


"k" wrote in message
et...
"NealR2000" wrote in message
ups.com...
On May 29, 9:54 pm, "k" wrote:


I think you are the one who is being snotty. Mr. R's response was
fine and not in the least bit offensive. Yours was. He came across
to me as someone who wants to encourage people to travel having done
their own research. Why do you assume that he, and travelers like
him, would somehow miss good hotels and food? Travel books have all
that stuff.

Sorry, but Mr. R describes a tourist, then claims travelers are somehow
better and would never do what a tourist does. It makes no sense, and
it's a phrase that's been banned from all the good travel magazines.
Travel is the part where you waste time in airports, sit in cramped
planes and buses and trains, and go from point A to point B, where you
become a tourist if you do anything else at all. There is absolutely
nothing wrong with being a tourist, and there is nothing at all wrong
with the people who choose to go on group tours. Nothing.

We prefer solo travel, but will often take a tour to somewhere new,
especially somewhere with a language we can't decipher, which describes
most of Asia. If we go back to a place, it's on our own. A lot of the
fun of going places is meeting people, and you will never do that if
you're already viewing them with disdain because they're 'tourists' and
you're somehow better than that.

Mr R advised against being a tourist, and offered nothing useful. I
made several suggestions and comments about my favorite country. I
guess I'm just not accustomed to being talked down to by elitists like
Mr. R, but if that's your thing, go for it.

OK.
I have already booked the airlines and car (12 full days). Also, based on
the responses I this newsgroup and many web sites: We decided to visit the
following 5 areas :
1) San Jose
2) Arenal
3) Monteverde
4) North Pacific Coast (Guanacaste)
5) Central Pacific (Jacó, Manuel Antonio).

My three questions a

1) How would you order the itinerary given that we will fly in and out of
San Jose
2`) How many days do you suggest we should stay in each spot
3) Do you have a recommended accommodation (we don't mind spending a little
more money for a luxury accommodation), and a contact information that gets
us a good deal

thanks for those who responded to my inquiry ad to those who will help with
these questions.
thanks again
AL


"AA" wrote in message
...
We are a family of two adults and three kids : 12, 11, and 3. We are
exploring
a trip to Costa Rica. Do we really have to buy a package? We'd rather
not
to save some money and be able to do extra activities and/or stay in
better
accommodations. Any recommendations
thanks
AL