I hear a lot from families who would like to branch out of their Disney, cruises, or all-inclusive resort vacations and venture into international travel with their children - but they aren't sure where to start. My recommendation is always the same - GO TO COSTA RICA!
Here are my top few reasons why Costa Rica is the ideal first international destination with kids.
Activities for All: Enjoy Costa Rica's Natural Beauty
In Costa Rica family time is valued, and kids are readily included in activities. This means, from a tourism perspective, that Costa Rica is ripe with opportunities for children to safely participate in activities and excursions. You will find child-friendly activities for all ages - including wildlife rehabilitation centers, hanging bridges tours through the rainforest canopy, and awesome night tours safely within your resort. Depending of your family's level of adventure you can river raft, kayak, cave-tube, zip-line (even very young children can do this with a guide), take an aerial tram, or walk on the famous hanging bridges through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. You can take your child on a surf lesson, or take a sunset catamaran trip. You can scuba dive, horseback ride, go fishing - the list goes on. If you're into learning about chocolate or coffee there are lots of tours to choose from.
Costa Rica is known for ecotourism - meaning that activities are designed to have you experience the natural environment without damaging or disturbing it, and will help to strengthen conservation efforts and contribute to the well being of the local people. This is an awesome way to introduce children to travel - show them how to respectfully interact with their environment and help strengthen connections with friends from around the world.
Costa Rica Accommodations: Made for the Family
Almost everywhere you go in Costa Rica you will find that restaurants have kid friendly menus, hotels are well set up for families - with cribs and sleeping arrangements for larger families - and transportation companies will have car seats ready to go (they are required to by law in Costa Rica). Food safety concerns are low in Costa Rica as well, and in most places you can safely drink the water. For locations where this is not such a great idea, most resorts will have filtered water available - both for drinking, and if you need to mix formula for your baby.
Costa Rica is Safe
Costa Rica is safe from a crime perspective as well. They do not have a military and are a peaceful democracy so you won't see a large government/military presence. The majority of crime that does occur in Costa Rica is petty theft. This risk can be mitigated fairly easily with actions such as staying at resorts as opposed to vacation rental houses (thieves often know which houses are vacation rentals), and not bringing valuables to the beach. I also partner with a terrific vendor who will help set you up with guides to take you from area to area. They are well worth the cost, and really will ensure your safety.
Costa Rica's Amazing Animals
Costa Rica has an incredibly biodiverse wildlife. Over 30% of Costa Rica is dedicated to national parks - which means there is a ton of area for wildlife to continue to thrive. There are over 500,000 species of animals to discover and see. This includes: macaws, red-eyed tree frogs (on my kids' list since a Diego episode about a million years ago), howler monkeys, toucans, sloths, and over 50 different species of hummingbirds alone - just to name a few.
Costa Rica's Variety: Catered to You're Family
Costa Rica is known for its rainforests, but you can also see volcanoes (Costa Rica has 6 active and over 60 either dormant or extinct volcanoes). You can stay in luxurious resorts that take advantage of this and have incredible geothermal hot springs for you to relax in. You can visit an entirely different ecosystem in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and you can explore the over 800 miles of beaches and waterfalls that exist in the country.
Ease of Building an Itinerary
Costa Rica does look small on the map, but there is a lot to see, and there are mountain ranges that can make travel take longer than you might think. It's important to keep this in mind as we plan your itinerary. Although it is possible to stay at one resort and plan day trips my strong recommendation is not to do that. By the time you factor in a three hour drive to and from your destination you and your kids are going to be exhausted. When you're ready to book your trip we'll discuss your personal goals and desires for this trip, and put together a customized itinerary that will work for your family's needs.
Looking to add Costa Rica as your next family destination? Schedule a consultation today!
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