Costa Rica
Oct. 1 - 5, 2015 (5D4N): An adventurous girls trip! We picked 2 cities to visit during this trip - La Fortuna and Monteverde. Loved La Fortuna - warm and beautiful view of the volcano!! The temperature at Monteverde was a lot cooler and the only main attraction was the Cloud Forest - I'd skip Moneteverde and replace it with a visit to the beach town.
*Highly Recommended
Day 1
- Afternoon arrival in San Jose
- Pick up rental from Alamo*
- Drive to Hotel El Silencio del Campo* in La Fortuna
- Hang out at hotel hot springs
- Dinner @ Soda Viquez*
Day 2
- Pick-up from Desafio tour (Waterfall Rappelling + Zip lining combo + Lunch $135):
- Mud facial at the hotel
- Hang out at hotel hot springs
- Hang out at thermal spa with comp wine!!
- Dinner @ Marisqueria Snapper’s House*
- Walk around La Fortuna town
Day 3
- Drive to La Fortuna waterfalls* (get there early!!):
- 25 mins hike to the bottom
- Swim in the waterfall
- Relax at hotel thermal spa
- Drive to El Establo Mountain Hotel @ Monteverde (4 hr drive):
- Lunch break at German Bakery
- Crazy drive through winding mountain roads, farms, and unpaved roads along side of the cliff
- Walk around town of Santa Elena/Monteverde
- Dinner @ Soda La Salvadita*
- Dessert @ Tree House
- Drinks @ Monteverde Beer House*
Day 4
- Drive to Reserva Biological Bosque Nuboso Monteverde*:
- 2 hour hike (Bosque Nuboso – Camino – Wilford Guindon – Suspension bridge – reception direction)
- Hang out at the hotel pool
- Drive to San Jose:
- Stop by Playa Dona Ana
- Lunch @ La Sirena
- Check-in @ Holiday Inn Express San Jose Aeropuerto*
- Drive to central San Jose
- Plaza de la Cultura
- National Theater
- Street fairs
- Catedral Metropolitana
- Dinner @ RostiPollos
- Casino next to the hotel
Day 5
- Early flight to Newark (pay $29 departure tax before checking-in)
Tips
- Driving in Costa Rica was safe, all the roads in and out of San Jose were easy and smooth except for the rough path from La Fortuna to Monteverde.
