Costa Rica as a Family Travel Destination

All of us, at one point or another, have dreamed of adventure in a land far, far away where magical things can happen. And while that imagined adventure has been different for each one of us, there are places not so far away where young and old together can make their adventurous dreams come true. Costa Rica is one of those places.

Imagine jungles, thick with damp air and silent with eerie sounds - howls, toots, and growls. Imagine raging rapids and waterfalls waiting to be conquered; rugged peaks hiding gurgling, boiling lava; and dark blue oceans, waves crashing on pewter smooth sands, telling tales of times gone by when the galleons of Columbus and pirates of long ago landed on their shores. Imagine all of this waiting to be explored by you, you and your brothers and sisters, you and your children. Costa Rica is your family adventure waiting to happen.

No more than a half day’s trip away from most major US airports, Costa Rica is a peaceful, stable, democratic country, known for a thriving tourism industry built around the country’s natural beauty. Costa Rican’s are friendly people, and they relish the opportunity to share a little piece of their native paradise. The main language is Spanish but many speak English and even those that don’t will make an effort to communicate with you and help out. The country is small, about the size of the state of West Virginia, and it is feasible to watch the sun rise on the Atlantic, and see the sun set on the Pacific all in a day’s adventure. Whether you choose to drive, take a bus, or fly, it is easy to get around in this country and thus fully experience what it has to offer. You can pick the name of the game, perhaps call it adventure and surf, whitewater raft, hike volcanoes, or walk the rainforest at night; or call it relaxation and spoil yourself with massages, yoga lessons, gourmet dining, idle walks along the beach, and reading by the pool. Whatever you choose, it will be fun, and it is guaranteed that time will expand and give you and your family the opportunity to create lasting memories of days well spent in each other’s company.

Valuable Tips for Family Travel

Please find below some valuable tips for family travel from our friends at Costa Rica Expeditions.  

1. The key to getting the most out of traveling with kids is striking the right balance between the challenging and the comfortable, the strange and the familiar.  A good place to start with kids is strange place; familiar food.  With most kids from the U.S., the majority of our guests, you can achieve a lot with pasta and peanut butter and jelly.
   
   
2. Getting everybody packed up and moving is often the most stressful part of the trip---especially when a favorite toy is left behind at your last destination.  Unless everybody in the family is experienced travelers, pick one or two places and stay put.
   
   
3. Game boys, disc men, iPods etc are invaluable for keeping kids entertained at airports and on long flights. However, once they are at the destination the experience will not be very nourishing if they shut out the sights and sounds of where they are with the portable sights and sounds of home.  Make the deal before you leave, digital distraction ends when you get there.  It will cause serious withdrawal for some kids---which is not such a bad thing.
   
   
4. Replace the digital toys with binoculars. One of the great benefits of travel is that it shows you new worlds. Binoculars show you new worlds within new worlds. Binoculars are on virtually all “What to Bring” lists for nature travel, but they are almost as valuable for other kinds of travel as well.  They are not of much use inside the Louvre, but they are great for seeing the details of the molding above the cornice on the exterior of the Louvre. The same binoculars that work for bird watching work for people watching. You do not need to get your kid $800 Swarwarskis, but $20 specials are worse then nothing. Nikon 7510 Travelite 10 X 25 mm V Binoculars available on Amazon for 80.99 are a good choice for starter binoculars for general use.  For a serious nature trip step something a little bigger like Bushnell 10 x 42 Natureview Plus Binocular, $125.49 on Amazon. Finally binoculars are not hard to use but there are a few tricks.  Find someone to teach them to your kids---and to you for that matter.
   
   
5. If the purpose of the trip is for you and your kids to learn about a culture, natural or human, other than your own, try to find a really good guide.  I am not talking about the kind of guide who gives canned speeches.  I am talking about the kind of guide who asks the right questions:  For example, “How do you think families in ancient Rome were different from modern families in your country?”  And then, “How do you think families in modern Rome are different from modern families in your country?” Really great guides who can transform a perfectly good vacation into an extraordinary magical experience are trained professionals and they do not come cheap.  If money is a factor, skimp on hotels, but don't skimp on the guide.
   
   
6. If you want your kids to truly love and savor travel, schedule your family trip for a time when school is in session. There are two main reasons for this.  The first is that because they will not be distracted relating to all the other kids from their country and class who are traveling at the same time, they will be much more able to appreciate where they are. The second is that unless they are fortunate enough to go to one of the roughly five percent of schools that are worthwhile, they will appreciate it that you rescued them from school.

Sustainable Vacations

Vacations today are far beyond sheer personal gratification and fleeting glimpses into the ways of another place. From the moment you pack your suitcases to the time you board the plane to head back home there will be ample opportunities to experience a vacation where community and nature add meaningful memories to your vacation.   And undoubtedly, there is no better way to experience connection to something new than within the safe and fun confines of family. So, as you journey through your family adventure in Costa Rica find ways to experience, connect, and learn from and about the local communities and the natural environment. 

For instance, you can bring art supplies, deflated soccer balls, or used clothing, all items that can then be donated to a school.   You can ask about opportunities to play soccer with locals, or visit elementary schools and participate in a classroom activity.  You can venture off hotel grounds and get to know the community, perhaps you’ll come across the town festivities.  You can support the local economy and buy crafts from local artisans, have a snack at a “soda”.  And even if you don’t speak Spanish, give it a try, good morning, thank you, and please are easy things to say in Spanish and they will probably guarantee you a beautiful smile in return. 

Costa Rica is dedicated to becoming a more environmentally aware and active country, and you can be part of this effort.  You can offset the emissions from your flight and the activities associated with your vacation time.  Bring or buy a re-usable drinking container and avoid buying plastic bottles, and when you do try to dispose of them where they will be recycled. Take a natural history tour and come closer to wildlife; or take a hotel sustainability tour and learn the ins and outs of how the hotels mentioned on this site manage their operations sustainably.  Learn about local conservation efforts and support these projects. Plant a tree. Walk trails in national parks, kayak in and out of ocean coves, and take time to watch the sunset, simply experience the beauty of nature.  And when you find yourself back at home, challenge yourself and your family, “what can we do to live a life that is more mindful of our planet?”  As a family, get involved and make a difference for the Earth and those around you.

Learn more about Sustainability when travelling in Costa Rica here.