#families — Toorizta Articles

Stilted riverside houses with tin roofs and small boats docked along a canal in Tortuguero

Getting to Tortuguero: There Is No Road, and the Last Boat Out Leaves Early

SINAC calls La Pavona the fastest route in. One operator's last shared boat out leaves at 2 p.m. How to pick your dock, your hour, your ride. Ask us.

Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica facade in San Jose, with ornate statues, columns and an ironwork entrance

One Day in San Jose: Book the Volcano Slot, Walk the Rest

Poas entry is online only and the park shuts at 4pm, so reserve that slot first. How to fill one San Jose day around it, and what to ask us first.

Aerial view of a winding river cutting through dense rainforest near the coast in Tortuguero

Where to Stay in Tortuguero: the Village, a Canal Lodge, or a Package

Tortuguero has no road in, so your bed picks your boat. The village, a canal lodge, or a package from San Jose, plus the park fee nobody mentions.

Aerial view of a turquoise bay with a white sand beach, forested headland, and boats anchored offshore

Where to Stay on the Papagayo Gulf: the Peninsula, Culebra Bay, or a Beach Town

The all-inclusives travelers search for are not inside the Papagayo Peninsula gate. Which of the gulf's three bases fits your family week. Ask us.

Palo Verde from Liberia: Book the River Boat, or Drive to the Park Gate?

Most Palo Verde boat safaris cruise the Tempisque beside the park. SINAC's gate is 30 km of gravel past Bagaces, open 8am to 4pm. How to pick your day

Tour boat with a blue canopy carrying passengers along a river lined with dense trees and reeds

Palo Verde from Liberia: the Boat Safari and the Park Are Two Different Bookings

SINAC lists no boat service at Palo Verde. The Tempisque safari and the park trails are two different bookings from Liberia. Here is which to pick.

Rural paved road through green countryside with hills, seen from a car with the hood and side mirror visible

LIR to the Papagayo Gulf: There Is No Bus From the Terminal

Liberia airport is 12 km from town and the beach buses start downtown. How families reach Playa Panama and the peninsula, and when a car pays off.

Turquoise river pool flows through a narrow rock canyon shaded by lush green trees

Papagayo Gulf Day Trips: Which One to Book, and the Days the Parks Are Shut

Staying on the Papagayo Gulf? Las Pailas shuts Mondays, the waterfall trail gates at noon, and the Bat Islands sit inside a national park. Ask us.

A covered tour boat carrying passengers cruises along a tree-lined river

Why a Palo Verde Boat Safari Is Not a Day in Palo Verde

The boat safari sold as Palo Verde cruises the Tempisque along the park edge. SINAC hours and fees, the gravel road in, and which day to book. Ask us.

Aerial view of a coastal village nestled between rainforest hills and a turquoise bay with coral reefs

Where to Stay in Limón: the City, the Coast, or Tortuguero

Limón is a province, not a base. Booking "Limón" can land you a boat ride from the beach you meant. How to pick the city, Cahuita or Tortuguero. Ask u

Catamaran anchored near a sandy beach in Papagayo Gulf, with forested hills behind and turquoise water

Booking a Boat Day in the Papagayo Gulf: Why the Hour Beats the Boat

In the Gulf of Papagayo the hour you board matters more than the boat. Which Guanacaste boat day to book, why mornings win, and what to ask us first.

Aerial view of a coastal river mouth meeting the ocean beside a beach town with green mangroves

Tamarindo Turtle Tours: What the Park Allows Now, and What to Book Instead

SINAC's own Las Baulas page says there is no turtle observation. Here is what a Tamarindo wildlife morning really delivers, and what to book. Ask us.

Aerial view of Rincón de la Vieja volcano crater with a turquoise lake and rising steam

Rincón de la Vieja from Liberia: Mud Pots or Waterfalls, and the Two Deadlines That Decide

Las Pailas closes Mondays and the waterfall trail shuts its gate at noon. How to pick your Rincón de la Vieja day from Liberia, with SINAC fees.

Wicker chairs and a wooden table on a jungle-view balcony overlooking Manuel Antonio's coastline

Where to Stay in Manuel Antonio: the Beach End, the Hill, or Quepos

Manuel Antonio is one 7 km hill road, not a town. What each stretch is like to wake up in, what the park's 3pm close means, and how to pick your base.

Aerial view of a Liberia, Costa Rica town at sunset with rooftops, a main street, and mountains in the distance

Where to Stay When You Land at Liberia: Airport Strip, Town, or Drive On

Landing at Liberia airport? Your arrival hour decides: sleep beside the terminal, in Liberia town, or drive on to the coast. How to choose. Ask us.

Entrance sign for Carara National Park with a colorful scarlet macaw decoration, surrounded by greenery

Carara from Jaco: Which Trail to Walk, and Whether You Need a Guide

Staying in Jaco and want wildlife? Carara's four trails, SINAC's online-only tickets, and when a guide changes what your family sees. Ask us.