Nature

Costa Rica

Pura vida with a toddler in tow

Toddler score:9/10

Best from:12m+

Costa Rica is one of our favorite destinations for adventurous families. Between the pura vida culture, incredible wildlife, and easy access to beaches and rainforests, every day felt like a new discovery.

Getting there

Fly into San José (SJO) or Liberia (LIR) depending on your destination. Liberia is better for the Guanacaste beach region; San José for Manuel Antonio and the central valley. Renting a car is essential — public transport is limited and distances are longer than they look on a map.

Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio National Park is the most family-friendly destination in Costa Rica. The park has calm beaches, easy jungle trails, and guaranteed wildlife sightings — sloths hang in the trees right above the path. The town has excellent family resorts and restaurants. Book park entry in advance as it sells out.

Wildlife with a toddler

Costa Rica's wildlife is extraordinary and accessible. Hire a local guide for your first park visit — they spot animals you'd walk right past and have spotting scopes for distant sloths and birds. Edison's highlights: a three-toed sloth with a baby, a troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys, and a scarlet macaw pair flying overhead.

Arenal and hot springs

The Arenal volcano region is spectacular — a perfect cone rising above the jungle, with natural hot springs fed by geothermal activity. The Tabacón hot springs resort has a family area with shallow pools perfect for toddlers. The hanging bridges at Mistico Park are stroller-accessible and offer incredible canopy views.

Food & logistics

Costa Rican food (casados — rice, beans, meat, salad) is simple, fresh, and toddler-friendly. Sodas (local diners) are cheap and excellent. Supermarkets in tourist towns are well-stocked. Roads can be rough — a 4WD is worth it. Pack light rain gear; afternoon showers are common even in dry season.

Edison's pro tip

Don't try to see everything — Costa Rica rewards slow travel. Pick one region and go deep. Trying to drive across the country with a toddler is exhausting.