Nature

Costa Rica

Pura vida with a toddler in tow

Toddler score:9/10

Best from:12m+

Costa Rica was made for families. The wildlife, the waterfalls, the warm Pacific beaches — and a culture so relaxed and welcoming that traveling with a toddler felt effortless. Edison saw sloths, toucans, and sea turtles all in one week. Pura vida is real.

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.