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Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio for three generations

9 days for grandparents, parents and children 6 and up: two nights under Arenal Volcano, two in the Monteverde cloud forest and three on the Pacific at Manuel Antonio.

9 days · Round trip from San José · up to 12 guests

The facts

At a glance

Length
9 days, 8 nights
Start and end
Round trip from San José
Group size
7 to 12 guests
Longest drive
4 h on day 6No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
Activity level

Easy

Guided walks of 1 to 2.5 hours, about 1 to 3 km each, mostly on level paths, paved trails or boardwalk; hanging bridges with handrails at treetop height; a seated boat across Lake Arenal and a seated mangrove boat; an optional rough lava-rock section at Arenal and an optional descent of more than 500 steps to La Fortuna Waterfall. No stretch in the van is over about 2.5 hours without a stop. Anyone can sit any part out at the hotel, a café or in the van, and every base day has pool time.

Meals included
8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
Room of your own
+ CAD 455 (estimated price)
Season
Year round, driest December to April

Highlights

Why this trip

  • Painted oxcarts being made by hand in Sarchí, and the clipped topiary arches of Zarcero
  • A dusk soak in volcano-heated hot springs, with an early dinner by the pools
  • Arenal Volcano close up on the national park's easiest trail, with a naturalist and a telescope
  • A seated boat ride across Lake Arenal to the cloud forest
  • Hanging bridges at treetop height in Monteverde, and a coffee and chocolate farm the afternoon after
  • Crocodiles on the sandbanks under the Tárcoles bridge, then Carara's paved forest trail, with scarlet macaws if we are lucky
  • Sloths and monkeys in Manuel Antonio at the 7 am opening, then three nights by the Pacific

What makes this trip different

  • Short drives, all published

    Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.

  • Free time is part of the plan

    Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.

  • Solo without the penalty

    A room of your own is + CAD 455 (estimated price).

Day by day

Itinerary

The longest drive is 4 h, on day 6.

NICARAGUAPANAMACaribbean SeaPacific OceanLake Arenal1234San JoséDays 1 and 9SarchíDay 2ZarceroDay 2La FortunaDays 2 to 4Arenal Volcano National ParkDay 3MonteverdeDays 4 to 6Tárcoles and CararaDay 6Manuel AntonioDays 6 to 9Damas mangrovesDay 8

Tap any stop on the map to open that day

Arrive in San José

Juan Santamaría International Airport to your hotel in San José

  • Welcome dinner
  • Stay in San José
  • Drive about 45 min

Evening

Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), about 20 km west of San José in Alajuela, ideally by about 3 pm so you can join the evening briefing; later arrivals are met too. A driver meets each family in the arrivals hall and helps with the bags for the drive to the hotel, 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. San José sits at about 1,150 m in the Central Valley, so evenings are mild rather than tropical, and after the flight a rest or the hotel pool is usually the right plan for every age. At about 5 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group in the hotel for a short briefing: how the days run, which parts anyone can sit out, and an animal checklist for the children to tick off through the week. Then we walk a short way to a nearby restaurant for an early welcome dinner at about 6 pm, with Costa Rican dishes such as casado, gallo pinto, fried plantain and fresh fruit drinks. Everyone is back at the hotel early. Tomorrow starts after breakfast, at about 8:30 am.

Included

  • Pick-up at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide
  • Early welcome dinner

Free time: Free until the evening briefing

Activity: Land by about 3 pm to join the briefing; later arrivals are met and briefed the next morning.

  1. San José1 night
  2. La Fortuna2 nights
  3. Monteverde2 nights
  4. Manuel Antonio3 nights
  5. San Joséend
  • Overnight stop
  • Day trip
  • By boat or train
Print itinerary

Wildlife and weather: December to April is the drier season on the Pacific side and the busiest; July and August fall in the green season, with sunny mornings and afternoon showers, which suits a morning activity and a pool afternoon. Monteverde is cool and misty in any month, and Arenal's summit is often in cloud. Wildlife is wild: sloths, monkeys, toucans and macaws are seen on most trips, but we cannot promise any one animal.

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Before you book

Right for you?

Good for you if you want

  • Grandparents, parents and grandchildren of 6 and up travelling together
  • Grandparents who walk comfortably for an hour or two on level paths but want to sit out anything steep
  • Families who want entries, transfers and activities handled, and a pool every afternoon
  • A large family of 7 or more, who may fill a departure where it allows, or a smaller family on the private version

Not for you if you want

  • Children under 6: the minimum age is 6
  • Travellers who use a wheelchair full time: most trails, boats and hotels here are not step-free, though Carara's trail is; ask us about a private version
  • Teenagers after whitewater, surfing or long hikes every day: those are optional extras here
  • Families who want Tortuguero, Río Celeste or a zipline in the price

Minimum age: 6

Most guests are Three generations, children 6 to 14 with parents and grandparents

Book flights after we confirm your seat.

8 nights

Where you'll stay

Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.

  • San José1 night
  • La Fortuna2 nights
  • Monteverde2 nights
  • Manuel Antonio3 nights

One price

What's in the price

Included

Accommodation

  • 8 nights: San José (1), La Fortuna (2), Monteverde in walking distance of Santa Elena village (2) and Manuel Antonio near the park or the beach road (3)
  • Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms, hot water and a pool, named when we confirm your dates
  • Family or connecting rooms requested for each family, or a room of your own for a supplement

Transport

  • Pick-up at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) on day 1 and drop-off there on day 9
  • An air-conditioned van with driver for the whole route
  • Boat across Lake Arenal, with road transfers either side
  • Covered boat in the Damas mangroves

Your guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip
  • Local naturalists in Arenal Volcano National Park, at the hanging bridges, on the Monteverde night walk, at Carara and in Manuel Antonio National Park, and local hosts at the oxcart workshop and the farm

Activities

  • Oxcart workshop visit in Sarchí and the Zarcero topiary park
  • Hot spring park near La Fortuna, with dinner
  • Arenal Volcano National Park entry and guided walk
  • La Fortuna Waterfall entry
  • Guided night walk with a naturalist in Monteverde
  • Hanging-bridges park near Santa Elena
  • Coffee and chocolate farm tour with a tasting
  • Tárcoles River crocodile bridge stop
  • Carara National Park entry and universal-access trail walk
  • Manuel Antonio National Park entry and guided walk
  • Mangrove boat tour in the Damas estuary

Meals

  • 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners
  • Sit-down lunches on days 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9
  • Early welcome dinner in San José, dinner at the hot springs and an early farewell dinner in Manuel Antonio

Not included

  • International flights to and from San José
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunches on days 4, 7 and 8 and dinners on days 3 to 7
  • Drinks
  • Tips for your guide, driver and local guides
  • Optional activities such as the zipline, river floats, horse riding, the Monteverde reserve, the catamaran, kayaking and surf lessons
  • An extra night in San José before your flight
  • Personal expenses
  • Costa Rica's departure tax, if it is not already in your air ticket

Extras

Room of your own
CAD 455 (estimated price)

When you can go

Dates and prices

Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.

Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.

Before you book

Booking terms

Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.

Business addresses

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Guest reviews

What guests say

Reviews from guests on our day tours.

Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
October 06, 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
October 05, 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 from 38,601 guest reviews

Good to know

Questions

Prices in these answers apply from Jan 1, 2027. Black Friday offer: 15% off the small-group price for requests received by Dec 1, 2026. From CAD 2,265 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 2,450. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 2,665.

What does the price include?

Eight nights in central hotels with pools, 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 early dinners, airport transfers, an air-conditioned van and driver, the boats on Lake Arenal and in the mangroves, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every activity in the day plan, from the hot springs and Arenal park to the hanging bridges, the coffee and chocolate farm, Carara and Manuel Antonio.

Is this trip manageable for a grandparent in their 70s?

Yes, if they can walk for an hour or two on level paths. Trails are mostly flat, paved or boardwalk, the bridges have handrails, both boats are seated, and no stretch in the van is over about 2.5 hours without a stop. Every rougher part has an easy option, and anyone can rest at the hotel instead.

What is the minimum age for children?

The minimum age is 6. Everything in the day plan suits a six-year-old travelling with grandparents and parents. Optional extras such as a zipline or a surf lesson have their own age, height and weight rules set by the operator, and our guide arranges a ground or beach alternative for anyone who does not qualify.

Can we get family or connecting rooms?

We request family or connecting rooms for every family, and rooms close to the lift or on the ground floor for grandparents who need them. What each hotel can offer depends on its layout and your dates, so we tell you exactly which rooms you have before you pay anything.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, counting children. A three-generation family of seven or more may fill a departure on its own, where the departure allows. A family of six or fewer that wants to travel alone books the private version, from CAD 4,795 per person. Otherwise families share with one or two others in one van.

Who leads the trip?

A See Sight Tours guide stays with the group for the whole trip, from the welcome briefing to the airport. Local naturalists lead the walks in Arenal, Monteverde, Carara and Manuel Antonio with a telescope, and local hosts run the oxcart workshop and the farm. Our own driver and van carry the group between bases.

How long are the drives?

No stretch in the van is over about 2.5 hours without a stop. The Monteverde to Manuel Antonio day is the longest, about 3.75 hours, broken at Tárcoles and Carara with lunch. The lake-crossing day is about 3 hours door to door with a boat in the middle, and the airport drive is 3 hours with a halfway stop.

Is there a single supplement for a grandparent travelling alone?

An adult travelling alone can share with a family member or have a room of their own from CAD 455 more, shown up front when you request to book. A grandparent and grandchild sharing a room pay the twin-share price each. Child pricing and family rooms for three or four are quoted when we confirm dates.

When is the best time for a three-generation trip to Costa Rica?

December to April is the drier season and the busiest, including the Christmas and March breaks. July and August fall in the green season: mornings are often sunny and afternoons bring showers, which suits our morning activities and pool afternoons. Monteverde can be misty and Arenal cloudy in any month.

What documents do children need if they travel with their grandparents?

Every child needs their own passport valid for the whole stay; Canadian, US, UK and most EU passport holders need no visa for a tourist stay. If a child travels without one or both parents, carry a signed consent letter from each absent parent. Check current rules for your passports before you book.

How does booking work?

Choose your start date and request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 2,665 per person sharing, taxes included, and the price you see is the price of the trip, with the activities already in it.

Can our family travel privately or on our own dates?

Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your family only, on a date you choose, from CAD 4,795 per person sharing; this is how a family of six or fewer travels alone. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us and we will quote the same hotels, transfers and activities.

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