5/5
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
Arenal Volcano near La Fortuna Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arenal_Volcano_02.jpg)
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.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick 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.
Oxcarts, topiary and the hot springs
San José to Sarchí, then Zarcero and La Fortuna
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 3.5 h

We leave San José at about 8:30 am and drive an hour through coffee farms to Sarchí, the town of Costa Rica's painted oxcarts. In a family workshop we watch wheels being shaped and painted in bright geometric patterns, a craft that sits within the oxcart traditions UNESCO lists as intangible heritage, and children can try a brush on a sample piece. Forty-five minutes further on we stop in Zarcero, a hill town at about 1,700 m, where cypress hedges in front of the church are clipped into arches and animal shapes, an easy level stroll for everyone. The road then drops through dairy pasture into the northern lowlands for an hour and a half, and Arenal Volcano appears ahead if the clouds allow.
Afternoon
We reach La Fortuna, our base for two nights, for a late sit-down lunch, then rest at the hotel pool.
Evening
At about 4:30 pm we drive a few minutes to a hot spring park, where volcano-heated water runs through warm pools with steps and handrails, and dinner there is at about 6 pm.
Included
- Drive from San José to La Fortuna with your guide
- Oxcart workshop visit in Sarchí
- Stop at the topiary park in Zarcero
- Sit-down lunch in La Fortuna
- Late-afternoon entry to a hot spring park near La Fortuna, with an early dinner
Easier option: Stay on the bench by the church in Zarcero, or sit by the warmest, shallowest pool at the springs.
Free time: An hour or two at the hotel pool before the springs
Activity: About 3.25 hours of driving in three legs, the longest about 1.5 hours. Bring swimwear and a change of clothes for the hot springs.
Arenal Volcano close up, then the waterfall
La Fortuna to Arenal Volcano National Park, then La Fortuna Waterfall
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 1.5 h

Morning
Mornings are clearest and coolest, so after an 8 am breakfast we drive about 25 minutes to Arenal Volcano National Park. With a local naturalist and a telescope we walk the park's easiest trail, about 2 km and mostly level, through secondary forest that has grown back since the 1968 eruption, looking for toucans, coatis and howler monkeys, with views of the cone when it shows. Those who want more go on to the old lava field, rough black rock with the volcano above; those who would rather rest wait at the viewpoint by the trailhead.
Afternoon
We are back in La Fortuna for a sit-down lunch together, then the early afternoon is free at the pool. At about 3:30 pm the van takes anyone who wants to La Fortuna Waterfall, about 70 m high, ten minutes out of town: grandparents can enjoy it from the viewpoint at the top, while children and parents walk down more than 500 steps to swim in the pool below.
Evening
The evening is free, with early dinners easy to find in town.
Included
- Arenal Volcano National Park entry and guided walk with a local naturalist
- Sit-down lunch in La Fortuna
- La Fortuna Waterfall entry
Optional experiences
- A river float, zipline, horse ride or chocolate tour around La Fortuna, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk the first, level part of the park trail and wait at the trailhead viewpoint; see the waterfall from the top or stay at the pool.
More active option: Continue onto the old lava field in the park, and walk down the more than 500 steps to swim below the waterfall.
Free time: Early afternoon and the evening free
Activity: About 2 km mostly level in the park, plus an optional rough lava-rock section; the waterfall steps are optional and steep.
By boat across Lake Arenal to Monteverde
La Fortuna by road to Lake Arenal, by boat across the lake, then by road up to Monteverde
- Breakfast
- Stay in Monteverde
- Drive about 2 h

There is no direct road from La Fortuna to Monteverde, and the way round Lake Arenal takes about four hours, so we cross the water instead.
Morning
After breakfast a short drive takes us to a dock near the Arenal dam, where a covered boat with seats carries the group across the lake in about half an hour, with the volcano behind us on a clear morning, while our bags travel safely with the crew. Lake Arenal is a reservoir, the largest lake in Costa Rica, formed when the dam was finished in 1979. On the far shore a van meets us for the climb into the Tilarán hills, the last stretch on a winding, partly unpaved road, to Santa Elena, the village beside the Monteverde reserves at about 1,400 m.
Afternoon
We arrive around midday; lunch and the afternoon are free for a rest.
Evening
At about 5 pm, as the light fades, a naturalist leads a night walk of about 1.5 hours, included in the price, looking for sleeping birds, tree frogs and stick insects by torchlight. Anyone tired can skip it. Dinner in the village after the walk, at about 6:45 pm, is your own.
Included
- Van and boat crossing of Lake Arenal, with road transfers either side
- Guided night walk with a naturalist in a private reserve near Santa Elena
Optional experiences
- A butterfly garden or a hummingbird café in Santa Elena, paid locally
Easier option: Skip the included night walk and have an early dinner in the village at six; the hummingbird feeders by the reserve entrance are an easy afternoon.
Free time: Lunch and the afternoon free in Santa Elena
Activity: About 3 hours door to door, with a short step down into the boat; crew help at the dock. The included night walk runs from about 5 to 6:30 pm on forest paths, and dinner follows it; bring a warm layer and a torch.
Hanging bridges, coffee and chocolate
Santa Elena to a hanging-bridges park, then a coffee and chocolate farm, then Santa Elena
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Monteverde
- Drive about 30 min

Afternoon
We start at about 8:30 am, before any afternoon cloud, at a hanging-bridges park a few minutes from Santa Elena. With a local naturalist and a telescope we walk a loop of about 3 km on paved and gravel paths, crossing suspension bridges with high handrails that put us at eye level with the canopy: bromeliads, orchids, hummingbirds and, with luck, a quetzal or an emerald toucanet. The bridges are wide enough to stop in, and there are benches along the way. Lunch is included at a restaurant in the village. In the afternoon we visit a small family farm on the slopes below Santa Elena that grows coffee and cacao. It is a seated, hands-on visit: children pick coffee cherries in season and grind roasted cacao into chocolate, grandparents compare roasts at the tasting table, and everyone finishes with hot chocolate or a cup of coffee.
Evening
We are back by about 3:30 pm, and the evening is free, with pizza and casado places within a short level walk.
Included
- Hanging-bridges park near Santa Elena with a local naturalist
- Sit-down lunch in Santa Elena
- Coffee and chocolate farm tour with a tasting
Optional experiences
- A zipline at a canopy park near Santa Elena (park sets age, height and weight rules) or the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with a naturalist, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk the first bridges and return on the short path to the café, or rest at the hotel instead of the farm.
More active option: Take the zipline in the morning while the rest of the family walks the bridges; the guide brings everyone together for lunch.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 km on paved and gravel paths with some gentle slopes; the farm visit is mostly seated.
Crocodiles at Tárcoles, forest at Carara
Monteverde to the Tárcoles River bridge and Carara National Park, then Manuel Antonio
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Manuel Antonio
- Drive about 4 h
Afternoon
Today's drive is about 3.75 hours and 185 km, close to our 4-hour cap, so we cut it into two legs with a walk and lunch between them. We leave Monteverde at about 8 am, wind down out of the hills to the Pan-American Highway and on towards the coast, about 2.5 hours. Coming from the north, the first stop is the bridge over the Tárcoles River, where large American crocodiles usually lie on the sandbanks below, seen from the fenced walkway. A few minutes south is Carara National Park, where the dry north meets the wetter south. We walk its universal-access trail, just over a kilometre, paved and level, with a naturalist; it suits wheelchairs and pushchairs, so everyone can come. Scarlet macaws live here, but they are most active early and late in the day, so by late morning we see them only with luck. Lunch is a sit-down meal nearby on the coast road. The second leg, about an hour and a quarter, follows the Pacific past Jacó to Quepos and Manuel Antonio, our base for three nights, in time for the pool.
Included
- Drive from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio with your guide
- Crocodile stop at the Tárcoles River bridge
- Carara National Park entry and a walk on the universal-access trail with a naturalist
- Sit-down lunch on the coast road
Easier option: See the crocodiles from the van window at the bridge, or wait in the shade at Carara's visitor centre.
More active option: Ask the naturalist to add a short loop on Carara's longer forest trail if time allows.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Manuel Antonio
Activity: About 3.75 hours of driving in two legs of about 2.5 hours and 1.25 hours, near the 4-hour cap, broken by the bridge stop, the Carara walk and lunch; the Carara trail is just over a kilometre, paved and level. Macaws are a with-luck sighting at this hour.
Manuel Antonio National Park at opening
A morning in Manuel Antonio National Park, then the beach
- Breakfast
- Stay in Manuel Antonio
- Drive about 15 min

Manuel Antonio National Park is small and popular, with a daily cap on visitors, so we buy tickets ahead and go in at 7 am, when it opens, the air is cooler and the animals are most active. Your naturalist sets the telescope on whatever the forest gives us, and the children get the first look: two- and three-toed sloths, white-faced capuchins, Central American squirrel monkeys, iguanas, crabs and agoutis. The main trail is wide, flat and partly boardwalk, so grandparents can walk the whole route; we spend about two hours on it and end at Playa Manuel Antonio, a curve of sand between forested headlands, with calm water on most days for a swim.
Afternoon
Stay on the beach until the park's beaches close at about 3 pm, or ride back with the guide at about 11 am for lunch and the pool. The park is closed on Tuesdays, and if this day falls on one, we swap it with tomorrow.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Manuel Antonio National Park entry from opening, with a local naturalist
- Beach time at Playa Manuel Antonio inside the park
Optional experiences
- A catamaran cruise or snorkelling trip from Quepos, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk the flat main trail only and rest in the shade on the park's beach, or return early with the guide.
More active option: Add the Punta Catedral loop, a short steep trail round the headland with views along the coast.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free on the beach or at the pool
Activity: About 2 to 3 km on mostly flat trail and boardwalk. Bring water, swimwear and sun cream; the park does not allow some foods and plastic, so pack light.
Mangroves by boat, then a free beach day
Manuel Antonio to the Damas estuary near Quepos, then Manuel Antonio
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Manuel Antonio
- Drive about 1 h
A slower day to finish.
Morning
After breakfast we drive about 25 minutes past Quepos to the estuary behind Isla Damas, where a covered boat with seats takes us for about two hours through the mangrove channels. The boatman cuts the engine in the narrow creeks so we can watch white-faced monkeys in the branches, herons, kingfishers, mangrove crabs and, sometimes, a caiman or a boa curled on a root. There is no walking at all beyond the step into the boat, and children enjoy the monkeys at close range.
Afternoon
We are back at the hotel before noon, and the rest of the day is yours: the pool, a long lunch, a nap, or the public beach at Playa Espadilla, where the waves are bigger than inside the park, so swim where the lifeguard flags show.
Evening
At about 6 pm the whole group sits down together for a farewell dinner, with time for the children to read out the animal checklist and for everyone to swap photos, and the evening ends early ahead of tomorrow's drive.
Included
- Mangrove boat tour in the Damas estuary near Quepos
- Early farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Mangrove kayaking, a catamaran cruise or a surf lesson for older children, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Stay at the hotel for the morning and join the group for dinner.
More active option: Book a surf lesson on Playa Espadilla in the afternoon, or return to Manuel Antonio National Park on your own ticket.
Free time: Afternoon free at the pool or on the beach
Activity: About 2 hours seated in a covered boat; bring sun cream and insect repellent.
Back to San José and home
Manuel Antonio to Juan Santamaría International Airport, near San José
- Breakfast and lunch
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
A slow last breakfast by the sea, then we leave Manuel Antonio at about 9 am and take Route 27, the faster road over the coastal hills, about three hours and 165 km to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO).
Afternoon
We stop halfway, near Orotina, for a stretch, a restroom and fruit from the roadside stalls, so nobody sits more than about an hour and a half at a time, and lunch is included on the way.
Evening
We aim to reach the airport at about 1 pm, which works for most afternoon and evening flights home. Families on a morning flight, or grandparents who would rather not fly on the same day as a drive, can add a night in San José or near the airport; ask us when you book and we will quote it with the transfer. Your guide checks everyone's flight times the night before and says goodbye at the terminal. For international flights, plan to be at the airport about three hours before departure, so book a flight leaving after about 4 pm.
Included
- Drive from Manuel Antonio to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) with your guide
- Rest stop near Orotina and lunch on the way
Optional experiences
- An extra night in San José or near the airport, quoted on request
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 4 pm, or add a night in San José for a morning flight.
- San José1 night
- La Fortuna2 nights
- Monteverde2 nights
- Manuel Antonio3 nights
- San Joséend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
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.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
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+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
5/5
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.