Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Costa Rica family adventure: Arenal, Monteverde and the Pacific
9 days for families with children 6 and up: three nights under Arenal Volcano, two in the Monteverde cloud forest and two 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 7No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Easy
Short guided walks of 1 to 3 hours, about 2 to 3 km each, on forest trails that can be muddy; hanging bridges at treetop height; a calm river float in a raft with a guide rowing; an optional few hundred steps down to La Fortuna Waterfall; a zipline for children 8 and up and adults, with a ground option; one 4-hour travel day. Any activity can be shortened or sat out, and there is pool time every afternoon.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 450 (estimated price)
- Season
- Year round, driest December to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- A dusk soak in volcano-heated hot springs on the first night, with dinner
- The Arenal hanging bridges at opening, at eye level with toucans and howler monkeys
- A calm safari float on a lowland river, looking for sloths, iguanas and herons from the raft
- Grinding cacao and tasting hot chocolate on a farm near La Fortuna
- By boat across Lake Arenal to Monteverde, instead of four hours round the lake by road
- A torch-lit night walk in the cloud forest, and a zipline over it for 8 and up
- Sloths and monkeys through a naturalist's telescope in Manuel Antonio, then a swim on the park's beach
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 450 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 4 h, on day 7.
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
Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), about 20 km west of San José in Alajuela, at any time of day. A driver meets your family in the arrivals hall 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 a long flight the hotel pool or a nap is usually the right plan. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group in the hotel: a short briefing for parents on how the days run and what to pack for the cloud forest, and a first look at the animals the children might spot, with a checklist to tick off through the week.
Evening
Then we walk to a nearby restaurant for an early welcome dinner of Costa Rican dishes such as casado, gallo pinto, fried plantain and fresh fruit drinks, and everyone is back in bed in good time. Tomorrow starts after breakfast, at about 8 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 4 pm to join the briefing; later arrivals are met and briefed the next morning.
Over the mountains to Arenal and the hot springs
San José to Zarcero, then La Fortuna
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
We leave San José at about 8 am, after breakfast, and climb northwest through coffee country into the Central Volcanic range. After about an hour and a half we stop in Zarcero, a hill town at about 1,700 m, where the cypress hedges in the park in front of the church are clipped into arches and animal shapes: a good stretch for legs and a hunt for the elephant. From there the road drops through dairy pasture into the northern lowlands, and the cone of Arenal Volcano appears ahead if the clouds allow.
Afternoon
We reach La Fortuna, our base for three nights, in time for a sit-down lunch together, then the afternoon is free at the hotel pool. As the light goes, we drive a few minutes to one of the hot spring parks around La Fortuna, where water heated by the volcano runs through warm pools and gentle slides set in gardens.
Evening
Soak as long as you like; dinner is included at the springs.
Included
- Drive from San José to La Fortuna with your guide
- Stop at the topiary park in Zarcero
- Sit-down lunch in La Fortuna
- Evening entry to a hot spring park near La Fortuna, with dinner
Free time: Afternoon free at the hotel pool
Activity: About 3 hours of driving with a stop. Bring swimwear and a change of clothes for the hot springs.
Hanging bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall
La Fortuna to a hanging-bridges park near the Arenal dam, then La Fortuna Waterfall
- Breakfast
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 1.5 h
Rainforest animals are most active early, so we are at a hanging-bridges park near the Arenal dam when it opens, about half an hour from town. With a local naturalist and a telescope we walk a loop of about 3 km through forest and over suspension bridges, some at treetop height, looking for toucans, howler monkeys, coatis and the small bright frogs the children will want to find.
Morning
The bridges are fenced and wide enough to stop in, and there are views of the volcano between the trees on a clear morning.
Afternoon
We are back in La Fortuna for lunch, which is your choice. In the middle of the afternoon we drive about ten minutes to La Fortuna Waterfall, roughly 70 m high, dropping into a forest pool. A viewpoint sits at the top; the pool is about 500 steps down, and older children usually want to go and swim.
Evening
Then it is back to the pool, and the evening is free in town.
Included
- Hanging-bridges park near the Arenal dam from opening, with a local naturalist
- La Fortuna Waterfall entry
Optional experiences
- Canyoning, horse riding or a gentle family rafting trip around La Fortuna, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Stay at the waterfall viewpoint at the top instead of walking down to the pool, or spend the afternoon at the hotel pool.
More active option: Walk down the roughly 500 steps to swim in the pool below the waterfall, then climb back up.
Free time: Lunch and the evening free in La Fortuna
Activity: About 3 km on paved and gravel paths with bridges in the morning; the waterfall steps are optional and steep.
A river float and a chocolate farm
La Fortuna to a lowland river for a safari float, then a cacao farm, then La Fortuna
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
After breakfast at about 8 am we drive half an hour into the lowlands north of La Fortuna for a safari float: a slow trip of about two hours down a calm river in inflatable rafts, with a guide rowing and pointing out what lives on the banks. There are no rapids, so it suits six-year-olds; look for sloths high in the trees, iguanas sunning on branches, herons, kingfishers and, often, caimans.
Afternoon
Lunch is included at a local restaurant near the river. In the early afternoon we visit a small cacao farm, where the family that runs it shows how the pods grow, how the beans are fermented and dried, and lets the children grind roasted cacao by hand and taste it as chocolate, with and without sugar.
Evening
We are back at the hotel by the middle of the afternoon for a long pool session, and the evening is free in town.
Included
- Safari float on a lowland river near La Fortuna, with a guide rowing
- Lunch near the river
- Cacao farm tour with chocolate tasting
Easier option: Skip the farm and go back to the hotel pool after lunch.
More active option: Ask your guide about a short walk in the afternoon to look for frogs and birds in the gardens around La Fortuna.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 2 hours sitting in a raft on calm water; life jackets are provided in children's sizes. Wear clothes that can get splashed.
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
The only road from La Fortuna to Monteverde runs the long way round Lake Arenal, about four hours, so we cross the lake instead, which children tend to like better anyway.
Morning
After breakfast a short drive takes us to a dock near the Arenal dam, where a covered boat carries the group and our bags across the water, with the volcano behind us when the sky is clear. Lake Arenal is a reservoir, the largest lake in Costa Rica, formed when the dam was finished in 1979. On the far shore our 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 yours.
Evening
At dusk we go out with a naturalist on a guided night walk of about an hour and a half, torch in hand, looking for sleeping birds, tarantulas, stick insects, tree frogs and, with luck, a sloth.
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 frog and insect exhibit in Santa Elena, booked at the operator's own price
Free time: Lunch and the afternoon free in Santa Elena
Activity: The night walk is about 1.5 hours on forest paths; bring a warm layer and a torch for each child, as Monteverde evenings are cool.
Zipline over the cloud forest, then a coffee farm
Santa Elena to a canopy park, then a coffee farm, then Santa Elena
- Breakfast
- Stay in Monteverde
- Drive about 30 min
Afternoon
We take the first zipline slot of the morning at a canopy park near Santa Elena, about 8:30 am, before any afternoon cloud. After a safety talk, children 8 and up and adults clip in for a series of cables over and through the cloud forest canopy, with a park guide at each platform. Children under 8, and anyone who would rather stay on the ground, walk the park's forest trails with your See Sight Tours guide and meet the zipliners at the end. Lunch back in Santa Elena is your choice. In the afternoon we visit a family coffee farm on the slopes below the village: the children pick coffee cherries in season, see how beans are pulped, dried and roasted, and finish with a tasting, with hot chocolate or juice for those too young for coffee. We are back by the middle of the afternoon.
Evening
The evening is free; the village has pizza and casado places within a short walk.
Included
- Zipline at a canopy park near Santa Elena (children 8 and up and adults), with a guided ground walk for everyone else
- Coffee farm tour with a tasting
Optional experiences
- The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve or the Santa Elena reserve with a naturalist, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk the canopy park's ground trails instead of ziplining, or skip the coffee farm and rest at the hotel.
More active option: Add the canopy park's longer cable or swing if it has one and your children meet its rules, paid locally.
Free time: Lunch and the evening free
Activity: Zipline minimum age, height and weight rules are set by the park and checked on the day; the ground walk is about 2 km on forest paths.
Down to the Pacific, by way of the crocodiles
Monteverde to the Tárcoles River bridge, then Manuel Antonio
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Manuel Antonio
- Drive about 4 h
Today is the longest drive, about four hours and 190 km of driving, or about five and a half hours with the stops, so we break it into short pieces. We leave Monteverde at about 8:30 am and wind down out of the hills to the Pan-American Highway, then south towards the Pacific coast road. Our first stop, after about two hours, is the bridge over the Tárcoles River, where large American crocodiles usually lie on the sandbanks below, in plain view from the fenced walkway.
Afternoon
A little further down the coast we stop for a sit-down lunch together, then follow the coast road past Jacó and through oil palm plantations to Quepos, and up the hill to Manuel Antonio, our base for two nights.
Evening
We arrive in the middle of the afternoon, in time for the pool, or for a first walk on Playa Espadilla, the long public beach just outside the national park, and a Pacific sunset.
Included
- Drive from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio with your guide
- Crocodile stop at the Tárcoles River bridge
- Sit-down lunch on the coast road
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Manuel Antonio
Activity: About 4 hours of driving, split by the Tárcoles stop and lunch.
Sloths in Manuel Antonio, then a beach day
A morning in Manuel Antonio National Park, then the beach
- Breakfast and dinner
- 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 children get the first look: two- and three-toed sloths, white-faced capuchins, Central American squirrel monkeys, iguanas, crabs and agoutis. The main trails are flat and wide; we walk for about two hours and end at Playa Manuel Antonio, a curve of pale sand between forested headlands, with calm water on most days for a swim. Raccoons and monkeys raid open beach bags, so keep yours zipped.
Afternoon
Stay on the beach until the park's afternoon closing time, which we confirm with your tickets, or come back to the hotel for lunch and the pool. The park is closed on Tuesdays, and we set our dates around it.
Evening
In the evening the group sits down together for a farewell dinner.
Included
- Manuel Antonio National Park entry from opening, with a local naturalist
- Beach time at Playa Manuel Antonio inside the park
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Mangrove kayaking near Quepos or a catamaran cruise, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk only the flat main trail to the beach and rest in the shade there.
More active option: Add the Punta Catedral loop, a short steep trail round the headland with views along the coast.
Free time: Afternoon free on the beach or at the pool
Activity: About 2 to 3 km on mostly flat trails. Bring water, swimwear and sun cream; the park does not allow some foods and plastic, so pack light.
Back to San José and home
Manuel Antonio to Juan Santamaría International Airport, near San José
- Breakfast and lunch
- Drive about 3 h
Afternoon
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 160 km to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), with a stop for an early lunch 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 anyone who would rather not travel on the same day, 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. If you would like to stay on by the beach, we can quote extra nights in Manuel Antonio.
Included
- Drive from Manuel Antonio to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) with your guide
- 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 Fortuna3 nights
- Monteverde2 nights
- Manuel Antonio2 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 pool afternoon. Monteverde is cool and misty in any month, and Arenal's summit is often in cloud. Wildlife is wild: sloths, monkeys and toucans 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
- Families with children aged about 6 to 14 on a first trip to Costa Rica
- Parents who want the logistics, entries and activities handled, and pool time every day
- Grandparents travelling with grandchildren, with easy options on every active day
- Single parents who want the company of other families and an adult guide on hand
Not for you if you want
- Families with children under 6: the minimum age is 6
- Teenagers after whitewater, surfing or long hikes every day: those are optional extras here
- Travellers without children who want a quieter group: take the 9-day Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio trip
- Families who want Tortuguero or a week on the beach
Minimum age: 6
Most guests are Families with children 6 to 14
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 Fortuna3 nights
- Monteverde2 nights
- Manuel Antonio2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: San José (1), La Fortuna (3), Monteverde in walking distance of Santa Elena village (2) and Manuel Antonio near the park gate (2)
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms, hot water and a pool, named when we confirm your dates
- Family rooms where the hotel has them, 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
- Raft and rower on the safari float
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip
- Local naturalists at the hanging bridges, on the Monteverde night walk and in Manuel Antonio National Park, and local guides on the float, the farms and the zipline
Activities
- Hot spring park near La Fortuna, with dinner
- Hanging-bridges park near the Arenal dam
- La Fortuna Waterfall entry
- Safari float on a lowland river near La Fortuna
- Cacao farm tour with chocolate tasting
- Guided night walk in Monteverde
- Zipline at a canopy park near Santa Elena (8 and up), or a guided ground walk
- Coffee farm tour with a tasting
- Tárcoles River crocodile bridge stop
- Manuel Antonio National Park entry and guided walk
Meals
- 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners
- Sit-down lunches on days 2, 4, 7 and 9
- Welcome dinner in San José, dinner at the hot springs and a farewell dinner in Manuel Antonio
Not included
- International flights to and from San José
- Travel insurance
- Lunches on days 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 and dinners on days 3 to 7
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide, driver and local guides
- Optional activities such as rafting, canyoning, horse riding, the Monteverde reserve, the Manuel Antonio catamaran and mangrove kayaking
- 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 450 (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.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
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 2,245 per person. Dec 2 to Dec 31: from CAD 2,430. From Jan 1, 2027: from CAD 2,640.
What does the price include?
Eight nights in central hotels with pools, 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers, an air-conditioned van and driver, the boat across Lake Arenal, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every activity in the day plan: hot springs with dinner, hanging bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, the safari float, the chocolate and coffee farms, the night walk, the zipline and Manuel Antonio National Park.
What is the minimum age, and can younger children zipline?
The minimum age for the trip is 6. Everything suits a six-year-old except the zipline, which is for children 8 and up and adults, subject to the park's own age, height and weight rules, which we confirm at booking. Younger children walk the canopy park's forest trails with our guide while the others zip, then everyone meets at the end.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, counting children. That is a few families, small enough for every child to look through the naturalist's telescope when a sloth turns up, to fit in one van with room for bags and to sit round one table at dinner. The family trips we compared run to 16 or 22.
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 hanging bridges, the night walk and Manuel Antonio with a telescope, and local guides run the float, the farms and the zipline. Our own driver and van carry the group between bases.
How active is this family trip?
It is an easy trip. Walks are 1 to 3 hours on forest trails that can be muddy, the float is a calm ride in a raft rowed by a guide, and the waterfall steps are optional. Every hotel has a pool and every base day has free time to use it, so nobody is busy from breakfast to bed.
I am a single parent. Is there a single supplement?
A parent and child sharing a room pay the twin-share price each, so there is no single supplement. An adult travelling alone can share or have a room of their own from CAD 450 more, shown up front when you request to book. Child pricing and family rooms for three or four are quoted when we confirm dates.
When is the best time for a family 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 a pool afternoon, and the parks are quieter. Monteverde can be misty and Arenal cloudy in any month.
How long are the drives with children?
No day is over about four hours in the van. The longest, Monteverde to Manuel Antonio, is broken by the crocodile bridge at Tárcoles and a sit-down lunch. Arenal to Monteverde is a short drive, a boat across the lake and a climb, about three hours door to door, and most days have under an hour of driving.
What documents do children need to enter Costa Rica?
Every child needs their own passport valid for the whole stay, and Canadian, US, UK and most EU passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist stay. If a child travels with one parent or another adult, we recommend a signed consent letter from the absent parent, as airlines may ask for one. Check current rules for your passports before you book.
How does booking work?
Choose your start date and request to book. We confirm your places within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 2,640 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 4,750 per person sharing. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, transfers and activities.
How is this different from your other 9-day Costa Rica trip?
Both follow Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio. This family trip gives Arenal three nights, swaps the early park walks for a river float, a chocolate farm, a zipline and a coffee farm, keeps pool time every afternoon and ends at the airport. The adult trip adds the Monteverde reserve, Arenal park and a San José walk.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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