How We Planned Our Costa Rica Family Trip: Route, Hotels, Costs & What Worked

Planning a Costa Rica family holiday can feel overwhelming at first. There are rainforests, volcanoes, wildlife reserves, beaches and dozens of possible itineraries, but not all of them work well when you're travelling with kids.

Quick Answer: What Is the Best Way to Plan a Costa Rica Family Holiday?

The easiest way to plan a Costa Rica family holiday is to work backwards from your route.

For most families, I'd recommend:

1. Decide how long you have (10 - 14 days is a great starting point)

2. Choose your route – we recommend La Fortuna and the beach for first-time visitors

3. Book flights based on whether San José or Liberia offers the best options and prices

4. Book accommodation early, especially if travelling during summer school holidays (yes rainy season!)

5. Decide whether you need a hire car for all or part of the trip

6. Reserve any must-do activities, such as hanging bridges, zip lining or guided tours

7. Get packing! ensuring you have everything you need for rainy season in Costa Rica

8. A Guide on Cost, understand costs early makes the rest of the planning easier

This guide is for families who want to understand how to plan a Costa Rica family holiday with kids, including how long to spend in Costa Rica, where to stay, how to structure your route, whether to fly into San José or Liberia, and how to balance rainforest adventures with beach time. Based on our experience travelling with our 7-year-old son Joshua, I'll share the route that worked best for us, along with the planning decisions that made the biggest difference to keeping the trip exciting, manageable and enjoyable for the whole family.

Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend places and services we'd genuinely use again as a family.

Should You Book Costa Rica Independently or as a Package Holiday?

Before I jump in, I think this question is worth considering because we originally looked at Costa Rica as a package holiday. A number of companies offered multi-centre trips that looked similar to the route we eventually followed. However, because we were travelling in August, which falls during Costa Rica's rainy season, the options were much more limited and didn't fit the dates we needed.

In the end, booking independently was far easier than we'd expected and worked brilliantly for our family. We could choose exactly how long to spend in La Fortuna, decide which beach resort suited us best, build the itinerary around Joshua's interests and book the activities we genuinely wanted to do. It also worked out cheaper than many of the package options we researched.

That's one of the reasons Costa Rica lends itself so well to independent travel. Unlike a traditional fly-and-flop holiday, most family trips combine different destinations and experiences, so having the flexibility to choose your own route can be a huge advantage.

That said, if your priority is simply a beach holiday with everything organised for you, some Costa Rica resorts can be booked as part of a package, which may appeal to families who prefer someone else handling the logistics.

Step 1: Decide How Long to Spend in Costa Rica

The first decision to make is how long you have available. For a first family trip, I think 10 days is a good start. It's long enough to experience Costa Rica's famous wildlife, waterfalls, rainforest and beaches without spending the entire holiday travelling between destinations.

We deliberately chose 10 days because it allowed us to combine adventure and relaxation while only moving hotels once. If you have less time, I would focus on one region. If you have two weeks, I'd be tempted to add extra time in La Fortuna, where there is enough to keep families busy for several more days.

For more on how we made that decision, see Planning a Costa Rica Family Holiday: How Long Do You Really Need?

Step 2: Choose Your Route Before Booking Anything

Before booking flights, hotels or activities, it's worth deciding which parts of Costa Rica you actually want to experience.

Costa Rica isn't a huge country, but it offers several very different family-friendly destinations, including:

• La Fortuna – volcanoes, waterfalls, hanging bridges cloud forest experiences, hot springs and rainforest wildlife

• Manuel Antonio – beaches, wildlife and one of Costa Rica's most famous national parks

• Guanacaste – family resorts, beaches and easy beach-focused holidays

• Monteverde – cloud forest experiences and wildlife

• Tortuguero – turtles, canals and remote rainforest adventures

For a first family trip, it can be tempting to try and fit several of these into one itinerary. After researching Costa Rica and travelling there with our 7-year-old son Joshua, we decided that fewer locations would create a much better experience.

Our recommendation for most families is a simple combination of:

La Fortuna (2–3 nights)

La Fortuna is where you'll find many of Costa Rica's most iconic experiences, including volcano views, hanging cloud bridges, waterfalls, wildlife and hot springs. Activities are relatively close together, making it easy to enjoy adventure without spending hours in the car.

Beach Stay (5–7 nights)

Whether you choose Guanacaste or another family-friendly beach destination, the beach portion of the trip gives everyone a chance to slow down. After several active days in the rainforest, having time for pools, beach walks, wildlife spotting and relaxation worked brilliantly for our family.

This route gives you:

• Volcanoes

• Waterfalls

• Wildlife

• Rainforest

• Hot springs

• Beach time

• Pool days

while only moving hotels once.

Looking back, this was one of the best planning decisions we made. It kept driving manageable, reduced packing and unpacking, and struck the perfect balance between adventure and downtime.

If you'd like to see exactly how we structured the trip, read 10-Day Costa Rica Family Itinerary

Step 3: Decide Whether to Fly into San José or Liberia & Book Flights

Once you've chosen your route, flights become much easier. For most families:

San José Airport (SJO)

Best if:

• La Fortuna is the priority

• You want more flight choices

• You're travelling from the UK

Liberia Airport (LIR)

Best if:

• You're staying on the Pacific Coast

• Your beach hotel is near Guanacaste

• Flight availability works better

We flew into Liberia because Costa Rica formed part of a wider USA and Costa Rica trip. In reality, flight availability and price often make this decision for you.

Flights were one of the hardest parts of planning our Costa Rica trip. Because we travelled during the UK summer holidays, we were visiting during Costa Rica's rainy season, which means fewer direct flight options than destinations such as Florida or Spain.

My biggest tip is: Research flights before finalising the rest of your trip. We used Trip.com to compare routes, stopovers and airlines before booking.

Prices can vary significantly depending on:

• airport

• season

• school holiday dates

• booking window

If you're travelling in August, read: Costa Rica in August with Kids: Is Rainy Season Worth It for Families?

Step 4: Choose Accommodation That Supports Your Itinerary

Where you stay can make a huge difference to how easy Costa Rica feels with kids.

Rather than simply booking the cheapest hotel in each location, think about what role each part of your trip plays. For us, La Fortuna was the adventure part of the holiday, while the beach was all about slowing down and relaxing.

Our La Fortuna Hotel: Los Lagos

In La Fortuna, we chose Hotel Los Lagos, mainly because it was good value, had good reviews, good location and included hot springs, but it ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the trip.

The combination of hot springs, pools, waterslides and volcano views meant the hotel became an attraction in its own right. After mornings exploring waterfalls and hanging bridges, it was wonderful to return and spend the afternoon swimming, relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

For families, I'd strongly recommend looking for a hotel with:

• Hot springs included

• Family pools

• Easy access to La Fortuna attractions

• Views of Arenal Volcano if possible

If you're considering Los Lagos, read Hotel Los Lagos La Fortuna Review

If you're still comparing options, see Where to Stay in La Fortuna with Kids: Best Areas & Family Hotels, where I compare the best locations and hotels for different budgets.

Our Beach Hotel: Planet Hollywood Costa Rica

For the second half of the trip, we wanted something completely different. After several active days in the rainforest, our priority was making family life as easy as possible, which is why we chose Planet Hollywood Costa Rica.

The all-inclusive format worked brilliantly for us because everything was taken care of:

• Multiple pools

• Kids' club with video games (perfect for slightly older kids)

• Restaurants and snacks included

• Beach access

• Plenty of downtime

It allowed us to switch from "exploring mode" to "holiday mode" without needing to think about where to eat, what to do next or how to entertain Joshua.

Our full review explains exactly what worked well, who it's best for and whether the cost felt justified: Planet Hollywood Costa Rica Review

Not Sure Where to Stay on the Beach?

If you're still in the research phase, I'd start with this guide Where to Stay on the Beach in Costa Rica with Kids: Best Family-Friendly Areas

These will help you decide not just which hotel to book, but which part of Costa Rica is the best fit for your family and budget.

Step 5: Decide if You Need a Hire Car

One of the most common questions families ask is whether they need a hire car in Costa Rica.

For us, the answer was yes — but only for the La Fortuna part of the trip. Having a car made it easy to visit attractions such as Mistico Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall and the hot springs, while giving us the flexibility to work around the weather and Joshua's energy levels.

Once we moved to the beach, we returned the car and switched to transfers. This saved money and made the second half of the holiday much more relaxing.

One thing I'd recommend is choosing a reasonably sized vehicle. Most roads we used were straightforward, but some were bumpier and rougher than we'd expected, so a little extra ground clearance was helpful.

We compared prices through Trip.com before booking and used an Airalo eSIM with Google Maps throughout the trip, which made navigation very straightforward.

If you're still deciding whether to self-drive or use transfers, see Driving in Costa Rica with Kids: Tips, Roads & Our Honest Experience, where I share what the roads were really like, the challenges we encountered and whether I'd do it again.

Step 6: Book Key Activities Before You Travel

One of the things we loved about Costa Rica was that it didn't feel like a destination where every minute needed planning. Leaving some flexibility in your itinerary is useful, especially during rainy season when weather can sometimes change your plans.

That said, there are a few activities I'd recommend booking in advance, particularly if you're visiting during school holidays or want an early morning slot.

For us, Mistico Hanging Bridges was one of those activities. We booked the first entry of the day and were really glad we did. The rainforest felt quieter, wildlife spotting was easier and it made for a much more enjoyable experience with Joshua. If you're wondering whether it's worth adding to your itinerary, read Mistico Hanging Bridges with Kids

For activities such as La Fortuna Waterfall, we found there was more flexibility, but it's still worth thinking about how they fit into your daily plans. The waterfall ended up being one of our favourite experiences and is well worth including if you're visiting La Fortuna. You can read more in La Fortuna Waterfall with Kids

The good news is that you don't need to book dozens of excursions. A few carefully chosen experiences combined with pool time, hot springs and exploring your surroundings is often more enjoyable than trying to cram everything in. In fact, many of our favourite Costa Rica memories came from slowing down rather than racing between activities.

If you're still deciding how to spend your time, Best Things to Do in La Fortuna with Kids compares the activities I'd prioritise first and which are best for different ages and interests.

Step 7: Pack for Costa Rica's Climate

Packing properly for Costa Rica makes a bigger difference than many families expect.

Even though we visited during the rainy season, we spent most days in shorts, t-shirts and swimwear. What caught us out wasn't the temperature, but how quickly the weather could change. One minute we were walking across hanging bridges in sunshine, and an hour later we were sheltering from a tropical downpour.

I'd recommend packing for:

• Heat and humidity

• Sudden rain showers

• Swimming pools and hot springs

• Waterfalls and wildlife walks

• Light hiking and outdoor activities

One of the best decisions we made was packing lightweight waterproofs and a change of clothes for Joshua. It meant a bit of rain never stopped us enjoying the day and saved us walking around in wet clothes after activities like La Fortuna Waterfall.

For our full packing list, including the items we used most and a few things we wished we'd brought, see Costa Rica Packing List for Families: What to Pack in Rainy Season.

Check Passports, Entry Requirements and Travel Insurance

Before you start packing, make sure everyone in your family meets Costa Rica's entry requirements.

For UK families, a tourist visa is not normally required for a standard holiday, but passport and entry requirements can change, so it's always worth checking the latest government travel advice before travelling.

If you haven't sorted travel insurance yet, it's worth doing before you start booking activities. You can compare family travel insurance options here and make sure you're covered for the types of adventures Costa Rica is famous for.

How Much Does This Costa Rica Family Route Cost?

One of the reasons we liked this route so much is that it can work for a range of budgets. You can keep costs down with mid-range hotels and self-catering accommodation, or add more comfort with hot springs hotels and an all-inclusive beach resort like we did.

For our family of three, this La Fortuna and beach itinerary cost approximately £1,220 per person excluding international flights. Once UK return flights were included, the total came to around £2,220 per person during the school holidays.

The biggest costs were accommodation and flights, while activities such as Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall were surprisingly reasonable compared to many family attractions elsewhere.

For a full breakdown of what we spent on flights, hotels, car hire, food, activities and transport, see How Much Does Costa Rica Cost for a Family? . It includes our actual costs and where we felt spending a little more (or less) made the biggest difference to the trip.

Final Thoughts: How Should You Plan a Costa Rica Family Holiday?

If you're planning your first Costa Rica family holiday, my biggest piece of advice is to keep it simple.

Before we travelled, it was tempting to try and fit in multiple regions, national parks and wildlife areas. Looking back, I'm glad we didn't. By focusing on La Fortuna and the beach, we experienced waterfalls, volcanoes, wildlife, hot springs and plenty of downtime without spending our holiday constantly packing, unpacking and driving.

This route worked particularly well with our 7-year-old son Joshua because it balanced adventure with relaxation. We could spend active mornings exploring the rainforest, then slow the pace down in the afternoons or enjoy several quieter days at the beach afterwards.

Costa Rica is one of those destinations where you could easily keep adding more places and activities, but for many families that's not what makes the best holiday. Choosing a manageable route, staying a little longer in each location and leaving room for flexibility often leads to a much more enjoyable trip.

For us, the combination of La Fortuna and the beach provided the perfect introduction to Costa Rica and is exactly the approach we'd recommend to most families planning their first visit.

plan your TRIP TO costa rica

If you’re planning your family trip to La Fortuna, these guides will help you pull everything together:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.