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Kidz Eye View of Costa Rica
“A Peaceable Kingdom”
by Tim Hanson
Although the kids won't encounter tyrannosaurs, stegosaurs, raptors or any other attractions virtual visitors to Costa Rica found in Jurassic Park, they are sure to be amazed by the real life creatures that abound there. Four percent of the Earth's species call this peaceful country home, among them giant butterflies, sloths, monkeys, jaguars, iguanas and toucans. And the friendly people of Costa Rica (known as ticos and ticas) will delight in sharing their country's natural bounty with your family.
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 Dormant volcano in Poas National Park |
Check into one of San Jose's hotels for an instant dose of local hospitality. Near the airport, the colonial hacienda-style Costa Rica Marriott sprawls luxuriously amid a working coffee plantation, and features spacious rooms, plenty of resort activities and fine dining. Rates from $140. (506) 298-0000 or www.marriotthotels.com. Or, if quaint, historical elegance is more your family's style, the popular Hotel Grano De Oro in central San Jose offers family suites for $130. Dinners here are unforgettable. (506) 255-3322 or www.hotelgranodeoro.com.
Plenty of adventures await your family a short distance from San Jose, Costa Rica's capitol and transportation hub. Tours can be easily arranged from most hotels. Here are a few highlights:
For a good orientation to Costa Rica's rich biodiversity, the National Institute of Biodiversity's INBioparque provides a wide array of interactive exhibits designed especially for kids, and an arboretum. The last exhibit you visit highlights Costa Rica's indigenous peoples and national parks. It's a good place to choose an itinerary if you haven't already done so.
You can peek into the bubbling caldera of a dormant volcano at Poàs National Park, about an hour north. Take rain gear — at an elevation of 8,884 feet, the park's frequently in the clouds.
Nearby, the newly-opened La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you'll discover four rushing waterfalls and a lovely butterfly garden decorated with brilliant blue morpho butterflies.
No trip to coffee-rich Costa Rica is complete without a visit to a coffee plantation. Café Britt's unique CoffeeTour is entertaining for kids and adults. I won't give away the tour's delightful surprises, but pay close attention to Kaldi, the resident goat. He might just be the tour's biggest ham!
Another fun day trip is the Calypso Catamaran Cruise to Isla Tortuga on the Pacific coast. The cruise is scenic and relaxing, and once on the island, you can swim, sunbathe, kayak, snorkel, tour the forest canopy, or take an easy hike up a nature trail. Watch for white-tailed deer and the island's many brightly-colored land crabs. At certain times of the year, parrots nest there as well. And the barbecue lunch is tasty. The $99 price includes air-conditioned bus transportation to and from San Jose.
On the wilder side
 Arenal Volcano, one of the world's most active volcanoes |
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For more ambitious journeys, an experienced guide is helpful. Veteran guide T. James 'Jim' Lewis of Costa Rica Expeditions entertained and enlightened us as we explored the Arenal and Monteverde areas. An avid birder, Jim spotted a flock of parakeets one day and jokingly summoned them aloud to a nearby tree, where to everyone's amazement they alighted. We all had a good laugh and a great close up view of the wild birds.
At Arenal Volcano, one of the most active in the world, Jim led us up to the toe of old lava flow a safe distance from any ongoing activity. Along the way several spider monkeys eyed us from the nearby forest canopy, and regiments of leaf-cutter ants criss-crossed the trail like a scene from A Bug's Life.
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 Tabacon Hot Springs, at the base of Arenal Volcano |
The whole family will enjoy frolicking and soaking in the steaming waterfalls and thermal pools of Tabacon Resort, at the base of the volcano. The lush garden paradise features 12 mineral pools, an indoor Jacuzzi and a full-service spa. One pool has a waterslide kids will love. From there, you can watch smoking lava slide down Arenal's slopes and at night, if the clouds cooperate, the volcano puts on a spectacular pyrotechnic display. Most of the Tabacon Lodge rooms have a view of the volcano as well. Room rates, which include admission to the hot springs start at $120 (triple occupancy). (506) 221-3075 or www.tabacon.com.
Canopy tours have become increasingly popular, and a number of companies operate them in selected areas. The Original Canopy Tour, adjacent to Tabacon, provides visitors
The road to Monteverde is rough, but stunning vistas and intimate glimpses of rural life make the journey worth the slight discomfort. Settled in the early '50s by Quakers from Alabama, the several small communities of Monteverde consist mainly of dairy and coffee farmers, artists, and an assortment of hotels and lodges. Here you'll find the Children's Eternal Rainforest, the Monteverde Cheese Factory (they also make ice cream!), and The Monteverde Butterfly Garden. You'll also discover the tranquil Monteverde Lodge, where lucky guests might encounter a sloth hanging about in a tree or a croaking marine toad near the entrance pond. The dining room fireplace is lit nightly, and food and service are fantastic. Rates from $132.65. (506) 257-0766 or www.costaricaexpeditions.com.
Inside the 27,000-acre Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve massive trees, ferns, creeping vines, wild orchids, bromeliads and other exotic epiphytes (plants that grow on tree trunks) inspire awe. Roaring howler monkeys sound like lions to the untrained ear, and a millipede that defends itself against predators by using a scent like almond liqueur is a real discovery. The biggest thrill is sighting Monteverde's prize bird, the resplendent quetzal, high in the canopy. You are suddenly deep in the land of oohs and ahs! By the time your family boards the plane to return home, images of prehistoric theme parks will have transformed magically into the very real enchantment of Costa Rica's La Pura Vida.
Costa Rica Tourist Board: (800) 343-6332 or www.tourism-costarica.com.
— Tim Hanson
Tim Hanson is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer, playwright, and elementary school teacher.
NOTE: The prices listed above were accurate as of posting; we suggest you call for current rates before your trip.