School’s Out! Time for a Costa Rica Family Vacation.

Costa Rica can make for one of the best family vacations you’ll ever experience for those with kids and teens. Not only is Costa Rica full of fun and adventure, it’s also full of discovery, nature, and an abundance of teachable moments for your school-age kids.

Of course, you’ll want to rent an SUV for your travels around the country. In this way, you and the gang can travel from place to place to discover and do all that this beautiful country has to offer. A 4×4 will get you to all the off-the-beaten-path places, and give you plenty of room for car seats or boosters, adults, and teens, and, of course, the luggage.

Fun and Adventure in Costa Rica

From horseback riding to river rafting, ATV tours, and zip line canopy rides, there is plenty to do for the entire family. Hiking through the forest to swim at the bottom of a majestic waterfall, crocodile watching from the safety of a boat, and surf lessons and plenty of breaks for the surfers in the gang. You and the kids can go stand up paddle boarding,  kayaking, banana boat riding, snorkeling and scuba diving too; there is never a dull moment and there are plenty of activities and adventures that are suitable for every age and ability.

Discovery and Nature in Central America

Costa Rica’s vast biodiversity provides the perfect opportunity for families to catch sight of animals, birds, reptiles, and flora in abundance; you and the gang will see things up close and personal that you might only ever see on television or in a zoo back home. A sloth hanging out in a tree on the beach, or an ant-eater gathering up his morning meal; white-faced capuchin monkeys who are likely to steal your backpack, looking for food, or that toucan you’ve only ever seen in its cartoon form on the back of a cereal box. You and the kids can learn about butterflies and their lifecycle by visiting a butterfly farm, or discover the taste of the cacao bean before it becomes chocolate, and even participate in making chocolate delicacies yourselves!

From exploring tidepools to floating through estuaries in a pontoon, hiking the cloud forests of Monteverde to spot wild mushrooms, wild animals, and exotic birds, there is so much nature surrounding and so many things to see and to learn about, you’ll never once hear that tedious and dreaded lament, “I’m bored!”

Costa Rica is chock full of teachable moments for your school-age kids

Of course, visiting a Latin American country like Costa Rica means experiencing a new culture and perhaps even learning a bit of Spanish. Traveling is a great opportunity to teach your kids about the subtleties of culture, about patience and expectation, and about the fact that there is so much more to the world than the one they live in back home.

While in Costa Rica, you and the family can learn about preserving and respecting nature, about leaving no trace and taking no souvenirs other than memories and photos (and even then, with strict attention to non-disturbance). It’s an opportunity to give back by cleaning up trash on the beach and to open a discussion about sustainability and preservation, two qualities that, as a country, Costa Rica prides itself on.

Summer time is a great time for families to spend time together and make memories. Costa Rica is the perfect place to do it. Reach out today and start planning your trip by renting your adventure vehicle; this will be the best family trip you ever had!