The Ultimate Guide to visiting Costa Rica with Kids

Year after year, Costa Rica proves itself to be one of the most family-friendly destinations in the world.

Not only is this made public through various news and travel outlets, but we’ve been seeing it with our own eyes. 

Over the years, Costa Rica (like any country) has had its changes – both good and bad. One thing that has absolutely not changed, however, is that it’s a great country to travel to as a family with kids.

Why is that, you might ask? Read along to this blog as we dive into what makes Costa Rica an ideal family vacation destination. 

And keep your eyes peeled for some of our Bodhi Surf + Yoga pro tips on Costa Rica with kids. We’ve welcomed travelers of all sorts down here over the last 14 years – and trust us when we tell you, we’ve seen our fair share of families.

For us, it’s a great honor to be a part of a family’s vacation experience. As a family run business ourselves, we know just how sacred these vacations are. 

So without further adieu, let us give you the ins and the outs on visiting Costa Rica with kids!

First Things First – Costa Rica is Safe

Here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga, not only are many of us parents – but as staff members, we’re responsible for the safety of our guests. 

So it goes without saying that we completely understand that, as parents, your number one priority when planning a vacation is safety.

One of the reasons that Costa Rica is such a great destination to visit with kids is because it’s safe. Granted, just like every country in the world, we have our bad apples.

But those bad apples can easily be avoided by doing your due diligence and researching the destination. Another great move is confiding in responsible, family-run businesses like ourselves that prioritize your safety—whether you visit us here or venture elsewhere in this incredible country.

Some of Costa Rica’s stand-out qualities that make it so safe include:

The People

We’re sure you’ve seen, at some point during your research into Costa Rica, that Ticos are some of the friendliest people in the world. It’s an internationally known fact!

Honestly, it could be great for your little ones to spend some time around Ticos. 

They may come back home replying “Pura Vida” to everything you ask/say to them, but they’d undoubtedly learn a little something about friendliness and love for life. That’s a lesson that you’re never too young to learn!

The Culture

Costa Rica’s culture is very much oriented on family and community. 

Ticos believe heavily in the “it takes a village” mindset, whereby it’s believed that children aren’t only raised by their parents and immediate family but also by the community that surrounds them.

Because of this, families and children are very much respected in Costa Rica. People generally love kids and babies and want them to feel safe and loved.

Good luck trying to walk down the street without constantly being stopped by friendly locals wanting to absolutely shower your kid with love, saying, “Ay que cosita mas linda!”

Undivided attention from super friendly and sweet people? Your kid will absolutely love it!

Getting Around

You and your family can get around pretty much all of Costa Rica very easily.

This doesn’t mean to say that there aren’t still some jungle roads riddled with potholes and overgrown trees. But for the most part, Costa Rica’s highway system is very well maintained and easy to use to get around the country.

You can rent cars from various rentals as soon as you leave the airport, and you’ll find no problem getting hold of car seats for the little ones.

Some of the most well-known and trusted car rental companies found around the country include:

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Alamo Rent A Car
• National Car Rental
• Hertz Rent A Car

It’s an Educational Experience

Your kids might not be stoked if they heard that you were planning on making this year’s family vacation an educational one. How could you?!

Costa Rica is an incredible destination for kids because they’ll constantly be exposed to deeply educational opportunities without even realizing it.

There’s so much here that will spark their interests, have them asking questions, and inspire curiosity within them that travels back home when the vacation comes to an end.

You’d have to try pretty hard to do even just one tour or activity here that doesn’t stimulate at least one of these things within them.

Using Fun Activities and Experiences to Educate and Inspire

Not to toot our own horns, but if there’s one thing that we know a lot about here (other than surf and yoga), it’s harnessing the power of an experience to educate, inspire, and empower.

In fact, it’s where our name comes from. “Bodhi” is an ancient sanskrit term that refers to awakening and enlightenment – two things that we strive to inspire within our guests through the experience that we curate here.

In our case, we use surf and yoga to achieve this. We harness the power of the ocean through surf and the benefits of connecting with yourself through yoga to empower our guests to arrive at some sense of awakening and enlightenment.

The beach itself is an extremely educational place. We surf at a marine national park, which we often refer to as our “outdoor classroom.” Here, both adults and kids are exposed to various educational elements, including:

• Ocean education: i.e., how waves are formed, tides, etc.
• Numerous animal sightings, including monkeys and sloths
• The importance of national parks to our communities and the environment
• Learning a new activity, like surfing! Being a beginner is a great educational opportunity

This is what we refer to as non-traditional education – whereby, again, your kiddos won’t even realize that they’re learning something!

Your Kids Will Never Get Bored

One thing that won’t come easy on your family vacation to Costa Rica is being bored. Yes, there are plenty of places to go and relax – but that’s different.

No matter the age of your kids – whether they’re toddlers or teens, Costa Rica has so much to offer in terms of entertainment for all ages.

Popular family Activities and Where to do Them

So, what might some of these activities and tours include?

Your amigos here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga have created an entire blog focused on exactly this. Check it out to learn more about the best destinations to visit in Costa Rica as a family with kids.

But in a nutshell, we’ll break it down for you based on interest and activities.

Beaches and Ocean Exploration

Our Bodhi Surf + Yoga favorites are:

• Bahia Ballena (our home)
• Manuel Antonio
• Nicoya Peninsula
• Puerto Viejo

These are great coastal locations that very much suit families with kids. Depending on which of these locations you visit, you and your family can enjoy surfing, snorkeling, diving, beach sunbathing, and more!

Head to our blog to learn more about where to stay and what to do in each of these locations.

Animal and Wildlife Spotting

If your kids are anything like those of the many families that we host here at Bodhi Surf + Yoga, we imagine that yours have their hearts set on seeing a sloth on their trip to Costa Rica.

Our favorite places to spot some of Costa Rica’s famous wildlife include:

• Marino Ballena National Park
• Tortuguero National Park
• Corcovado National Park
• Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

By visiting our more detailed blog, you can learn more about where we recommend families to stay and which tours to do in these locations.

Ziplining and Jungle Canopy

Ziplining through the jungle is a must-do for families seeking some adrenaline and thrill during their time in Costa Rica.

My family and I took part in a zipline tour during our first visit to Costa Rica. My sister and I loved it, and I think it’s fair to say that our parents just about tolerated it.

Our favorite destinations to experience the thrill of these tours include:

• Bahia Ballena
• Arenal/ La Fortuna
• Monteverde
• Guanacaste

Remember to check out our blog to learn more about where we recommend to stay for you and your family in these destinations.

Cultural Activities

Regardless of where you and your family venture to in this magical country, you’re bound to find some lower-key cultural gems and activities.

Some family favorites found throughout Costa Rica include:

• Coffee and chocolate tours
• Farm tours
• Cooking classes
• Community walks

While we have options for these types of tours here in and around Uvita, Bahia Ballena, there are a few tours that both adults and kids always enjoy and can ONLY be found here, including:

• David’s coconut tour and experience
• A visit to Costa Rica’s one and only coral reef restoration lab
• A walking tour of the community of Bahia

It’s Different, Yet Familiar

Costa Rica is great for families with kids looking to go on a ‘different’ type of vacation.

For many families, it’s the first destination that they travel to out of their home country. This is indeed the case for many of the families that visit us down here – we’re often their first international family vacation!

What’s amazing about Costa Rica is that it invites you to really get a sense of being somewhere exotic and different, without throwing yourself too far in the deep end and feeling out of your depth.

Why is this? For a couple of reasons!

Money and Paying for Things

US Dollars are widely accepted here in Costa Rica. In fact, it’s an official currency here – along with the Costa Rican Colón. At the time of writing, one US Dollar is worth about 525 Colónes.

On top of this, international credit and debit cards are accepted pretty much everywhere, too!

We always recommend that our guests get their hands on some of the local currency, as that’s a part of the travel experience. But it’s also important for your peace of mind as a family knowing that if all else fails, at least you can whip out your emergency USD and be just fine.

Getting by Without Speaking the Language

Nowadays with technology, we barely even have to worry about being able to speak the language of the destination that we’re traveling to.

But again, we think a huge part of the immersive travel experience is having a go at speaking to locals in their native language.

Here in Costa Rica, the official and most widely spoken language is Spanish. But if you don’t speak any Spanish, don’t worry. Don’t let that put you off of coming here for your next family vacation.

Many workers at shops, restaurants, car rentals, tours, and other tourism-related businesses speak English. It’s not always perfect, but it’s definitely enough to get the job done.

Amenities and Services

One thing to be aware of when visiting Costa Rica is that it is not the States – it’s Costa Rica!

We say this because you’d be surprised at how many people visit and expect there to be a McDonalds on every corner and Uber to be a thing.

Costa Rica is a great destination for families with kids, as it empowers you to experience a different type of vacation. While there aren’t always the same amenities and luxuries that you’d expect to find in the States or Europe, this doesn’t mean sacrificing your simple daily needs.

We can’t speak for all of Costa Rica, but here in our community of Bahia Ballena, we have services and amenities that include the following:

• Supermarkets and farmer’s markets
• Pharmacies
• Urgent care and emergency services
• Banks and ATMs
• Shops
• Massage services

You see? Although Costa Rica offers an alternative type of vacation for you and your family, you don’t need to worry about sacrificing services and amenities that make your family feel safe!

It’s a kids’ Food Paradise!

This might even be what makes Costa Rica best for kids – the food.

Being the foodies that we are, we have an entire blog dedicated to Costa Rican food. There, you can get an idea of the types of delicious food that you and your family can expect to enjoy on your trip here.

Through our 14+ years of experience welcoming families down here for our Family Surf Camps – and many of us having kids of our own, we know that kids can be picky when it comes to eating.

The Costa Rican diet is known for being very simple. Delicious, but simple.

Most meals consist of some variation of rice, beans, plantain, and tortilla. Even the pickiest of kiddos couldn’t turn that down!

Costa Rican food also includes so many fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables. The produce here genuinely is some of the best in the world. There’ll be things that you don’t like back home that you end up loving here.

It could be a great opportunity for your kids to expand their pallets and try out some new foods!

Here’s another Bodhi pro tip: most places here in Costa Rica sell batidos – fruit smoothies. These are absolutely delicious, and on top of that are nutritious, refreshing, and filling.

Our favorites are the guanabana (soursop) and maracuyá (passionfruit).

A Few Things to Watch Out For

As always, our priority when sharing our love for our home of Costa Rica is to tell the full story.

Yes, Costa Rica is safe and is the ideal place to bring your family. We’ve raised our family here, and we wouldn’t recommend bringing your kids here if we didn’t think it was the best option for you.

But like we said, we always want to tell the full story and be fully transparent to empower you to make the best decision for you and your family’s vacation.

Be Cautious of the Heat

We doubt that you’re executing Costa Rica to be cold, but be careful not to underestimate just how hot it can get here.

We recommend checking out our blog on weather in Costa Rica to get an idea of the heat and weather patterns each month.

We believe that there is no ‘bad time’ to visit Costa Rica with kids, but depending on what you’re looking for, certain times may suit you better.

The dry season months (December through May) are beautiful, sunny, and hot – and we mean HOT. 

It’s a great time to be here – we’ve welcomed countless amounts of families down here during these months. But we do encourage you to bear in mind the impacts that this level of heat might have on your kids.

We’ve seen people, both adults and kids, get dehydrated – and it’s not fun at all.

Check out our blog on why the ‘green season’ is the best time to visit Costa Rica.

Perritos in the Street

One thing that anyone that’s visited Costa Rica can attest to, is that any town has its street dogs that roam around both day and night.

Generally, the dogs are known to be very friendly. We’ve actually had guests adopt street dogs during their time here and take them back home with them!

The only reason that we encourage you to aire on the edge of caution, is because your kids will most likely want to pet every dog that they come across. 

Again, these dogs are generally known to be very safe and friendly. It’s just more a question of hygiene. They’re also known to linger around and follow you once you show them some attention.

I remember back in 2015 when my family and I visited Costa Rica for the first time. My sister – who must’ve been 11 at the time, has always been drawn to animals. She literally made us stop to pet every single dog that we encountered on our wanders around the community.

They were all super friendly and never got aggressive with her, but again, it’s probably not the most hygienic thing in the world.

You Won’t Want to Leave!

The most dangerous part of Costa Rica for you and your family will be that none of you will want to leave!

We’re convinced that you’ll fall in love with Costa Rica’s incredible people, natural environment, culture, food, and everything that falls in between.

If your research brings you down here to visit us for one of our family surf camps, we’re more than ready to welcome you to take part in our award-winning experiences.

Should your research take you and your family elsewhere, we hope that this blog has helped empower you to plan the best family vacation ever!