Trip
Overview
Lodging
Detailed Itinerary
Reserve early for the best available price. More Info
All meals included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner.
Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years
San José, Costa Rica
Horseback Ride, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Rainforest Exploration, Tropical/Winter Sunshine, Water Activities
Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us
801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time
Or contact your travel agent
Costa Rica is paradise for anyone who loves wildlife and fun-filled adventure. Here, howler monkeys sleep inconspicuously in trees and toucans color the sky, against a natural backdrop of lush greenery. Jungle hikes, mountain biking and a kayaking adventure expose you to the incredible biodiversity of the country: from Arenal Volcano National Park to the Monteverde Cloud Forest and the Pacific coast. You and your family are sure to have fun, relax and learn the true meaning of pura vida!
You are viewing the Family Casual Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.
View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.
View other trips in Latin America
Meet in San José 
Ride through a landscape of palms, ferns and bromeliads to La Fortuna, nestled near the foot of rumbling Arenal, one of the world’s most active volcanoes 
Adults trek across a lava field in Arenal Volcano National Park, while kids get hands-on with native frogs, iguanas and even snakes The afternoon is yours to try out a zip-line canopy tour, go horseback riding, continue hiking or just relax by the pool Enjoy volcano views while soaking in a tropical paradise of mineral pools and waterfalls.
On your bike, explore the lush rain forest around beautiful Lake Arenal Visit a working farm and learn about the century-old tradition of sugar cane processing and the cultural heritage of the Ticos Hike in the renowned Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, one of the most outstanding tropical wildlife sanctuaries on earth Toucans, hummingbirds, quetzals and hundreds of species of orchids and ferns thrive here.
En route to the coast, stop off for a stroll on hanging walkways amid the rain forest canopy Relax poolside or bask on the sand at quiet Playa Esterillos Watch the sun set over the Pacific during a farewell al fresco dinner Shuttle to Punta Quepos for a leisurely sea-kayak excursion Paddle to a beautiful beach before a scenic charter flight returns us to San José.
Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.
Lodging What's
this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.
Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic
regional flair.
Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the
areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and
proximity to our activities.
Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every
camp chore and perform culinary magic.
We have traveled quite extensively with guides as a family and without reservation, Backroads Leaders are the best. What great role models for our kids.Chattanooga, TN
For more than 29 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Costa Rica tour experts. For multisport tours in Latin America, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Latin America multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America walking and hiking tours click here.
La Fortuna (2 nights): This hotels offers cozy cabins, great views of Arenal Volcano, three swimming pools and a spa.
Monteverde (2 nights): Welcoming hillside bungalows sit at the edge of the cloud forest and face the Gulf of Nicoya.
Esterillos Este (1 night): A beachside hotel featuring Spanish-style bungalows with tropical flair, a swimming pool and an open-air restaurant.
You are viewing the Family Casual Inns version of this trip.
View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.
View the Classic Premiere Inns , Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.
4 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
1 Route Option Available
On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with no significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
Trips For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Activity Level | Average Time | Average Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biking | Walking & Hiking |
||
| 1 | 2-3 hours |
10-20 miles |
2-5 miles |
| 2 | 2-4 hours |
21-30 miles |
5-7 miles |
| 3 | 3-5 hours |
31-40 miles |
7-9 miles |
| 4 | 4-6 hours |
41-55 miles |
9-11 miles |
| 5 | 5-7+ hours |
56-75+ miles |
11-13+ miles |
