Pura Vida! Looking for a family adventure in Costa Rica? At Frontier Adventure Travel, we are travel advisors that provide complete adventure vacations for families with kids, so you don’t have to spend hours on planning and research. Our adventures range from guided tours with world renowned tour companies to customized independent travel experiences,. Whether guided or independent, our trips include outdoor adventures, education, and cultural immersion.
Costa Rica is a paradise for families who love nature, adventure, and wildlife. It is home to volcanoes, cloud forests, beaches, and rivers. It also has abundant wildlife including sloths, monkeys, toucans, exotic frogs, iguanas, sea turtles, whales, and dolphins. The variety of terrain and wildlife is truly remarkable. Costa Rica is a year-round destination, but peak season is during the dry season, which for most of Costa Rica is from December through April.
The representative itineraries below are guided tours curated specifically for families, and are most suitable for families with children from age 6 to 17, though some tours can accommodate children as young as 4. We can generally offer these itineraries, or similar itineraries, as guided or independent travel experiences and arrange anything you need that is not included in the guided tour cost.
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Classic Costa Rica Guided Tour For Families
Authentic Costa Rica Guided Tour For Families
Rainforest, River, & Beach Guided Tour For Families
Classic Costa Rica Guided Tour For Families
Starts at ~$2,0999 per person
Start your adventure with a visit to Costa Rica’s adventure hub, the LA Fortuna/Arenal region. Then head to the cloud forest to explore the flora and fauna. For your third stop, get acquainted with Manuel Antonio National Park, where the rainforest meets the sea. Throughout your trip enjoy the adventure of Costa Rica as you rappel down waterfalls, raft wild rivers, swim in hidden lagoons, ride horseback through lush landscapes, and even catch a wave surfing along the coast.
Tour Highlights (Itineraries may vary)
- Kick back on Costa Rica’s pristine beaches
- Visit a local family to learn to make tortillas
- Spot nature in a dense cloud forest
- Enjoy the natural beauty of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Kayak and paddle-board in La Fortuna
- Free time to choose your own adventure beyond the scheduled activities
Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. On our guided tours you will experience a vast array of wonderful food. On our Classic Costa Rica tour, meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap in Costa Rica.
Groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other’s company, but there is no obligation to do this. Your trip leader will be able to suggest favorite restaurants during your trip.
Difficulty Level & Suitable Ages For Travelers
This tour features light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging. Minimum age is 6 years old, though some activities may have a higher minimum age to participate. Optional activities provide an opportunity to increase the difficulty level for those who are interested in more challenging activities.
Number Of Days On Tour
Our Classic Costa Rica Tour is typically 9 days including an arrival day in San Jose before the tour begins, and a departure day in San Jose after the tour has concluded.
Logistics
This tour typically begins and ends in San Jose. We recommend flying into and out of San Jose via SJO
Juan Santamaría International Airport – San José (SJO). The tour price includes ground transportation from the airport to your first night’s accommodations. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure. Frontier Adventure Travel can plan for any ground transportation not included in the tour itinerary, and we can also plan additional activities before or after your trip, so let us know if you are interested in that!
What’s Included
Trip inclusions for guided family adventures in Costa Rica vary by tour company, especially as it relates to the number of meals provided and activities included in the trip price, so let us know if there is an inclusion that is a priority for you and we will help you choose a tour company accordingly. In general, our Classic Costa Rica tour packages typically include:
- Activities included in trip highlights
- Trip leader
- 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch
- Private shuttles
- Hotel stays that are part of the itinerary
What’s Not Included
- Optional activities
- Most lunches and dinners
- Tips and gratuities
- Transportation to and from your start and end locations
- Travel protection
Nightly Accommodations
Accommodation for family trips has been chosen to give the best location and facilities for your family. They may vary depending on the location and destination, but are designed to give the most comfortable experience while travelling.
Contact Us To Start Planning Your Family Adventure In Costa Rica!
Authentic Costa Rica Guided Tour For Families
Starts at ~$2,999 per person
Start in San Jose, then head to the cloud forest of Monteverde for some education, adventure, and Costa Rican culture. Then head on to Rincón de la Vieja National Park for a unique jungle experience among volcanoes, mud pots, and hot springs. Explore inland jungles and volcanic wonders in every way possible: soaring on a zip line, riding on horseback, and hiking misty trails. Then head for the Gold Coast on the Pacific Ocean for some sun, surf, and adventures out at sea. On your way back to San Jose to conclude your trip, enjoy a jungle boat cruise through the Cipanci Reserve, part of the Tempisque River Conservation Area. The reserve is a wildlife-lover’s paradise with crocodiles, swinging monkeys, and numerous bird species including ospreys, wood storks, and roseate spoonbills.
Tour Highlights (Itineraries may vary)
- Soar through the jungle canopy on zip lines
- Join a naturalist on a night walk through the cloud forest
- Keep your ears open for the symphony of hooting owls, croaking frogs, and chirping insects
- Test your skills at a cooking class as you whip up delicious Costa Rican dishes
- Jump into a natural mud bath
- Swim in pools heated by volcanoes
Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. On our guided tours you will experience a vast array of wonderful food. On our Authentic Costa Rica tour, some meals are included and some meals are not included in the trip price to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap in Costa Rica.
Groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other’s company, but there is no obligation to do this. Your trip will be able to suggest favorite restaurants during your trip.
Difficulty Level & Suitable Ages For Travelers
This tour features light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging. Minimum age is 7 years old, though some activities may have a higher minimum age to participate. Optional activities provide an opportunity to increase the difficulty level for those who are interested in more challenging activities.
Number Of Days On Tour
Our Authentic Rica Tour is typically 9 days including an arrival day in San Jose before the tour begins, and a departure day in San Jose after the tour has concluded.
Logistics
This tour typically begins and ends in San Jose. We recommend flying into and out of San Jose via SJO
Juan Santamaría International Airport – San José (SJO). The tour price includes ground transportation from the airport to your first night’s accommodations. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure. Frontier Adventure Travel can plan for any ground transportation not included in the tour itinerary, and we can also plan additional activities before or after your trip, so let us know if you are interested in that!
What’s Included
Trip inclusions for guided family adventures in Costa Rica vary by tour company, especially as it relates to the number of meals provided and activities included in the trip price, so let us know if there is an inclusion that is a priority for you and we will help you choose a tour company accordingly. In general, our Authentic Rica tour packages typically include:
- Activities included in trip highlights
- Trip leader
- 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
- Private shuttles
- Hotel stays that are part of the itinerary
What’s Not Included
- Optional activities
- Some lunches and dinner
- Tips and gratuities
- Transportation to and from your start and end locations
- Travel protection
Nightly Accommodations
Accommodation for family trips has been chosen to give the best location and facilities for your family. They may vary depending on the location and destination, but are designed to give the most comfortable experience while travelling.
Contact Us To Start Planning Your Family Adventure In Costa Rica!
Rainforest, River, & Beaches
Starts at ~$5,649 per person
This week, Costa Rica is your family’s playground. Trade the monkey bars for a swing on a zip line. A trip down white water rapids. A leap from a jungle waterfall. Or all of the above. Recess, anyone? Start in Manuel Antonio National Park, then spend the night in among the treetops of the Savegre before flying to Liberia to relax on the Nicoya Peninsula.
Tour Highlights (Itineraries may vary)
- Explore two regions of the Costa Rican coast on this beach-centric itinerary
- Hike among sloths, monkeys, lizards and more in Manuel Antonio National Park
- Kayak the Pacific coast and swim in the warm turquoise waters of the Nicoya Peninsula
- Ride white water rapids of the pristine Río Savegre
- Observe night critters on a nocturnal rain forest hike
Meals
Food is an important part of the experience. And we understand that kids have special tastes, so we make sure that meals cater to their varied palates and appetites without sacrificing yours. For lunch we look for the best way to capture the essence of the region. It may be a picnic, where your Trip Leaders prepare the freshest and healthiest local fare at a carefully chosen setting along the day’s route; a boxed lunch; a packed lunch; a meal together at a favorite restaurant; or the opportunity to have lunch on your own. Dinners typically feature an excellent choice of fresh seafood as well as an array of typical Costa Rican and American dishes.
Difficulty Level & Suitable Ages For Travelers
This tour features light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging. Minimum age is 4 years old, though some activities may have a higher minimum age to participate. Optional activities provide an opportunity to increase the difficulty level for those who are interested in more challenging activities.
Number Of Days On Tour
Our Rainforest, River, & Beaches tour is typically 6 days long including an activity only on the morning of the last day, which may allow for departure on the same day. The tour starts at 9am on day 1, so you may need to budget an additional night and/or add a day for comparison to tours that include both an arrival day and a departure day in the itinerary.
Logistics
We recommend flying into San José’s International airport (SJO) and out of Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR). If you prefer, Frontier Adventure Travel can schedule your international travel out of San José, or a domestic flight or ground transfer from Liberia to San José. There is also some flexibility on where you join the group on day 1, plus Frontier Adventure Travel can plan for any ground transportation not included in the tour itinerary, and we can also plan additional activities before or after your trip, so let us know if you are interested in that!
What’s Included
Trip inclusions for guided family adventures in Costa Rica vary by tour company, especially as it relates to the number of meals provided and activities included in the trip price, so let us know if there is an inclusion that is a priority for you and we will help you choose a tour company accordingly. In general, our Rainforest, River, and Beaches tour packages typically include:
- All breakfasts, five lunches, five dinners
- Expertise and services of experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
What’s Not Included
- Leader gratuities
- transportation to and from your Backroads trip start & end locations
- on-your-own meals & activities
Nightly Accommodations
Accommodation for family trips has been chosen to give the best location and facilities for your family. They may vary depending on the location and destination but are designed to give the most comfortable experience while travelling. On this tour, your stays will include both luxury boutiques as well as one night of glamping in a luxury safari tent!
Contact Us To Start Planning Your Family Adventure In Costa Rica!
What To Do Next?
Now that you know a few of the available options for guided tours in Costa Rica for families, contact us to start planning your family’s adventure!