Costa Rica Attractions

For those who prefer to explore by walking instead of pedaling, go on a naturalist-led Arenal Hanging Bridges tour. The guide is important - otherwise, you will miss so much. We walked the relatively easy, nearly-two-mile path that includes several suspension bridges. Not only did this up the rainforest excitement, but at 150-feet high, we stood in the treetops -- all the better to spot the troops of howler monkeys scampering branch to branch.

The shady trails led us past hanging vines, tall ferns and thick ficus trees. The guide pointed out a poisonous snake curled on a log, leaf-cutter ants carrying bits of broken green leaves on their backs and a beak-heavy toucan careening onto a tree branch.

Costa Rica's most active volcano -- Arenal -- still erupts. The most dramatic views of the red lava, snaking down the slopes of this conical volcano, come at night. Pull off to the side of the road (in a safe place) to watch the memorable spectacle. During the day, the park's look-out trail leads to an overlook from which the lava flow may be visible. A sighting, of course, depends upon the volcano and also upon the weather. Frequently, clouds obscure Arenal's slopes or cones.

Athletic teens and 'tweens enjoy navigating the dirt roads at the volcano's base on mountain bikes. Check ahead for companies that offer these guided outings.

Tip: Since Arenal is about three and a half hours from San Jose, plan to stay overnight.

The Peninsula Papagayo, a region undergoing development, harbors many coves of isolated beaches, good for swimming. The easiest to reach are those at the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, as well as the beach at the peninsula's Prieta Beach Club. It was initially created for the use of the peninsula's homeowners, but it's now open to guests of the Four Seasons, too. All beaches in Costa Rica remain open to the public through access paths. However, the best way to enjoy these sands is as a guest of the Four Seasons Resort. Often in the morning and late afternoon, we were delighted to watch a troop of howler monkeys making their way through the branches of the tamarind trees that line the sand.

The Peninsula Discovery Program operates from the Prieta Beach Club and offers beach tours, snorkeling, outrigger canoeing and surfing, when the waves are big enough to surf. When the water is too calm for surfing (which is fairly often), the Discovery Program offers "stand-up paddling on surf boards" where you can learn how to stand up and balance on a surfboard, but to go anywhere you'll need to paddle. My daughter and I really enjoyed learning to paddle the outrigger canoe about three-quarters of a mile or so to Monkey's Head for some snorkeling (and then paddling back).

Located on the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park, a nearly-105,000-acre lowland rainforest, is another of my family's favorites. The flocks of scarlet macaws -- bold red and brilliantly feathered -- make Corcovado special. The park is home to one of Costa Rica's largest populations of these majestic birds.

We explored this difficult-to-reach park as a port stop on an eco-adventure cruise. However, if you don't arrive by boat, Corcovado is difficult to access. By land, most visitors take a four-wheel drive vehicle from Puerto Jimenez. If not on an eco-cruise, consider booking at an eco-lodge and taking their guided hikes.

The Corobici River (put in at Canas) offers a relaxing and interesting float trip, especially in the afternoon when the river is alive with an abundance of wood storks and white cattle egrets flocking back to their roosts. We glided past bamboo and panama trees. As we paddled over to a tree, our guide pointed out that the black "bumps" on the tree were really long-nosed bats.

The same geothermal forces that create molten lava create hot springs. Whether you bike or hike, a good treat is a soothing soak in one of the area's lushly landscaped hot springs. Among the springs open to daytime guests are the extensive facilities at Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort and the smaller but more private Eco Termales, which accepts no more than 100 people at one time.

With young children, always consult ahead of time with your pediatrician about whether a soak in a hot spring is suitable.

Costa Rica is known for its natural attractions. As an introduction to some of the wonders waiting for you on a country tour, visit the INBio Park and/or the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. A highlight of the National Biodiversity Institute of Costa Rica(INBio), a private research center, is a two-hour guided tour. (Reserve ahead, or go on your own without a reservation.) The plants and trees along the trails recreate the region's rainforest, Central Valley, dry forest and wetlands. At the wildlife stations, see poisonous frogs, boas, tarantulas and bullet ants, and learn what important jobs these critters perform.

The trails at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens lead you to five waterfalls. En route, pause at the Hummingbird Garden to see the tiny, emerald birds and at the Butterfly Garden, among Costa Rica's largest, to discover how caterpillars get their wings.

Although often crowded, Manuel Antonio National Park is worth a visit for its combination of wildlife and beautiful beaches. Troops of white-throated capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys swing from tree branch to tree branch, and sloths (difficult to spot) nestle on tree limbs. Typically, Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Puerto Escondido are less crowded than Playa Manuel Antonio. If you look carefully -- especially on a guided hike -- you may spot a sloth, curled up in a fuzzy ball.

At the 26,000-acre Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, located at the Continental Divide, the winds create clouds that envelop the mountain peaks. That means you hike through mist-shrouded woods, lush with ferns, mosses, vines and orchids that dangle from tree limbs. Known for its biodiversity, Monteverde shelters 400 species of birds, as well as jaguars, ocelots and quetzals, although the cats are rarely seen. The quetzals almost never appear on main trails, and many birds are more likely to be heard than viewed. That's why some skip Monteverde, but for us, it proved to be a highlight.

On our three-hour hike, we felt as if we'd entered the forest primeval. As the sun filtered through the trees, our guide showed us why epiphytes (orchids are among these) grow there, pointed out the "hot lips" plants favored by hummingbirds and led us to a pristine waterfall.

Tip: Go with a guide. Typically, your hotel can make these arrangements. Book a guide well in advance, as only 160 people are admitted to the reserve at one time. Wear layers, take water, and remember the rain gear. You are in a cloud forest.

Rincon de la Vieja, loosely translated, means "the hideaway of the old lady." No one we asked knew how the volcano got its name. Despite the park's rank as Guanacaste's number-one attraction, we didn't pass many others on our hike. With 34,800 acres, there's plenty of room to explore.

Again, we recommend hiring a guide. Not only do these naturalists know where they are going, but they also know what they are seeing. Along the easy 1.75-mile Las Pailas loop, our guide pointed out guanacaste and poisonous jabillo trees, led us to a waterfall and explained that the whistling cry we heard belonged to a trogan. On spurs off the trail, we viewed bubbling mud pots and fumaroles belching sulfur. In a clearing, we caught sight of a flock of wild parakeets, and we paused as a troop of white-faced capuchin monkeys jumped around above our heads.

With hardy teens, consider a guided five-mile trek to the summit.

It's worth rising early in the morning for pickup by the rafting company. It was on our first raft trip on the Reventazon, a class II-III (minimum age 9 years), on our second day in Costa Rica that my kids and I fell in love with the country. Just as we finished paddling through a rapid, we looked up to see a flock of wild parakeets chatter noisily overhead. Then, a toucan flew by, a big-beaked flash of black and yellow. It was like a Disney "river ride," only real.

A few years later, on our next trip, we tackled a class III+ section of the Pacuare River (suggested minimum age 12). Rated one of the top whitewater runs in the world for its combination of easy access, cascading rapids and wilderness scenery, the Pacuare tests your adrenaline with exciting rapids and lets you mellow on a few quiet stretches. One glided us through a canyon. To cool off, we jumped in the river and floated on our backs.

River-rafting tips: Go with a reputable rafting company. Costa Rica Expeditions, one of Costa Rica's oldest and most trusted companies, offers a variety of raft trips. They offer regular trips, as well as "connoisseur trips" with fewer guests, more customized service and better food. Rios Tropicales is another well-known rafting company.

The display of gold -- 1600 pieces -- at the Museo del Banco Central de Costa Rica, commonly known as the Gold Museum, dazzles kids. The museum's collection of pre-Columbian gold is one of the world's largest. Older than pirates' booty, the pieces date from 300 to 1500 A.D. Among the striking items are pendants and collars the size of Frisbees. We created our own treasure hunt by searching for golden frogs, bats, birds and other animals. We did the same for pre-Columbian jade animals at the Museo de Jade (the Jade Museum). If you have time for just one museum, go for the gold.

Take teens interested in art to two of San Jose's noted art facilities. Along with performance space, the Centro Nacional de Arte y Cultura (National Center of Art and Culture) primarily exhibits work by Costa Rican and Central American artists. The much smaller Museo de Arte Costarricense (Costa Rican Art Museum) displays work from some top Costa Rican artists.

Tortuguero National Park is another of Costa Rica's wonders, especially for animal lovers. Yes, the park is always humid, often raining and buggy and hard to reach (accessible only by boat or plane). But watching a sea turtle come ashore, slowly climb the sand to be far from the high tide, painstakingly dig a nest with her flippers, lay scores of eggs, cover up the nest and lumber down the beach to disappear into the sea is an unforgettable experience.

"Tortuguero," in fact, means "turtle catcher" in Spanish. On the 22 miles of beaches, hundreds of Green, Hawksbill and Loggerhead sea turtles lay eggs from July through October. Leatherbacks, the world's largest sea turtles, nest in Tortuguero from February through July.

Also in the 77,032-acre Tortuguero National Park are miles of interconnected canals, built for logging. Now, these canals offer a refuge for crocodiles, sloths and many types of birds.

Turtle-watching tips: Turtle-watching takes place at night and is led by local guides. Reserve your tickets well in advance. Wear dark clothing and shoes to limit the amount of reflected light. More turtles come ashore to nest on moonless or near-moonless nights.

Parque Nacional Volcan Poas (Poas Volcano National Park) and Parque Nacional Volcan Irazu (Irazu Volcano National Park)

You have to admire a city that has two volcanoes within an easy day-trip. To reach Poas Volcano National Park, 40 miles north of San Jose, you drive past hillside coffee plantations and farms. An active volcano (last eruption in 1994), Poas is famous for its more-than-a-mile-wide crater, one of the largest in the world. Geysers often bubble and steam in the teal waters. On a clear day, take the easy walk to nearby Botos Lake, formed in an extinct crater.

Irazu Volcano National Park is 30 miles east of San Jose. Towering more than 11,000 feet, Irazu, Costa Rica's highest volcano, last erupted in 1965. At the summit, the moonlike land is barren, a stark contrast to the often steamy, greenish water in the primary crater. In Diego de la Haya, the smaller crater, the lake can be green or red, depending upon its bubbling gases.

Some volcano-watching tips: Your best bet to see the steaming craters is to arrive early in the morning. By midday, clouds often obscure both craters. Bring jackets, since the elevation makes it cool at Poas and even colder at Irazu. Reassure your kids that both volcanoes are monitored carefully. In the unlikely event of any eruptions, minor or major, the parks would close, and warnings would be issued.

Once you convince yourself that you really won't crash to the rainforest floor, zip line tours are fun. On the Witch's Rock Canopy tour, attendants clipped us into harnesses that were hooked to a cable, strung between platforms that were perched high above the ground. When ready, you take a step off the platform to glide -- monkey-like -- through the forest. At first, we hesitantly inched off the platforms; some were 20-feet high. My daughter acclimated quickly, crossing rope bridges and scampering up towering trunks to fly across ravines 75 feet below. She whooped with joy as she zipped through the treetops. Eventually, I relaxed enough to enjoy the last jump. And yes, I would do it again. While best for older kids, guides can go along with young kids.