Costa Rica

Costa Rica family holidays

Costa Rica is an amazing place for a family holiday, with an enviable combination of adventure activities, lush scenery and idyllic beaches. This is one of the most ecologically diverse countries on the planet. There are active volcanoes belching out smoke, thick jungle populated by elusive jaguar and magical cloud forest with chirruping frogs.

There are more activities than you can imagine, with giant zip-lines, white-water rafting, dolphin-watching and more. It’s a small country that’s easy to get around, with beautiful boutique hotels that are perfect for families. It’s safe, it’s fun and it’s ideal for outdoor-lovers. There are few more ideal family holiday destinations!

Family tubing on Costa Rica with kids holiday

With Costa Rica’s two coastlines and many rivers, exciting water-based activities are in abundance

Why take the kids to Costa Rica?

A family holiday in Costa Rica is incredibly popular with children, primarily because of the sheer range of exciting activities.

Top activity picks for Costa Rica family holidays include:

Zip-lining over the forest canopy
Searching for wildlife big and small in the lush rainforest
Watching turtles lay their eggs (summer)
Playing on a dazzling sandy beach
Learning how to make chocolate and coffee
Soaking in hot volcanic springs
Taking a lazy raft trip or opting for the adrenalin version

One day you will be cycling through coffee plantations, stopping to make a tortilla with a local grandmother. The next, you might be learning about turtle conservation or white-water rafting down the Sarapiqui River, whooping with excitement as you help navigate the rapids.

You can spend a morning flying through the jungle on zip wires and an afternoon lazing in a hammock watching the monkeys play in the forest canopy above. And who doesn’t love ending up on a gorgeous sandy beach, taking an occasional dip in the sea with a snorkel and mask to seek out brightly coloured fish?

Costa Rica with kids holiday - parents and teenagers

Visit fabulous family-friendly beaches on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts

How to get around in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is also a wonderfully easy country to travel in. Distances are small so you can get around the country quickly and easily. Private road transfers or self-driving are popular and the excellent light aircraft network means you can get to almost any airstrip in under an hour. There is also a superb range of accommodation to suit all budgets.

If your family enjoys the freedom of exploring by car, don’t miss our Best Family Road Trips feature. For more inspiration, take a look at our Costa Rica with Kids guide, where you’ll find ideas on what to see and do as a family. And you can browse photos shared by our customers from their trips with us to Costa Rica and read their holiday reviews to get a true sense of what a Stubborn Mule adventure in Costa Rica is like.

Family preparing to zip line at Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

The canopy walks and zip-line at Arenal are firm family favourites

Family holiday itineraries for Costa Rica

All of our itineraries are bespoke, which means that they are tailor-made for your family. We will take into account the ages of your children, your interests, your budget, and so on. To give you an idea of what you could do on a family holiday in Costa Rica, see our example itineraries, Costa Rica (Summer) and Costa Rica (Easter and Christmas).

You’ll want to decide whether a self-drive adventure or private transfers would work best for your family. Take a look at the places to visit in Costa Rica you could visit, and don’t miss our handy month-by-month weather guide for Costa Rica. When you’re ready, get in touch to chat through the different options. We’d be delighted to help you plan the perfect Costa Rica family holiday, tailored for you and your family.