Looking for a Costa Rica itinerary for 7 days? You’ve come to the right place!

Our family of 6 just got back from a week in Costa Rica. We visited both the rainforest and the beach, and fit in as many adventures as we could.

It wasn’t too hard to plan our trip and where we wanted to go since I had been to Costa Rica before we had kids. I was a high school Spanish teacher who took my students on an immersion trip, and I knew it was a place I would want to return someday with my future kids.

The time finally came! We finally got passports for our 4 kids, and we were ready to dive into international travel. When cheap flights popped up for Costa Rica, we knew we had to jump on them and make it our first trip abroad as a family of 6.

Our trip was incredible! Our kids are still pretty young - ages 2-9, and our Costa Rica family itinerary ended up being the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation.

Take a look at our Costa Rica travel itinerary to hopefully get some ideas for what you want to do during your 1 week in Costa Rica.

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Costa Rica One Week Itinerary with Rainforest and Beach

Day 1: San Jose to La Fortuna

We flew into San Jose (Juan Santamaria International Airport), or SJO, to start our week-long adventure in Costa Rica.

We arrived around 2 p.m. and had arranged a private transfer to La Fortuna, a small town to the northwest of San Jose in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. Arenal is an active volcano that is currently dormant, but it’s truly a sight to behold rising up out of the lush rainforest.

Private Shuttle vs. Renting a Car in Costa Rica

The reason we chose a private transfer vs. renting a car is because with 4 kids, we would need to rent a minivan. Rental cars in Costa Rica are pretty cheap, but minivans are much more expensive. We decided to cut out the stress of driving on Costa Rican roads and pay for transfers instead.

It actually was about the same price to pay for private transfers as it would be to rent a minivan or large SUV with 6 seats.

The two websites we used to book private transfers were:

Daytrip
Two Weeks in Costa Rica (you fill out a form on their website and they arrange the transfer for you)

Both companies were wonderful and our transfers all went very smoothly. The only hiccup is that both said on their website and in their confirmation emails that they provided car seats for the kids, but neither actually had them in the van when they came to pick us up.

I would either bring your own car seats for little ones, or email to remind them the night before that you need the car seats.

The only downside to not having our own vehicle was that in La Fortuna we had to rely on taxis to get around if we needed to go into town. I ended up taking a taxi by myself into town one time to pick up snacks, water, and stop at an ATM for cash. The taxi was arranged by our hotel and cost $25.

It was a 3 hour drive from SJO to La Fortuna. Our driver stopped at the halfway point so we could eat at a soda. A soda is simply a local restaurant in Costa Rica, usually open-air, and serving typical Costa Rican dishes. The food was incredible (my husband and I ordered casados - a dish with rice, meat, beans, plantains, and salad), and it was nice to stop, use the restroom, get some water, and stretch our legs.

The drive was on winding roads and a bit bumpy, so be sure to bring your motion sickness medication for both adults and children.

We arrived at our hotel, Arenal Manoa, just after 6 p.m. By the time we checked in, we were all ready for a good night’s sleep after a long travel day.

dad with 2 kids zip lining in Costa Rica

Day 2: Ziplining in La Fortuna

We started our day with free breakfast at our hotel, then spent the morning swimming in the pool and testing out the hot springs.

Arenal Manoa has a zero-entry shallow pool area that was perfect for our toddler, and the big kids loved all of the space to spread out and swim.

There was also a swim-up bar that opened at 10, so if you want to enjoy a tropical drink in the shadow of a gorgeous volcano in the jungle, you absolutely can do that.

We headed back to our room to get dressed, and this was when I grabbed a taxi to head into town to stock up on snacks, fruit, water, and cash. As I mentioned, breakfast is included at our hotel, and we would always order dinner to go from the restaurant on-property, but we wanted to save money by just snacking our way through lunch.

I got back just in time to take over watching our toddler and preschooler, while my husband took our 9- and 6-year-old zip lining on a canopy tour above the rainforest. I had already done this exact tour 10 years ago when I took my high school Spanish students to Costa Rica, and I really wanted my husband and kids to experience it too, so I volunteered to stay back.

Ecoglide Canopy Tour

After a quick Google search about which companies were best for zip lining with little kids, we decided to book through Ecoglide Arenal Park.

We chose to book with them because it had great reviews for families zip lining with kids, the minimum age is 4 (our preschooler could have gone, but he decided he didn’t want to), and they included transportation to and from your hotel (as long as it’s in La Fortuna) in the price.

You get to do 11 zip lines on the tour, which takes about 2 hours. Their policy is to operate the tour rain or shine, as long as it’s not a thunderstorm.

We visited during rainy season, which means we were definitely at risk of a canceled tour, especially since we booked it during the afternoon. But the guides were determined to get the tour done safely and efficiently before the storm.

We lucked out and the rain held off, and the kids had the time of their life!

Meanwhile, back at the hotel…

I stayed back at the hotel while our toddler napped and our preschooler relaxed and watched a show. I got some work down and even got to read a book and have my afternoon coffee while sitting on our patio with a view of Arenal Volcano.

By the time Dad and the big kids got back, we decided to order dinner to go from the poolside restaurant, since we had seen a wood fire pizza place we wanted to try.

We ended the day with pizza and nachos on our patio enjoying the view, and even saw a toucan in a tree near our room.

Day 3: Sloth Tour in La Fortuna

Our third day started out very in pretty much the same way as the second. We took a leisurely breakfast at our hotel and followed it up with some more swimming and hot springs time.

We made sure to get back to our hotel for an early nap since this time our whole family was going on an afternoon adventure!

holding phone up to telescope to see a sloth in the rainforest

Sloth Tour

We knew we wanted to see some sloths in the rainforest of Costa Rica, and we knew we wanted to book a guided tour with a naturalist since sloths can be pretty hard to spot on your own.

We booked through Viator (this is the exact tour we booked), and the company running the tour was called Callidryas Tours.

They picked us up from our hotel and took us to a biological corridor where we began hiking through the rainforest to find sloths. Our guide, Luis, was so focused on the kids and helping them see wildlife. He was so knowledgeable and had fun facts about all the plants and animals we saw.

He really kept the kids’ interest, made our toddler laugh when she was getting fussy, and took the time to make sure they could see every sloth he found.

We ended up seeing 6 sloths. 2 of them were babies, and one was a mother with her baby. This was the last one we saw, and it was just starting to rain, so we got to see her on the move carrying her baby trying to get out of the rain. It was so magical.

I would highly recommend this tour for families with young children. All ages are welcome!

Day 4: Transfer from La Fortuna to the Beach

Even though Costa Rica is a relatively small country, it does take a while to get from point A to point B because the infrastructure is not great. There are many one-lane highways, so if you get stuck behind a slow vehicle, it will really slow down your trip!

Again, we were really grateful we had hired a private shuttle transfer to take some of the stress out of the travel day.

4 out of 6 family members ended up feeling really car sick because we didn’t give the kids Dramamine before the trip, so be sure to be proactive about this! And don’t read or look at screens until the road gets a little less winding and a bit smoother (once you get out of La Fortuna area).

We chose a small beach town called Sámara located on the Pacific Coast, and it took about 4 hours to get there from La Fortuna.

We left fairly early after making use of the free breakfast at our hotel, and ended up arriving in town before our villa was ready. It was no problem. Our new hotel let us drop off our bags so we could wander around town, do some shopping for snacks at a local mini market, and check out the beach scene.

Once our room was ready we got unpacked, then picked up some pasta from the market and made ourselves some dinner.

Exhausted from another travel day, we were all asleep by 7 p.m.

Day 5: Horseback Riding and Exploring Sámara

Horseback Riding Tour

Get up early and start your day with a brisk 2-hour tour through the jungle and along the beach on horseback. We booked with Explore Sámara Tours. They are a small family-owned business run by Martine and Heinar, a married couple with an adorable toddler.

Martine is French Canadian, and speaks fluent Spanish, French, and English. She was so incredible with the kids, patiently teaching them how to guide the horse and how to get the horses to speed up when they were feeling lazy.

The tour we booked was the Mountain and Beach Tour. I was nervous that our 6-year-old would get tired on the 2-hour tour, but he did so well! Our 5-year-old definitely could have joined, but again decided he didn’t want to, so if you have a child 4 and up, you can absolutely do this tour with them.

We took a break at Turtle Refuge, a secluded little area under the most beautiful palm trees, and snacked on fresh pineapple and water.

The tour ends with a gallop along Sámara Beach, which had us all laughing with joy. I honestly felt like a kid again! 10/10 would recommend this tour to families with little kids.

Exploring the Town of Sámara

We headed back to our hotel, Villas Kalimba, to eat lunch at the Villas Kalimba Restaurant. We got fruit smoothies, pizza, and Caprese sandwiches, and it was honestly some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. Even if you don’t stay at Villas Kalimba, definitely try out the restaurant. You will not be disappointed.

The big kids went for a swim in the pool while our toddler napped for a few hours.

In the late afternoon we got dressed and walked back to the area where we stopped on our horseback riding tour because we saw a colorful playground there. The kids loved getting their energy out and just being kids for a bit.

This is more of a local’s beach and a bit more quiet than the rest of Sámara Beach. If you’re facing the ocean turn right and just keep walking along the beach until you get to the river that feeds into the ocean. If it’s low tide you can cross the river to get to this part of the beach with the palm tree paradise and the playground.

By the time we got done it was high tide, and would have been really hard to cross with 4 little kids, so we had to take the long way around through the town of Sámara to get back to the other side of the beach.

mom with 4 kids at dinner on the beach in Costa Rica

We finished the evening with beachfront meal at Restaurante Sheriff Rustic which is right along the beach and close to town. My husband and I ordered casados again, and they had plenty of options for the kids (and even offered to make plain pasta for our pickiest eater).

Day 6: Dolphin Tour in Sámara

Book an early morning dolphin tour where professional guides will take your family out on a boat in search of dolphins!

We booked this at the last minute because we were nervous about bringing a 2-year-old on a 4-hour boat tour. We were sure she would have meltdowns or want to run around while the boat was moving.

But we knew this could be a really memorable activity for our whole family. so we decided to book a tour the night before.

I’m so glad we did! We ended up seeing a pod of hundreds of dolphins. The big kids got to sit on the front of the catamaran with their feet hanging over the edge with dolphins breaching the surface of the water just below their toes.

Our 2-year-old was a champ, even taking a nap on our laps!

We booked through Sámara Adventures and chose the Ocean Safari 2 in 1 tour. There were only about 10 other people on the tour with us, and we got to stop and snorkel at the end of the trip.

Beach Day in Sámara

You’ll definitely need a relaxing afternoon after an adventure on the sea, so head back to your hotel and relax.

Once you’re ready to head out again, I would highly suggest enjoying the afternoon on the beach if the weather is cooperating.

toddler playing on the beach in Costa Rica

Sámara Beach and Gusto Beach are absolutely perfect for families. You have a mix of tourists and locals, but it never gets too crowded. There are restaurants if you get hungry and places right along the shoreline where you can rent boogie boards and surfboards for very affordable prices.

Grab dinner at Gusto Beach Restaurant. It’s a bit more expensive than your typical soda, but the food was excellent and they had tons of kid-friendly options.

Day 7: Transfer from Sámara to San Jose

Schedule your transfer from Sámara to San Jose for around 11:00 a.m. giving yourself plenty of time to pack and have a leisurely breakfast.

We went shopping for souvenirs in town and stopped at our favorite mini market to stock up on snacks one last time.

Don’t forget to take your motion sickness medication before you head out!

The transfer will take about 4 hours, so download some audiobooks or podcasts to listen to so you can rest and relax

Where to Stay with Kids Near the Airport in San Jose

I would highly recommend staying at the Country Inn & Suites San Jose Aeropuerto. I booked this with very little research right after booking our plane tickets, knowing we would just need a place to rest our heads before a long travel day.

This ended up being one of my best decisions ever! If you’re been to a Country Inn & Suites in the United States, you know exactly what you’re getting. They’re usually a solid hotel without the frills.

We booked the 2 bedroom suite in San Jose, and what we got was an absolute palace! There were actually 2 floors to our hotel room. You walked into the living and dining area, then walked up the stairs to the 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The master bedroom was very spacious with plenty of room for a crib or rollaway cot.

The free breakfast is absolutely wonderful, and feels very elegant with al fresco dining overlooking the well-kept pool.

We were actually disappointed we had only booked one night at the hotel, and wished we had added an extra day or 2 to explore San Jose and enjoy this hotel.

There’s also a grocery store and tons of fast food restaurant about a block away from this hotel, so you can easily grab dinner and take it back to your room.

plush sloth with candy at Costa Rica airport

Day 8: Head home

The day has finally come. It’s time to leave paradise and head back home.

Country Inn & Suites has a free shuttle to get to the airport, but make sure you either stop at the front desk or call them to reserve your spot on the shuttle. They leave every hour on the hour.

Hopefully your flight is a bit later in the day so you can enjoy the free continental breakfast, too!

What I would change about our one-week Costa Rica trip itinerary

Our trip was pretty perfect, and I was really happy with the trip I planned. Everything went very smoothly. The hotels we chose were perfect for a large family, the transportation went off (mostly) without a hitch (we really would have like to have those car seats), and the activities we picked were epic.

Really, the only thing I would have changed would be to make our trip longer!

What I didn’t take into account when I planned our trip was that on days when we were moving from one city to the next, that would be the only thing we would do that whole day. Transportation is very slow in Costa Rica, and even if we had some daylight left when we arrived, we were all too tired and crabby from the drive to do anything else.

Because of that, I would have added one extra night in each of our destinations. I would have loved a slower beach day in Sámara to just relax and rent boogie boards, or rent golf carts to visit nearby beaches.

I would have loved an extra day in La Fortuna to visit the hanging bridges or wander through Arenal Volcano National Park.

I would have loved a day in San Jose to see the city.

But we had 8 days, and we squeezed as much as we could into our trip. If a week is all you have, make the most of it and enjoy it!

If you have the option to add more time, do it. You will not regret it.

Costa Rica is a wonderful place to spend a week with your kids.

If you’re looking for International trips for families, this is definitely one to add to your bucket list.

We loved being able to see wildlife, have some soft adventures with our kids, and discover a way of life that’s very different from our own in the midwest.

If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, don’t forget to check out my blog post Planning a Trip to Costa Rica with Kids. It has everything you need to know about planning, packing, and things to keep in mind before you leave.