How to Plan the Ultimate Adventure Trip to Costa Rica: For Honeymooners, Anniversary Couples, and Anyone Who Wants More
Arenal Volcano at dusk in La Fortuna, our first glimpse of Costa Rica's wild side
We did not know what to expect from Costa Rica. We just knew we did not want a resort.
We started in La Fortuna during green season, when the crowds disappear and the magic stays. Nobody warned us that "green season" meant we would have the hot springs entirely to ourselves, cocktails in hand, staring at a volcano through the mist. Nobody warned us about the room upgrades, or the white water rafting, or hiking to the highest point of Arenal and feeling like we had earned every single view.
In Monteverde we woke up to a canopy of trees outside our window and stumbled into the best meal of our lives at a tiny restaurant run by a young couple who sat down with us, shared their story, and made us feel like the only people in Costa Rica. We went back the next night.
Then there was Samara, where a kayak trip to a tiny island turned into an afternoon involving one very unbothered raccoon and more hermit crabs than we could count. It was ridiculous and perfect and exactly the kind of moment you cannot plan if you tried.
That trip is why I do this work. Not because Costa Rica is beautiful, though it is. But because the best travel moments are the ones nobody puts in a brochure.
We spent two weeks in Costa Rica. If you have less time, download my free 10-day itinerary.
Why Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is the perfect honeymoon destination. It is also the perfect anniversary trip, the perfect milestone celebration, and the perfect answer for any couple who has ever looked at a resort brochure and thought there has to be something better than this.
Costa Rica is one of those rare destinations that does not make you choose. You do not have to decide between adventure and romance, between activity and relaxation, between jungle and beach. You get all of it, often in the same day.
It is a tiny country, but every region feels like a completely different world. La Fortuna is volcanic, dramatic, and built for adventure. Monteverde is misty, canopied, and intimate. The Pacific coast is warm, unhurried, and surprisingly uncrowded if you know where to go.
And here is the part most people do not expect: Costa Rica is remarkably affordable for what it delivers. We did every tour and adventure we could fit into our itinerary: white water rafting, canyoning, zip lining, night hikes, hanging bridges, and kayaking to a private island. And in La Fortuna, we ended every evening soaking in hot springs with a cocktail. That kind of trip would cost twice as much almost anywhere else.
For couples who want more than a beach chair and a swim-up bar, Costa Rica is the answer.
Kayaking off the coast of Samara, one of the most laid back beach towns on Costa Rica's Pacific coast
When to Go: The Case for Green Season
Most travel sites will tell you to visit Costa Rica between December and April, during dry season, when the sun is guaranteed and the tourists are plentiful. That is not wrong. But it is not the whole story.
We went in June, the start of green season, and I would recommend it to every adventure couple without hesitation.
Here is why. The crowds disappear. The prices drop. And the landscape transforms into something so lush and alive it almost doesn’t look real. The jungle is at its most dramatic, the waterfalls are at their fullest, and the colors are extraordinary.
Yes, it rains. But not all day, and never in a way that shut down a single activity we had planned. If anything, a sudden downpour in the middle of a zip line or a waterfall hike made it more exhilarating. And because the temperatures are warm year round, the rain is actually a welcome relief, keeping things cooler and more comfortable than the dry season heat.
What you trade in guaranteed sunshine you more than make up for in privacy, value, and a version of Costa Rica that most tourists never get to see.
If you can go in June, go in June.
Hiking through the rainforest in Costa Rica during green season, when everything is lush, alive, and gloriously uncrowded
Where to Stay and What to Do, Region by Region
La Fortuna
The view from our room at Volcano Lodge and Springs, La Fortuna. Yes, really.
We stayed at Volcano Lodge and Springs, and for a couple experiencing this kind of trip for the first time, it felt like pure luxury. Welcome drinks, full concierge service, and a breakfast that genuinely rivaled anything we have had since.
The grounds of Volcano Lodge and Springs, La Fortuna, with Arenal Volcano in the background
The hot springs at Volcano Lodge and Springs, where we ended every single evening
The hot springs on property became our nightly ritual. For a more elevated experience, I recommend Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort or The Springs Resort and Spa. Both sit at the foot of Arenal Volcano with world class hot springs, stunning views, and the kind of amenities that make a trip feel truly special. As a Lifelong Adventure Travel Boutique client, you may also receive added perks at both properties.
La Fortuna is where your adventure trip begins in the best possible way. Start with the classics: zip lining through the rainforest canopy, canyoning down waterfalls, and white water rafting on the Balsa River. Ours included an authentic local lunch served in a covered, open air dining hall deep in the rainforest. Halfway through, the rain started. We could hear it hitting the canopy above us, smell it in the air, watch it fall just beyond the open walls while we sat dry with our plates and our drinks. It was one of those moments that is completely impossible to describe to someone who was not there.
Canyoning down waterfalls in the rainforest outside La Fortuna. Yes, it is exactly as good as it looks.
Hike toward Arenal Volcano and keep your eyes open. The trail winds through lush rainforest before opening up to views of the volcano itself. Worth every step of the climb.
At the highest point we could reach on Arenal Volcano. That sign says 1,633 meters above sea level.
In the evenings, skip the tourist restaurants and find a local soda. Small, family run, unpretentious, and serving some of the best food you will eat on the entire trip.
And if you are up for a nicer dinner, do not leave La Fortuna without ordering a steak. Costa Rica takes its beef seriously and every steak we had was cooked to absolute perfection.
Dinner in La Fortuna. The steak alone is worth the trip.
One more thing about La Fortuna: the coffee. I have never been a hotel coffee person. But my first cup at Volcano Lodge stopped me mid-sip. I also could not figure out why it was not getting cold. Turns out Costa Ricans serve coffee with warm milk. It stays piping hot and it is perfect.
Monteverde
Morning breakfast on the balcony at Rainbow Valley Lodge, Monteverde. That view came with every meal.
Rainbow Valley Lodge was a highlight of our entire trip. Run by a local family, it felt personal and warm in a way that big hotels rarely do. Their restaurant and tour recommendations alone were worth the stay.
Our room at Rainbow Valley Lodge, nestled into the cloud forest above Monteverde
For a more elevated experience, Koora Hotel offers a stunning design forward property that feels completely at home in the cloud forest.
Walking the hanging bridges of Monteverde, where the cloud forest canopy stretches as far as you can see.
Monteverde is a completely different energy. Quieter, moodier, wrapped in cloud forest. The hiking here is extraordinary, with hanging bridges winding through the canopy and wildlife appearing around every corner.
We saw more monkeys in Monteverde than anywhere else on the trip.
A howler monkey and her baby spotted from the hanging bridges in Monteverde. Wildlife around every corner.
Do not skip the night hike. The rainforest after dark is something else entirely.
If your accommodation has a kitchen, use it. We started replicating the breakfasts from Volcano Lodge: fresh fruit, incredible local coffee, and eggs. Grocery shopping in a small Costa Rican town is its own kind of adventure.
And if you think the steak in La Fortuna was extraordinary, Monteverde will prove that Costa Rica is in a league of its own when it comes to beef.
Steak dinner in Monteverde.
Tamarindo
Playa Minas, a short drive from Tamarindo and worth every minute.
Tamarindo is louder and more touristy than the rest of the itinerary, but it earns its place. This is the best spot for souvenir shopping, and if your partner has ever wanted to try surfing, the gentle waves here are perfect for beginners.
We searched everywhere for this. Found it at the Tamarindo market. It now lives on our front door in Mammoth Lakes.
We did not stay somewhere I would recommend to clients, which is exactly how I know where to send you instead. If you want to explore Tamarindo without being in the middle of the buzz, the Westin at Playa Conchal is a great alternative. The water is crystal clear and the beach is calm.
Playa Conchal, calm water and soft sand a short drive from Tamarindo.
Our favorite moment was driving onto a nearby beach with sand so soft and white it barely felt real. Nobody else was there. We just sat with the windows down and took it in.
Soaking up the last of the day at Playa Minas, just down the road from Tamarindo.
If you are not a crowds person, one night in Tamarindo is plenty. Grab a beachfront meal, watch the waves, and move on.
Samara
Isla Chora, the tiny island we kayaked to off the coast of Samara.
Samara is where the trip exhales. The water is calm and sheltered, the town is tiny and friendly, and nobody is in a hurry.
Same story here on accommodations. Learn from our experience and book Residencias Samara instead, right in the heart of this tiny, unhurried beach town with some of the calmest water on the Pacific coast.
We kayaked out to a small island just off the shore. I genuinely was not sure we would make it. When we got there we found a stranded raccoon, cracked open some beers, and watched hundreds of hermit crabs emerge from the sand the moment we dropped a crumb. It was completely unplanned and completely perfect.
The paddle out to Isla Chora. I was not sure we would make it.
Our unexpected island companion at Isla Chora. He was there first.
Within minutes of dropping a few crumbs, the sand came alive.
Spend your time in Samara talking to locals and expats, floating in the ocean, and reflecting on everything you just experienced. By the time you get here you will have earned it.
How to Plan It
Costa Rica rewards preparation. Book your lodging, tours, and transportation before you leave home, especially if you are traveling during dry season when availability fills up fast. Car rentals in particular go quickly, so lock that in early.
That said, green season gives you a little more flexibility. Tours are less crowded and last minute availability is easier to find. If you are on the fence about a particular activity, you can often save it and decide once you are there.
On transportation: do not assume renting a car is automatically the right move. Depending on your itinerary, a private transfer between regions can actually be cheaper than a rental, and significantly less stressful. In some cases a combination of private transfers and a short term rental works out to be the most affordable and practical option. It depends on where you are going and how comfortable you are navigating unfamiliar roads. This is exactly the kind of thing I work through with every client before they travel.
On lodging: do not cut corners on the Pacific coast. Tamarindo and Samara are worth the upgrade. The difference in experience between a basic room and a well chosen boutique hotel is significant, and on a special trip it matters.
The honest truth is that Costa Rica is not a complicated destination to visit. But the difference between a good trip and an extraordinary one comes down to knowing which hotels are worth it, which tours are overrated, and how to structure your itinerary so every region gets the time it deserves.
Our trip was two weeks. If you have closer to ten days, my free itinerary shows you how I would trim it.
That is what I am here for.
Ready to Plan Your Costa Rica Adventure?
If this itinerary has you dreaming, you are exactly who I work with.
Or if you are ready to start building your itinerary, I would love to hear about your trip.