Dry Season: Dec–Apr (sunny, popular)
Green Season: May–Nov (lush, fewer crowds)
Costa Rica is a dream destination for travelers who crave adventure and natural beauty. With two coastlines (Pacific and Caribbean), lush rainforests, active volcanoes, and some of the world’s best eco-tourism, it’s no wonder this country ranks among the top travel spots in Latin America.
Wildlife: Spot sloths, howler monkeys, toucans, and sea turtles.
Volcanoes: Explore Arenal, Poás, and Rincon de la Vieja.
Beaches: Relax or surf on stunning beaches like Playa Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, and Puerto Viejo.
Rainforests: Hike in Monteverde Cloud Forest or Corcovado National Park.
Wellness: Unwind with yoga retreats and hot springs in natural settings.
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO): Located near the capital city of San José, this is the busiest airport in Costa Rica. It’s a great gateway to central and southern destinations like Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and the Caribbean coast.
Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR): Located in Liberia in the Guanacaste province, this airport is ideal if you’re heading to the northern Pacific coast (Tamarindo, Playa Hermosa, Papagayo Peninsula). Fewer crowds and shorter drives to beach resorts.
Puerto Limón (Caribbean Coast): This is the primary Caribbean port.
Cruise Lines Typically Visiting: Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Viking, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL).
Puntarenas / Puerto Caldera (Pacific Coast): These two nearby ports serve as the main entry points on the Pacific side, often used for Panama Canal transits or Pacific coastal routes. Puerto Caldera is the more modern facility used by many larger ships.
Cruise Lines Typically Visiting: Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Windstar Cruises, Azamara, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Crystal Cruises, Star Clippers.
Quepos (Pacific Coast): A smaller port primarily for smaller or expedition-style ships, often requiring tender boats. Gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park.
Cruise Lines Typically Visiting: Windstar Cruises, Star Clippers, Ponant, Seabourn, Atlas Ocean Voyages (Mystic Cruises), Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX), Lindblad Expeditions. (Some larger lines like Royal Caribbean may list it as a destination accessible via tours from other ports, but smaller ships are more likely to dock/tender here).
Golfito (Southern Pacific Coast): Another smaller port visited mainly by smaller luxury, expedition, or sailing ships. Gateway to the Osa Peninsula.
Cruise Lines Typically Visiting: Windstar Cruises, Star Clippers, Seabourn, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas.
Visa
Visa-Free (Up to 180 Days): Citizens of the US, Canada, UK, EU, and many other countries generally do not need a visa for tourism.
Duration: Immigration may grant up to 180 days upon arrival, but the exact length is at the officer’s discretion (check your passport stamp!).
Others: Check with the official Costa Rican immigration website or your local embassy/consulate if you are not from these regions, as you may need a visa.
Passport
Validity: Must be valid for your entire intended stay. Having at least 6 months’ validity beyond your trip is highly recommended to avoid issues.
Condition: Must be in good condition (not damaged) with blank pages for stamps.
Costa Rica is small, but travel times can be longer than expected due to winding mountain roads and varying conditions. Your transport options include:
Rent a Car: Great for flexibility, especially in remote areas. A 4WD is recommended for rural roads and during the rainy season. Be prepared for tolls and limited signage.
Shared Shuttles: Convenient and budget-friendly, these operate between popular destinations on fixed schedules.
Domestic Flights: Carriers like Sansa and Green Airways offer quick flights between major hubs, saving time.
Private Transfers: More expensive, but ideal for families or groups seeking comfort.
Pack Smart: Bring water shoes, lightweight quick-dry clothing, a rain jacket, insect repellent, and sunscreen (reef-safe is best).
Currency: U.S. dollars are accepted in most tourist areas, but having some Costa Rican colones is helpful for local markets, buses, and small towns.
Language: English is spoken in many tourist spots, but learning a few Spanish phrases will make your trip smoother and more rewarding.
Eco Etiquette: Stay on marked trails, never feed wildlife, and opt for eco-certified tours or hotels when possible.
A hotel that’s also a free 24-hour contemporary art museum penguins included. We booked a Corner Suite at 21c and it was massive: separate bedroom, living room, dining area, 699 square feet to spread out in. The bathroom alone had a double vanity and custom Rookwood Pottery tile that made getting ready weirdly entertaining.
The location is downtown, two minutes from Fountain Square, walkable to Boca for dinner, and close enough to hop the free streetcar into Over-the-Rhine. If OTR is where most of your plans are, you might want to stay closer to that neighborhood instead downtown worked for us, but we spent more time in OTR than we expected to.
And yes, there’s a recycled-plastic penguin sculpture that will absolutely scare you the first time you open your door and forget it’s there. Link in bio for the full review rooms, parking, walkability, and everything else before you book 🎨
Three neighborhoods, one streetcar, and more Cincinnati specialties than I could finish in one afternoon.
We hit a goetta breakfast sandwich, chocolate chip ice cream from a shop that’s been at it since 1870, a Liège waffle that earned its Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spot, and Cincinnati chili the way it’s actually meant to be eaten... over a hot dog, buried in shredded cheddar.
$75 got us three and a half hours, a local guide, free streetcar rides, and a genuinely full stomach. Don’t eat breakfast before this one, the portions add up fast.
My third Secret Food Tour in my third city, and it’s still undefeated.
Link in bio for the full review cost, route, parking, and every stop we hit 🥟🌶️
13 creek crossings, a canyon that keeps closing in around you, and a hike I’d genuinely put back on my itinerary, West Fork Trail was the one.
We got to Call of the Canyon at 7:15am and the lot was barely a quarter full. By 12:30 it was 85% full, so if there’s one tip that matters most, it’s this: go early.
The maintained trail is 6.6 miles round trip, mostly flat, mostly shaded, but I kept my regular tennis shoes dry the whole way by hopping across the rocks at each crossing. It’s rated moderate, and honestly that’s about the distance, not the terrain.
Here’s what nobody tells you though ✨ the maintained trail isn’t the end. We changed into water shoes at the official endpoint and kept going another mile straight through the creek, canyon walls narrowing around us the whole time. That extra mile ended up being my favorite part of the entire hike.
5/5 for me. I’d bring the water shoes again in a heartbeat.
Link in bio for the full guide parking, timing, what to pack, and everything I wish I knew before I went 🥾
Two hours, zero regrets. The Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour is hands down one of the most fun things we did in Sedona.
Open-air Jeeps crawling over slickrock, backcountry views you can’t reach on your own, and the famous Road of No Return, steep, thrilling, and somehow completely safe the whole way down.
If you’re picking one paid activity in Sedona, make it this one.
You have to do @pinkjeeptours 🌵🚙 Link in bio for the full review.
Dinner beside Oak Creek at Cress, and yes, it’s a splurge, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.🤍
Candlelit tables under the trees, the creek running right beside us, a menu that mixes Arizona ingredients with French technique. We ordered a little of everything: the squash and beet salad, milk rolls with three different butters, sweet potato gnocchi that somehow felt light instead of heavy. Then two desserts because we couldn’t decide. The Vanilla Crème Caramel with Manchego cheese completely stole the show, salty and sweet in a way that sounds strange until you taste it.
Plan on $100–250 for two depending on what you order, and this isn’t the spot for a quick casual dinner, it’s slow, intentional, and worth every minute. Book ahead and ask for a creekside table if you can.
If you’re looking for one unforgettable meal in Sedona, this is it. Link in bio for the full review 🍽️
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