First trip to Costa Rica!

What a wonderful week! Special thanks to Cindy & Ron for inviting me to fly down and join them. And to their daughter, Alex and son-in-law-, AJ for making me feel so welcome and driving us around!

I flew into San Jose – a simple 3 hour flight out of Miami. The rest of the group arrived late that evening (from frozen Canada) and we spent the night at La Riviera Hotel in San Antonio, which has a free shuttle from the airport. Cindy and Ron had hired a driver to take us across to Jaco which takes about 1 1/2 hours depending on traffic. January – March is heavy tourist season, so if you have a choice, choose another time to visit.

The week flew by! We hiked, walked, swam, and ate. Jaco is a tourist town with lots of beachside watering holes and cafes. There are several large supermarkets and a farmer’s market on Fridays, which is worth a visit.

Costa Rica is beautiful – mountains and volcanos fill the interior, and the rainforests and beaches offer something for just about everyone. You can stay as a visitor for up to 90 days without a visa. The Ticos (Costa Rica natives) are very friendly and you are subjected to the constant barrage of vendors that hound you in many places. I would like to go back, stay longer, and explore more regions. Thanks again, Cindy & Ron, for your generous invitation. I will be back!

Tips: If you go, be prepared for several climates. The interior and mountains are chilly, and the beaches are very hot. The currency is the colon – $1 USD = about 500 colones. But USD are readily accepted. It doesn’t take long to figure out the currency.