Turning “I’d love to go to Costa Rica” into memories that will last a lifetime.
This is my honest experience of planning (and then actually enjoying) a Costa Rica itinerary, without doing it all myself.
How do I turn ‘I’d love to go to Costa Rica’ into a trip that actually works in real life? If that is the question in your head, you are not alone. Costa Rica looks incredible: volcanoes, rainforest, wildlife, beaches, zip lines, sloths, hot springs, cloud forest. Then you sit down to actually plan it and suddenly you are drowning in tabs. Which area first? How many nights? Do we need a car? Is that tour company any good? Do we really have to pre book everything? When we went to Costa Rica, I realised very quickly that my favourite thing about the whole trip was something I didn’t fully appreciate until we were already there: I didn’t have to organise anything. And I mean that in the best possible way. Once we arrived, the trip just flowed. Our hotels were arranged. Our transfers were arranged. The transport between destinations was arranged. The transfers to our organised activities were arranged. We did not spend our holiday sitting by the pool trying to work out which tour company to trust, comparing endless reviews, wondering whether something was good value or trying to figure out how on earth we were going to get from one place to the next. We simply turned up. Whether you are travelling with a child or you simply want to be fully present and actually enjoy your holiday, this makes a huge difference.
Here’s why the trip worked really well in practice:
1. A proper Costa Rica itinerary without a military schedule
Our Costa Rica trip had a proper itinerary and it was a busy trip, but it was not one of those holidays where every minute is scheduled to within an inch of its life.
Some things were already arranged because they were key parts of the experience. For us, that meant days like:
· Kayaking and stand‑up paddleboarding around Lake Arenal
· A guided night walk in Monteverde
· A guided visit to Manuel Antonio National Park
We knew exactly what we were doing on those days and how we would get there. The rest of the time, we had the luxury of choice. There were free periods where we could decide whether we wanted a quiet afternoon or another activity.
On our travel days, we often had the option of simply relaxing by the pool or adding in an activity, depending on how we were feeling. That flexibility made a huge difference.
That combination of structure and freedom is what made the holiday feel like a holiday rather than a logistical project. A good itinerary is also about choosing well, making sure there is something that will be a highlight for everyone, not cramming in activities for the sake of it.
2. Local knowledge on tap
One of the absolute highlights of our trip was our guide. Her name was Zahyra, and she was friendly, professional and made us feel as though we had a friend travelling with us throughout the trip.
She suggested:
- Restaurants
- Coffee shops
- Bars
- Tours
- Transport options when we needed them
She was born and raised in Costa Rica and had done this tour many times, so she knew these areas like the back of her hand. It meant that instead of us falling into tourist traps and paying through the nose, we were able to get good value and enjoy a really authentic experience.
3. Structure VS freedom: what to plan and what to leave open
If you are wondering how to plan a Costa Rica itinerary without overthinking it, this is a simple way to break it down. You do not have to plan every single minute, but you also do not want to leave everything to chance. The sweet spot is knowing what to lock in and what to leave flexible.
Here is a simple way to think about it:
Plan in advance:
- International flights and your overall route
- Your hotels and how you will get between them
- A few key activities
- Anything that is a “non‑negotiable” experience for you or your children
Decide when you are there:
- Extra tours that you can easily book locally once you see how you feel
- Some meals and evenings out, based on local recommendations from people like Zahyra
- How busy or relaxed you want each day to be, once you get a feel for the pace of the trip
On our trip, this balance meant we could trust the overall structure and still be spontaneous. There was a lot happening around us, but we were not responsible for coordinating it all. The logistics were taken care of. We were simply living it.
You do not have to be an expert on Costa Rica to have an incredible time there. You just need a good plan and the right support.
Where I Come In
This is where booking through a professional really comes into its own, especially if it is someone who has experienced the country first hand. My job is not just to pick a hotel and send you a confirmation email. It is to look at the big picture and make sure the trip actually works for you in real life.
I help you decide:
• Where to stay and at what pace so each stop feels like the right length rather than a rush.
• What style of travel suits you best whether that is point to point transfers, a tailor made itinerary where I look after your hotels and transfers, a small group tour, or private touring with your own guide and driver.
• Which key activities need to be included the things you really do not want to miss, so they are secured in advance without over scheduling.
Everything else is then built around you, so Costa Rica feels exciting and well thought out, not overwhelming.
Costa Rica was a brilliant example of how well this can work. There was always a lot happening around us, but we were not the ones holding it all together. The structure was there. The freedom was there too. We were not sitting by the pool, phones in hand, wondering what to book next. We were actually in the moment, discovering a new country, spotting wildlife, laughing, making memories that will stay with us long after the jet lag faded. That, to me, is the difference between “I’d love to go to Costa Rica” and “We had the most incredible time in Costa Rica.” You should not have to spend your holiday organising your holiday. You should be enjoying it.
If Costa Rica is on your wish list and you are not sure where to start, that is exactly where I come in. Get in touch, tell me who is travelling, roughly when, and how you like to holiday, and I can start shaping a version of Costa Rica that actually works for you. You do not need to have it all figured out. That is my job.
