2 weeks in Costa Rica - Anyone willing to help fill in the logistics?

[Imabitbusyatthemoment]

I’m planning a trip to Costa Rica this Easter and am going round in circles trying to figure out all the details. So many helpful posts on the other Costa Rica threads so I’m hoping for some help planning the specifics of our trip.

Family of four with two young teens, prefer not to hire a car but would consider picking one up for a day or two if needed, will rely on shuttles for main journeys. Mid range budget.

Itinerary so far:
We land in San Jose - any recommendations for somewhere nice/interesting to stay for one night within an hour of the airport? Not interested in San Jose city and don’t fancy such a long journey to LF after a really long flight.

Then, 3 nights La Fortuna
3 nights Monteverde (boat transfer from LF)
5 nights Manuel Antonio
Fly out San Jose

Willing to adjust this plan if advised.

Things I need help with:

• hotels (or areas to focus search) that are within tour pick up areas, near restaurants (but not necessarily the main part of town which I’ve heard isn’t particularly nice in LF) and ideally other walkable interest points. Prefer garden setting to downtown. The priority for MA is relaxation, so nice pool, near beach, walk to restaurants.
• what is the best way to get around each area without a car?
• best places to do zip lining/walkways? Was leaning towards Monteverde for this.
• Any recommendations for specific wildlife/rafting etc tours?
• how much is it going to cost to feed us all?!

Thanks!

If we went again we wouldn’t hire a car. The roads are extremely windy and more steep than we had ever experienced in the UK so for inexperienced drivers it is very challenging. If you do, rent a 4 wheeled drive, which is essential. What appears to be a main road on the map is often a track through the rainforest. And if any of you get travel sick you must take anti-sickness tablets. Having said that, it is an amazing place to visit, and Monteverde is magical. I second doing a night walk there. It was incredible.

We did a distinctly underwhelming night walk in Monteverde, maybe it was because we had done a few already. We joked that you know it’s a slow day/evening for wildlife when the guides start pointing out the termites and sure enough we had a whole 5 minute chat about them plus cricket spotting. I think we were spoiled right at the start as we had a dawn canoe trip in Tortuguero where we saw all three monkey species and various alligators.

Honestly ...I was underwhelmed by Monteverde. It takes a while to get there and it is really not worth the effort IMO. I wished we had gone to Tortuguero instead or stayed longer in the Osa peninsula.

Tortuguero is great and an amazing introduction to Costa Rica, but it’s an absolute pain to get to. It wasn’t so bad on the way over and doing the last bit by boat with your luggage in another one was very exciting, but it took an entire day on the bus to get from there to La Fortuna. If I was doing it again I would fly there which you can do directly and not much pricier.

Loving all this, beginning to think ahead to perhaps doing similar in around 2028 (will need to save up and kids need to be a bit older I think!)
main question, can anyone give a steer on how good (or not) CR is for vegetarians? How good a place is for vegetarians (dh and ds) tends to make or break holidays for us these days

Costa Rica is average for vegetarians i.e. you'll get by but the choice isn't great.

@ChicoryChina how did you find the roads between San Jose and La Fortuna? We’re leaning towards hiring a car for a few days in La Fortuna to give us a bit more freedom. It makes more sense, cost wise, to pick it up at the airport and drive ourselves to LF, than to take a shuttle. From what I’d read that part of the journey seemed straightforward for driving, but maybe not?