Things to do in Costa Rica:

Rule number one when traveling to Costa Rica is to avoid the capital city of San Jose, especially if you are only going to be there a week. My travel partner and I had hotel points at the Marriott in San Jose so we spent two days too many in the historic but trendy capital. Driving around San Jose can be a pain because it is known for having no street names.

Make sure to head to the active volcano of Mount Arenal. It is an awesome site when clear. If the weather doesn't participate, it is not worth your time to take a tour.. If the weather is clear, you can see steam during the daytime and loud and bright lava at night. There is a location along the drive to the volcano where you will be allowed to park for five dollars and give yourself a tour with the aid of their route map. (this is what we did)

I was looking forward to getting to the beach at Manual Antonio but before we could do that, we had to see the famous waterfall La Fortuna. The waterfall is within a half hour drive of the Mount Arenal no matter what side of the volcano your on. Just be prepared to drive on a rocky road that your rental car may not be able to handle. (see travel tips) We enjoyed swimming at the base of the falls. Of course go to the beach. We chose to go to the Pacific side because of bigger waves and better beaches.

Costa Rica adventures:

There is everything to do here! From parasailing to catamaran tours to snorkeling. The catamaran tour we went on promised that we would see dolphins that day. It was great! It was like a dolphin hunt. (don't worry, we didn't harm them) It was an adventure in itself watching the catamaran crew in their attempt to find us dolphins. Our tour also allowed us to snorkel, swim, and eat fish kabobs. Because I am personally not selling anything, I won't reveal the tour company but, once you get there you will find ample adventure opportunities. However, it may also be a great idea to plan ahead.

Where to stay in Costa Rica:

Just like with the adventures, reservations for hotels are not necessary, however, they may be convenient after a long day of travel. We went the last five days of our holiday without reservations and we did okay. You can find places as low as $20 per person, but a couple can expect to pay $70 U.S. for most average places.

Costa Rica travel tips:

Renting a car is a great way to see the country. Expect to drive only 35mph because of curvy roads and potholes. Make sure your rental car has a regular tire in the trunk for replacement and not a spare. We blew a tire on the rocky road leading to La Fortuna and were lucky to have a regular tire. Avoid driving in the city of San Jose. Costa Ricans will accept the U.S. dollar almost anywhere. However, at smaller shops you will need their currency. Most people you will run into, even at the Marriott where we stayed at a couple days, speak limited English. If you don't know Spanish, ask for what you need nicely.

Warnings: Check U.S. Department of State and more U.S. Department notes

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