Costa Rica is one of our favorite places on earth. It’s not only insanely beautiful with fantastic year-round beachy weather, but it’s also got the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure.

We honeymooned here in June 2021. We got married in May 2020 (if you just whispered “yikes” under your breath, you’re right on track) and had planned/paid for a 10-day Hawaiian honeymoon, but by the time we could actually take the trip over a year later, we couldn’t get enough days off to make Hawaii worth it. So, we decided on Costa Rica instead. Let me tell you – we have NO regrets about that choice.

There are two things I would change about the trip if I could: 1) taking an extra day in both places (especially in Arenal/La Fortuna) to fully be able to relax in each location; and, 2) working with a driving company so that you don’t have to drive yourself. Some of the roads are a little sketchy- particularly during the rainy season- so it’s nice not to have to do any white-knuckle driving! 

Be sure to read through the entire post for relevant travel tips to make your trip even better/more enjoyable!

Travel tip: the rainy season in Costa Rica is from May – January… so, most of the year (haha). We went in June, which is sort of considered “shoulder season” in between the rainy and dry seasons (dry season is February – April). If you find yourself in Costa Rica during the rainy season, don’t worry! Just be sure to have a rain jacket and umbrella, as well as non-slippery hiking shoes that can get wet (I just brought my Chacos (IYKYK) and that was perfect). It will likely rain a little bit every day – much of the country is a rainforest, after all – but it won’t prevent you from enjoying any activities!

Day 1: Travel Day to La Fortuna

We flew into Liberia, which is the major airport on the northwestern side of the country (Costa Rica isn’t huge, so you’re still ok if you fly into San Jose). We shuttled from the airport to pick up our Enterprise rental car – which was, gratefully and VERY importantly, an AWD compact SUV. We had no idea what we were getting into when we picked up that car so we didn’t think much of it… but we wouldn’t have made it without AWD and some extra ground clearance. It was a sketchy, rainy/stormy, mountainous 3.5 drive complete with gravel roads, one lane tunnels, downed trees, and animals blocking the road. Although it was entertaining – lesson learned.

We pulled up to absolute paradise when we finally arrived at the Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa. To this day, it’s still hands down my favorite place I’ve ever stayed. I should say it’s the only five star resort we’ve ever visited (I’m a Hampton Inn & Suites gal, ya know?), but it was so much more than luxurious. It was an experience.

Travel tip: folks we met along the way were shocked that we’d driven ourselves. I’d definitely recommend getting a shuttle to take you from the Liberia airport to La Fortuna. It’ll be worth it!

Day 2: Arenal National Park + Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges

We woke up slowly, watched the incredible wildlife outside our window, and then enjoyed an incredible breakfast at Tabacon (this is included with your stay). We then spent the morning hiking through Arenal National Park to get up-close and personal with the incredible volcano. There are lots of trails to choose from, but there are two clear winners: Las Coladas and El Ciebo trails. The Las Coladas trail is amazing because you can walk across the old lava fields and it gets you the closest (and highest!) view of the volcano. It connects to the El Ciebo trail loop, which has the most amazing tree I’ve ever seen. Bear with me because that might not sound like much, but it is SO COOL. At over 400 years old, it’s the biggest tree I’ve ever seen. We also saw amazing wildlife on both hikes.

Don’t skip the part of the Las Coladas trail that takes you to the volcano vista. I should say that neither hike is really strenuous, and that this little rock scrambling area to get the view of the volcano is by far the toughest part. The rest of the trails would really be considered more of a nature walk.

After Arenal, we drove to the Mistico Hanging Bridges Park to cap off an adventurous day. There are several types of guided tour options as well as canyoning and horseback riding. We really just wanted to hike (although this would be called a walk rather than a hike), so we did the 2 mile loop through the entire property. The hanging bridges are spectacular (and a bit intimidating if you’re not a fan of heights!), and the wildlife is equally amazing. The only thing we didn’t see that I was really hoping for was a toucan (we somehow never saw one the entire trip, but they are apparently everywhere!).

Look at me, talking about Tabacon again. I still can’t believe how perfect this place is. After our day of adventure, we spent the afternoon and evening on the resort grounds sipping drinks out of pineapples and relaxing in the hot springs pools. They also have incredible food – just make sure to make a reservation at their restaurants for dinner ahead of time! We booked dinner every morning for that evening and it was fine.

Travel tip: You’ll need cash to get into the National Park. You will also need bug spray and sunscreen. Be heavy-handed with the bug spray… it’s muggy out there, y’all.

Day 3: Spa, Pool, and Private Dinner  at Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa

This is how my husband and I both get what we want on a vacation: one day of activities, one day of rest. This was, without a doubt, the most restful day I’ve ever had in my life… it was also one of the most expensive 😂 It was worth it, though, because it was also one of the most lovely days of my life.

After waking up slow (again), watching the wildlife (again) and enjoying the fantastic resort breakfast (again), we spent the entire remainder of the day between the pool areas and the spa. We had the most incredible couples massage in a secluded, tree-lined hut overlooking a volcanic river… listening to the sounds of animals and rushing water. I mean. I would give up most things to have that spa experience again.

That evening, we had a private dinner in a secluded part of the resort grounds. I’d easily count it in the top 3 best meals of my life – the whole experience was amazing. We finished the evening at one of the bars where they host wine tastings and happy hours. I’ll say that wasn’t our first time there… at this point, we were on a first-name basis with the wonderful bartender (hi Christian!).

Travel tip: If you don’t want to stay at the Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa but want to experience the whole atmosphere and hot springs, you can get a day pass to the resort! This a much more affordable way to take in all the natural beauty of the area and really pamper yourself for the day.

Day 4: Travel Day to Las Catalinas

We were SO sad to leave Tabacon. If our bank account allowed, we would have spent the entire week there. Alas, we packed ourselves up that morning and started the somewhat-less-sketchy 3.5 hour drive to Las Catalinas – the beach! Along the way, we stopped at the stunning La Fortuna waterfall. This is a can’t-miss tourist destination while in the La Fortuna region. It’s a quick stop – and you’ll get your steps in because it’s a LOT of stairs to get to the base of the waterfall and then back up!

Las Catalinas is a truly stunning newly developed beach town aimed at sustainable and healthy living practices. While in a somewhat remote coastal area, the town envelopes you with its Mediterranean-style beauty and a sense of calm. The town is built around a series of plazas, making it extremely walkable (they actually don’t allow cars except for the main in-roads).

We stayed at the gorgeous Santarena Hotel, a boutique hotel right in the heart of the main square (and steps away from the main beach, Playa Danta). We loved our stay there (we’ve also heard great things about Casa Chameleon, although that was out of our budget since we’d splurged at Tabacon). It’s an open-air hotel, and all the rooms are off the center of this gorgeous courtyard (see the side-by-side photos above). And, the roortop terrace and pool is UNREAL.

Unlike La Fortuna where the food is more concentrated on the resorts, Las Catalinas is a town with a variety of restaurants (and more popping up all the time, as the town is technically still being developed and won’t be completed for two decades or more). The first night in Las Catalinas after a long drive, we just ate at the hotel restaurant – which was wonderful! – and relaxed at the rooftop pool. I don’t know of a better place on earth to watch the sunset.

Travel tip: We had lots of rain on the road to Las Catalinas so Jake didn’t want to stop, but if the weather had been good we would have stopped at Llanos de Cortez, another beautiful waterfall, set just off the highway. Just type it in your GPS!

Day 5: Paddle Boarding, Exploring, and Beach Day in Las Catalinas

This was “Paige’s Day”, where I got to choose our activities. Initially we wanted to take a surfing lesson, but the waters were too rough, so instead we rented paddle boards. Because Playa Danta (the main beach) is situated on a bay, you can go pretty far out! There are several rental spots you can choose from, and one of them is right on the beach right off of the main square of town – you can’t miss it. For more info on rentals and activities around town, click here.

What makes Las Catalinas so great is that because it’s a “dry rainforest” climate, the world is your oyster in terms of activities: all the beach and water activities like surfing, kayaking, and snorkeling are available, but you can also venture around on land with an extensive set of hiking and mountain biking trails as well as outdoor workout classes.

There are a couple beach restaurants near Playa Danta where you can grab a refreshing drink to sip on the beach or lunch in between a hike and a surfing lesson. We spent the afternoon wandering around town, popping into shops, drinking at the beach bar, and enjoying happy hour in the terrace pool.

Travel tip: For dinner, we ate at the incredible restaurant associated with the Casa Chameleon hotel. You’ll definitely need a reservation here, so I’d recommend calling a few days ahead of time. Go early enough to watch the sunset from the terrace!

Day 6: Beach Day + Sunset Cruise in Flamingo Beach

Because we’re happily married, there’s also a “Jake’s Day” 🙄 we simply relaxed and enjoyed the town of Las Catalinas and the beach. It was delightful!

To cap off an incredible trip, we went on a sunset cruise out of Playa Conchal/Flamingo. We had a great experience with Panache Sailing. We went on a group tour, which we were a bit apprehensive about, but it ended up being an absolute blast – half of us were honeymooners, and the other half were Italian friends celebrating a 50th birthday. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun. The scenery was breathtaking, and despite the weather being on-and-off sketchy, we even got to swim/kayak in a private cove. There’s nothing like sipping champagne while watching the sunset on a catamaran.

Day 7: Travel Day back to the US

A very sad day. I’m that person who wants to see the entire world, so I don’t usually want to visit the same place twice… but I can’t WAIT to go back! This itinerary would also be perfect for a family vacation with kiddos and/or adult spring break with your pals (again, ideally with one additional day in both locations). You can’t lose when you’re in CR.

Let me know in the comments if this itinerary helps you plan your own Costa Rica trip! Also tell me if I forgot something key that I’ll need to add to the next trip 😉