Costa Rica All-Inclusive Vacations

Eco-friendly explorers enjoy the Arenal Volcano/Monteverde area for its hiking tours, thermally heated rivers, and amazing forest views. On the other hand, beach lovers are at home in the Guanacaste region, which offers gorgeous turquoise water and powdery white sand for an experience in paradise. The Gulf of Nicoya region is made up of fun-loving beach towns with surfers and adventure seekers breaking waves, exploring the forest, and partying on the beach. San José, the capital city of Costa Rica, is home to the country’s cultural dedications, offering authentic shops and the coolest of the country’s youth. 

When you’re on the beach in a foreign paradise, you may as well learn something new. Known for their reliability, the waves off the coast in Guanacaste are perfect for learning how to surf. One surf school in particular (Point Break) is highly rated for its lessons on Playa Flamingo, the beach right next to the Rio Guanacaste.

Never boarded? No problem! Cala Luna Boutique Hotel has its very own surf academy, where they can teach even the most novice surfer-wannabes how to catch a wave. 

Wherever you decide to learn, make sure you train before your trip. Surfing takes endurance and a lot of arm and upper body strength. Prepare to be in your best shape before heading out to sea, and you'll be ahead of the game. 

The beautiful beaches off the Guanacaste coast are more than enough to entertain for hours, but in case you find yourself yearning to be out on the water instead, you can go deep sea fishing.

Score some wahoo, tuna or marlin on a sport fishing excursion from your resort. Guanacaste is known for its famous variety of fish and has plenty of action to keep you entertained. Of course, it wouldn't be Costa Rica without keeping sustainability involved. The country proudly promotes "catch and release" to conserve the natural ecology of the ocean. The Tamarindo, Potrero, and Ocotal beaches are especially popular for deep sea fishing, but with a long coast to choose from, you have plenty of options.

You've probably heard of a rainforest, but a cloud forest? While rainforests grow at lower altitudes, cloud forests grow as high as 8,000 feet above sea level. The high elevation produces cool, mystic air that creates an incredibly diverse environment. They're rare; cloud forests of the world only cover one percent of the earth's woodlands. Try out the cloud forest experience for yourself inside the 25,000-acre Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. There's no better place to see so many different types of plant and animal species. Bird watchers travel from all over to seek out the endangered Resplendent Quetzal and Three-Wattled Bellbird, who call the cloud forest their home. Cat lovers search for jaguars, ocelots and pumas, and everyone loves catching glimpses of the colorful toucans and playful howler monkeys. 

On your visit to the Arenal Volcano National Park, you should definitely make your way toward the Catarata Rio Fortuna, as it's called in Spanish. The gorgeous waterfall cascades down a massive cliff through lush, green trees and jungle. La Fortuna Waterfall streams at the foot of the smaller Chato Volcano inside the national park, just southeast of Arenal. Take the visit on a horseback riding tour for the most scenic and breathtaking views of the forest and wildlife. As you get closer to the falls, you'll be so impressed with the beauty of the cascading water funneling down to the natural pool at the bottom. Make sure to pack a swimsuit, so you can enjoy the refreshing water at the end of your tour.

The National Theater is the crown jewel of San José and is a must see for a taste of Costa Rican history. It opened in 1897, after seven years of construction, and is on the cultural plaza of the city.

Ticket prices are reasonable, so you can easily pay to see a play, ballet or orchestra performance to experience the monument in its full glory, but if you’re on a budget, many go just to admire the building's architecture. The ornate building features a marble lobby, gold and bronze trims and a huge, open theater in classic 19th century style.

If you’re craving an adventure out into nature, a day trip to the Costa Rican province Alajuela is right for you. The best part about it is that you'll only have to head just a tiny bit north of city life in San José to make it out to the countryside. 

Alajuela is home to the massive and active Poas Volcano, where visitors can journey up to view the craters for an exciting experience. If you're lucky enough to see it in action, you'll be amazed at its explosions reaching up to 800 feet in the air. There are also butterfly garden tours, strawberry plantations to visit and coffee fields to gaze at. It's the perfect day away from San José!

The coastal line that marks the beginning of the Ballena Bay in Puntarenas is in the shape of a whale’s tale, and Ballena Bay just happens to be where whales migrate to mate and birth their calves each year.

The best time to visit is from December through April, when whale watching is the biggest attraction. You'll have a perfect view of the bay from the Barceló Tambor Beach resort, which is located directly on Tambor Beach's volcanic sand. Tambor Beach's cleanliness won the Barceló resort a Costa Rican Institute of Tourism Blue Flag award for its dedication to sustainability, so enjoy the environmentally friendly hotel's sand, or snorkel in the bay when you're not out admiring the whales. 

Grab your best friends and pack your dancing shoes because Jacó is where you'll find the best nightlife in Costa Rica. When you've had your fill of partying, you can find out what else this beach town has to offer too.

Because it's one of the closest beach towns to the capital, it's also one of the most visited. Surfers from all over the country hang out in Jacó for the fun waves, great parties and beautiful scenery. 

If you haven't exactly mastered surfing but like watching the experts hit the surf, you could try taking lessons. Beachfront resorts like the Best Western Jacó offer classes to help you brave out your first wave, and after the sun sets, you can hit up the best bars and nightclubs to celebrate.

Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica has everything you have ever wanted in an all-inclusive family getaway, and so very much more. Surrounded by lush rainforest and perched on a stunning beach, you'll be living your best life here. 

Take me to Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica.