Things to Do in Costa Rica: The Essentials and the Best of Guanacaste

4 min read · Tamarindo Estuary Tours Mi Rey

At the end of almost every boat tour, someone asks our guide the same question: “What else should we do while we are in Costa Rica?” The honest answer depends on how many days you have and where you sleep, because the country is small on the map but slow to cross. This guide starts with the essentials for the whole country, then goes deeper into the North Pacific, where we live and work.

Short answer: the best things to do in Costa Rica are seeing a volcano, walking a rainforest or cloud forest with a guide, watching wildlife on a river or mangrove, swimming at a waterfall, seeing sea turtles in season and ending the day with a Pacific sunset. In Guanacaste, you can do most of that from one beach base such as Tamarindo.

Top things to do in Costa Rica

See a volcano. Arenal, Poás and Rincón de la Vieja are among the best known, each with a different landscape.
Walk a forest with a naturalist guide. Rainforest, cloud forest and dry forest each hold different animals, and a guide spots what you would miss.
Watch wildlife from the water. River and mangrove boat tours show crocodiles, herons and iguanas up close and in comfort.
See sea turtles in season. Nesting and hatching happen on both coasts at different times of year.
Swim at a waterfall or soak in natural hot springs.
Try adventure: zip lines, hanging bridges or a surf lesson.
Eat like a local. Order a casado at a soda and taste fresh tropical fruit.
Slow down at sunset. On the Pacific coast, the sun drops into the ocean almost every clear evening.

Things to do in Costa Rica in 7, 10 or 15 days

The most common planning mistake we see is trying to visit too many regions. Roads are scenic but slow, and a change of region usually costs most of a day.

7 days: one or two regions. A beach base plus inland day trips works well; see our Tamarindo 7-day itinerary.
10 days: two or three regions, for example a volcano area and a Pacific beach. Our Costa Rica itinerary 10 days shows one way to do it.
15 days: three or four regions at a relaxed pace, with rest days between long drives.

Things to do in Costa Rica by month: November, December and January

The Pacific coast has a dry season from December to April and a green season from May to November. The months around the change are some of our favorites. Our guide to the best time to visit Costa Rica covers the whole year.

November: a transition month, still green, with rain easing in the second half and the international high season starting. Our baby turtle release starts on November 12. Details in Tamarindo in November.
December: the dry season begins and the high season peaks between Christmas and New Year, so book early. See Tamarindo in December.
January: dry, sunny and often windy, with turtle tours still running and estuary tours every day. See Tamarindo in January.

Things to do in Costa Rica with kids

Children enjoy Costa Rica most when activities are short, outdoors and full of animals. Choose tours under three hours for young kids, keep full-day trips for older children and always ask about minimum ages.

A calm boat tour in a mangrove, where crocodiles and iguanas are watched from a safe distance.
A gentle horseback ride on the beach, with an adult for younger riders.
A baby turtle release at sunset, guided by a conservation project.
A sloth walk and a waterfall swim on a full-day trip.

For ages, prices and what works for each age group, read Costa Rica tours for families.

Things to do in Costa Rica for adults and couples

Traveling without children opens other plans: a private boat with a cold drink at your own pace, a quiet private kayak tour with the morning tide, a night on the beach waiting for nesting turtles or dinner after sunset. For romantic ideas, see our Costa Rica honeymoon guide.

The North Pacific in depth: Guanacaste from Tamarindo

Guanacaste is the sunniest region in the dry season, and Liberia airport (LIR) puts it about an hour to an hour and a half from Tamarindo by road. This is the area we know best, and where our tours run. For a wider look at the province, read things to do in Guanacaste; for the town itself, things to do in Tamarindo.

Mangroves and wildlife

The Tamarindo estuary, inside Las Baulas Marine National Park, is a few minutes from town. Our Tamarindo estuary tour costs $40 per person for 2 hours, with a bilingual guide, water, fruit and pickup from Tamarindo or Langosta. It leaves with the high tide, so we confirm the time by WhatsApp. The shared kayak tour ($60 per person) is the active alternative.

Sea turtles

The Tamarindo turtle tour ($60 per person) picks you up at 5:30 pm in season and visits Playa Minas or Playa Jesús. The Ostional arribada tour ($130 per person) follows the mass nesting, with its main season from August to December, and the sunset baby turtle release ($50 per person) runs from November 12.

Volcano, sloths and waterfalls

Full-day trips include transportation, entrance tickets, drinks and a Costa Rican lunch, with a minimum of 4 people: Rincón de la Vieja ($180), La Leona waterfall ($160) and sloths and Llanos de Cortés waterfall ($185).

Beach and horses

Beaches, tide pools and sunsets are free. The Tamarindo horseback riding tour ($50 per person, 1 hour) climbs to ocean viewpoints and finishes on the sand.

Planning your days on the Pacific coast? Book the Tamarindo estuary tour online with a $15 deposit per person and pay the balance on the tour day, or write to Tamarindo Estuary Tours Mi Rey on WhatsApp. Our guides speak English and Spanish and will help you fit the tours around the tide and your dates.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the top things to do in Costa Rica?

Seeing a volcano, walking a rainforest or cloud forest with a guide, watching wildlife on a river or mangrove, swimming at a waterfall and enjoying a Pacific sunset are the classics. In season, a sea turtle tour is one of the most memorable experiences.

What is there to do in Costa Rica in December?

December starts the dry season on the Pacific coast, so it is a great month for beaches, estuary tours and volcano day trips. It is also peak season, especially between Christmas and New Year, so book tours and lodging early.

What are good things to do in Costa Rica with kids?

Short wildlife tours, calm boat rides, waterfalls with easy access and baby turtle releases work well for children. On our estuary boat tour, children 2 and under ride free, and the horseback ride is for ages 7 and up, with younger children riding with an adult.

How many days do I need to see Costa Rica?

With 7 days, focus on one or two regions; with 10 days, two or three; with 15 days, you can add a third or fourth region at a relaxed pace. Travel days between regions often take most of a day.

Is Guanacaste a good base for things to do in Costa Rica?

Yes, especially if you fly into Liberia. From a beach base such as Tamarindo you can combine mangroves, sea turtles in season, a volcano and waterfalls without changing hotels.

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