7 Days in Costa Rica Itinerary for Families (2025) | Beaches, Volcanoes & Sloths
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So you’ve only got 7 days in Costa Rica, and you’re wondering – is this doable? Where HAS to be on that Costa Rica trip itinerary?
We spent several weeks travelling through Costa Rica with kids as part of our family gap year. We zigzagged coast-to-coast, exploring beaches, rainforests, rivers, eco-lodges and so much more on the way.
Yes, ideally you’d have much longer than one week in Costa Rica. But even in just a week you can experience the highlights of this magical country. We’ll show you how to build the perfect 7 days in Costa Rica itinerary, featuring places that are spectacular but also work for family travel. Especially when you’re tight on time and don’t want to waste a second!
Our Costa Rica trip itinerary features tried and tested travel options, places to stay and activities. Even with just a week in Costa Rica, you can still experience its highlights — from volcanoes and beaches to rainforests and sloths.
Want a ready-to-use version of this plan? Grab our FREE 7-Day Costa Rica Itinerary PDF here!
🗓️ 7 Days in Costa Rica Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 – San José:
👉 Arrive, rest, and recover from your flight. Explore a little if you have energy — the Mercado Central and National Museum are great quick stops.
Day 2 – Manuel Antonio:
👉 Head to the coast and enjoy your first beach day at Playa Espadilla. Perfect mix of palm trees, soft sand, and monkeys in the trees!
Day 3 – Manuel Antonio National Park:
👉 Hike easy trails, spot sloths and iguanas, and relax on some of Costa Rica’s most stunning beaches.
Day 4 – Travel to La Fortuna (via Jaco):
👉 Make the road trip north, stopping at Crocodile Bridge to see the huge crocs.
Day 5 – La Fortuna:
👉 Hike the Arenal Volcano trails and take a guided sloth tour — a highlight for the kids!
Day 6 – La Fortuna:
👉 Zipline through the rainforest canopy, walk hanging bridges, and unwind in the hot springs.
Day 7 – Return to San José:
👉 Drive back to the capital for your flight home. Stop at El Salto rope swing or Bogarin Trail if time allows.
📍 Tip: Focus on two destinations (Manuel Antonio + La Fortuna) to keep travel time low and experiences high — perfect for families!
Your 7 days in Costa Rica itinerary – curated for families
The temptation might be to pack in as much stuff as possible, however, in our experience of travelling the world as a family, this rarely works well with kids!
Our Costa Rica family itinerary focuses on just a couple of destinations – Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna. These are places where you can squeeze so much into just a few days. You’ll get all your iconic Costa Rica moments – hanging bridges, wildlife (including sloths!), ziplining, beaches, hot springs and plenty of rainforest – with minimal time wasted travelling between destinations.
Day One: San Jose – rest up and settle in
Likelihood is that you’ll be flying in and out of San Jose. Whilst you can also grab an international flight (especially from the US and Canada) in to Liberia on the Pacific Coast, San Jose is the more central option.
There are sights to explore in San Jose – we really enjoyed our couple of days here. Actually much more than I was expecting! However, on a 7-day itinerary you’ll want to prioritise other destinations.
If you arrive early enough in the day, I would seriously consider getting straight on the road to Manuel Antonio to maximise your time there. If you CAN manage this, check out the next stop on the itinerary below for all the info on how to get there.
But if (like us!) you’ve come off a long-haul flight with exhausted kids in tow, you’re probably going to need at least one night in San Jose. have a wander around the historic centre, grab some food and then get a really good night’s sleep.
After all, you’ve got a hectic few days ahead of you!
| What to do | Sleep and recover! If you’ve got the time and energy, visit the National Museum of Costa Rica to see the country’s treasures and learn more about it’s history. |
| Where to stay | Base yourselves in Downtown San Jose – this will allow you to walk to all the sights and you can easily get onward transportation to your next destination. On a budget? Book in to 935 Lodge San Jose. Modern, big apartments with comfy beds and full kitchens. Perfect for the whole family to get a good rest! Want a bit more luxury? Try the Gran Hotel Costa Rica for historic Tico charm, right in the heart of San Jose. Huge family rooms in a fab location. |
| Where to eat | Visit the Mercado Central for some authentic Costa Rican food and wander the stalls at the same time to soak up the atmosphere |
| How to get there | The easiest way to get to your accommodation from the airport is via a taxi. There are both local airport taxis at the taxi stands or you can book an Uber online. |
Day Two: Manuel Antonio – beach time plus wildlife galore
Including Manuel Antonio on your Costa Rica family itinerary means you can fit in both a spectacular national park (with SO MUCH wildlife) AND some glorious beaches.
Once you’ve settled in to your accommodation, head down to Espadilla Beach which runs along the coast right by Manuel Antonio village.
This is a day to just relax and enjoy some family time on the beach. Grab a coconut drink from a vendor, rent a sun lounger, build sandcastles with the kids, spot monkeys in the trees and just chill out!
If you are feeling a bit more active there are tours and activities sold by the beach vendors (we didn’t personally try any of these though, we were too busy chilling out!).
The shops and eateries of Manuel Antonio are right next to the beach. So have a potter around the town and grab some food when you get tired of all that beach time.
Day Three: Manuel Antonio – visit the spectacular National Park
This is where all your Costa Rican dreams start to come true! Manuel Antonio National Park is an amazing place to see some of the famous biodiversity of Costa Rica. It’s easy to get around with kids via the wooden walkways, the wildlife is amazing and the beaches are some of the most beautiful in Costa Rica (if not the world to be honest!).
The entrance to the park is a short walk through Manuel Antonio village. Aim to get there as early as you can to avoid both the heat and the crowds.
On our initial walk through the trails to the beach, we saw monkeys, huge iguanas, land crabs and a whole host of bird life. It takes about 1-1.5hours to get from the entrance to the beaches. And then you can spend hours on the white sands and in the emerald sea here. When we visited there were hundreds of hermit crabs all over the beach that the boys were absolutely fascinated by.
Plus, this was where we saw our first sloths in Costa Rica! We were lucky enough to see two, including one close up on the ground. A totally magical experience!
| What to do | Visit the National Park for out-of-this-world wildlife and beaches, chills at the beaches in Manuel Antonio village and soak up the incredible views from every angle. |
| Where to stay | You can opt to stay in either Manuel Antonio village itself (for easy access to the park and the beaches) or on the road that links Manuel Antonio to Quepos (for amazing views out to sea, and still with easy access to everywhere via the cheap local bus services). On a budget? Book one of the huge family apartments at Pura Natura Lodge. They might be budget but the rooms here give you loads of space with soaring views out to sea. Want a bit more luxury? The Igloo Beach Lodge is RIGHT on the beach and has very comfortable rooms with a pool to cool off in as well. As your time in Manuel Antonio is pretty short, I’d really recommend going for this option so you can easily get between the sights. |
| Where to eat | El Chante Del Parque in Manuel Antonio village for laid-back, Costa Rican/American dishes that fill you up and La Lambretta Pizzeria on the Quepos road for chilled out vibes and amazing views. Both are a big hit with kids! |
| How to get there | The cheapest option is to take the public bus from San Jose. These run regularly from the Terminal Tracopa in San Jose and take around 3-4hours. You can download all the times and details on the Visit Costa Rica website. Alternatively, if you’re hiring a car for your Costa Rica trip then the journey is around 105km/65miles and will likely take you around 2.5-3hours. The road between San Jose and Manuel Antonio is a main highway and is a paved, easy drive. |
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Day Four: Manuel Antonio-La Fortuna (via Jaco)
This will be your travel heavy day. Whilst we’ve tried to keep the travel times down on this itinerary, this is just one of those days that you’ll need to get you between destinations.
In total the drive between Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna takes around 5hours. You can also opt for a shuttle service if you really don’t want to drive. Interbus offer shuttles – private and shared – across Costa Rica.
They are super convenient as they’re door-to-door – but they are also costly. This single journey between Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna is likely to cost you around $300 for a family of four. Which is why care hire in Costa Rica can work out so much cheaper for a family!
If you’re driving then make the most of this route and stopover at Crocodile Bridge. Yes, it’s a massive tourist hotspot. But there are SO MANY crocodiles to see! And some of them are absolutely MASSIVE.
You can watch them from the safety of the bridge. The boys were happy croc watching here for over an hour when we visited. So it’ll definitely give you a bit of time to stretch your legs!
Crocodile Bridge is just outside Jaco, about 1.5hours from Manuel Antonio village. It’s literally right on Highway 34 so you can’t really miss it. There are unofficial spots you can park your car just off the road (before you get to the bridge if you’re coming from Manuel Antonio).
Once you’re across the bridge, there are parking lots where you pay for a space. There’s also several restaurants and souvenir shops you can potter around or grab a bite to eat in.
We found that they were VERY touristy and overpriced, so I’d hold out for one of the little local places further along the route if you want to eat.
From Crocodile Bridge it should take you around 3-4hours more to get to La Fortuna.
Day Five: La Fortuna – volcano trails and all the sloths
Once you’ve rested up after that day of travel, it’s time to soak up some of the very best of Costa Rica! La Fortuna is a fab destination for packing in so much of the country’s top sights all in one go.
Take an early morning hike along the Arenal 1968 volcano trails before the heat of the day. There’s a number of trails with different levels of difficulty. For little legs, the shortest trail is 2.5km and not too challenging.
The longer c.5km trail takes around two hours and takes you past some of the solidified lava trails from the 1968 eruption, which is fascinating. None of us had ever seen lava before so this was a big highlight for both adults and kids!
And the best bit? All routes lead to the Lava 68 Coffee Shop, so you can grab a cold drink (and a bite to eat if you’re peckish) whilst soaking up some stunning views of the volcano.
Head back in to town for lunch at one of La Fortuna’s many eateries. Then it’s onwards to another Costa Rica classic – sloths!
Take a sloth tour with Armando if you want to guarantee plenty of sloths. We saw 13 in just an hour and a half! Plus this included a mother and baby, which was so magical. Armando is incredibly knowledgeable and super friendly. The walk is through a shadier bit of forest and was easy to navigate with kids. We even saw a HUGE yellow rat snake!
You’ll need to pre-book this a few days in advance, so make sure you’ve planned it in as it’s absolutely not to be missed.
Day Six: La Fortuna – ziplines, hanging bridges and hot springs
It might be your last full day in Costa Rica, but boy is it a good one!
To pack in even more bucketlist activities, head over to Sky Adventures, a short drive from La Fortuna. Here you can hike the trails, cross the iconic hanging bridges, explore the rainforest, take the Sky Train up through the trees and zipline your way through the canopy. Phew!
Book a combo ticket that includes access to all the activities here so you can fit everything in the one half-day. The guides on the Sky Train are really great – when we got to the top ours even found an Eyelash Pit Viper in the trees!
There’s several hanging bridges to cross (note: these are SO MUCH wobblier than you think!) plus waterfalls to marvel at. But our fave thing was definitely the ziplining. The adrenaline of speeding through the canopy was such an amazing experience for all of us.
Finish it all off with an ice cold drink in the cafe, with views out over Lake Arenal and the volcano.
After all of this excitement, unwind at the hot springs. If you’re staying at Los Lagos Hot Springs Resort you’ll already have access to all their wonderful thermal pools. If not, grab a day pass and spend the afternoon and evening in hot spring heaven.
We only planned on spending a couple of hours here, but ended up staying until well in to the evening as we just couldn’t drag ourselves out of the lovely warm pools!
| What to do | Sloth spotting, volcano hikes, ziplining, hanging bridges, riding the Sky Train and hot springs. There’s also tubing, whitewater rafting and horse-riding tours on offer if you can fit anything else in! |
| Where to stay | If you’re on a budget, Arenal Xilopalo offers big family apartments, great local knowledge and tours and stunning views of Arenal Volcano. For full-time access to their amazing hot springs, opt for a stay at Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort. The extra cost is worth it for those gorgeous pools! |
| Where to eat | We all loved The Open Kitchen for a relaxed family dinner. The menu features dishes from around the world – the Moroccan Fish and the Shawarma were both absolutely delicious. Travesia Restuarant is a bit off the beaten track but their burgers were a big hit with our boys. |
| How to get there | La Fortuna is a popular destination so has plenty of transport links, including buses and shared and private shuttles. The drive from Manuel Antonio takes around 5hours in total. It’s along main, paved highways so is easy to navigate. You can leave the hire car in La Fortuna at the end of your stay and get a shuttle service to San Jose airport or opt to drop the car at the airport. |
Day Seven: La Fortuna-San Jose
The journey back to San Jose airport takes around 3-4hours, so you’ll need to leave a half-day to get to your flight on time. If this leaves you with a few hours free, then you could squeeze in a tiny bit more La Fortuna fun!
There’s the big El Salto rope swing over the river just south of town. Our boys LOVED chucking themselves in to the water from this! Plus it’s totally free (always a bonus when you’re travelling with kids).
There’s also the fab Bogarin Trail which is walkable from town. If you’re still itching for even more sloths, take a self-guided walk through the trails here. There’s several resident sloths, plus a bunch of other animals and birds to spot.
Or just let the kids spend whatever holiday cash they’ve got left in the little souvenir markets in town.
❓ Costa Rica Itinerary FAQs
Is 7 days in Costa Rica enough?
Absolutely — if you plan wisely! While we spent several weeks exploring Costa Rica with our kids, a 7-day itinerary can still cover the country’s highlights. Focus on just two destinations (like Manuel Antonio for beaches and wildlife, and La Fortuna for volcanoes and adventure). You’ll avoid long travel days and still get that perfect balance of rainforest, ocean, and family fun.
Is it better to drive or use shuttles in Costa Rica?
For families, hiring a car is usually more flexible and cost-effective than shuttles. You can stop at fun roadside attractions (like Crocodile Bridge) and travel on your own schedule. Roads between major destinations like San José, Manuel Antonio, and La Fortuna are paved and straightforward to drive.
I was super nervous about driving in Costa Rica – but in the end it was completely fine!
What’s the best time of year for a Costa Rica family trip?
The dry season (December to April) is ideal for family travel — sunny days and calmer seas make activities easy. That said, the green season (May to November) offers lush scenery, fewer crowds, and lower prices. We travelled during shoulder season and loved how quiet it was, even if we did get the occasional afternoon downpour!
We’ve got one extra day in Costa Rica – where should we spend it?
If you can squeeze one more day in to your Costa Rica itinerary I would either opt for:
- a night under canvas at the amazing Rafiki Safari Lodge (between Manuel Antonio and Quepos) OR
- break the journey up between Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna by stopping in Puntasarenas and taking a sunset tour to swim in the bioluminescence
Both are completely magical experiences that we absolutely loved!
That’s your perfect 7 days in Costa Rica itinerary — beaches, volcanoes, wildlife, and more packed into one unforgettable family adventure.
But don’t stop there! Get your free printable itinerary PDF to keep everything in one place — with clickable links to hotels, activities, and info on how much to budget.
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👉 Download Your Free 7-Day Costa Rica Family Itinerary Now
If you’ve got a bit more time, check out our 2-week Costa Rica trip itinerary here for inspo on where else to include.
You can also read and download our full guide to Costa Rica with kids here, covering everything you need to know for the perfect trip.
