Key Ingredient for a Roadtrip: The Vehicle
If there’s one recommendation I can make for your travels to Costa Rica, it is this: Rent a Vehicle. Ideally an SUV or something capable of handling bumpy, curvy, and sometimes slick roads. It very well may be the most costly part of your entire stay in this country, but it is absolutely well worth it, and a Costa Rican roadtrip will be the most fun you can have!
** Additional Key Ingredients for a Roadtrip:
A solid playlist, assorted snacks, and a sense of adventure.
Costa Rica is a country with a lot to offer, but many of its attractions are spread far and wide throughout the land. San José is central. Monteverde cloud forest, Arenal volcano, and Liberia are far NW. Playa Hermosa, playa Flamingo, Nosara, Tamarindo, and Montezuma are all out on the NW peninsula. Many large national parks, great surf locations, and quiet beach towns are found in the SW. And if you venture over to the east coast, you’ll be treated to volcanoes and jungles that meet up with the Caribbean sea for a true tropical getaway.
Now, unless you’re spending weeks here, you won’t be able to see all of these locations regardless of your mode of transportation. But if you plan your stay well, you can easily visit several locations while still having enough time to enjoy each. This is where the freedom of having your own vehicle comes in. Public transportation is widely available in Costa Rica, but runs on it’s own schedule, and if you understand Costa Rica and the “pura vida” lifestyle, schedules are not exactly as precise as we’re used to in good ‘ol North America. Having a vehicle of your own allows you to visit one place for a few days, then pack up and move along when you feel the urge, with no additional cost or wasted time.
Is it Scary to Drive in Costa Rica?
Driving in Costa Rica shouldn’t be intimidating. It’s similar to driving at home, but with much less signage and slightly less maintained roads. Use caution when driving during the rainy season (May to mid-November), especially on back roads and areas where flooding or mudslides may occur. Also, watch out for wild and domestic animals, as they have no problems with taking over the road! But for the most part, if you drive to the conditions you’ll have no problem getting around.
Roadtrip #1: Coco to Fortuna
After our first few days in Costa Rica (spent at Playas del Coco, which you can read about here), we were ready to head out in search of the Arenal volcano and the town of La Fortuna. Our route took us back through Liberia, where we had flown in to, and farther east into Cañas. From there we headed NE until we reached Arenal Lake, and followed the coastline along the north side of the lake. This coastline route is very winding, with much of it bordered closely by rocks and forest on one side, and steep drop-offs on the other. It’s manageable, but you definitely can’t pick up much speed before you need to slow down again.
This route also took us over the Sangregado Dam, providing amazing views of both Arenal Lake and the lush greenery on the opposite side. After that, we drove around the base of the Arenal volcano, past local hot springs, parks, and resorts, and into the lovely town of La Fortuna.
Our roadtrip time said 3 hours on the map, and took us probably closer to 4.5 hours to complete, including stopping for food and lookout points (and maybe getting a little bit lost for a minute).
Roadtrip #2: Beyond Fortuna
La Fortuna is incredible beyond words, and we ended up staying much longer than anticipated. Between the town itself, the heavenly hot springs, hanging bridges, volcanoes, and waterfalls, there was lots to do nearby. However one facility we wanted to visit (Proyecto Asis) was nearly an hour away, so we decided to – you guessed it – roadtrip!
From La Fortuna we started driving farther east, through many small villages and a few larger towns (Muelle San Carlos, Quebrada Azul, Florencia). Proyecto Asis is located just outside of an area called Javillos, and our time spent there was educational, heart-warming, and impactful. I strongly recommend a visit if you’re ever in the area.
On the way back, we took a different route, cruising through La Tigra, San Pedro, Chachugua, San Francisco (yes, San Fran in Costa Rica), and back into La Fortuna; seeing the small towns, interacting with the locals, and taking in the countryside along the way.
Roadtrip #3: Fortuna to Jaco
When our time at Baldi hot springs was up, we were ready to get back to a beach. This drive took us back through La Tigra, and south through San Ramon (just west of San Jose), to the coastal town of Jaco. This trip was mapped to be 3.5 hours, and it took us just over 4 hours to arrive at the coast.
Jaco is one of Costa Rica’s most developed beach towns, and is a popular choice for surfers and partiers, which means it can get rowdy at times. We stayed just out of town, to ensure we could escape to peace and quiet as needed, but could drive in to the beach and its main strip at any time. Also, it is a quick 1 hour drive away from the stunning Manuel Antonio National Park – another great day trip!
This was where we ended our time in Costa Rica, making our last drive from Jaco up to Liberia to catch our flight home. If you’d like to read more about where we stayed and what we did in each area of Costa Rica, check out My Travels ~ Ocotal, Coco & the Costa Rica Copo or Inland Costa Rica ~ Arenal & La Fortuna 🙂
Have you roadtripped around Costa Rica? Or throughout another country or location? Did you love it, or would you rather stay in one area?
Jess Hunter Travel 