The must-try activities in Costa Rica

I loved rafting in Manuel Antonio!  This is a beautiful place and the options are endless.  My son and I actually had a flock of beautiful Macaws fly by when we entered Quepos which is nearby.  Another great place is Monteverde especially the ziplining!  Very quaint and beautiful town with so much to see.  Last, but not least, Arenal is gorgeous and there are so many great hot springs to try. 

If you prefer to check out Nicaragua while in Costa Rica, there is a great tour for $120 that takes you out on the lake.  It is a long day so be prepared but we were able to see up close an active volcano and a little marketplace.

Costa Rica has lots to offer with so many different ecosystems from rainforests to volacanoes to beautiful oceans.  It is difficult to take it all in and my only regret is not making it to the Caribbean side.

Costa Rica has more national parks per area than any other country; or something like that. It has a lot in any case.
For anyone who hasn't been to a cloud forest I recommend it. Look around in the guide books for one that is not the most popular as those can be like Disneyland, full of people. A forest is best appreciated in a very small group.

Costa Rica is known for its volcanoes and Arenal is a great destination especially if you like hot springs of which there are many to choose from, from $6 a day to $150 a day.

Costa Rica has many nice beaches but nice beaches are all over the world; but while here if you have extra time, sure, check out a beach.

If you're into horses or just want to experience a Tico cultural experience go to a horse parade or horse fair called a tope. A lot of places have these.

White water rafting is big, just be sure you have a reputable company running it or you are experienced as it can be a bit dangerous if you get into a level of it that is beyond your ability or experience.

To get to know the people take some buses on a 2-3 hour trip ... It's cheaper and safer to get to your destinations by bus.  Less convenient but driving here can be dangerous and frustrating.

I think the two top tourist destinations are Arenal and Manuel Antonio park. MA park is a place you can hike, swim and see animals. However since people stupidly feed the animals they are now aggressive so you're not really seeing their natural behavior. I'd personally investigate and seek out less crowded places where you can see animals in their natural habitat where they are not "used to" people. In the Fortuna area you have many choices of hotels - from budget to high end - and you can enjoy hot springs and views of the volcano. The down side is that it gets cloudy at times so you can't see the volcano and it rains a lot up there.

There are many tours available and most of them are worthwhile.

We took the Chocolate Tour just to the west of San Jose. Just an incredible experience and highly recommended. There is an animal rescue just down the road from it that is also worth a visit.