Costa Rica Family Trip | Part 3 | Quepos & Manuel Antonio Park Area

The next part of our Costa Rica family trip took us down the Pacific coast to the Quepos and Manuel Antonio Park region. We had such unique experiences in two different areas that we visited in Costa Rica that it is hard to compare, but I would say that if we had to choose just one place to return, this would probably be it! This does not at all take away from the incredible experience we had in the La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano area – we loved it too! Be sure to check out my previous posts, Costa Rica Family Trip | Part 1 for my travel, transportation and packing suggestions as well as Costa Rica Family Trip | Part 2 for information on the La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano area we visited on the first part of our trip. Now on to the final leg – Quepos and Manuel Antonio.

Quepos and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

The best time to visit Quepos is during the dry season, which runs from December to April. The weather is warm and sunny during this time, with little rain. We visited in the height of the dry season, January, and all agreed that we would have hated to been there during the rainy season as many of the activities would not have been nearly as enjoyable. The rainy season runs from May to November, and can be quite wet. Prices will be lower too, so that could be a positive for some!

Getting to Quepos, Costa Rica

Since the first part of our trip started in La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano area, we loaded up in our hired van to drive to Quepos. This was another example of where I anticipated being much closer, but because of the crazy roads and drivers in Costa Rica, it took us much longer to get there. Again, I was SO glad that we had hired a driver rather than trying to navigate the roads ourselves! While it’s only around 133 miles from one area to the other, the drive took us nearly 5.5 hours with just one stop at the famous crocodile bridge at the Tarcoles River. The stop was a great place to get some food and drink…and see a few crocodiles, but honestly, it was quite a tourist trap. Stop there if you need the break, but you won’t be missing anything if you drive on by! I cannot stress highly enough – HIRE THE DRIVER! I’d be happy to make recommendations based on our wonderful experience with ours!

We had a weird turn of events with airline scheduling and VRBO availability that caused us to start in La Fortuna and then go to Quepos/Manuel Antonio, but in hindsight, the most efficient way would have been to fly in to San Jose Airport (about 3 hours from Quepos) and drive or to take a plane directly in to the Quepos airport. There are two airlines that offer direct flights from San Jose to Quepos for around $100. Since there were eight of us, it was a cost savings to have a van/driver rather than flying. Depending on your budget, I would recommend the flight for convenience purposes.

Quepos VRBO Suggestion

THIS is what actually kicked off my Costa Rica trip planning! I wanted somewhere warm & tropical in January and when I started diving in to Costa Rica, I could not believe the value for such a spectacular property. Check out our Quepos VRBO here. By the time I decided to book this VRBO, it was not available for the entire week, so that’s why we started in La Fortuna vs. staying in one place for the whole week. Because we loved our La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano experience so much, I hate to say this, but if we went back to Costa Rica, I would probably choose to stay in one place the entire stay and, it would likely be here! We loved every single thing about this area and the VRBO itself. Here was the review I provided on the VRBO website:

“I cannot recommend this property highly enough! It was everything we imagined and more. The concierge, Natalia, was wonderful to work with and provided so much help with suggestions, tours and restaurant suggestions and even help with pizza delivery one night! The home is absolutely gorgeous with incredible space for a larger group and THE VIEWS!! We honestly we sad that we had so many off-property activities planned because we really enjoyed just hanging out at the beautiful place and enjoying the gorgeous views from the infinity pool. An added and unexpected bonus was the fabulous maid who came in daily to clean and she even did our laundry!! Wow. When we come back to CR, we will definitely book this place again. One thing that I will note is that the road to the property is very steep – we did have some tour operators who would not go down the last stretch of the road for fear they could not get back up. The taxi driver who Natalie recommended (and who was awesome!) had no issues, but just be aware if you have a hired driver or your own car.”

Things to do in Quepos, Costa Rica

Quepos is known for its stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and abundant wildlife. There are many things to do in Quepos, from hiking and swimming to fishing and whale watching.

Here are some of the top things to do in Quepos:

• Visit Manuel Antonio National Park: This world-renowned park is home to an incredible variety of wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, and toucans. There are also several beautiful beaches within the park.
• Go hiking: There are many hiking trails in Quepos, ranging from easy to challenging. Some of the most popular trails lead to waterfalls, viewpoints, and other natural attractions.
• Go swimming: Quepos has several beautiful beaches, perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and surfing.
• Go fishing: Quepos is a popular destination for sportfishing. There are many different types of fish to be caught, including marlin, sailfish, and tuna.
• Go whale watching: From July to September, humpback whales migrate to the waters off Quepos. There are several tour operators that offer whale watching tours.
• Visit the Marina Pez Vela: This marina is home to a variety of restaurants, shops, and bars. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the views.
• Take a cooking class: There are several cooking schools in Quepos that offer classes in Costa Rican cuisine. This is a great way to learn about the local culture and food.
• Visit the Jaguar Rescue Center: This rescue center is home to over 100 jaguars and other animals that have been rescued from the illegal wildlife trade. It is a great place to learn about jaguar conservation.

I’ve outlined a few of our activities below – ones that we would definitely recommend!

Sunset Dinner at Ronny’s Place

On the first night we arrived in Quepos, we had reservations for a sunset dinner at Ronny’s Place which is known for its stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and its delicious food. While the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I would highly recommend getting reservations for the dinner hour so you can view the spectacular sunset – the views are breathtaking! You can see the ocean, the mountains, and the rainforest all from one spot. The restaurant is also very family-friendly, and there is a large playground for children.

The food at Ronny’s Place is some of the best in Quepos. The menu features a variety of dishes, including Costa Rican classics like ceviche and gallo pinto, as well as more international fare like pasta and steak. The restaurant also has a full bar, and the sangria is especially good! Those celebrating birthdays or ordering the flaming banana dessert will be treated music and singing by the entire restaurant along with a darkened room and plenty of maracas. They know how to have fun at Ronny’s!

Here are some additional details about Ronny’s Place:

• Address: 1000m south of the Quepos airport, Quepos, Costa Rica
• Phone: +506 2777 5120
• Website: https://www.ronnysplace.com/

Manuel Antonio National Park Tour

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica, and for good reason. The park is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, including monkeys (lots of monkeys – watch your belongings!), sloths, iguanas, and toucans. It also has three stunning beaches: Espadilla Beach, Manuel Antonio Beach, and Playa Gemelas.

A guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park is the best way to see all that the park has to offer and guides will point out plants and animals along the way. I would recommend scheduling a tour earlier in the day while temperatures are cooler. We hired a private tour guide, Hector, who, we all agreed, totally made the tour! He was so excited and passionate about all things Manuel Antonio and finding the elusive sloth. There were many tour groups, some very large. We paid Hector just $30 per person for a 3 hour tour, so probably about the same amount as being in a very large group. Hector (and many of the guides) had their own telescopes and knew exactly where to look for specific wildlife and plant species. We would have totally missed this stuff had we toured on our own. The tour was quite educational!

After our tour ended, we spent the rest of the day on the beautiful beaches within Manuel Antonio park. We love a good beach day, but there are several things I would highly recommend! Firstly, I cannot recommend these microfiber beach towels highly enough! They are lightweight, easily packed/transported and they don’t hold sand. They were perfect for our entire week in Costa Rica. Secondly, the sand on the beaches was HOT! I would definitely recommend making sure you have a pair of beach/water shoes. We all had these water shoes that were so comfortable that we ended up even wearing them for many hikes! Lastly, WATCH THE MONKEYS! There are a ton of them near the beach area and they are sneaky! If you don’t watch your belongings, they will quickly snag your bag and have it in the top of a tree before you know it. We saw it happen on multiple occasions! We all had these wonderful dry packs that we took everywhere we went. I would highly recommend having one of these – Costa Rica is damp and wet, so they will keep your belongings dry and more importantly, we could hanging them from the trees so the monkeys couldn’t run away with them!

Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park

One of our very favorite days in Costa Rica was spent at the Nauyaca Waterfalls which is a private nature park located about an 1.25 hour drive from Quepos. The park is home to two major waterfalls, as a number of smaller waterfalls and natural pools. It’s a $27 ticket to get in to the public park and you can opt to hike in to the falls or take a truck that has seats in the back for passengers. We opted for the truck and it was about a 10-15 minute drive – a very bumpy drive! The hike seemed like it would take a long time, but I believe it was much shorter than I thought because of the direct route right to the falls. Either way, you will see spectacular scenery through the rain forest.

Once you arrive at the falls, there are steep steps down to the falls, but the falls and the views are breathtaking! Be sure you have your swimsuit, a towel (I highly recommend this one) and a good pair of water shoes (I recommend these) as there are lots of rocks to climb on and around. The water around the falls is quite cold, so you may or may not be brave enough to get in, but be sure to take your camera for lots of pictures! We found these waterproof phone cases which were perfect for day trips like this were we wanted pictures without the fear of our phones getting wet or dropped.

Evening Sunset Catamaran Tour, Quepos, Costa Rica

Our final afternoon was spent on a beautiful catamaran that sailed along the coast of Manuel Antonio Park with a stop to swim and snorkel. We used Planet Dolphin and for $80 per person, it included transportation from our VRBO to the departure marina, a 3.5 hour tour, beverages, a grilled dinner with stops for snorkeling and swimming. It was fun to see the coastline from the water and I would highly recommend this tour company! When we arrived back at the Quepos marina, Marina Pez Vala, we found it to be a high energy area with lots of great shops and restaurants. They were having a big fishing tournament (something that happens on a frequent basis), so there were lots of people and a band playing that evening. I would put it on a list of places to visit if you are in the Quepos area!

Final thoughts on Quepos and Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

We absolutely loved this leg of our trip. Our VRBO was a big contributing factor to this and if anything, we wish we had more down days to just relax there and enjoy it all! I think if I had to plan this trip over again, I would eliminate much of the driving (remember, it takes WAY more time to get places than you think!) and just base out of the one location for the entire time. With all the wonderful activities and beautiful scenery in the Quepos/Manuel Antonio region, I do think this would be the perfect place to spend an entire week. Had our VRBO been available for the entire week, we would have done just that!

No matter where you go in Costa Rica, you will find it to be a wonderful place for a family vacation. I would love to answer any questions you might have, so feel free to comment if I can help you in any way!

Pure Vida!