5 Reasons to Take Your Family to Costa Rica for Christmas

Costa Rica is a favorite family-friendly vacation destination for so many of our guests. While there are countless reasons you should take your family to Costa Rica for Christmas or New Year’s, here are our top five.

The Weather

Let’s face it, sometimes you just don’t want to pack 50 pounds of sweaters in a suitcase, or listen to cries of “I’m cold,” on your annual family trip during Christmas. Sometimes you are just so tired of shoveling snow or scraping ice off your windshield that the only remedy is to head to the tropics. In the southern zone of Costa Rica, you’ll enjoy temperatures ranging from 72°F (22°C) to 80°F (26°C) during the month of December. The number of beaches you can visit are endless, from the popular beach road lined with souvenirs in Playa Dominical, to the beautiful caves you can kayak through in Ventanas Beach, Ojochal. What better way to warm the hearts of your freezing neighbors back home than sending snapshots of the kid’s building sandcastles as a flock of macaws passes overhead?

The Culture

Costa Ricans enjoy a very family-focused culture. They love to honor family traditions and tend to live close to their parents and relatives once they’ve started a family of their own. In fact, in the mountain-top neighborhood my family lives in, 8 of the 10 children built their own houses next to “abuelo’s” (grandpa’s in English). Their children pull mangoes from the same tree their abuelo did, and they only have to walk a minute to enjoy an afternoon cafe with three or four generations of the family present together. These tight-knit communities in the southern zone of Costa Rica make visiting this beautiful paradise extra special during the holidays.

When your 3-year-old does what 3-year-olds do in the middle of a restaurant in Aspen, Colorado, you can imagine some unfriendly expressions from diners nearby. But if your baby decides to have a good cry in Costa Rica, you may just hear the term, “Regale me” as they stretch their arms out wide with genuine concern and love on their faces. This literally means something like “Gift me,”… yes you heard that right — they want to comfort your screaming banshee child and consider it a gift to do so! Costa Ricans, or Ticos, as they refer to themselves, are one of the friendliest and most giving cultures around.

The Wildlife

It’s no secret that most kids love animals. And while you can visit a zoo on many family vacations to the city, there is nothing like the wonder your child will experience spotting a sloth or family of monkeys in the trees outside your vacation villa. The southern zone of Costa Rica is a hotspot to view wildlife thriving in their own habitat, not behind a glass partition or in a cage. Toucans, macaws, iguanas, monkeys, sloths and smaller species like frogs, butterflies, geckos and hummingbirds are everywhere in the jungles around our vacation rentals.

Rather than trying to get a semi truck to beep on the freeway like you might have been forced to do en route to your family vacation, your kids can point out pizotes, agoutis and macaws as you drive through the scenic roads of Costa Rica. In this day and age, few parents can give the gift of a true natural experience like taking your troop to Costa Rica.  

The Food

Little ones are some of the pickiest eaters on earth! Many parents have heard the scream of terror after the carrots touched the potatoes. So while the world might be your oyster, it’s unlikely your little one is excited to dabble in world cuisine. In the towns of Dominical and Uvita, there are tons of delicious restaurants to enjoy. You can check out our restaurant guide full of options here.

Whether you opt for traditional cuisines or some of the fancier restaurants featuring imported cuisines from all over the world, you’ll find our area is very accommodating for young eaters. Almost every restaurant will have their faves from chicken fingers to hamburgers to pizzas. Even tasting some of the local staples like patacones or gallo pinto proves to be a breeze with picky ones.  The warm weather also means you can enjoy their favorites with them, like smoothie bowls for breakfast down by the beach, and ice cream or gelato desserts together after dinner.

The Activities

Last but certainly not least is the endless list of fun activities that both you and your kiddos can enjoy together. While you no doubt appreciate the beauty of touring a historical home near Bourbon Street, the truth is that your kids might prefer to just jump into a pool repeatedly and then run through the grass chasing a blue morpho butterfly. Our vacation rentals are perfect for families who want to spend quality time together over the holidays. But the surrounding towns also offer a seemingly endless supply of things to do that will entertain children of every age, from toddlers to teens.

Peruse our tour guide to find the adventure tours that will make your family most happy, then let us know and we will book your adventures for you. Your teenager might even want to talk to you again after you careen through the air, bonding on a zip-line tour together. Take the whole family to an impromptu jungle themed mini-golf game on the way to dinner. See who can spot the most dolphins from the boat then snorkel with the bright fish and big sea turtles at Cano Island. Tour one of the many amazing national parks in the area, or book a family surf lesson where mom and daughter can hang ten together for a vacation none of you will ever forget.

¡Feliz navidad! ¡Feliz año nuevo! YouGetHere Vacation Rentals wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!