Costa Rica 6 Day Road Trip Idea
Hi!!! I am so glad you are here and are considering taking a road trip in Costa Rica. Short on time, but want to see beaches and mountains? Do you like fast pace traveling? Are you willing to drive at least a couple of hours a day? Then this road trip is for you!
This is the first road trip I did with my family in the country and my second roadtrip in Costa Rica. My family had never been to the country so I was set on showing them as much as possible in the time we had and we had a blast!!! It is on the adventurous fast paced side, but you get to see so many incredible places and you will love every second of it. You might need a vacation after the vacacation, but that is okay. We stuck to 1 activity a day, but you can certainly add another activity to some of the days if you feel up for it.
Airports? Fly into Liberia and out of San Jose. You could do it the other way around too if you wanted.
Accommodations? Spend one night per place. We stayed at airbnbs the first 4 nights and at a hotel the last night. Total of 5 different places.
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Arrival day in Liberia. I picked up my family, drove to Tamarindo for a quick stop at a local store, and then went to Playa Flamingo to watch sunset. We stayed in Potrero that night.
Day 2 - We drove about 2 hours to Bijagua de Upala and went to Rio Celeste. That night we ate at La Terraza and stayed at an airbnb in Bijagua de Upala.
Day 3 - We drove to La Fortuna. We had planned to visit La Fortuna waterfall, but it was raining a lot and we were tired so we ate lunch at Travesia and just played Dominos at the airbnb. Later on we went out to eat dinner downtown.
Day 4 - Woke up early to see the volcano cleared up in the morning sun and it was gorgeous. We took pictures and got ready for the day. We drove to Bajos del Toro to visit “Catarata del Toro.” After this we drove to Poas for our new airbnb.
Day 5 - This morning started early to visit Poas volcano. Afterwards we drove to San Jose and stopped at Hacienda Alsacia on the way for a coffee stop. We checked in for our hotel for the night.
Day 6 - We returned the rental car and flew out of the Juan Santamaria International airport.
Do you like the idea of this route, but not all the activities done? This roadtrip can easily be modified to still go the same route, but with different activities. I will go day by day below with some ideas of things you can do each day in the different areas you visit.
Day 1: Want to skip the beach? Head into the Rincon de la Vieja Area where you will find tons to do from waterfalls and hot springs to ziplining and river tubing. You can also go to a beach closer to the airport like Playas del Coco or Playa Hermosa. The options are endless.
Day 2: We left a little late, but if you wake up early and go you can easily include two adventures on this day. Rio Celeste does not take too long to do so you could arrive to the Bijagua area early and do Rio Celeste Waterfall in the Tenorio Volcano National Park plus a wildlife tour (lots of places to see sloths) or perhaps a coffee tour. Another option is doing river tubing in Rio Celeste plus visiting the waterfall. If you rather, you could add a stop before getting to Bijagua de Upala Rio Celeste Waterfall like La Leona Waterfall or Poza Los Coyotes near Rincon de la Vieja or Llanos del Cortez Waterfall in Liberia.
Day 3: We took this day to rest, but in La Fortuna there is tons to do for the adventure souls. If you want more waterfalls then La Fortuna waterfall is your go to. You could also do some whitewater rafting, ziplining, ATVs, horseback riding, canyoning, and more. Another great option would be a relaxing time at the hot springs or a massage day at the many massage places in downtown La Fortuna. The options are endless. You could venture farther out into Lake Arenal for kayaking or paddle boards as well. If you want suggestions of places to visit in La Fortuna visit my free resources page to download your PDF guide.
Day 4: I am obsessed with Bajos del Toro and the incredible waterfalls in the area so that is a hard one to pass, but you can see different waterfalls like “Blue Falls Costa Rica.” Honestly, Catarata del Toro is so impressive that I would not skip this day. It is like walking into Jurassic Park. Driving to Bajos del Toro can be uncomfortable to some due to the roads, so if you want an easier drive you could also visit La Paz waterfalls and gardens (different route than Bajos del Toro).
Day 5: Poas volcano is insane and another must do, but if you rather skip it you can enjoy La Paz Waterfalls and Gardens, a strawberries tour, or a coffee tour in the area. Poas does not take long either so you can easily fit Poas Volcano plus another tour in the same day. Or you could drive early into San Jose and visit the National Theater and Central Market or one of the many museums in the area like the Jade Museum or the Gold Museum.
I hope these ideas are helpful as you plan your roadtrip in Costa Rica. I know planning can feel challenging and take a lot of energy and time. I would say that there is so much to see in this beautiful country that it is okay if you can only fit so much. I am sure you will love it here. If you have any questions please reach out. I can offer further support through my planning services.
