Traveling with Children in Costa Rica, is it Safe?

Having brought up my family in Costa Rica and travelled throughout the country, Costa Rica is one of the safest places to travel with a family.

See our Costa Rica Family Packages.

One of the first questions you ask yourself when travelling with children is whether the destination you are thinking of is safe for you and your family.

Having lived in Costa Rica and watched my children grow up in this country, I can say from my experience it's safer to travel in Costa Rica than in most other countries.

Costa Ricans are some of the friendliest people you will meet. They love kids.

Costa Rica has a very low crime rate. It's a very relaxed culture here and the local police are always out on the roads.

You'll find Costa Rica to be a very family-friendly destination. Expect your kids to be surrounded by other kids. They won't get bored, there's too much to see: Volcanoes, monkeys, dolphins, birds, and so much more.

Best areas to visit with Children

Typically all areas of Costa Rica are good for kids to visit, but some are better than others.

The Arenal area is great with kids as there are lots of adventure (rafting, abseiling down waterfalls, canopy zip line, caving, and so on) and wildlife tours. There are also natural hot-springs here they can play in.

On the beach, we'd recommend Manuel Antonio or Tamarindo. Kids can play in the ocean and on the beach or try surfing/boogie boarding. These destinations also offer a great opportunity to see wildlife, especially Manuel Antonio.

If you're looking for a bit more adventure, then Tortuguero National Park would work as you can experience turtles nesting on the beach and baby turtles being born.

Family Transport in Costa Rica

One of the main recommendations we have when travelling with kids is not spending too much time in the car.

We suggest using domestic flights. Kids love seeing Costa Rica from the air. On these safe domestic flights, you can often see jungles, volcanoes and the coastline.

If you prefer to travel overland, then feel free to stop en route. Our private drivers are happy to stop for food, refreshments, and to take photos. Most transfers will take at least 3 hours. Costa Rica looks like a small country, but it's incredibly mountainous and the roads are windy.

If you'd like to plan a family holiday to Costa Rica, contact us today to speak with one of our Travel Consultants.