6 Reasons to Plan Your Family Trip to the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Wander Here

Jan 16

Wander Here: Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

It was a normal Thursday afternoon. Normal except for the fact that I was chatting on the phone with Julian, a guy I’d never even met before who was an 8 hour flight across the Atlantic on the beautiful island of Tenerife, while I was sitting in my office, kid in my lap, in the middle of Oklahoma.

“I 100% know what you mean!” I said, excited to connect with someone else who knew that magical feeling that changes you from the inside out when you experience a particularly magical place. “I spent a month in the Nicoya Peninsula last year and I felt like a different person there. Healthier. Brighter. More connected with God, myself and nature. More alive.”

A little backstory. I’d spent hours searching all over Europe for our next family adventure abroad, and somehow unexpectedly landed my hunt in the Canary Islands. We had booked tickets to fly into Lisbon, Portugal, but that of course was just step one.

Where in the greater vicinity of western Europe is the perfect place for us to settle in for 5 weeks and fall in love with the culture and lifestyle? No pressure, right?!

In my search, I’d found the quaintest little rental house on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Think wood cabin on the coast with large picture windows looking out over the Atlantic and neighboring islands in the distance. When I reached out to ask for availability, the owner, Julian, suggested we chat on the phone for a bit to see if it would be a fit for all of us.

We connected right away, and it didn’t take long for our conversation to veer from talking about his property to talking about the magic of locations around the world. When I mentioned Costa Rica, he told a story of his own visit where the minute he stepped out of the airport he was caught off guard by an overwhelming sense of feeling “at home.” Hearing him explain how he’d never felt that magic anywhere else besides his volcanic island home of Tenerife confirmed just how special of a place Costa Rica really is. There’s a special quality in the air, the people, the lifestyle, the jungle….hard to describe, but once you experience it, it changes you.

This ethereal vibe is one of the top reasons I tell everyone I meet - load up your kiddos and head to the southern Nicoya Peninsula!

Top 6 Reasons to Visit the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica with Kids

The Beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula are Wild + Free

Believe it or not, for most of my life I was not a beach person. But in actuality I had just not experienced the right beaches! A trip to the south of Thailand when I was 20 years old changed everything, and now I’m a beach addict. But again - the right type of beach is everything! The beaches along the southern Nicoya Peninsula are alive with an energy that cannot be described, only experienced. While you won’t find many that are calm and perfectly safe for kids (arguably no beach is perfectly safe for kids), and it’s rare to find a bathroom anywhere near, they possess a certain kind of magic that even my kiddos noticed and still talk about. They are wild and free, backed by the jungle, and with a light, dreamy mist that hangs in the air in the early mornings and at sunset. Nature runs rampant, signs of mass tourism are non-existent and the salty air has a healing quality - for mind, body and spirit. Bathrooms are overrated anyway, eh?? ;)

kids play and snorkel in tide pool in santa teresa costa rica nicoya peninsula

2. Tidepools are the Perfect Playground!

At low tide, tidepools abound up and down the entire coast - from Playa Suecos (Secret Beach) and Playa Mar Azul near Malpais to the olympic sized natural swimming pool just north of Playa Santa Teresa and Playa Manzanillo beyond that. The tidepools are a whole vibe. Deep enough for snorkeling and perfectly-sized for lounging as if in your own personal sized hot tub, they entertained our kids for hours upon hours. Visiting the tidepools was one of our favorite activities because the kids could swim and search for shells and sea life, and I could relax knowing they were not going to get caught in a riptide or pounded by a wave. Just watch out for the crabs and urchins!

iguana curu wildlife refuge costa rica nicoya peninsula

hiking to Montezuma falls with kids nicoya peninsula costa rica

3. Hiking the Jungle is a Wildlife Lovers Dream

Our kids love hiking…most of the time haha. The best thing about hiking around the southern Nicoya Peninsula is that 9 times out of 10 you get rewarded with an awe-inspiring waterfall or an exhilarating beach. Like gold at the end of the rainbow! Not only that, all along the way, jungle wildlife surprises at every turn. We’ve had run-ins with deer, monkeys, huge iguanas, leaf-cutter ants, squirrels, crabs, agoutis, coatis and so many others. Listening and watching for creatures leaves you on the edge of your seat and makes hiking another level of fun and exciting. Curu Wildlife Refuge is one of our favorite hikes that connects to a beautiful (and kid-friendly!) beach…and Montezuma Falls is one of our top faves for the waterfall variety!

Tico man gives kids fresh coconut to drink at Playa Hermosa costa rica nicoya peninsula

4. The Community Loves Kids

One of my favorite things about this area is the mix of people you encounter. While it is a smallish town and off-the-beaten path for sure…it has grown to be somewhat of a mini hotspot for expats and digital nomads. Hitting up the local restaurants and spending time at the beaches that more locals frequent (looking at you Playa Suecos) and just generally exploring the more low key parts of the area like Playa Manzanillo, will offer plenty of interaction with locals, which we love. But also, being around people from all parts of the world who are seeking adventure, nature, and that Pura Vida vibe brings an energy that hooked me and completely stole my heart. People are kind. Free-spirited. Laid-back. Looking to find more and deeper meaning to life. That’s the kind of energy I want my kids to experience as well - and everyone we met was so kind and accommodating to us.

5. Kid-friendly Restaurants on Every Corner

One thing you will definitely not hurt for in this area is good restaurants and coffee shops. It’s like a foodie paradise! You can find plenty of amazing sodas (local Tico restaurants) such as Soda Tiquicia, or enjoy tastes from pretty much anywhere in the world…literally. And they are mostly all kid-friendly. We always order off the main menu for the kids and let them split…or we split with them ourselves. That way they’re not eating “kid food” every meal and they get to expand their pallet, but with little pressure! A handful of our favorite restaurants were Earth Cafe (sad to say it’s since closed), Eat Street, The Bakery, Burger Rancho (best veggie burger + live music!) and the little soda right on Playa Manzanillo that I can’t quite remember the name of, but if you find yourself in this tiny village you won’t have to look far. This list is definitely not exhaustive - there are restaurants galore for every price point and every craving.

6. Surf lessons, Body-boarding, Horseback Riding, Ziplining…Adventure is Everywhere!

Knowing how much my life is better by experiencing outdoor adventures in nature, I’m so passionate about giving my kids lots of opportunities for it as well! Stepping outside my comfort zone and taking risks, getting up close and personal with nature and feeling the satisfaction of finishing that hike or popping up for the first time on your surfboard is priceless. These experiences build confidence and a love for nature that will change a kid’s life forever…and in and around the Nicoya Peninsula, there are more of these opportunities than you can even imagine!

Have I convinced you yet that the Nicoya Peninsula is a perfect destination for your next family adventure?? Forget the resorts and manufactured, kid-centered activities and show them the WORLD in one of the most wild and energetic places in Central America. The whole family will love it!