Thursday Things – Manuel Antonio Costa Rica

I have been saying for over a month that I was going to share our trip to Costa Rica with you. Well, I am finally getting around to doing it.  I have yet to go through all of our pictures, we just loved the trip so much, I have to share.

We traveled to Costa Rica with my husband’s parents and his sister (and her family).  It was his parents 45th wedding anniversary, and instead of a party they wanted to spend time with the whole family on a trip.  We all chose Costa Rica as where we wanted to go.  We spent 1 week in the Manuel Antonio area, where we rented a house.  Each day we did different “excursions” around the area.  We visited Rain Maker National Park, went zip-lining, went deep sea fishing, did an adventure tour as well as visiting Manuel Antonio National Park.  It was such a fun, adventurous, and amazing trip.

Rain Maker National Park is a primary rain forest.  We went on a guided tour through the forest.  There were lots of hanging bridges that the kids had a great time on.  The kids were able to swim in a little pool at the base of a small waterfall, on the hike.  At the end of the tour we were served a typical Costa Rican lunch of rice, beans, a small salad and chicken.

Zip-lining is one thing I have always wanted to do.  I like to do adventure type things, but my family isn’t always on board with that.  So I was super excited for this day.  All 9 of us went, and everyone (from age 5 to 68) loved it.   My 9 year old was very nervous to start, but he loved it so much he was begging to do it again another day.  We went with El Santuario Canopy Adventures, and they did an amazing job.  There are 11 different lines that you go on.  There are some steps and hiking between them, as you make your way through the forest.  The guides were amazing, super friendly, and made you feel very safe.  And the lunch you received at the end was delicious!  One of the best Costa Rican lunches we were served.

Not everyone was interested in going fishing.  So my husband, myself, my 9 year old and my brother in-law rented a boat for the day, and went out with a guide.  It was a gorgeous day, the day we went.  My brother in-law is a big fisherman.  He actually went earlier in the trip with the same guide, and caught 4 large fish.  He brought 2 of them home, and we ate them for days.  The rest of us were just along for fun, we aren’t really into fishing.  The 3 of us did manage to all catch a fish that day.  I was able to get the biggest prize fish of the day.  Rooster Fish are apparently what people go to Costa Rica to catch.  And somehow (after at least 20 minutes of seriously hard work), I was able to reel it in!

Manuel Antonio is known for its pristine beach and wildlife.  The whole family went with a guide on a tour of the park.  We were able to see monkeys, birds, lizards, spiders, sloths, and more.  You really need a guide to see anything in the forests.  They spot stuff you would never find on you own.  After a walk through the forest we ended up at the beach.  The kids played in the water for awhile, and my husband and I decided to walk down the beach.  Just 5 feet through the forest (on a path), we found an almost completely deserted, gorgeous beach.  We ended the tour at a little restaurant in town where we had a snack, a great smoothie (a local fruit that I can’t remember), and the guide bought the kids ice cream cones.

My husband and I planned to have a day where we could go off without our son.  The Grandparents had volunteered to take the kids for a day.  They hung out around the house and played in the pool all day.  I convinced my husband that we should do this 10 in 1 adventure tour.  We got to repel down a waterfall, zip-line, do a spiderman swing, a free fall drop and more.  My sister and brother in law decided to join us.  It was such a fun day! We got to swing upside down over a little ravine with a river running underneath us.  Totally my kind of trip!

Renting a house and spending the week in Costa Rica was such an amazing family vacation.  We were active and busy and really got to enjoy the area.  Most days we were back to the house by 2:00 in the afternoon, so the kids could play in the pool, and the adults could relax.  We ate dinner at our house every night.  Most properties down there come with the option of having a chef come in to cook.  In the end, with the kids, and the varying tastes, this was the best decision ever.  The cost was almost the same, once you consider the cabs we would have had to use to get back and forth (we did not rent a car).  Plus the food was amazing, and we got to pick the menu.

If you have ever wanted to go to Costa Rica, stop waiting and go!  We had family from age 5 to 68, and everyone loved it!  Our family spent a second week on our own in other areas of the country.  I will share that part of the trip with you later!

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Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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