About John Rabenau

There are few places on earth as magical and transformative as Costa Rica for a family vacation. Small children go wild over all of the beautiful bugs and large mammals that they’ve only ever seen in picture books. Big kids love jumping waves and zip-lining in the jungle. For teenagers and young adults, traveling through […]

While there are many ways to travel frugally in Costa Rica, most travelers agree that Costa Rica is more expensive than the average tropical destination. Depending on your itinerary, a week-long vacation in Costa Rica can cost between $1,800 to $4,500 per person. The trip price will be affected primarily by the types of accommodation […]

Every time we board a flight to Costa Rica, we look around at the travelers joining us for their first or hundredth trip to Costa Rica, and there is so much variety! An excited family ready for the beach, a crew of ruddy-faced fishermen excited to get on the boat they’ve chartered, a quiet group […]

Travel agencies work with families, newlyweds, and groups of all sizes to plan unique, meaningful, and unforgettable trips to Costa Rica. This article will walk through some of the benefits of working with a travel agent to design your dream trip. Reasons to not hire a travel agent Before talking about the benefits of a […]

In a country with six active volcanoes and hundreds of dormant ones, it is no surprise that hot springs abound. Tabacon Hot Springs is one of the nicer hot springs resorts in Costa Rica and definitely worth a visit if you plan to be in the area around Arenal Volcano. Benefits of hot springs Medical […]

In the past few decades, Costa Rica has become synonymous with surfing. Mild air and sea temperatures, long point breaks, and wide beaches have even resulted in famous surfers relocating to Costa Rica and Costa Rica being chosen as the home for the 2016 World Surfing Games. As a result, there are lots of surf […]

Fishing has always been an important part of Costa Rican coastal culture. In fact, the easy-going lifestyle of fishing families and the consumption of fresh fish were considered by author Dan Buettner in his famous book, The Blue Zones, as some of the most important factors contributing to Costa Rica’s high number of centenarians. All […]

With 800 miles of coastline and beaches, Costa Rica definitely offers some great snorkeling options. However, anyone who has ever snorkeled in other parts of the Caribbean will tell you that in Costa Rica, you have to know where to go in order to find the best snorkeling spots. This article will tell you about […]

While Spanish is the principal language spoken in Costa Rica, it is relatively easy to travel around the country using English. Here at Costa Rica Escapes, we have hosted all kinds of travelers: from first-time-passport-users with very little Spanish to lifetime travelers with extensive experience in Latin America. The good news is that there are […]

You have probably seen the photos of Costa Rica’s gorgeous beaches and lush jungles, but that’s just what makes it to the social media feed. If you’re thinking about a visit to this unique country (especially with kids), it’s worthwhile to go deeper and really explore what Costa Rica is known for. What Makes Costa […]

Along with booking flights to Costa Rica, choosing your lodging, activities, and transportation are the other primary details. Choosing the right lodging is no small detail, however, so let’s dive into your options so you can choose which is best for your trip. This article will discuss different places you can stay in Costa Rica. […]

Jumping on a plane to Costa Rica is one of the more manageable tasks when planning a vacation. First, you don’t have to do the “flying.” Second, you must get to your city’s airport with your car, ride from a friend or family member, or Uber. The hotels are already booked, and the bags are […]

A vacation to Costa Rica with Kids should be on your family’s bucket list. This small but exciting country has so much to offer, big and small that you will not be disappointed, but you will want to come back! This guide has the critical information you need to plan the perfect trip for your […]

As parents, we know that heading on a beach vacation with our kids is a great way to tire them out. With the combination of sun, salt water, and sand, we do it well here in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has two coasts brimming with all of the above plus large doses of natural beauty, […]

Every vacation has to start somewhere, and for most people visiting the country, it begins at one of Costa Rica’s airports. More than 3.1 million tourists came here in 2019, and most flew into one of Costa Rica’s two major airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) near the capital of San José, or Daniel Oduber […]

Many people will ask us if Costa Rica is a safe place to visit. Of course, we will be the first to say, “Yes, it is,” but we also want you to be aware of the simple things of traveling, just like you would for any place you visit, whether in the US or another […]

Coming to Costa Rica is on many people’s bucket lists for many reasons, the beaches, the rainforest, the volcanos, the surf, birding, and everything in between. As we move away from the tough times of 2020, we still get common questions from our clients about insurance, whether it is from COVID-19, flight cancellations, or lost […]

Many businesses choose to hold their corporate events in Costa Rica due to the country’s diversity. With tropical rainforests, jungles, and cloud forests, miles of gorgeous coastline along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, volcanoes, waterfalls, and incredible wildlife, Costa Rica is impressive and very safe! So if you want to give your colleagues and employees […]

Are you craving to relax on your vacation to Costa Rica, but you are not sure how? We get it. You want to head to the beach, hike, or go horseback riding or zip lining—so many activities in Costa Rica but so little time. We have a solution for you that we think you will […]

  UPDATE: Effective 6/12/2022, the United States will no longer require international travelers to get a COVID-19 test within one day of attempting to fly back to the USA. It is time to travel, step out and start living because “Costa Rica Welcomes You Back.” You have had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica. […]