About John Rabenau

Why visit Costa Rica? People visit Costa Rica for its wildlife, its beaches on two coasts, its volcanoes and rainforests, its adventure activities and its warm, welcoming people. It packs about 5% of the world’s biodiversity into a country smaller than West Virginia, and it is only a few hours’ flight from much of the […]

Costa Rica can be surprisingly affordable or surprisingly expensive, depending on how you travel. Many people save up for years for a trip to this tropical country full of jaw-dropping scenery and animals you have only seen on nature documentaries. So how much does a trip to Costa Rica actually cost? For a country smaller […]

Want to visit Costa Rica but not sure where to start? Planning a vacation can be fun and exciting, and it can also be overwhelming. Where do you begin? And how do you know who to trust when booking tours and services in another country? This step-by-step guide is how we at Costa Rica Escapes […]

Costa Rica is one of the easiest countries in Latin America to visit with kids, and one of the safest in Central America for families. Distances are short, the culture welcomes children, and kids of almost any age can see monkeys, sloths and volcanoes. I have worked in Costa Rica travel since 2002, and since […]

Updated October 2026. Costa Rica is on a lot of bucket lists, for the beaches, the rainforest, the volcanoes, the surf, the birding, and everything in between. Once a trip is booked, one of the most common questions we get is about travel insurance: do you need it, what should it cover, and how much […]

Updated October 2026. This article used to cover COVID-19 travel restrictions. Those ended in 2022, so we’ve rewritten it as a plain checklist of what U.S. travelers need to enter Costa Rica today. Good news first: Costa Rica is one of the easiest countries for Americans to visit. There is no visa to apply for, […]

Updated October 2026 with the current exchange rate, the bills and coins in use today, and our cash tips. Costa Rica’s currency is the colón (plural: colones), named after Christopher Columbus, who landed on the Caribbean coast in 1502. You will see prices written with the ₡ symbol or as “CRC.” The good news for […]

Updated October 2026 against current CDC and World Health Organization guidance. The short version: Zika is no longer a widespread concern in Costa Rica, but the mosquito that carries it also carries dengue and chikungunya, and those are the ones to prepare for today. If you looked into a Costa Rica vacation between 2016 and […]

Looking for a different way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? Why not spend it in Costa Rica? Spending Thanksgiving in Costa Rica puts a whole new twist on the traditional holiday and makes for unforgettable memories. While it might not be just like Mom’s, Thanksgiving in Costa Rica is a great chance to get friends […]

“I’m dreaming of a White Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know.” ~Bing Crosby, White Christmas. Bing Crosby must not have been in Costa Rica for Christmas, because the only white he’d have seen is the white sand beaches. In Costa Rica during Christmas, you will see green forests, orange, red, purple, and […]

New Year’s Eve is perhaps the most festive night of the entire year, and what better way to ring in the New Year than by celebrating on vacation in Costa Rica? Set the tone for a remarkable year with New Year’s in Costa Rica: a celebration you’ll never forget. We’ll help you plan your Costa […]

One of the most beautiful parts of travel is experiencing different cultures, and different cultures often include different languages. Costa Rica is a Spanish-speaking country, so of course, when you visit Costa Rica, you will be exposed to the language, the local slang, and the cultural bedrock that forms through the foundation of language. But […]

Life moves quickly. And getting the whole family together doesn’t happen as often as it should. It takes a lot to get everyone together in one place, but the memories made when the entire family does get together are beyond worth it. What’s better than a family reunion? A family reunion in Costa Rica! Rather […]

Costa Rica, or the rich coast, is a small country that packs a big punch. Mentioned in countless movies and TV shows as a dream destination that people reference as a vacation or retirement spot, Costa Rica may just be the height of wanderlust. So what makes this geographically small country so alluring? And why […]

Costa Rica is a great place to vacation with your kids. There is so much to see and do and the adventures and experiences in Costa Rica are some of the most memorable that any kid could dream of. From the amazing wildlife, like sloths, sea turtles, toucans, monkeys, and more, to active volcanoes, zip […]

A luxury vacation in Costa Rica is the perfect blend of relaxation and stimulation. The country has so much to choose from, and the luxury tourism industry does as well. From sustainable eco-lodges running on solar panels with farm-to-table dining to impressive all-inclusive resorts with private beaches, the luxury options in Costa Rica can take […]

When most people think of all-inclusive vacations, they imagine sprawling resorts with endless buffets, tropical cocktails, and plenty of amenities all within a single complex—often walled off from the local community and culture. These resort-style vacations can offer convenience and relaxation but frequently come at the cost of a truly immersive travel experience. In Costa […]

Costa Rica is not your typical tropical getaway. There is more to the country than just the palm tree-lined beaches and the warm Pacific and Caribbean waters. While Costa Rica is relatively small, it is home to roughly 5% of the world’s biodiversity, meaning the country is teaming with a wide array of flora and […]

When you think of Costa Rica, you probably imagine towering volcanoes, palm tree-lined beaches, and jungle canopies teeming with sloths, monkeys, and other exotic wildlife. If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, chances are you’re considering visiting one of Costa Rica’s famed cloud forests to view the nation’s exotic flora and fauna. Travelers pressed […]

If you plan your trip carefully, spring break can be an ideal time for your family to visit Costa Rica. The weather in March and April is as good as it gets and the tourism industry is especially robust during this time, ensuring that you will be able to make lots of memorable experiences. However, […]