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 lines, waterfalls, tubing, and beyond, Costa Rica really is a kid’s dream destination.
Check out these fun facts and exciting ideas about how to enjoy your Costa Rican vacation with your kids.
Quick Costa Rica Facts at a Glance
1. The capital of Costa Rica is San Jose
2. Costa Rica has a population of 5.2 million people, about the same size as the state of Alabama
3. Hola! ¿Cómo está? The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish, or Español
4. While you can pay with US dollars in some parts of Costa Rica, the official currency is the colón (plural colones)
5. Costa Rica is small but mighty, just 19,730 square miles, roughly the same size as Denmark or West Virginia
6. Costa Rica is famous for many animals, like sloths, monkeys, and toucans, but you’ll be surprised to learn the official national animal is… The White-tailed deer!
7. With all the brightly colored birds in Costa Rica, you’ll never guess what the national bird is – 8. The Clay-colored Thrush, known locally as Yigüirro
8. Despite being a small country, Costa Rica has 800 miles of coastline, with both Pacific and Caribbean beaches! That’s almost as much beach as California!
9. Costa Rica is in the Central Standard Time Zone.
10. Costa Rica doesn’t observe Daylight Savings, so part of the year, the time in Costa Rica is the same as in Louisiana, and part of the year, it’s the same time as in Colorado.
Geography Facts About Costa Rica
11. Costa Rica is located in Central America, just south of Nicaragua and north of Panama. Panama is the last country in Central America before South America begins.
12. It’s really hard to know for sure, but there are at least 300 beaches in Costa Rica!
13. Costa Rica is part of the region called Central America. Below North America, home to Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and above South America. While Central America is part of North America, it’s its own region! Made up of 7 countries, Costa Rica is a proud member of Central America.
14. 25% of Costa Rica is protected land, in the form of national parks and private reserves. Its land is also incredibly biodiverse; with less than 1% of the world’s land mass, it’s home to 5% of all biodiversity!
15. Costa Rica is made up of seven provinces: San José, Cartago, Alajuela, Heredia, Limón, Puntarenas, and Guanacaste. The city of San José, located right in the middle of the country, is the capital.
See Costa Rica’s Biodiversity In Real Life!
- Best Beaches: Costa Rica is known for its beautiful beaches, and some of them offer the added bonus of spotting lots of wildlife! The best beaches to enjoy the water AND see wildlife are:
- Playa Manuel Antonio (inside Manuel Antonio National Park), Puntarenas
- Playa Espadilla (outside Manuel Antonio National Park), Puntarenas
- Playa Punta Uva, Limon
- Volcanoes: Seeing an active volcano in real life is pretty unforgettable, for kids and adults, and Costa Rica has several to choose from:
- Arenal Volcano (still considered active but has been asleep since 2010)
- Poas Volcano (very active!)
- Irazu Volcano (very active!)
- Turrialba Volcano (very active!)
- National Parks: With over 25% of the land protected, there are plenty of national parks to choose from, each with its own unique draw. Check out:
- Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula
- Tortuguero National Park, Limon, Northern Caribbean
- Chirripo National Park, San Jose Province
- Tenorio National Park, Guanacaste Province
Amazing Animal Facts About Costa Rica
16. Over 100,000 Olive Ridley Sea Turtles can take over the beach of Ostional in a single day during egg laying season
17. Howler Monkeys are one of the loudest species on the planet. They are so loud that their howls can be heard up to three miles away!
18. It can take a sloth up to one month to digest a single leaf, due to their extremely slow metabolism
19. Scarlet Macaws, the gorgeous bright-colored birds, are usually seen in pairs, as they mate for life <3
20. Costa Rica is home to six species of big cats-Jaguar, Puma, Ocelot, Margay, Oncilla, and Jaguarundi-though they are very rare and hard to spot due to their shy and elusive nature
See Costa Rica Wildlife In Real Life!
| Animals | Where to See Them |
| Sloths | Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, Puerto Viejo |
| Scarlet Macaws | Corcovado & Carara National Parks |
| Sea Turtles | Tortuguero, Ostional, Las Baulas National Marine Park |
| White-Faced Monkeys/Capuchin | Manuel Antonio, Corcovado, Cahuita |
| Toucans | Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Osa Peninsula |
| Humpback Whales | Uvita, Drake Bay, Golfo Dulce |
Volcano Facts Kids Love
21. Volcanoes heat up the water surrounding them, creating geothermal lakes and rivers. You can swim in some of these natural hot springs, but some are too hot and too acidic! Only enter natural hot springs when local guides say it’s safe to do so.
22. Even though Arenal is currently sleeping, or dormant, it is still an active volcano, so hiking to the top isn’t allowed, but you can hike around the base, over old lava fields. The dried lava flows create a funky place to walk with a view of the near-perfect-shaped volcano in the background.
23. There are six active volcanoes in Costa Rica, but if you count extinct volcanoes, Costa Rica has over 60 volcanic formations!
24. From the summit of Turrialba Volcano, you can see both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea on a clear day.
25. Poas Volcano is one of the largest active crater volcanoes in the world!
See Costa Rican Volcanoes In Real Life!
Rainforest and Costa Rica Nature Facts
26. Costa Rica is home to three distinct types of forests: Tropical Rainforests, Tropical Dry Forests, and Cloud Forests
27. Some trees located in the primary forests of Costa Rica are over 1,000 years old
28. More than half of Costa Rica is made up of forests, thanks to years of reforestation efforts
29. Costa Rica is home to an estimated 500,000 species, most of which have never been documented by science! That means that anyone visiting the forests of Costa Rica might be seeing a new insect, bird, animal, or plant for the first time!
30. Costa Rica is a land bridge, connecting North and South America, so it acts as a migration passage for animals of the land, sea, and air. There are 940 species of birds in Costa Rica, more than in the United States and Canada combined!
Cool Facts About Costa Rican Culture
31. Costa Rica is a small country with many cultural elements linking the different regions together, though each region has its very distinct culture as well, shaped by the geography, climate, plants, and animals.
32. In every part of the country, Ticos (the name used for Costa Ricans) eat gallo pinto for breakfast. Gallo pinto is a mix of beans and rice from the night before, reheated and pan-fried together. This is served for breakfast in every household, every morning.
33. Soccer, or futbol as it’s called her, -is life. Every town features a futbol field, sometimes called la plaza or la concha, and this is where the town gathers and where kids come to play in the evenings.
34. The Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica has a cowboy quality to it that might surprise a lot of visitors. There is a lot of cattle ranching in this region, and rodeos make up a big part of the local entertainment.
35. Costa Rica is famous for its coffee, and Ticos will drink coffee at any hour of the day, not just in the mornings. Even on a hot afternoon, don’t be surprised to be offered a hot coffee. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find an iced coffee here, outside of major tourist hubs.
Experience Costa Rican Culture In Real Life!
- Sarchí – Step back in time on the streets of Sarchi, where woodworkers still create pieces of art in the form of furniture, rocking chairs, and ox cart wheels.
- San José City – Experience Costa Rican urban culture in the nation’s capital and largest city. Stroll Barrio Escalante, tour the National Theater, and check out La Sabana park.
- Puerto Viejo / Cahuita – Discover a different style of Costa Rica in the province of Limón, where Afro-Caribbean culture dominates. African descendants, by way of Jamaica and Panama, give the Caribbean coast a completely different history and vibe.
- Perez Zeledon – Most people know that Costa Rica produces lots of coffee and tropical fruits that we all love, but fail to realize how much farming and agriculture shape everyday life. Head to the relatively unknown Perez Zeledon area and the fertile lands surrounding the city of San Isidro to see what Costa Rica farming looks like.
Food Facts Kids Will Love
36. Most kids will be thrilled with the staple dish of Costa Rica, the casado. This simple plate is usually served with white rice, black beans, a choice of meat, a small salad, ands sometimes a few French fries or a vegetable. The food and flavors in Costa Rica tend be simple and clean.
37. Batidos are essentially fresh fruit smoothies blended with either water or milk. Nothing fancy like a Jamba Juice, these are simple like the food.
38. Try an empanada! These fried corn patties are filled with your choice of meat, cheese, beans, or a mix! They’re a great snack for refueling after a day at the beach or hiking the rainforest.
39. Patacones are another favorite. Similar to a banana, a plantain must be cooked before eating, and one of the ways to prepare it is by mashing it into disks and frying it. They are then lightly salted and used for eating ceviche, guacamole, or refried beans.
40. Craving something sweet? Try a Churchill! A Churchill is a shaved ice treat with cola syrup, condensed milk, powered milk, and vanilla ice cream. It comes from the port city of Puntarenas but is now popular all across the country. It’s probably got enough sugar for your entire vacation, so maybe just stick to one!
Beaches and Ocean Facts
41. Marino Ballena National Park is famous for the whales you can see almost year-round, whale watching AND for the shape of the beach. At low tide, there is a perfectly formed whale tail that you can walk out on, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. It’s almost too good to be true.
42. Some of Costa Rica’s beaches have white sand, while some of the beaches have black sand, from volcanic rock that journeyed over thousands of years to turn into sand, sometimes very far from any volcano.
43. Four species of sea turtles nest along the shores of Costa Rica, and they nest on both coasts! Depending on the time of year you visit, you can spot turtles coast to coast.
44. While very rare to spot them, manatees call the waters off the Caribbean coast home. These gentle giants, sometimes called sea cows, are very hard to find, but incredibly special.
45. Isla del Coco, off the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, was a hideout for pirates hundreds of years ago, and more recently was the real-life inspiration for the movie Jurassic Park. But don’t worry, we’re pretty sure there aren’t any real dinosaurs here.
See Costa Rica Beaches In Real Life!
National Park and Conservation Facts
The Térraba-Sierpe Wetland at Corcovado National Park46. Costa Rica has 28 national parks plus many private nature reserves. With over 25% of the country designated as protected land, there are plenty of parks to choose from.
47. Tortuguero National Park can only be reached by boat or small plane. There are no roads to this watery land.
48. Corcovado National Park is considered one of the wildest places on the planet and is home to the Baird’s tapir, the largest native land mammal in Central America.
49. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the best places in the world to glimpse the resplendent quetzal. The neighboring community of Monteverde was founded by Quakers in the 1950s.
Explore Costa Rica National Parks In Real Life!
| National Parks | Known For |
| Corcovado | Being one of the wildest places on the planet! |
| Manuel Antonio | Wildlife spotting here cannot be missed |
| Tortuguero | Known as the Amazon of Costa Rica, Tortuguero is only accessible by small plane or boat |
| Arenal | The most picture-perfect volcano that dominates the skyline for miles around |
| Cahuita | Gorgeous beaches and tons of wildlife, with paths right where the jungle meets the sea |
Surprising Costa Rica Facts
50. Costa Rica has no army! The country abolished the army in 1948.
51. Zoos are illegal in Costa Rica. While wildlife rehabilitation centers exist, any animal that can be rehabilitated and released into the wild must be. It is not legal to hold an animal in a zoo or a wildlife center.
52. Pura vida is more than just a catch phrase. Ticos use it to say hello, goodbye, it’s all good, and thank you. Pura vida translates to pure life, but the meaning is much broader, and it’s more a way of living than anything else.
53. Eight indigenous groups call Costa Rica home. While they make up less than 2% of the population, you can still explore the indigenous culture in some parts of the country, though in many cases, their lands are harder to access and quite remote.
Make Memories That Will Last A Lifetime
Some vacations can feel like more work than a true vacation, especially when traveling with kids. Luckily, Costa Rica has so much to see and do for both kids and adults that everyone ends up having a great time and making memories that will last.
From stunning beaches to active volcanoes, unparalleled wildlife, epic adventures like hanging bridges, ziplining, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, and more, Costa Rica really does have something for everyone. Your kids will never forget their time in Costa Rica, and neither will you.
Skip the theme parks and come to where the real world never fails to dazzle and amaze. Book your family vacation to Costa Rica today. Contact us at Costa Rica Escapes to learn more.
John Rabenau has been working in the eco-tourism & adventure travel industry in Costa Rica since 2002. He has worked in a variety of capacities from Outdoor Educator & Principle Guide to Itinerary Design Manager & Business Owner for numerous organizations. He has grown Costa Rica Escapes into one of the most reputable Costa Rica travel agencies since its creation in 2006, hosting more than 5,000 people with custom vacation itineraries.