First-Timer's Guide to Costa Rica: 1-Week Itinerary

Costa Rica has two major international airports. Depending on where you’re flying from, I’ll help you choose the flight itinerary that is best for you. Once on the ground, hop in your private transfer or rental car (driving in Costa Rica is not as scary as it used to be) and head north.

Your destination: Los Chiles on the Río Frío, near the Nicaraguan border. You might be scratching your head—you haven’t seen Los Chiles in your guidebook or on your "For You" page on social media, and that’s the point. This region of Costa Rica measures its annual international visitors in four figures (roughly 5,000 at last count), not the crowds that other regions get. What better place to relax into your vacation, leave the worries at home, and start living the Pura Vida lifestyle?

I know the perfect luxury tented camp for the first stop of your trip. You’ll be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the jungle around you. After a delicious breakfast, head for the private dock at your hotel. You’ll explore the Caño Negro Nature Reserve today with a guide who can help point out and identify the local wildlife.

In the afternoon, visit a local chocolate farmer to learn more about this worldwide fave and how small farmers are the roots behind many of our sweet treats. Back at your luxury tented camp, it is time for a refreshing drink and another meal of local dishes.

Wave goodbye to Los Chiles and head south toward the cloud forest of Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco. This afternoon, enjoy the trails of the Reserva Natural Montaña Sagrada. Winding through the cloud forest and up to a viewing platform, this is the perfect place to experience the mountains of Costa Rica for the first time.

The next morning, get your steps in at Catarata del Toro, a dramatic waterfall inside the crater of an extinct volcano surrounded by tropical forest. Along the way, you can choose your own adventure to make your trek longer or shorter, depending on how adventurous you feel. In the afternoon, visit a local coffee farm to learn more about the trees that produce the beans that most of us start our day with. You’ll get a chance to taste local coffee, as well as other beverages and treats made from local products.

On day five, it's time for some relaxation! Enjoy a slow morning at your hotel—perhaps breakfast in bed or a leisurely cup of coffee while taking in the views from your terrace. Also on the agenda today: pool time and a visit to the spa. This is a vacation, after all!

Costa Rica is known for its beaches, and today you’re headed to Nosara on the Pacific Coast. By the time you’re reading this, construction on a new highway should drastically cut down the drive time, but there are also hopper flights available that cut the travel time in half.

Nosara is probably best known for its surf and yoga culture and its relaxed approach to life—that’s why it is the perfect spot to end your trip to Costa Rica. You can take a surf lesson, get your flow on in a yoga session, enjoy a beach day, relax at your luxury hotel with views of the coastline or, if you’re still game for more adventure, experience one of the many tours in the area. Zip lines, ATVs, horseback riding, kayaking, mountain biking—the options are seemingly endless!

It’s time to go home, but I know you’ll be back, just like I know I’ll be back. Costa Rica is one of those destinations you can visit over and over, experiencing something new each time.