Pura Vida in Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

Peninsula Papagayo is a 1,400-acre private paradise on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast with three luxury hotels, private residences, and multiple resort amenities. It’s the perfect spot for adventure and relaxation with a beach club, multiple pools, 16 restaurants, golf, racquet sports, biking, hiking, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, a marina, native wildlife, Papagayo Park, and the Ariel Adventure Park.

My family stayed at the Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, a luxurious rainforest clifftop retreat overlooking the Pacific. While it is definitely family friendly (my kids loved it!), it leans more towards adults and had impeccable service. The resort has its own hanging bridge spanning much of the property, which was definitely a highlight to cross several times a day.

The Four Seasons is your quintessential family-friendly luxurious five-star beach resort. It is flatter, has multiple pools and restaurants, and two expansive flat beaches, one on each side of the resort.

The Andaz is built into a cliff-like setting with sweeping bay views with an amazing beach club and swimmable beaches. Think vibrant, social energy meets approachable barefoot luxury.

Within the Peninsula, families will find no shortage of ways to fill their days—from the waterslides, splash pad, and pump track at Papagayo Park to pickleball, tennis, golf, and the marina. Papagayo Explorers is the Peninsula’s in-house adventure and eco-tour operation, offering almost every Costa Rican experience you can think of.

Just beyond the gates, there are tons of other options for adventures that offer the full Costa Rica experience without having to venture hours away deep into the rainforest. Think boating, snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, wildlife encounters, zip-lining, tubing, horseback riding, ATV’s, waterfalls, hot springs, volcanic mud baths, and hanging bridges. All within a reasonable drive from the Peninsula. Some of the highlights for my family were tubing down the Rio Colorado and ziplining over the canyons at the base of Rincon de la Vieja. We also took a quick boat ride to a nearby surf break and all learned how to surf on this trip!

Niri at the Nekajui Beach Club: Get the croquettes, they are amazing. We ate them multiple times. To reach the beach club, you take a funicular down which is a really cool experience with gorgeous views of the forest and bay.

Drinks at Ambar at the Nekajui: Go at sunset for the most amazing views of the property and the ocean. You may even see monkeys in the trees above you.

Pesca: Vibrant Italian Seafood at the Four Seasons. This restaurant has indoor seating if you need a night indoors.

Bahia at the Four Seasons: Latin American cuisine in a gorgeous outdoor setting overlooking the pool.

Nemare Steakhouse at the Peninsula Papagayo Golf Clubhouse: Gorgeous Latin steakhouse with a patio adjacent to the golf course. All of their steaks were incredible.

Chao Pescoa: Delicious tapas at the Andaz beachside restaurant overlooking the ocean.