With Grad School beginning this Fall, I hoped I could squeeze in one final trip this summer. I received my wish one night while browsing Skyscanner (my secret!) at the end of August and came across a 340$ flight to Costa Rica. I have always dreamed of visiting Costa Rica – and it is just as beautiful as I had imagined. We flew out of O’Hare at 1 A.M. August 19, arriving in Panama and then Costa Rica around 9 A.M.
Cost: 320$ Copa Airlines with an hour layover each way in Panama
*HOWEVER. I would not recommend flying COPA again even though the flight was cheap, they tried to bump Livi off of our flight home and gave the two of us an extremely hard time. Only when I refused to fly home without her did they magically find a seat for her… SUSPECT
TAXI: 20$ from the airport to our hostel (We were ripped off – users were 12$)
WARNING: Livi and I were also SUPER ripped off by a taxi trying to go back to the airport when we left Costa Rica. He took us to the bus station after he told us he would take us to the airport and tried to charge us 20$. We had to argue with him and it was a stressful situation that I wouldn’t want anyone else to have to deal with.
Hostel: Costa Rica Backpackers
Cost per night: 9$
We stayed in a 6-bed dorm which was unfortunately in the basement – it was not one of the more desirable rooms I have stayed in but the hostel overall was one of my favorite i have ever stayed in. They have happy hour everyday and we made A LOT of new friends from all over the world during our stay. There also was a friendly woman who worked as a liaison between travelers and tour groups who we visited several times during our trip to assist us in getting out of the city and into nature.
Breakfast was included at the hostel, however, it was pancakes everyday.
San Jose
– Jade Museum
-Art Museum
-Central Market
-National Park
I recommend getting away from San Jose if possible – Livi and I only spent one actual entire day exploring San Jose and it was because we unfortunately missed our bus to the beach….. That being said, it is still an interesting area but there is just so much more to see outside of the city!
Food
Courthouse Cafe Restaurant and Bar: 14$ for a margarita and a plate of veggies, chicken rice and beans. This place was across from our hostel and SO good!
Nuestra Tierra: 37$ each. While at the hostel Livi and I made some friends from New Orleans and New Zealand. We all grabbed dinner at Nuestra Tierra and had two drinks each, the ceviche as an app and the four of us split a HUGE meat plate normally for 3 people.
Colonia Tovar: This place was sooo good. I ordered an arepa that had some type of cubed pork belly which was so good it’s actually causing my mouth to water just reminiscing about it (and I don’t normally eat pork so I believe my point is made.)
Saul Bistro: This was a really adorable and eclectic looking crepe place. We dined here for our final meal in Costa Rica. The food was good, a tad bit pricey, but after 5 days of consistently eating rice and beans we were willing to pay anything just to eat something else.
Arenal Volcano and Hot Springs –
Cost: 150$
Our second day in Costa Rica we booked a trip to the Hot Springs near Arenal Volcano. The van picked us up around 7 A.M. and we journeyed three hours to Tabacon. On the way there we stopped in the town of Sarchi to see the famous ox-cart. They provided us with lunch and dinner (dinner was a buffet at Tabacon). We booked the more expensive of the hot spring resorts (unknowingly) so it was a nice surprise – we felt super boujie. The resort had a swim up bar near the pool and several different hot springs. It was extremely relaxing.
Manuel Antonio
Cost: 120$
HONESTLY – if you are in San Jose and have limited time I recommend going here above all. Not only is it where the little girl in Jurassic Park was eaten by compys but I saw a BOA IN A TREE.
The tour guide picked us up at FOUR A.M. to go on this trip… and plot twist: Livi and I were the only people on this “tour.” He drove us three hours to the Manuel Antonio National Park which was cool because I slept the entire ride. When we arrived we changed into our swimsuits and explored the park: seeing sloths, monkeys, lizards and even the Boa! We spent our time swimming in the ocean and then back exploring the park – and repeat. It was extremely hot and I burned even though I usually don’t – so I do recommend wearing sunscreen. On the way back to the hostel we had an amazing late lunch which was included at Terrazas. We also passed over the infamous crocodile bridge! It’s a highway and it was raining and super scary but it was exhilarating to see so many crocodiles over the side of a bridge that only comes up to your hips, in the pouring rain, while cars race by.
I apologize because I realize I am half-assing this blog post entry and my trip to Costa Rica was so amazing that it deserves an entry that I put much time and effort into. BUT, sadly – pursuing my Master’s degree, working full-time in a bar and part time as a TA while still attempting to maintain a social life is taking priority and for the time being this blog entry will have to do. I highly recommend everyone visits Costa Rica – it was beautiful and I had such a fun time. We met so many interesting and fun fellow travelers from all over the world, thanks to our hostel. Anyone who knows me can vouch that I travel a lot and have stayed in a lot of hostels but never have I met such cool people as on this trip. x
Runaway Blond 