Discover Dino Park Blue River – Costa Rica’s Most Roaring Amusement Park!
Costa Rica boasts several amusement parks that make for great inclusions on family adventure vacations, none more rewarding than the Dino Park Blue River. Nestled deep in the luscious jungles of the Guanacaste Province, right on the banks of a gorgeous Celeste River and on the flanks of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, the animatronic Jurassic-Park-themed attraction offers fun and educational activities the kids will love, in a tropical setting that adults will absolutely cherish.
Easy to reach from the Liberia Airport and part of the beautiful Blue River Resort, Dino Park is a quirky and unique destination that’s ideal on relaxing days off your action-packed adventure Costa Rica vacation.
Dino Park Blue River – What’s It All About?
A Jurassic-Park-themed amusement park may not be a unique idea yet it’s the setting of Dino Park that makes it stand out from similar attractions around the world. The park comprises two dozen life-sized, true-as-anything animatronic dinosaurs, among them velociraptors, brachiosaurus (the ones with the long neck), pterosaurs and the crowd-fave, T-rex (the ones with the short arms), scattered about a swath of pristine rainforest. The ginormous creatures are not only amazingly realistic to look at but they growl and roar as you walk past, turning what would be a glorious jungle walk into a thrilling and giggle-inducing adventure.
This is the only attraction of its kind in all of Latin America and although the Blue River Resort may have taken a gamble when it first came up with the idea of a ‘jungle walking trail with a difference’ back in 2016, the park’s popularity is testament to it being a rather genius idea indeed. It’s also worth noting that the resort maintained its eco-friendly commitment throughout the building of the park – not a single tree was ever cut down to construct what has now become Costa Rica’s most popular amusement park.
At Dino Park, you can enjoy a leisurely guided walk through the pristine Rincon de la Vieja jungle along a well-marked trail, dotted with loads of informational boards so you (and the kids) can learn all about these fearsome creatures and the Costa Rican rainforest.
Does Costa Rica Have a Connection with Dinosaurs?
In fact, it does not. Costa Rica was still below sea-level when the behemoth creatures last walked the earth. However, the country – and specifically it’s UNESCO-listed Coco Island – was famously the inspiration for Spielberg’s film, Jurassic Park, so everyone in Costa Rica has held a fervent fascination with the film, and dinosaurs, ever since.
Intended to attract, entertain and educate the children of Costa Rica, Dino Park is a must-visit for anyone as obsessed with dinosaurs as the Ticos!
How Long Does a Visit to Dino Park Take?
The complete walking trail can be covered in about an hour but given the nearly-infinite chances for excellent selfies, most visits last between two and three hours.
When is Dino Park Blue River Open?
Dino Park is open every day from 8am to 5pm – at time of writing, entry costs $50 for adults and $35 for children under the age of 12.
Blue River Resort & Hot Springs – An All-In-one Accommodation Choice
Given the park is part of the Blue River Resort, you have the option of staying next door and visit the park even more leisurely. The resort is one of Guanacaste’s best picks with five hot springs, wildlife exhibits, swimming pool with kid’s play corner, natural mud baths and wellness spa offering a varied and enticing array of services. As far as activities are concerned, and aside from the fantastical Dino Park, the resort also offers zip-lining, whitewater rafting and tubing excursions, as well as horseback riding and snorkeling tours.
Don’t fancy staying there? You can buy a combination ticket that gives you entry to Dino Park, lunch at the kiosk and use of the resort’s many facilities for the day.
How to Get to Dino Park and What to do in Guanacaste
The Blue River Resort and its Dino Park are a 1.5 hr drive from the Liberia International Airport, by far your best airport choice if you want to explore the wilderness, gorgeous beaches and resorts of the Guanacaste Province.
Nestled between a spine of spectacular mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Guanacaste Province covers the north-western region of Costa Rica (all the way to the border with Nicaragua) and is as famous for its luxury seaside resorts as it is about its awe-inspiring volcanoes.
Why is Guanacaste so popular? The ease of access, ease of travel and sheer concentration of hotels, resorts, lodges, attractions and adventures make Guanacaste particularly ideal if you’re a bit tight for time. Fly into Liberia and you could be taking your first surfing lesson within just a couple of hours – something that just isn’t possible if you fly into the capital, San Jose.
Where to stay – One of the most diverse of all Costa Rica’s many provinces, Guanacaste offers something for everyone – from 5* all-inclusive resorts ideal for families to boutique adults-only resorts for romantic honeymoons. This is undoubtedly the province of choice if you’re either visiting Costa Rica for the first time or if you’re craving an adventure vacation with a few added creature comforts. See our preferred Guanacaste Hotels if you’d love a more exclusive and less-crowded experience.
Beaches – The Guanacaste world is your oyster with the province offering a mind-boggling array of highlights. The province’s spectacular beaches are undoubtedly the main draw, the long stretch of coast home to such world-renowned gems as Tamarindo, Playa Hermosa, Conchal and so many more. Here, you’ll find every beach offers a unique scene, be it surfing, family-friendly, quiet and romantic or active and full of fun water-based sports.
Jungles and forests – Some of Costa Rica’s most coveted national parks are found right here, with Rincon de la Vieja, Las Baulas and Santa Rosa being the most popular. Brimming with a host of exotic wildlife (including nesting sea turtles in season) as well as striking volcano hiking trails and plenty of waterfalls for refreshing swims, your wilderness-based activities here are nearly endless. Guanacaste is also the gateway to the remote Nicoya Peninsula, a dramatically wild corner of Costa Rica that entices travelers looking for a wilder and more rustic wilderness experience.
Adventure sports & excursions – Hiking is absolutely superb in Guanacaste, especially in parks like Rincon de la Vieja that see fewer visitors compared with Arenal and Manuel Antonio, further south. This is where we go when we have time off, want to get away from the world and enjoy a thrilling day in the Guanacaste wilderness. We definitely consider this one of the top 10 Secret Wonders of Costa Rica.
Aside from trekking, however, you’ll find a host of exciting adventures in the region, including oodles of seaside adventures like snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing and sailing, and plenty of jungle exploits such as zip-lining and canopy touring. Due to its genial location, we choose to base most of our Guanacaste tours out of beautiful Tamarindo as it gives us easy access to the region’s very best attractions.
Check out our comprehensive Guide to Guanacaste so you can have an even better idea of all this amazing province has to offer.
Our Guided Tours and Organized Adventures in Guanacaste
At Costa Rica Rios, we run organised adventure tours (both fully guided and not, depending on your desires) throughout Costa Rica and always prefer taking our guests to off-the-beaten-path destinations they’d probably never get to experience on their own.
In Guanacaste, we offer an amazing Luxury Adventure Honeymoon, a 7-night adventure that offers all the thrills and spills you’d expect in Costa Rica (like extreme canyoning and whitewater rafting) with private transfers and overnight stays in beautiful hotels. This fully-organised yet unguided experience offers you the best of both worlds when honeymooning in Costa Rica. We give you peace of mind and take care of all the logistics yet offer independence and privacy on an day-to-day basis.
If you’d love to just come out and play with us for the day, however, we also have a choice of brilliant half and full-day excursions you can enjoy – perfect if you want just a hint of adventure-filled sports on vacation. Take particular note of our Rincon de la Vieja Volcano Adventure Day, a day that’s jam-packed with exhilarating fun!
See all our award-winning Costa Rica Adventure Tours and ask us how to include a visit to the super-fun Dino Park Blue River on your action-packed itinerary.
You can contact us, right here:
US & Canada: 888 434-0776 | UK: 0800 612 8718 | International: +1 920 434-7485
