Imagine spending your family Christmas vacation hiking through rainforests and frolicking in the crystal clear surf of a tropical paradise? Have a Costa Rica Christmas…because you can!
Cost Rica is a fantastic family vacation destination at any time of year, and even more so during the Christmas holiday break. Parades, fiestas, processions and street parties characterize December in most parts of the country and, being in at the height of tourist peak season, it means that everything – from the weather to the attractions and activities – is at its very best.
It’s not too late to plan an unforgettable Costa Rica Christmas in one of the most enticing and varied countries on earth. With its enticing culture and myriad of natural wilderness, Costa Rica offers an infinite array of exciting adventures, spectacular scenery and amazing cultural insights, for young and old alike.
So let us help you plan a Costa Rica Christmas you will never, ever, forget.
Trust the Experts
There are some parts of the country you may want to avoid when visiting during a Costa Rica Christmas holiday break. Places where the tourists outnumber locals and where crowds swell to such an extent that enjoying a particular place, no matter out extraordinary, becomes a tad challenging. An expert and trusted tour operator should always be able to cater to your needs for exclusivity when planning a wicked itinerary. They’ll know the best places to visit (and ones to avoid) and even plan your daily itinerary to dodge the crowds. Never will it be more priceless to plan a private and personalized Costa Rica tour than at Christmas, a time when families should enjoy quality time together. The best Costa Rica tour operators should be creative in tailoring your tour and take all your desires into consideration.
Expensive? It’s Relative!
While it’s true that the big holidays in Costa Rica (like Christmas and Easter) attract the highest prices, it’s also true that, relatively speaking, travel to Costa Rica is still an absolute bargain when compared to other popular holiday destinations. Sure, your flights and accommodation may be dearer than at other times of year, but they’ll still be more affordable than, say, Hawaii or the Caribbean islands. So don’t be scared off by the ‘high season pricing’, Costa Rica is one of the most rewarding travel destinations of all at Christmas, and paying a few extra bucks for the privilege of spending your family vacation here is certainly a very worthwhile thing to do. Besides, check out the red-eye flights to San Jose from LA, with arrival on Christmas Eve, and you’ll be surprised to discover how cheap flying at peak times can be.
Adrenaline-Pumping Activities
Costa Rica is renowned as an active traveler’s paradise and this is a side of the country you should definitely explore. From forest canopy zip-lines to white water river rafting, horse riding and downhill mountain biking: you name it, and in Costa Rica, you’ll find it! Costa Rica is a perfect destination for families with active teenagers in tow and also those with younger children.
The options for safe modifications of activities to suit smaller kids are always on offer. This is arguably why Costa Rica makes for such a fantastic family vacation destination. Children simply go nuts for the wildlife, the water sports, and all the fun activities enjoyed in pristine nature.
It’s a Costa Rica Christmas – Book Ahead
When traveling at peak tourist times it’s a very good idea to book as many activities as possible ahead of time. About the only thing we’d say you can safely leave until the last minute are surfing lessons, which you can book right on the beach on the day you visit. Not only will you avoid disappointment by booking ahead, but you’ll also save a neat bundle, as last-minute prices for group activities are usually much higher.
Ready to book that exceptional Christmas family experience? We offer the best Costa Rica family guided tours you’ll find anywhere, and will tailor an itinerary to suit your specific needs and wants, and those of your whole adventurous brood.
Christmas may still be a few weeks away, but Ticos have already begun decorating their homes. Around this time, locals start making 
Travel to the indigenous village of Boruca this week and you can partake in the Fiesta de los Negritos, an incredible festival which combines indigenous and Catholic rituals to create a visual spectacle like no other. The costumes are outrageous, the music and the dance hypnotic and the food on offer simply delectable. On the 8th December Costa Rica also celebrates the Lady of the Immaculate Conception, and you’ll see fiestas countrywide celebrating Mary, and plenty of young girls donning blinding-white starched skirts.
Processions, religious reenactments, fiestas, fireworks and tamales are all the rage by the third week of December. Rompopo, the local eggnog, makes an appearance at festivals, as do the tamales, of course. Nativity set competitions are held in villages all over the country.
Head to San Jose on Boxing Day and you’ll witness El Tope, a famous horse parade which is meant to showcase the prowess of the animals and skills of the riders. The festival continues the next day, with a colossal carnival taking place in the heart of the city. Large flamboyant floats, live music and more food than you can imagine!
