Top Costa Rica Kid-Friendly Tours

Home to over 100 species of animals, five waterfalls, and a cloud forest the Wildlife Refuge La Paz Waterfall Gardens is bursting with biodiversity. Visit, explore, learn, and even hike among the sloths, monkeys, tropical birds, pumas, ocelots, and more who call Costa Rica’s most visited private ecological reserve home. Take in the incredible plant life like wild orchids on this full-day tour from San Jose with lunch included.

San Jose is filled with amazing attractions to see such as the National Theater of Costa Rica and the Metropolitan Cathedral, but if you’re not familiar with San Jose, it could take you ages to see everything on your list. Take this San Jose nighttime city tour and travel with a guide who knows their way around under the city lights. Plus, dinner and round-trip transport are both included.

Experience the thrill of rafting down Costa Rica’s Balsa River on this small-group white-water adventure. Following the lead of an experienced guide, navigate Class II and III rapids as you pass through a lush rainforest landscape for a safe and unforgettable journey. After working up an appetite paddling down the river, enjoy a delicious buffet-style lunch at our private restaurant located next to the famous El Salto swimming hole. Round-trip transport from your La Fortuna hotel is included.

San Jose is the cultural capital of Costa Rica and boasts a rich and varied history. Get acquainted with the city’s charms on a private tour, featuring a customizable itinerary of must-see attractions and private transportation through the city’s maze of trafficked avenues.

Explore the wild beauty and rich biodiversity of Costa Rica’s famed Arenal region on this combo hiking and waterfall tour from La Fortuna. Trek along the different levels of hanging bridges in the rain forest at Mistico Park, and later take a short hike to reach the tropical cascade of La Fortuna Waterfall. Replenish your energy with a delicious Costa Rican lunch at a local restaurant.

See how La Fortuna transforms after sunset with this guided walking tour. Your guide will take you and your party into a natural area, where you'll learn about local crepuscular and nocturnal creatures and maybe see some yourself, such as owls, snakes, and colorful frogs—if you’re lucky, you may even spot a red-eyed tree frog.

Explore Costa Rica’s natural beauty with this shore excursion to the Veragua Rainforest and Tortuguero Canals. Visit the rainforest’s wildlife attractions (admission not included), enjoy a guided boat ride through the canals, and take a brief city tour of Puerto Limon. The tour also includes a stop at a local grocery store for coffee shopping and round-trip port transfers.

Encounter the best of Costa Rica's wildlife, cuisine, and famous natural beauty on a combo shore excursion from Puntarenas. Watch adorable white-faced monkeys playing in the trees, and spot crocs and birdlife on a pontoon cruise down the Tarcoles River. Learn the history of the bustling Puntarenas port, and indulge your taste buds with locally grown fruit and an authentic Costa Rican lunch at a local restaurant, and a chance to buy authentic Costa Rican coffee.

Explore three of Costa Rica’s natural highlights on an easy small-group day tour from La Fortuna. Nature-loving travelers who are short on time will love walking over the hanging bridges, hiking to Arenal Volcano, and swimming at La Fortuna Waterfall all in one day. Admire impressive views throughout the day and learn more about Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity from your guide.

Maximize your port day in Puntarenas with this jam-packed combo tour that introduces you to the best of the Gulf of Nicoya. Drive through the Costa Rican countryside to a nature reserve, explore the rain forest canopy on hanging bridges, and spot crocs on a cruise down the Tarcoles River. Check out local culture with shopping stops at a replica Spanish Village and fun souvenir store, and finish with a city sightseeing tour.

This sampler adventure tour from San Jose fits the best of Costa Rica's rivers and rainforests into one action-packed day. En route, go croc-spotting at a famous overlook on the Tarcoles River. Then head to the jungle adventure park where you can choose two activities from a list of thrilling options, including ziplining, surfing lessons, an ATV adventure through the rainforest, or a chocolate experience.

Experience the adrenaline of Bungee jump (150 meters) above La Balsa river. You will enjoy the life of the forest from the top  of the trees - more than 500 acres of forest with an amazing view: 10 cables, 10 platforms, 3 trails, 2 hanging bridges, 1 Tarzan swing - total of 1045m. The canopy is a network of cables, towers and suspended platforms through the treetops of the cloud forest.

Max out the adrenaline (and the fun) during this full-day adventure combining a white-water rafting trip and zipline excursion. Zoom through the rain forest canopy during a series of heart-pounding zipline rides, some on cable spans as long as 3,200 feet (980 meters). Then battle the Class II and III rapids of the Balsa River. Lunch, snacks, and rafting gear are all included.

If you're planning a cruise ship stop at Limon, explore Costa Rica’s famous rain forest by air and water on this combo eco adventure. Spot native wildlife like howler monkeys, sloths, and crocodiles on a cruise down the bio-rich Tortuguero Canal, and then get your adrenaline pumping with a thrilling zipline flight through the treetops. Round-trip transport from the cruise terminal and between activities makes for a seamless and stress-free day at port.

Visit the active Poas Volcano, an epic waterfall, and the one-and-only Starbucks Coffee Farm on a day trip perfect for nature and coffee lovers who are short on time but want to see it all. The small-group tour reveals cloud-forest scenery, plantations, and farms along the way to the second largest crater in the world. Plus, see behind the scenes at the farm that grows Starbucks’ renown coffee.

Get a taste of San Jose’s culture and cuisine on this walking tour that includes snacks. Explore Costa Rica’s capital alongside a guide who alleviates the hassle of navigating, and learn about the city’s history, architecture as you taste. Explore the produce stalls of two traditional markets and discover what makes Costa Rican coffee so delicious as you sample some local brews.

Get closer to nature while still experiencing thrills during a fun-filled day in the jungle at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic eco-reserve. Your multi-pass gives you access to six different activities, so you can ride an aerial tram, encounter native critters at a butterfly and frog garden, cross a hanging bridge, and explore the jungle on a nature hike at your own pace. Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the treetops on ziplines, including one of the longest and fastest in the country.

This well-rounded tour is the perfect way for nature lovers to experience the best of Costa Rica's outdoor beauty. Enjoy a scenic boated on the Rio Frio with departure near the border of Nicaragua. Cruise through the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge and see the incredible biodiversity that makes this nation to unique. You'll have up close encounters with birds, snakes, herons and other animals, as well as various species of monkeys and sloths.

Go deep into the rain forest surrounding the Arenal volcano on a 2-in-1 combo tour that includes a safari float, canopy walk, and the scenic La Fortuna waterfall. Watch for monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and caimans while navigating a gentle river, then get a bird’s-eye view of the forest as you walk between treetops on a series of narrow suspension bridges. Continue to a jungle waterfall, slip into clear water fringed with lush foliage, then enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch and locally grown coffee before returning to your hotel.

Learn about the chocolate industry in Costa Rica on this private 7-hour tour from San Jose. You'll visit Tirimbina, a private biological reserve in the rain forest and take a guided hike across a suspension bridge to a cacao plantation. Get an intimate look at the chocolate-making process, from fruit to chocolate bar. Lunch is included.

With its cascading waterfalls and abundant wildlife, the Pacuare River is rightfully famous for its natural beauty. Paddle through the river gorge, navigating 52 Class II-IV rapids as you go, on this 12-hour trip from San Jose. Take in views of the tropical rain forest and wildlife such as sloths, parrots, and toucans as you ride the river (and your adrenaline rush) over the course of the day.

Spend a half day touring the Arenal Volcano with a guide, learning the history of the volcano from its first eruption in 1968. You’ll have a moderate walk of about 1.5k to the viewpoint, where you’ll have views of the Green Lagoon and Lake Arenal. Along the way you’ll see the wildlife of the rainforest, including turkeys, toucans, monkeys, orioles, and snakes!

One of the most popular activities in La Fortuna, a guided hanging bridges tour is a fool-proof way to spot wildlife and learn more about the Costa Rican rain forest. This nighttime hanging bridges tour in Mistico Park puts a twist on the classic excursion by introducing you to the forest's nocturnal residents, such as honey bears, barn owls, and over 4,500 species of nocturnal butterflies (twice the number of daytime butterflies!). This tour includes pickup and drop-off from some centrally located La Fortuna hotels.

Experience a small group guided hike through the lava flows formed by volcanic activity at the Arenal Volcano. The hike is just under a mile, and is easy to moderate level. Learn the history of when the volcano erupted in 1968, and hear how the town was rebuilt afterwards, out of almost total destruction. You can visit the hot springs at the end if you wish.