7 days in Costa Rica Itinerary
Created using Klarna Trips Costa Rica trip planner
Start: New York City
Fly to San Jose, Shuttle to La Fortuna de San Carlos
1
La Fortuna de San Carlos
— 3 nights
Drive
2
Tortuguero
— 1 night
Drive
3
Manuel Antonio
— 1 night
Drive
4
Jaco
— 1 night
Fly
End: New York City
Sun, May 28 - Sat, Jun 3
Edit
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
View full calendar
La Fortuna de San Carlos — 3 nights
©
Set against the backdrop of the imposing Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna de San Carlos offers visitors a chance to explore diverse natural landscapes and sample some delicious local produce.La Fortuna de San Carlos is known for nature, adventure, and parks. Your trip includes some of its best attractions: take in the natural beauty of Tabacon Hot Springs, let the river carry you with a rafting and tubing tour, get outside with Outdoor Activities, and look for gifts at Galeria Aguas Verdes.
For photos, other places to visit, ratings, and other tourist information, you can read our La Fortuna de San Carlos travel itinerary planner.
New York City, USA to La Fortuna de San Carlos is an approximately 11-hour combination of flight and shuttle. You can also drive. The time zone difference moving from Eastern Standard Time to Central Standard Time is minus 1 hour. Cap off your sightseeing on the 31st (Wed) early enough to go by car to Tortuguero.
Side Trip
Find places to stay May 28 — 31:
Highlights from your trip
Tortuguero — 1 night
©
Costa Rica's Amazon
One of Costa Rica's least accessible destinations, Tortuguero sits within an eponymous national park and remains accessible only by plane or boat.On the 1st (Thu), explore the wealth of natural beauty at Tortuguero National Park.
For reviews, maps, traveler tips, and other tourist information, go to the Tortuguero day trip planning site.
Getting from La Fortuna de San Carlos to Tortuguero by car takes about 3.5 hours. Other options: take a shuttle; or do a combination of bus and taxi. In May, daytime highs in Tortuguero are 86°F, while nighttime lows are 73°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 1st (Thu) early enough to go by car to Manuel Antonio.
Find places to stay May 31 — Jun 1:
Highlights from your trip
See timeline
Manuel Antonio — 1 night
©
The rainforest meets the sea at Manuel Antonio National Park, a small but scenic natural preserve on the west coast of Costa Rica.Start off your visit on the 2nd (Fri): kick back and relax at Playa Manuel Antonio and then relax and float downstream with a rafting and tubing tour.
Plan my day in Manuel Antonio using traveler tips and tourist information provided by Klarna Trips.
You can drive from Tortuguero to Manuel Antonio in 5.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of taxi and bus; or do a combination of ferry and bus. Finish your sightseeing early on the 2nd (Fri) to allow enough time to drive to Jaco.
Find places to stay Jun 1 — 2:
Highlights from your trip
Jaco — 1 night
©
A seaside resort town with plenty of entertaining distractions along its attractive coastline, Jaco has long been a major tourist destination on the central Pacific coast.On the 3rd (Sat), tour the pleasant surroundings at Royal Butterflies.
To see traveler tips, more things to do, other places to visit, and more tourist information, use the Jaco online holiday planner.
Traveling by car from Manuel Antonio to Jaco takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 3rd (Sat) to allow enough time to fly back home.
Find places to stay Jun 2 — 3:
Highlights from your trip
See timeline
Costa Rica travel guide
Tiny in terms of land area, Costa Rica is astoundingly diverse when it comes to culture and natural attractions. In a country called "Rich Coast", it's no surprise most Costa Rica vacations dedicate at least a few days to picturesque Pacific and Caribbean beaches, ideal for water sports and relaxation. Few small countries offer such a range of landscapes, allowing tourists to observe towering volcanoes while soaking away their worries in a hot spring, or hike into dense rainforests in the morning and surf at a modern resort in the afternoon. A trip to Costa Rica also lets you discover pristine national parks, ensuring plenty of chances to view wildlife from the comfort of eco-friendly lodges packed with amenities even ardent nature lovers secretly desire.
