I just booked 7 nights for Marriott Vacation Club Los Suenos in Playa Herradura (north of Jaco, about 90 mins from SJO). There is a larger Marriott Resort next door. There are homes and condos on AirBnB along the beach areas also. I thought about splitting up trip and looked into Guanacaste also. Not sure I want to do the long drive.

Anonymous wrote:Jaco is two hours from San Jose

Jaco is absolutely not a beach town for elderly or toddler. More known for young people and nightlife. If mobility issues are a concern for the elderly member I would seriously reconsider CR. San Jose isn’t somewhere you want to spend much time either.

There are a handful of inclusive or partially inclusive resorts in the northwestern part of CR, Guanacaste, but the drive is longer than two hours from SJO. Beach front homes may exist, but I never saw one. Liberia Airport would be closer.

Quepos area beaches are closer but the resorts are smaller and on a steep hillside for the most part. Beaches are nice enough but not the number 1 attraction (though the beaches in Manuel Antonio are beautiful). Our resort had a a golf cart shuttle to take you down the hill to the beach, which was nice with little kids (Arenas Del Mar).

Anonymous wrote:Agree with PP. Don’t go to Costa Rica for the beaches! I wouldn’t stay in San Jose either.

+1. Save Costa Rica for when your kid is older. You aren't going to be able to do the adventure stuff either.

We stayed here 2 nights after flying into San Jose (I wouldn’t stay in the city). Only 30 min or so from the airport and gorgeous. We had little kids us too- I think someone on this board originally recommended it when I was looking.
https://fincarosablanca.com/en/

Agree with PP. Don’t go to Costa Rica for the beaches! I wouldn’t stay in San Jose either.

Fly into Liberia. Stay in Las Catalinas.

Anonymous wrote:Ps. Costa Rican beaches are generally not as good as others in the Caribbean. I love Costa Rica if the main thing I wanted was a relaxing beach vacation, I’d go to Aruba or Cancun or playa del Carmen or many other Caribbean islands.

I agree with this; and as others have noted the beaches aren’t close to San Jose (Liberia is a better airport for that). you can rent houses in beach communities in parts of Guanacaste, but the beaches are not beautiful white sand beaches, and houses actually on the beach, as opposed to a five or 10 minute walk often involving hills, are rare. Costa Rica does not sound like the right destination for you.

Ps. Costa Rican beaches are generally not as good as others in the Caribbean. I love Costa Rica if the main thing I wanted was a relaxing beach vacation, I’d go to Aruba or Cancun or playa del Carmen or many other Caribbean islands.

Guanacaste papgayo region. Agree. Fly into San Jose and out through Liberia.

We have Marriott points, so we really enjoyed the San Jose Marriott and the el mangrove guanacaste.

If you want to stop in arenal/ La fortuna on the way and see volcano arenal and the hot springs, thetas a fun thing too.

Your kids will love the animals and the waterfall at the peace lodge near San Jose.

Peninsula Papagayo. It’s perfect. The Four Seasons or other resorts there are incredible with their beaches and sunsets and restaurants.

Anonymous wrote:Fly into Liberia. Closer to nicer beaches.

+1

Jaco is two hours from San Jose

Fly into Liberia. Closer to nicer beaches.

Unless you fly, it will be at least four hours to get to a beach. I’m not aware of a robust oceanfront rental market in Costa Rica but maybe I’m wrong.

Traveling with any elderly parent and toddler, so need a beach location that's close (within 2 hours of San Jose) that we can get a house directly on the beach. Probably not going to do anything too adventurous on this trip, more for relaxation. Any recommendations?