How to Travel in Costa Rica for 5 Days

How to Travel in Costa Rica for 5 Days | Part I

“Because of you, I laugh a little harder, cry less, and smile more.” ~Unknown

It started in 2009: five girls and a beach.

It was perfect. We laughed, drank, laid out, cried, sun ☀️, drank more, and ate excellent beach snacks. Then the next day, we repeated everything, laughed more, drank way more, and even cried more.

We all went through some tough “hurricanes” during those yearly beach trips” in our lives. It didn’t matter. We had each other, and we still do.

No matter what we are going through in our lives, we develop our “Beach Tribe.” Our beach 🏖 trips are not as consistent as they used to be, but I know I can call on my girls whenever I need a friend.

Since I have been living in Costa Rica, I have had many ladies visit me, and last week, I had one of my beach girls, Katie, visit.

Each month, I plan to drop trips that I did or my friends who visited me, and you can check out what we did. You can also contact Costa Rican Vacations for them to set up your vacation as well!

Day #1 Travel Day and Samara, Costa Rica

Katie flew to Liberia and jumped on Southwest Airlines from San Antonio. I usually take United Flights due to my mileage status, so whatever you choose will be right! Katie was in Liberia by 12:30 pm. Since I work for Costa Rican Vacations, I was able to rent a car for a couple of weeks with Adobe Rent-a-Car. No hidden fees!

I grabbed lunch at La Choza de Laurel Liberia, right by the airport (must go!), and drove to Samara, Costa Rica, where I am currently living. We stopped in Nicoya at a Maxi Pali (Wal-Mart) and grabbed some goodies to take back to Samara, as I knew I could grab a few things in a bigger city than in Samara.

We got back to my apartment and immediately went out to the beach of Samara to see the sunset. After that, we head over to Gusto Beach for dinner. The pizza 🍕 is good if you like thin crust, and it is a trendy spot. It’s a great place to go during the day if you have kids and easy access to the beach but stay for the sunset if you can!

Day #2 Beach Hopping Day

I started the morning off with coffee ☕️ on the beach, and Katie joined me. I made us a late breakfast consisting of eggs, a piece of toast, watermelon, and pineapple. I am a creature of habit when it comes to my meals.

After breakfast, we decided to check out a couple of beaches south of us. On the way to Playa Carrillo, I took Katie to a piece of land I wanted to buy, BUT the land had been sold. I still think it is my land :)

We stopped at Playa Carrillo and played on the palm trees and in the ocean. We thought about checking out the other beaches but saw the rain 🌧 was coming in. I love Playa Carrillo because it has a beautiful beach, but then the palm trees are stunning, as they will provide some beautiful shade during a sweltering day in Costa Rica.

We drove back to Samara, walked into town on the beach, and grabbed a late lunch at Locanda, @locandasamarabeach. It was a TON of food. We should have split something but truly enjoyed the food and the service. And the little gato (cat) that ended up eating Katie’s squid that she didn’t finish. (PS. Dogs run the town in Samara!)

We walked back to the apartment and saw the local family I am friends with. Said Hello, and Renee suggested that we go to a waterfall in the Liberia area since that is where Katie would fly out on Wednesday. So we started searching and realized what we would do Mon – Wednesday. So Katie and I went back to the place to grab a drink. For me, a coffee, and for her, an adult beverage. We chatted, laughed, cried, and enjoyed each other’s company while watching the sunset.

We returned to the apartment and were not hungry, so we sat on the bed and split a KitKat bar for dinner. Oh, the joys of being an adult :)

Sidenote: When people visit, I recognize that the first day can feel long since Samara is 2 hours from the airport. So, I knew that we needed more beach time than travel time.

UGH! This went way too long! Stay tuned for Part II as we talk about days 3 – 4 because those days are incredible!

Are you interested in Costa Rica and the fitness retreat I plan to do in 2023? What about triathlon in Costa Rica? We have options. Stay tuned but enjoy the photos.