Five years ago, when summers were too hot to go outside and we were miserably bored in Los Angeles, I decided to find a Spanish language immersion summer camp for my kids. They were eight and six at the time and I traveled alone to Costa Rica to make that our new summer home. My husband would travel later to be with us. We didn’t know what to expect and we were ready for an adventure.
Little did we know that we would fall in love with Tamarindo and spend the next five summers there. It is a little rustic town in the province of Guanacaste with dirt roads, decent hotels and casual but very good restaurants. It is very laid back and my happy place. If you are looking for a Four Seasons Resort kind of experience, this is not the place for you. We did spend a few days at the Four Seasons and it is lovely but it’s a completely different kind of vacation. We fell in love with the simplicity, raw beauty and the nice local people of Tamarindo.
There is a little town center with clothing boutiques, handmade jewelry stores and local artisan stores. There is a large supermarket just outside of town and a new one in town; there’s also a few smaller markets scattered around town with everyday staples. The main street has many surf shops where you can rent surfing equipment and book surf lessons. My favorite thing is that you can walk from one end to the other end of town and you don’t need a car.
There’s nothing better than waking up early, walking the beach, and getting a good cup of coffee. The good thing is that there is no shortage of restaurants along the beach that provide a good view and a good cup of coffee. We like to mix it up and try different spots every day.
Surfing is a perfect family sport. I’ve tried it a few times and I’m not sure it’s my cup of tea. I may try it again but my husband and kids sure love it. It’s hard work, by the time I paddle out and am ready to catch a wave, I am exhausted! I much rather rent a boogie board and ride the waves the easy way. There are lots of places along the main road to rent surfboards and boogie boards and hire instructors for the kids.
Not that you could get tired of being in the ocean, but if you do, moving the crew to a pool is not a bad idea. There’s something fun about sitting by the pool and eating lunch and having strawberry smoothies made for the kids. The kids always find something fun to do in the water. My two favorite pools are at the Diria Hotel and at Langosta Beach Club. The Diria has two pools, the main pool just steps from the beach and the Lagoon pool located across the street at the Diria Condominiums. You have to be a resort guest to use the pools. If you are not staying there, there is also a nice pool at the Langosta Beach Club. It is located on Playa Langosta and you can rent cabanas for the day. They also have surf instructors, SUP instructors and surfboards and SUP rentals. You can make an all day activity out of going to the Langosta Beach Club. It gets super busy so I always make a reservation before going to ensure there is room for us.
If you are not staying at the Diria, there is also a nice pool at the Langosta Beach Club. It is located on Playa Langosta and you can rent cabanas for the day. They also have surf instructors, SUP instructors and surfboards and SUP rentals. You can make an all day activity out of going to the Langosta Beach Club. It gets super busy so always make a reservation before going to ensure there is room for your family. One year we failed to make a reservation and it was packed. We had to sit on the beach to get meal service and were not able to use the pool.
It wouldn’t be a trip to Costa Rica without going zip lining. It is one of our favorite things to do. Our favorite go to spot is Black Stallion Ranch. Alex, the owner, is great, he will come pick you up at your hotel and take you there. The zip lining at Black Stallion is awesome, the first drop is breath taking and it’s a hit with everyone. Alex also puts together an amazing spread of food and we usually go and make a day out of eating there, either lunch or dinner. He also serves beer and wine and has all sorts of animals running around. The last time we were there he had a big litter of puppies and the kids were so excited.
On our list for our December trip to Tamarindo, we are adding a day of four-wheel driving with lunch tour and a Catamaran tour. The Catamaran tour leaves mid day and serves lunch and has an open bar. It is an all afternoon affair. After about a few hours of sailing, they stop for snorkeling and my kids love to do tricks off the side of the boat. It’s a huge hit for my teenager girls. We usually book the Marlin Del Rey Catamaran boat. The service is really good and the food is delicious. They serve barbecue chicken, chips, homemade salsa, rice, beans, fruit and cookies for dessert. Lunch isn’t served until about 3:00pm so make sure to eat before the tour.
Along with all of this fun playtime, it is vacation after all and we all need some relaxation. This activity does not include the kiddos, but I promise after a good massage you will be a better Mom or Dad! I love to get a massage on the beach in the afternoon. I have tried many massage ladies on the beach and by far, my favorite is Karen. You can find Karen under the trees between El Be! and Mamato Restaurants. I usually pay her $40 with tip for a full hour. She has her certification and really does a good job of getting all my knots out. Even with sand and all, she manages to brush it off and I almost always completely fall asleep.
If you are looking for an all-day spa experience, my favorite place is the Spa de Eros located at the Los Altos de Eros boutique hotel in Tamarindo. We have been there five times and every time it’s a delicious day of eating, relaxing and bonding. It is adult only and my husband and I enjoy the Spa day that includes 3 treatments, a gourmet lunch with wine, and complimentary transportation. The hotel is located high in the mountain in Tamarindo and the views are spectacular. You feel like you are in the jungle. They have 5 outdoor treatment rooms and the outdoor waiting area has a jacuzzi tub and four chairs. It is small but it makes the experience all that intimate. If you have an afternoon available and can leave the kiddos at home (we usually go when they are in camp), this place is a MUST! You will not be disappointed.
So, this is my list of favorite things to do with kids in Tamarindo. If you are an adventurous traveler and you don’t mind getting in the car for four to five hours there are a ton of tours that take you to the Volcano and other areas of Costa Rica. Since I spent so much time in my car in Los Angeles driving the kids around, this never sounded good to me and we stayed pretty close to Tamarindo.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I’m looking forward to traveling to more fun places and I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you! Thank you for visiting my blog.
XOXO Jenny
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