How To Plan A Trip To Costa Rica For Free Step By Step
Nikki Solano
Last updated on July 16th, 2024 at 02:29 pm
Written by Nikki Solano
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
A few nights ago, I caught the tail end of the Academy Award-winning movie The Help and I let the words of the main character, Aibileen, sink in: “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” I also bawled like a baby at the end of the movie when (spoiler alert!) little Mae bangs on the windowpane for her beloved Aibileen’s return. I wondered if fictitious little Mae would remember the inspiring words of wisdom she was told, and if so, whether the words would shape her life for the better. Then I questioned whether all forms of help that support and uplift others possess a similar kind of power.
I started thinking about the help we provide travelers who set out to plan a trip to Costa Rica. Ricky and I like to think that our style in helping others build their dream Costa Rica vacation is similar to the confidence-building strategy that Aibileen employed toward her precious Mae. You is kind. You issmart. Youis important. That you are, you can, you will attitude resonates well with us, and if there’s one message above all others that we aim to deliver to travelers, it’s this message of empowerment and encouragement: You can plan your own trip to Costa Rica. You don’t need to buy a vacation package to experience Costa Rica, and you don’t need to rely on a travel agent to get what you want. No matter the destinations you want to visit, the time of year you’re able to travel, or the amount of money in your bank account, if you’re a do-it-yourself kind of traveler, you can plan your own trip to Costa Rica.
With a little help anything is possible, so allow us to be the Aibileen to your Mae. Let us shower you with support so you can cleanse yourself with confidence. Let us hold your hand and lead you far enough until you’ve listened to us, leaned on us, and learned from us as much as you need before giving Costa Rica vacation planning a go on your own. Start by reading our article below. It will show you how to plan a trip to Costa Rica for free on your own in 8 simple steps.
Step #1: Get to know Costa Rica
Put your mind at ease early by familiarizing yourself with the country and learning some of the basics of Costa Rica travel.
The above articles provide introductory information about Costa Rica, including safety tips to put your mind at ease with respect to travel in the country, suggestions regarding the best times of year to travel, and helpful airport information to keep in mind as you research flights.
Proceed to “HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO COSTA RICA STEP #2” when you have read the above texts.
Step #2: Determine your vacation window
Figure out how much time you want (or are able) to spend in Costa Rica.
If your vacation time is determined by work, school, or other demands, you may not have much say in this step of the Costa Rica trip-planning process. However, if you’re able to be flexible with your Costa Rica vacation planning, use all or some of our free Costa Rica itinerary guides to figure out how many days and nights you should spend in the country. Our detailed itinerary guides also cover how the process of planning a trip to Costa Rica differs according to the amount of time you have to spend here.
If your flights to and from Costa Rica aren’t yet set, allow your destination interests to influence your airport/flight plans. This can help minimize in-country travel time. For example, if you are interested in visiting a Central Pacific beach, consider flying into and out of the San Jose airport (SJO). If you’re interested in visiting a Northern Pacific beach, consider flying into and out of the Liberia airport (LIR).
Proceed to “HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO COSTA RICA STEP #4” when you have determined which airport you would like to fly into and out of, as well as which Costa Rica destinations you would like to visit. Note that only a rough idea of destinations is needed during this step; a list of exact cities, towns, and beaches isn’t needed just yet.
Step #4: Choose cities, towns, and beaches to visit based on your tour and activity preferences
Use our recommended “bottom-up approach to trip planning” to narrow down the destinations (i.e., the Costa Rica cities, towns, and beaches) you would like to visit and determine how much time you should spend at each.
Give you an understanding of the types of tours and activities that are available in Costa Rica and which in particular interest you.
Help you determine which cities, towns, and beaches would be the best for you to visit according to the tours and activities that interest you the most.
Help you determine how many days and nights you should spend at each destination according to the number of tours and activities you wish to experience.
The easiest way to find discounts for the tours and activities you’re interested in experiencing is to browse our discount database according to one of the following three categories:
You can also browse our discount database according to traveler type, which is a great way for families to learn where extra discounts are available to students and children:
You can also narrow your search within our discount database to display discounts for Costa Rica tours that a) are education-based, b) are family-friendly, c) are good for wildlife-viewing, d) encourage personal pampering, e) are super for senior travelers, or f) are time-efficient tours that squeeze multiple experiences into a short amount of time. Alternatively, you can search our tour discounts by activity adrenaline level (“mild” vs. “extreme”), difficulty level (across “low”, “mild”, “moderate”, and “high” levels), or tour guide requirement (“guided tours” vs. “unguided tours”). If you’re unsure whether you would like to participate in guided tours and activities throughout your trip, you may find our related blog post helpful: Guided Tours In Costa Rica: Are They Necessary, Valuable, And/Or Worthwhile?
If you would rather read about our specific experiences participating in many of Costa Rica’s best tours and activities, you can do so by exploring our activity-related blog posts below:
Proceed to “HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO COSTA RICA STEP #5” when you have determined:
Which tours and activities interest you the most.
Which destinations (i.e., which cities, towns, and beaches) would be the best for you to visit according to the cities, towns, and beach areas where your preferred tours and activities are run.
The ideal number of days and nights you should spend at each destination in order to have enough time to see and do what you wish to experience in each area.
Before proceeding to the next step you should also have an idea of the order in which you would like to visit each destination (i.e., destination X first, destination Y second, and so on).
Step #5: Research and choose your desired accommodations
Select and reserve your ideal accommodations in accordance with the number of days and nights you plan to spend at each destination according to the outcome of STEP #4.
Before you reserve your preferred Costa Rica accommodations, familiarize yourself with our related blog posts:
Proceed to “HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO COSTA RICA STEP #6” when you have determined which Costa Rica accommodations you wish to stay at (according to the ideal number of days and nights you should spend at each destination, depending on what you wish to experience in each area).
Step #6: Research and choose your desired in-country transportation services
Select and reserve your ideal transportation arrangements.
Imagine each Costa Rica destination that you plan to visit as a dot on a map. Now is the time to connect them. If you don’t know how you would prefer to travel around Costa Rica, you may find our related blog posts helpful:
Don’t miss our free discount codes for Costa Rica transportation services which can help you save 20% off the cost of shuttle services and roughly 25-50% off the cost of car rentals
Proceed to “HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO COSTA RICA STEP #7” when you have determined which Costa Rica transportation services you will rely on to get between destinations throughout your trip.
Step #7: Secure reservations for your desired tours and activities
Reserve the Costa Rica day tours and activities (that you discovered you have an interest in during STEP #4) through Pura Vida! eh? Inc., home to hundreds of discounts for Costa Rica day tours.
In preparation for making your Costa Rica day tour and activity reservations, you may find our related blog posts helpful:
When you are confident and ready to make your tour/activity reservations, do so through Pura Vida! eh? Inc.. As per its unique operation, no money or credit card information ever passes through the company in order to maintain travelers’ privacy!
Proceed to “HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO COSTA RICA STEP #8” when you have secured your Costa Rica day tours and activities through Pura Vida! eh? Inc. and other chosen trip items through other providers. You’re almost done! 🙂
Step #8: Consider these travel extras
Now that your Costa Rica trip has been planned, reserved, and confirmed, prepare yourself for other facets of the travel experience.
Yes, the process of planning a trip to Costa Rica is time-consuming. Yes, it takes focus and determination. But that’s what Costa Rica travel is all about. Costa Rica isn’t the average all-inclusive vacation destination that asks little of you. It requires thought, work, patience, and detailed planning. Then it delivers rewards greater than your wildest dreams. You’ll get so much more out of your Costa Rica trip than gift shop souvenirs and a tan. Congratulations for not selling yourself and your vacation short. You is kind. You issmart. Youis important. And, you’re about to embark on the trip of a lifetime.
Pura vida!
Do you have questions about planning a trip to Costa Rica, or need help executing the Costa Rica vacation of your dreams? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂
Hey, Costa Rica Travel Blog reader, thank you for visiting and reading our blog! We're truly grateful for your time and preference.
Do you know that your spam-free reading experience is most important to us? Unlike some other Costa Rica blogs, we do not to sell your personal information, and we choose not to display ads, sponsored content, or affiliate marketing on our blog so we can keep your visit as distraction- and junk-free as possible. Because we prioritize your privacy, we don't earn money when you visit us, when you sign up for our e-course, or when you click on our links, which means the time and work we put into this blog—including its 300+ articles—is entirely voluntary! If you find our content valuable, and you'd like to thank us for making the trip-planning process easier and your Costa Rica vacation more enjoyable, please consider making a small donation ($1, $2, $3, or an amount of your choosing) to our blog. Doing so is a great way to pat us on the back if you feel we deserve it. 😊 Pura vida, amigos!
Click on the button above to donate through PayPal. (If you cannot see the PayPal button above, click here.) A PayPal account is not required to make a donation; credit and debit cards are also accepted. PayPal donations are confidential; we never see your payment details.
Love our blog? Check out our other Costa Rica-related projects, too:
Summary
Article Name
How To Plan A Trip To Costa Rica For Free Step By Step
Description
Want to plan a trip to Costa Rica? Follow our steps for free and easy Costa Rica vacation planning help!
