¡Hola! I guess I can’t go very long without itching to explore a new country. It’s been about three and a half months since I flew to visit my friend Riley in Peru. (Update: She spent Christmas break in Texas with her new fiancée! Riley recently returned to Cusco until the end of May. Read more about the Quispicanchi Project HERE). Fun fact: I purchased my flights to Costa Rica in the airport on my way to Cusco in November!
Lydia is my go-to travel buddy. We met in 2022 at St. Thomas’ Young Adult group in Prague during my study abroad. Since then, we traveled to Bari, Italy for her half marathon race; I spent a weekend with her in Atlanta, Georgia; she flew to Texas to run a half marathon with me; and we reconnected in Prague this past summer. It was good to see her again doing what we love the most. Here is a condensed version of our week in Costa Rica 😊
Day 1 – Sunday
We arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica late last night and spent the night in a chic condo. We had an ambitious itinerary for the week and were excited to get our trip started! Sunday morning, we began our day with coffee for me and a smoothie for Lydia. One of our goals was to eat as much fresh fruit and smoothies as possible! We walked through a crafts market on our way to Mass and we each bought a painting from a man named Carlos.
There is an abundance of churches in San Jose, and we went to a Spanish mass at Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion. I spend most of my time reflecting on the artwork of the church because I couldn’t understand the homily. Between Lydia’s study of Italian and my growing up in Texas, we could get by in the few instances that English wasn’t understood.
Two locals recommended we check out La Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffee Farm. Going to Costa Rica, I was excited to *not* drink Starbucks Coffee, but I’m glad we stopped at this open-air coffee shop overlooking a coffee farm. There were tours of the coffee making process, but we only stayed for a quick caffeine break. The menu had some interesting drinks; I ordered a coffee flight and Lydia ordered an affogato!
Shortly after we left La Hacienda Alsacia, we pulled off the side of the road to check out the La Paz waterfall. The entire country is basically an open botanical garden! We arrived at our destination in time for a late dinner with Lydia’s parents. (When Lydia’s parents learned we were visiting Costa Rica, they planned a trip as well! We did a few activities together and it was so fun getting to know them.)
Shortly after we left La Hacienda Alsacia, we pulled off the side of the road to check out the La Paz waterfall. The entire country is basically an open botanical garden! We arrived at our destination in time for a late dinner with Lydia’s parents. (When Lydia’s parents learned we were visiting Costa Rica, they planned a trip as well! We did a few activities together and it was so fun getting to know them.)
After Mass, we ate brunch and then picked up our rental car. Lydia LOVES driving, and she happily drove the entire week, about 500 miles in total! Our destination for today was La Fortuna – a small town known for its hot springs heated by the Arenal Volcano.
Day 2 – Monday
We woke up around 6:30 am, thanks to the early sunrise and chirping birds. After a quick breakfast, we drove to El Mirador Silencio to hike near the Arenal Volcano. On our hike, we saw monkeys, coatimundi, and armies of ants! It didn’t seem the current dry season impacted the rainforest because the jungle was so lush and green. We also walked on lava from the 1968 explosion.
After the hike, Lydia and I spent the afternoon relaxing at two natural hot springs. The first hot spring we found was off the main road. We pulled over and waded in the shallow stream to find a warm spot to sit. This natural hot spring seemed popular among local Costa Ricans, probably because it is free! The next hot spring stop was Baldi Resort and Spa. There were 25 thermal pools, and we spent most of our time at our two favorites: the pool with the adult water slides and the hottest pool with a sauna. I’m not sure what the hottest temperature was, but I couldn’t be in it for more than 5 minutes!
Day 3 – Tuesday
Before we left La Fortuna, we hiked around the property of our hotel and Lydia created this amazing watercolor painting! Our goal for today was to drive to Coco beach for a sunset cruise with her parents. It was a beautiful five-hour drive, and we had great road tripping conversations. One of the best meals we ate this week was at our lunch stop for today. In Nuevo Arenal, we found a bus station that had a café with decent reviews claiming it was a hidden gem of this town. We ordered the typical Costa Rica breakfast – gallo pinto con carne (rice and beans with meat) and a cup of coffee. It was delicious! We also made a quick stop at the German bakery for a strudel for the road.
At Coco beach, we reconnected with her parents and enjoyed the sunset from a catamaran. The boat made a stop at a beach where we swam and used the slide on the boat. There were snacks, drinks, and cheesy American party music and everyone on the boat had a good time!
Stay tuned for pt 2!
kira vesta 