Even though it’s been four months since our Costa Rica friends trip, the weather here is starting to remind me of those days by the pool or walking on the beach. Summer has arrived and my flamingo can’t wait to get back out in the water.

I’ve shared my recap of senses, shared with you pictures of the house we stayed in, and showed you our favorite beaches here and again here. I finally got all of our video clips together and edited down, so I wanted to finish sharing pics with you on the other highlights of our trip.

Llanos de Cortés Waterfall


Waterfalls are always high on my list when visiting new places. This one was about an hour drive from our house and it was pretty cool to see the cloud forest from the road. You have to pay a few dollars to park when you arrive and the parking lot is sandy and dirty. It’s a little surprising when you climb down to the little oasis near the falls. 
The falls were pretty busy when we were there, even though the guide book said weekdays are quiet. We were lucky enough to run into a lady that told us to hike a little ways away from the main falls because there is a hidden pool not more than 100 yards away. We enjoyed that little area all to ourselves.

Serendipity Charters – Playa Flamingo

This was one of trip advisors most recommended tours, so we had to give it a shot. It books up quickly, so I’m happy one of our friends thought to book in advance. We did a half day private tour and it was perfection. There were 8 of us on the boat plus Captain Brad and one helper. He had fishing poles, drinks, food and snorkeling gear. He brought us to a beach area so we could swim and jump off the boat for a while. 
Check out their website for all their different options, but definitely try and make it happen if you’re in the area.  Also, I took way more video than photos on the boat, so you’ll see it more if you watch the vid.

ATV Tours of the Beach

This was one of our last days and I wish we would have done it sooner. It’s one of those activities I wouldn’t have ever booked for myself, but I’m not going to pass up a group thing. I was so surprised at how much fun it was. I’m so happy that we did it. We got to see all kinds of wildlife and little towns that we hadn’t seen yet on our beach trips. We also took the trails up one of the near hills and got some beautiful views of the ocean. One thing is for sure – you definitely get dirty, but jumping in the ocean and having a cold margarita afterwards made it the perfect way to spend a day.

Pura Vida – A Final Word on Costa Rica

You will see that saying everywhere in the country. It’s on bumper stickers, flags, t shirts and artwork. Most of the locals will greet you that way. After spending a week enjoying this beautiful country, it becomes clear that this is their way of life. The simple English translation is “pure life” but it has such a deeper meaning there. It will be hard to find a place in the world with people as friendly as the ones we met there. They are welcoming and helpful and every experience we had was wonderful. I can understand why my dad is ready to pick up and move there. 
Now, if you want more Costa Rica, here is the highlight reel:
Where is your favorite warm weather destination? 

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