Three years after our original plans to visit Abi and Oscar in Costa Rica got cancelled due to Covid, in February of 2023 we were finally on our way!

Flying out of Detroit usually offers the opportunity to enjoy some pool and hot tub time.

After a long day of travel, we were finally in San Jose, hugging Abi and Oscar, who whisked us off to one of the many delicious restaurants we got to experience on our visit.

Then it was finally time to settle down for the night. The kids chose to have a slumber party in the grandparents’ room.

It didn’t take long for them to be fast asleep.

Our first adventure was going to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, where after a short hike through beautiful trails, we arrived at a stunning beach, ready to enjoy the sunshine and warm ocean.

On the way back Peter wanted to try the “agua de pipa” or coconut water, he loved it!

Abi and Oscar chose the wonderful Hotel Costa Verde as our accommodations for this portion of the trip. We stayed in a cabin where we could hear the howler monkeys at night, and were just a few steps from one of the pools, which the kids really enjoyed. The hammock was also quite entertaining…

In the morning, we had breakfast in their restaurant, can’t beat these views…

The monkeys enjoy it too!

In fact, they actually enjoy the proximity to the restaurant, where they come and go, swiping food from tourists’ plates when they are not looking. We watched one grab a slice of banana bread from an unsuspecting lady, as well as a few items from the trash, it was quite entertaining!

Rumor has it this is the hotel owner’s very own Private “suite”…

We had a couple of meals at the restaurant El Avion, a great spot to catch the sunset.

The last stop was at a canopy tour, where Peter and Ben had a blast!

Abi and Oscar weren’t far behind…

The next adventure was visiting the Poas Volcano. We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one of the craters in the midst of all that fog.

Next on the list was La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Ben and I had been there over 12 years ago, a few years younger and a few ponds lighter, before marriage and kids…

We enjoyed seeing all the different animals, but the boys’ favorites were definitely the toucans.

My personal favorite was watching the boys “feed” the hummingbirds.

There were many more animals to see…

And, of course, there were waterfalls!

Our final days in Costa Rica were spent at a lovely resort, where we were able to relax and enjoy the pool, the tasty treats… and more canopy!

We even got to see a hummingbird nest, it was so tiny!

And then it was time to pack our bags and head back home. We were sad to leave, but grateful to have made so many great memories in this beautiful country. Benji and Peter will always remember this time with the grandparents, and it is now one of their favorite places in the whole wide world!. Safe to say, we will be back!