We decided that we wanted to spend Christmas 2024 with Abi and Oscar. They have been going to Dreams Las Mareas Resort for the holidays for many years now, so that is where we were headed: Costa Rica.

We drove to Detroit, flew to Atlanta and then the next day flew to Liberia, hopped on a shuttle and an hour and a half later we were finally reunited with the grandparents in this beautiful resort!

An all inclusive is not usually the type of stay we choose when we travel, so this was a special treat that allowed for lots of pool and beach time, delicious food, and much needed rest and relaxation.

We saw many creatures, including birds, iguanas, raccoons and these little rascals, who visited our balcony every morning.

We celebrated Christmas Eve at the beach, with an incredible spread, fun activities, and entertainment.

Christmas morning we went over to the grandparents’ room to find Santa had come and filled the boys’ stockings, and Abi had gotten so many presents for everyone!

After breakfast we headed back to their room to enjoy the toys, books and the back porch with its own little pool.

Later that day Santa and the Grinch showed up.

We had such a wonderful time, with nothing to worry about other than grabbing some beach chairs in the shade. Benji enjoyed endless stacks of pancakes and lots of fresh watermelon, while Peter ate sushi almost every night and had all the virgin piña coladas he wanted.

Benji also got to enjoy the Explorers Club (or kids club, as he called it) almost every afternoon, where there were fun activities and crafts, games and pool time, and even train rides and a climbing wall. And every night there was a show, from live music and dance to a fire show.

We were sad to say good-bye to Abi and Oscar and leave this paradise, but grateful for the time we had together, Costa Rica never dissapoints! Hope we can come back soon.

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!

I’ve only visited a few beaches in Costa Rica, most of them in Guanacaste, on the Pacific Northwest region of this beautiful country, and I’m already having a hard time picking a favourite one. By the way, I live in the Pacific Northwest in North America… coincidence? I don’t think so! Although, depending who you ask, I could also say I live in the Pacific Southwest ;). But back to Costa Rica, if I had to pick my favourite beach, I think I’d have to go with Playa Avellanas.

The laid-back atmosphere and the lack of souvenir shops definitely contribute to Avellanas making it to my #1 beach so far. I also loved that this beach offered two distinct areas to explore. Walking to our left we found rocks that created miniature tide pools where little fish swam freely. There was also a hut with some funky artwork made from driftwood, and a collection of perfect little round shells that I absolutely loved.

 

Walking to our right we found a spot where a small river met the ocean, perfect for a peaceful swim.

If I had to pick a favourite moment at my favourite beach it would definitely be sunset. After enjoying some delicious ceviche from Lola’s Beach Bar and watching Lola (a 400 pound pig) cooling off in the sand closer to the water, we settled back and watched people milling about as the day wound down.

And then we where mesmerized by an absolutely stunning sunset…

After that it was time to go, so we collected our things and made our way to our car.

However, for some the day in Playa Avellanas was far from over…

As we were leaving the restaurant BBQ Tres Hermanas (3 sisters) in Guanacaste (after having enjoyed one of the best beef tenderloin I’ve had in a very long time), the gentleman in charge of watching the parking lot asked me and my mom: “Vieron las lapas?” (did you see the lapas?), “alla, en el Guanacaste!”. Confusion set in. I knew we were in the Guanacaste region, but until then I had no idea this part of the country was actually named after Costa Rica’s national tree.

Once it was clear the Guanacaste he was talking about was a very large tree across the road from where we were, we began to wonder how he expected us to see a “lapa” from so far away. You see, in Venezuela a “lapa” is a rodent. He kept pointing to the tree and insisting, so I snapped a few pictures as far as my camera’s zoom would go, to see if we could figure out what he meant. When we looked closely, we realized he was talking about macaws, as we saw one peeking out from a hole in the tree.

The gentleman explained that the tree was a nesting area for several macaws, and that if we went across the road we would be able to see them up close. So we went and we saw.

While admiring the beautiful colours on this majestic bird, I couldn’t help but think how the best way to learn about a country, its land, its language and its people, is experiencing it first-hand. It’s the same way my parents helped me and my brother learn more about our homeland, Venezuela: road trip after road trip from one region to the next, pointing out the geography, reminding us of the history, teaching us to appreciate the people and inviting us to try different dishes. I felt very lucky for this wonderful opportunity which allowed me to learn a little bit more about the magical land that is Costa Rica.

Pura vida!