Santos SkoolieOne week in Costa Rica: a 7-day itinerary from Liberia
The short version
Fly into Liberia and sleep in four places. One night in the hills above Lake Arenal, two nights in La Fortuna for Río Celeste and the volcano, one night in Monteverde for the cloud forest, two nights on the beach in Nosara. Then fly home from the airport you landed in.
When friends visit from abroad, we plan their trip. This is the one-week version of it. Most itineraries start in San José; Liberia is the smaller airport, and it's closer to the lake, the volcano and the Pacific beaches.
The week at a glance
Day 1
Land in Liberia, drive 1.5 hours to the hills above Lake Arenal. Sleep at Santos Skoolie.
Day 2
Río Celeste, a river swim or tubing, then on to La Fortuna. Sleep in La Fortuna.
Day 3
Arenal Volcano: the waterfall early, the volcano trails, hot springs in the evening. Sleep in La Fortuna.
Day 4
Drive to Monteverde, night tour in the cloud forest. Sleep in Monteverde.
Day 5
Hanging bridges in the cloud forest, then drive to Nosara, on the Pacific. Sleep in Nosara.
Day 6
Playa Guiones all day, dinner on the sand at sunset. Sleep in Nosara.
Day 7
A last morning on the beach, then about 2.5 hours to Liberia airport.
Day 1: Land in Liberia, stop halfway
Pick up your car and head south on Route 1. Stop in Cañas for a leche dormida at Don Rogelio and groceries at Compre Bien, then climb through Tilarán. Put Tilarán in Waze, not your final destination; it keeps you on paved roads.
You'll reach the buses in about 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30, well before dark. Swim, cook, and watch the sun go down over the valley. Give your body the evening to catch up with the time zone.
Day 2: Río Celeste, on the way to La Fortuna
Check out and drive about 1.5 hours to Río Celeste, in Tenorio Volcano National Park: a turquoise river and a waterfall at the end of a forest trail. Hike it in the morning. It sits between the buses and La Fortuna, so you don't drive anything twice.
For the afternoon, pick one:
The calm one
Lunch at La Abeja, where you can swim in the river next to the restaurant. Bring a swimsuit.
The adventurous one
River tubing. We send guests to Chary, a local guide we trust; book ahead, and ask us for the contact when you reserve.
If you still have energy, stop at Finca La Amistad, a chocolate farm. You can walk in to buy chocolate; the tour needs a reservation. Then drive on to La Fortuna, check in, and keep the evening easy.
Day 3: Arenal Volcano
La Fortuna waterfall
A short hike down to a swimming hole under the falls. Go first thing in the morning.
Arenal Observatory
Trails with the best close view of the volcano.
Zip lining
Several operators run lines around town. Reserve a time slot.
Tabacón hot springs
River pools heated by the volcano, resort style, best in the evening. Book your pass ahead; it sells out fast in high season.
Dinner at Don Rufino
The one restaurant in town worth planning around. Dinner needs a reservation; for lunch you can walk in.
Don't try to do all of it. The waterfall, one other thing and the hot springs is a good day.
Where to sleep: look on the side of town that faces the volcano, along the road to the national park and the observatory. That's where you get Arenal from your room or the pool.
Day 4: Monteverde
Leave after breakfast and drive about three hours to Monteverde, up in the cloud forest and cooler than anywhere else on this trip. Walk the town in the afternoon and take a night tour, around 6:00 PM, to see what comes out after sunset.
A dinner worth planning. San Lucas Treetop is a fine meal with a view over the cloud forest. Book the sunset seating; it's ideal for a birthday, a honeymoon or an anniversary. That seating overlaps with the usual night-walk time, so with one night you may have to choose. A second night gets you both.
Day 5: The cloud forest, then the coast
Start early on the hanging bridges, a walk through the canopy of the cloud forest, or go out for birds, including the quetzal. Monteverde is the one place where we always tell people to hire a guide, for both the night walk and the day tour. You'll understand the ecosystem instead of just walking through it. And you're not paying for one guide but for the network they belong to: the guides share where the animals are in a WhatsApp group, all across the reserve. Don't miss it. We send guests to Jorge, an amazing guide; ask us for his contact when you book.
After lunch, drive down to the Pacific and out to Nosara on the Nicoya Peninsula. Stopping in Monteverde is what breaks the long drive from La Fortuna to the beach in two.
Day 6: Nosara
Playa Guiones: good waves, a long sandy beach and a relaxed surf town. Surf, walk, do nothing. Have dinner at La Luna at sunset, right on the sand.
One beach, not two. Sámara, down the coast, is the quieter town. Pick one. Moving between beach towns costs a day each time, and one week doesn't have a day to spare.
Day 7: Fly home
Nosara is about 2.5 hours from Liberia airport, so this day works best with an afternoon flight. Take a last walk on the beach, then leave time to return the car before check-in.
The first night: sleep in a school bus
Santos Skoolie is three converted school buses on a hillside in Tierras Morenas, 20 minutes from Lake Arenal. Self check-in starts at 2:00 PM, so an afternoon flight still works.
Each one was rebuilt by hand in the woodshop beside the parking area:
The biggest deck, sleeps 3, dogs welcome, the lowest price.
A private pool facing the best sunset line, for two.
The roomiest interior, its own pool over the valley, for two.
The road is paved to the door, and there's parking on site. Most guests stay a night or two, and many tell us they wish they had stayed longer.
See the busesIf you have ten days
A second night at the buses
Hike El Jilguero, a community trail five minutes from the buses with steam vents, bubbling mud pools and almost nobody on it. Ride with Dany, a local mountain bike guide, on his trails through the farms. Drive 40 minutes to the Viento Fresco or La Piedra del Indio waterfalls. Spend the day on Lake Arenal. Or do nothing and stay in the pool.
A second night in Monteverde
So the night walk, the hanging bridges, a morning with a bird guide and the sunset dinner at San Lucas Treetop each get their own time.
A third night in Nosara
Enough time for a surf lesson, a yoga class or a quad tour of the back roads, and one more sunset.
What to pack and know
Cash
Bring some US dollars in cash.
Plugs
Costa Rica uses the same flat-pin plugs as the United States. From Europe, bring an adapter.
Sunscreen and repellent
Sunscreen is expensive here, so pack it. Bring an insect repellent that works for you.
Shoes
Two comfortable pairs, one that can get wet, plus flip-flops.
A light rain jacket
You'll want it most around Arenal and Monteverde.
Waze
It's the navigation app everyone uses here.
Questions people ask
- Is 7 days enough for Costa Rica?
- Enough for the lake, the volcano, the cloud forest and one beach, if no drive is longer than half a day. Adding the Caribbean or the far south means more time in the car than out of it.
- Should I fly into Liberia or San José?
- For this loop, Liberia. It's closer to Lake Arenal, Río Celeste and Nosara, and you fly out of the same airport. San José makes more sense for the Caribbean, Manuel Antonio or the south.
- Do I need a rental car?
- For this itinerary, yes. Shuttles connect La Fortuna and the beaches, but Río Celeste and the lake are hard to reach without a car. We always recommend a 4x4: it gives you more freedom and gets you there faster. A regular car can do the paved lake and volcano part if you go through Tilarán.
- When is the best time to go?
- December to April is the dry season, with the most sun and the highest prices. May to November is greener, quieter and cheaper; mornings are usually clear.
- What should I book ahead?
- The rental car, Tabacón hot springs, dinner at Don Rufino, river tubing and your guides in Monteverde. In high season, book your stays first.