Experts at Costa Rican Vacations Give Their TOP Tips for Families Planning Trips to Costa Rica

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - May 26, 2017 - PRLog -- Costa Rican Vacations (CRV), a travel agency specializing in personalized, boutique vacations to Costa Rica since 1999, polled its expert vacation planners to get their top tips for families traveling to Costa Rica.  The vacation planners at CRV know that the logistics of family travel are not always easy – but they're always worth it!   With a bit of preparation—plus a dose of good cheer and some luck—these helpful tips on traveling with kids will help in each phase of the planning and execution of the perfect Costa Rican Vacation!

Booking in advance is highly recommended. Spontaneity is an exciting way to travel, but it is best left to solo or adults-only vacations.  If the kids are promised the turtle-watching tour of a lifetime, it would be very disappointing to discover that it is the off-season for turtle watching. When it comes to kids and happy traveling, it's better to book and plan well ahead of time.

Always leave plenty of extra time.  We don't have control over every aspect of traveling—delays, traffic and missed connections happen. The best bet for a smooth trip for the traveling family is extra time. Don't choose flights with a 45-minute layover or super early take-offs that might cause missed flights.  There is no price on getting where you need to be on time!

Pack wisely.  Parents know that one missing item can cause days worth of strife.  Whether it's a special blanket, a stuffed animal, a favorite book or a preferred snack – make sure all "must have" items are included in the suitcase. However it is also recommended to leave most non-essentials at home. For example, there are dozens of new cookies, crackers and other snacks to discover in any supermarket. Diapers, even swim diapers and pull-ups, can be found almost everywhere. Baby wipes, antibacterial gel, sippy cups, coloring books—these things are all readily available throughout Costa Rica, thus saving the packing space (more room for souvenirs)!  And always remember all medications!

Create an activity bag that your children can take on the airplane, on the shuttle bus, or in the backseat of the rental car. Pinterest is an incredible wealth of busy bag/activity bag ideas….and bonus points for throwing in Costa Rica-themed activities, like a rainforest search-and-find, a beachy tablet app, or anything that will connect kids to the sights and sounds around them.

Take the Car/Booster Seat.  Due to car seat safety, children's varying heights and weights, and other factors, it's best to take car seats and booster seats from home. They can be installed quickly in shared shuttles, private transport, rental cars and even taxis. Public buses and small airplanes do not require car seats.

Be Prepared for Costa Rican Weather.  This may sound obvious, but pack weather-appropriate clothes. Being too cold or too hot can cause serious crankiness in little ones especially.   If traveling to higher elevations, like the Monteverde Cloud Forest, bring warm layers and cozy pajamas.

Choose the Right Hotels.  There are hundreds of kid-friendly Costa Rican hotels (https://www.vacationscostarica.com/hotels/kids-friendly/), B&Bs and boutique inns that could make any family happy, but the right few will feel like the perfect match. Travel Consultants at CRV have visited each hotel and can address individual needs and preferences such as kid's camps, meals, accommodation concerns and more.

Embrace a routine Children thrive on routine, as parents know all too well. Try to plan around children's regular nap times and meal times. Most planned tours have morning and afternoon departures, so it's usually easy to pick a time that works for the whole family. If hotel check-in and check-out times could cause problems, ask your travel agent to request early check-in or late check-out.  Scout special restaurants in advance, as many have fixed schedules that open late or close early.

Involve the kids in the planning.  One of the best parts of kid-friendly travel is the pre-planning. Taking time to involve the children often sets the tone for a vacation that they can't wait to go on! Set the scene: let them know that they'll see monkeys or that the beach will be right outside their hotel room door.   It's always prudent to give children the chance to pick at least one activity—totally their choice. (If this is a little too intimidating, let them choose from a parent-approved list.) There are so many choices for family fun (https://www.vacationscostarica.com/tours/family-friendly/), including hanging bridges, safari river floats, kayaking, canopy zip lines, waterfall horseback rides, sailboat and catamaran boat tours, volcano walks, thermal hot springs, snorkeling, dolphin watching, and wildlife sightings at Costa Rica's diverse national parks and wildlife refuges.

And the number one tip from CRV's experts is to HAVE FUN.  Costa Rica is a very kid-friendly destination.   Costa Rica is the perfect choice for traveling with kids, from the youngest infants to surly teenagers and beyond.

A travel guide with even more great tips for vacations to Costa Rica, can be found online at http://www.vacationscostarica.com/travel-guide/travel-tips/

About Costa Rican Vacations

Costa Rican Vacations (CRV) is a travel company specializing in personalized, boutique vacations to Costa Rica. CRV's Staff come from all over the world and they have explored every nook and cranny of Costa Rica. They know every destination inside and out, and what is more, they personally vet every experience and only recommend the ones they know will create the best travel experiences. Costa Rican Vacations marries a passion for travel and local expertise, using expert knowledge and insider information to curate true travel experiences.  For more information go to www.vacationscostarica.com/ or call 1-800-606-1860