Is Costa Rica safe for teenagers?

Costa Rica is a well-established tourist destination in Central America, and it's long been a favourite with families travelling with teens. As with any adventure-focused trip, sensible precautions matter, particularly around water activities and hiking, which is exactly why we work only with guides and operators we trust. Our specialists build every itinerary with the right balance of freedom and care, so teens can push their limits while you have peace of mind.

What's the best time of year to visit Costa Rica with teens?

The dry season, from December to April, brings the most reliable weather and is the easiest time to combine beach days with rainforest adventures. The green season, from May to November, sees fewer crowds and lush, vivid landscapes, though afternoon showers are common, especially inland. If wildlife is high on your list, sea turtle nesting season on the Caribbean coast typically runs from July to October, so we'll help you plan around it if that's an experience your family doesn't want to mis...

How many days do you need for a holiday in Costa Rica with teens?

Costa Rica rewards a bit of time, simply because there's so much ground worth covering. A week gives you enough to settle into one or two regions properly, while ten days to two weeks allows for a genuine coast-to-coast trip, pairing the Pacific beaches with Arenal's volcanoes or the wildlife-rich Osa Peninsula. Our specialists can help you decide how much of the country to take in, based on how your family likes to travel.

What's the best region of Costa Rica for teenagers?

It depends on what your teens are drawn to. Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula suit surf-loving, beach-first travellers, while Arenal is the pick for adrenaline, with rafting, hiking, and canopy adventures all within reach of the volcano. For serious wildlife enthusiasts, the Osa Peninsula is hard to beat, home to some of the densest biodiversity on the planet. Most families end up combining two or three regions, and we're happy to help shape that route.

Is Costa Rica good for teens who aren't into wildlife or hiking?

While Costa Rica's biodiversity and natural landscape is the primary reason for visiting, there are experiences for teens who'd rather be in the water than in the rainforest. Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula offer some of the country's best surf towns and beach resorts, with plenty of scope for sailing, snorkelling, and simply relaxing between activities. We’ll create an itinerary that’s flexible enough to suit all the travellers in your party.

Costa Rica Holidays with Teens

Costa Rica embraces nature, and it rewards families who do the same. It's a country built for curiosity, and with Scott Dunn's specialists shaping every trip around what your teens actually want to do, no two days look quite the same.

Thrilling outdoor activities like learning to surf and canyon ziplining
5-star properties including luxe beach resorts and remote jungle lodges
Teens-first travel planning with local expert guides and authentic experiences

Costa Rica packs an extraordinary range into one small country, which is exactly why it works so well for families travelling with teens. Surf towns and palm-backed beaches line the Pacific coast in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, while inland, the Arenal volcano region offers rafting, hiking, and canopy walks through the cloud forest. Further south, the Osa Peninsula is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, and the Caribbean coast has its own rhythm entirely, slower, wilder, and home to nesting sea turtles at the right time of year.

For teenagers, that means one day might mean a private surf lesson at Playa Iguanitas, and the next, a hike to a hidden waterfall or a night walk through Monteverde spotting nocturnal wildlife. It's a destination that gives them the freedom to choose their own adventure, while still keeping the whole family together.

That's where booking with Scott Dunn makes the difference. We know which lodges sit closest to the best rafting, which guides have the sharpest eye for wildlife, and how to build an itinerary that balances thrill-seeking with genuine downtime. Every holiday to Costa Rica we plan is shaped around your family, not a template.

Our Teens-First Holidays

We know teenagers have their own ideas about what makes a great holiday, and we bring those ideas to life. In Costa Rica, that means building in surf lessons, rainforest hikes, and real independence, alongside the downtime the whole family still needs. Explore our teens-first holidays to see how we bring that same thinking to destinations across the world.

Learn More

What to Expect on Your Holiday in Costa Rica with Teens

Whether your children prefer days in the sand getting that picture perfect tan or afternoons out in intrepid exploration before winding down around a family meal, Costa offers it all. For the true wildlife and ocean lovers at heart, here’s what your time in Costa Rica can look like.

Beach Days and Catching Waves
Outdoor Adventures
Wildlife Deepdives

Beach Days and Catching Waves

Guanacaste's coastline is where Costa Rica turns up the heat, in the best possible way. The region is home to some of the country's most beautiful beach resorts, the kind of place where afternoons dissolve into golden-hour swims and just inland from the shore you’re immersed in a rich landscape and culture. For teens who'd rather be standing than sunbathing, Santa Teresa is the pull, a laid-back surf town with a reputation that draws boarders from across the globe. Closer to the resorts, we can arrange private surf lessons on Playa Iguanitas, so first-timers and seasoned surfers alike leave the water having caught something worth talking about.

Outdoor Adventures

Costa Rica goes hand in hand with thrill seeking teenagers. The Pacuare River delivers some of the finest whitewater rafting in Latin America, cutting through rainforest canyons so remote that rafting in is often the only way to reach your lodge. For a lower-stake introduction to the rapids, tubing offers the same rush on the Nicoya Peninsula. Inland, horse riding across Guanacaste's ranchland gives teens a taste of life as a local cowboy, and in Arenal, waterfall rappelling adds a vertical edge to a region already known for its volcanic drama.

Wildlife Deepdives

Few countries pack in as much biodiversity as Costa Rica. Private sloth tours offer a slower, more considered way to track down the country's most famous resident, while the Caribbean coast holds one of the most memorable wildlife encounters of all: mother sea turtles hauling themselves ashore to nest, if your holiday lines up with the right season. On the Osa Peninsula, boat trips head out into the Golfo Dulce in search of dolphins, sometimes in super-pods hundreds strong. And that's before the dozens of national parks, each protecting its own slice of rainforest, cloud forest, or coastline, and each with something different waiting to be found.

Things to do in Costa Rica with Teens

White Water Rafting

The Pacuare River is a renowned waterway, known for as being one of the world most scenic rafting spots, winding through rugged canyons deep inside one of Costa Rica's most pristine rainforests. It's also the way into Pacuare Lodge, a secluded jungle retreat with no road access, which means arriving by raft is not just the scenic option, it's the only one. For families who prefer something less remote, white water tubing through the rapids of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula delivers a similar thrill in a coastal hot spot.
Wildlife Spotting

Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the best places in the country to see sloths in the wild, alongside howler monkeys and an impressive range of birdlife, all within a rainforest that borders on to the Pacific. For something after dark, a night tour through the Monteverde Cloud Forest reveals a different side of Costa Rica’s wildlife. Amphibians, nocturnal mammals, fireflies, and phosphorescent mushrooms that glow faintly against the forest floor welcome those adventurous enough. It's an experience that stays with everyone long after the trip ends.
Sailing & Snorkelling

Out on the Nicoya Peninsula, a catamaran sail is one of the most relaxed ways to take in Costa Rica's Pacific coast, gliding past sandy beaches and tropical jungle before dropping anchor to snorkel in clear waters. For a different mood, an evening sail lets the whole family watch the sun drop into the ocean from the deck. Inland, kayaking across Arenal's still waters offer a quieter kind of adventure, while on the Caribbean coast, Tortuguero's network of canals opens up a side of Costa Rica few visitors see.
Volcano Hikes

Arenal Volcano is one of Costa Rica's most recognisable landmarks, and hiking its surrounding trails brings you through secondary rainforest and old lava fields rich with wildlife. Walk across Arenal's hanging bridges that lift you into the forest canopy for a different perspective entirely, and along the Rio Celeste leads through Tenorio Volcano National Park to a waterfall the colour of bright blue glass, one of the more surreal sights in a country full of them.

White Water Rafting
Wildlife Spotting
Sailing & Snorkelling
Volcano Hikes

Luxury Hotels, Tours & Experiences in Costa Rica for Teens

Explore our collection of teen-friendly experiences and tours. Activities led by guides that genuinely connect with teens and bring the local cultures to life, tailor-made itineraries crafted with the entire family in mind, and incredible stays that complete the whole holiday.

Experiences
Properties
Itineraries

Golfo Dulce Dolphin Tour

Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Take a boat out into Golfo Dulce to look for dolphins. On occasion, super-pods of 300+ dolphins can be seen cavorting in the sparkling waters. The trip ends with an opportunity to snorkel over a coral reef, and a beach picnic.

Coastal Kayaking & Snorkelling Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Experience one of Costa Rica’s most striking coastlines by open-seat ocean kayak. Paddle to Biezans Bay for a refreshing swim and snorkel or just relax and enjoy the tranquillity of a private white sand beach.

Canyon Conquest

Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

A next-level challenge course through Rio Blanco canyon. Fifteen platforms, five ziplines up to 800 feet, a 50-foot Tarzan Swing, 90-foot hanging bridge, and four Via Ferrata climbing routes on carbon fibre cables.

Mud Monsters

Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Grab handfuls of warm volcanic mud and turn yourselves into walking works of art at Rio Perdido’s hot river pool. Creative, messy, and the best group selfies of the whole journey.

Saddle up at Hacienda Aromal

Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Horseback riding through wildlife-filled trails with a real Guanacastecan cowboy, cattle herding from the saddle, traditional cooking workshop, and a firewood-cooked Sabanero lunch at a working hacienda.

Rafting the Pacuare River

Turrialba and Pacuare, Costa Rica

The Pacuare River offers some of the finest white water in Latin America, winding through rugged canyons deep inside one of Costa Rica's impressive rainforests. As no roads lead to Pacuare Lodge, rafting in and out is the perfect way to arrive in style!

River Rush

Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Over a mile of white water tubing through rapids, natural chutes, and bubbling pools surrounded by wild canyon cliffs with howler monkeys overhead and the chance to spot rare prehensile-tailed porcupines.

Private Surf Lessons

Papagayo Peninsula,/TamarindoGuanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Costa Rica´s Pacific Coast is a great destination for anyone who wants to learn how to surf. You´ll experience the best surf sessions in unforgettable warm waves and a team of local pro surfers as your coaches and guides

Rio Celeste & Volcano Hike

Arenal, Costa Rica

Witness the unearthly blue colour of the Rio Celeste as you take a rainforest hike in Tenorio Volcano National Park. Geological oddities and the Rio Celeste waterfalls are additional fascinations.

Arenal Volcano Walk

Arenal, Costa Rica

The best way to get as close as possible to the spectacular Arenal Volcano is to walk the reserve’s easy series of trails, which will take you through secondary rainforest and former lava fields. The park is known for its diverse wildlife.

Arenal Sky Tram & Sky Trek

Arenal, Costa Rica

Soar through the rainforest canopy on this thrilling zip wiring adventure in the Arenal reserve. Experience the sights and sounds of the rainforest from a bird’s-eye view, admiring the wildlife and spectacular scenery from above. Minimum age 8 years old.

Catamaran Sail with Snorkelling

Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Silently glide in a catamaran along Costa Rica's Pacific Coast past exotic bays, golden beaches and tropical jungles, spotting dolphins, sea turtles and whales before dropping anchor in a quiet bay to go snorkelling or kayaking in the pristine warm waters.

Playa Cativo Lodge

Golfo Dulce, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Playa Cativo Eco Lodge is a beachfront boutique hotel on the Golfo Dulce offering an unparalleled experience set in 1,000 acres of private rainforest, surrounded by the Piedras Blancas National Park, a former extension of the Corcovado National Park.

Arenas del Mar

Manuel Antonio National Park, Manuel Antonio & Uvita, Costa Rica

The secluded beachfront eco resort of Arenas del Mar is located close to Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio National Park, home to wild, tropical beaches, unusual flora and fauna and rocky outcrops backed by lush forest.

Pacuare Lodge

Turrialba and Pacuare, Costa Rica

Pacuare Lodge is a luxurious nature and adventure lover’s paradise hidden away in the heart of Costa Rica’s most pristine jungle. Best accessed by white water raft, it combines thrilling adventure activities and an abundance of wildlife.

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo

Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Four Seasons Resort Papagayo offers luxurious resort-style accommodation, exemplary service and superb facilities in a beautiful setting on Costa Rica's northern Papagayo peninsula south of Liberia. A great option for families and has its own kids club.

Nayara Gardens

Arenal, Costa Rica

A stylish hotel surrounded by lush tropical forest with unbeatable views of one of the world's most picturesque volcanoes, Arenal. Nayara Gardens provides the perfect base from which to explore the central region of Costa Rica.

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort

Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo is a fantastic beach resort set on the beautiful Papagayo Peninsula in northern Costa Rica with fabulous views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding tropical forest. The Andaz is a great choice for both couples and families.

El Mangroove

Papagayo Peninsula, Guanacaste

El Mangroove is a stylish yet casual beach hotel located in the lovely Papagayo bay. The hotel's 85 suites are styled with recycled wood, local artwork and contemporary stone finishes. Facilities at the hotel include 2 restaurants, a pool, spa and beach.

Rio Perdido Hotel

Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Rio Perdido, meaning 'lost river', is located in Guanacaste province, among rare dwarf-forest, just south of the imposing Miravalles Volcano. The unique centrepiece of the private reserve is the river gorge itself, which offers naturally hot springs.

7 nights

Teens-First Adventures: Costa Rica Unplugged

Guancaste, Papagayo Penninsula

Volcanoes, jungle and remote coastline. Surf lessons, night hikes, and off-grid adventure.

10 nights

Wild Costa Rica

Central Valley, Tortuguero, Osa Peninsula & Manuel Antonio

Travel from coast to coast and explore Costa Rica’s rich natural highlights on this luxury tour. Stay at charming hotels in spectacular surroundings and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, like going off the beaten track to spot local wildlife. Finish off by unwinding at a boutique hillside retreat that shares a beach with iguanas and monkeys

From

£6,400 pp

13 nights

Family Fun in Costa Rica

San Jose, Pacuare, Osa Peninsula, Arenal & Papagayo

Explore the stunning natural diversity of Costa Rica. Sample the very best activities on this action-packed and fun-filled family adventure with an escorted tour across the jewel of Central America. Stay in jungle lodges inspired by Robinson Crusoe and go kayaking with dolphins, or try your hand at rafting, tubing and paddleboarding.

From

£7,000 pp

11 nights

Active Costa Rica

San Jose, Turrialba District, Arenal and Santa Teresa

A fantastic introduction to Costa Rica that begins with an off-the-beaten-track adventure at the wonderful Pacuare Lodge. Hike, bike or kayak onwards to immerse yourself in the beauty of the province of Alajuela and stay near the iconic Arenal Volcano, then finish up with a few days of laid-back luxury in charming Santa Teresa.

From

£5,400 pp

Meet Our Specialists

Meet Our Costa Rica Experts

Our team of specialists are waiting to help you book your next adventure. Contact us today to start planning your tailor-made trip.

MAKE AN ENQUIRY

020 8682 5430

Is Costa Rica safe for teenagers?

Costa Rica is a well-established tourist destination in Central America, and it's long been a favourite with families travelling with teens. As with any adventure-focused trip, sensible precautions matter, particularly around water activities and hiking, which is exactly why we work only with guides and operators we trust. Our specialists build every itinerary with the right balance of freedom and care, so teens can push their limits while you have peace of mind.
What's the best time of year to visit Costa Rica with teens?

The dry season, from December to April, brings the most reliable weather and is the easiest time to combine beach days with rainforest adventures. The green season, from May to November, sees fewer crowds and lush, vivid landscapes, though afternoon showers are common, especially inland. If wildlife is high on your list, sea turtle nesting season on the Caribbean coast typically runs from July to October, so we'll help you plan around it if that's an experience your family doesn't want to miss.

Learn more about the best time to visit Costa Rica.
How many days do you need for a holiday in Costa Rica with teens?

Costa Rica rewards a bit of time, simply because there's so much ground worth covering. A week gives you enough to settle into one or two regions properly, while ten days to two weeks allows for a genuine coast-to-coast trip, pairing the Pacific beaches with Arenal's volcanoes or the wildlife-rich Osa Peninsula. Our specialists can help you decide how much of the country to take in, based on how your family likes to travel.
What's the best region of Costa Rica for teenagers?

It depends on what your teens are drawn to. Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula suit surf-loving, beach-first travellers, while Arenal is the pick for adrenaline, with rafting, hiking, and canopy adventures all within reach of the volcano. For serious wildlife enthusiasts, the Osa Peninsula is hard to beat, home to some of the densest biodiversity on the planet. Most families end up combining two or three regions, and we're happy to help shape that route.
Is Costa Rica good for teens who aren't into wildlife or hiking?

While Costa Rica's biodiversity and natural landscape is the primary reason for visiting, there are experiences for teens who'd rather be in the water than in the rainforest. Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula offer some of the country's best surf towns and beach resorts, with plenty of scope for sailing, snorkelling, and simply relaxing between activities. We’ll create an itinerary that’s flexible enough to suit all the travellers in your party.

Book Your Costa Rica Holiday Today

Our team of travel specialists are waiting to help you book your adventure to Costa Rica.

Plan your trip

Call us on 020 8682 5430 to start planning

Costa Rica Inspiration

Why Scott Dunn?

Unique to You

We listen to your travel goals and craft unique holidays that are bespoke to you.
We’re with you every step of your life’s travel journey, from honeymoons to family trips and beyond.

Seamless Service

Global offices in the UK, US, Singapore, and Hong Kong for 24/7 seamless service.
We offer flexibility if your plans change so you can book with confidence and peace of mind.

Carefully Curated Collection

We’ve curated an elevated collection of accommodation, experiences, and guides.
Committed to fostering close global relationships to continue bringing you unique experiences.