Costa Rica Road Trip (Part I): Searching for “Pura Vida”

“Pura vida” is more than just a greeting. It represents a way of life that values simplicity, gratitude, and stress-free living. It’s no wonder a trip to Costa Rica is on many people’s bucket lists. It remained on my own for a long while until this spring.

With much to celebrate—including my 30th birthday and our recent wedding in Hawaii—my husband and I set aside two weeks for an adventure. I made it my mission to explore Costa Rica finally. There were many reasons my previous attempts to plan this trip didn’t come to fruition, mainly budgeting (it can be expensive), the overwhelming number of destinations to choose from (the country has so many must-visit spots), and the debate over the best season to go (quieter rainy season vs. dry sunny weather with crowds). This time, I didn’t overthink it—I chose three main destinations that fit our budget with dates on the cusp of the dry and rainy seasons.

Looking for more inspiration before getting to the logistics? Feel free to skip ahead to my other posts in this series. I’ve broken down our itinerary into three regions—featuring accommodation details, restaurant recommendations, sightseeing ideas, cautionary tales, and stunning photos to inspire your Costa Rican adventure.

• Part II: Jungle Meets Sea in Manuel Antonio
• Part III: Monteverde’s Cloud Forest (coming soon)
• Part IV: La Fortuna & Arenal Volcano (coming soon)
• BONUS: Essential Photography Gear for Your Costa Rica Adventure

Rain or Shine

Our dates for this trip lined up with the very end of dry season (November-April) and the beginning of the rainy season (May-October). I was worried about getting caught in the rain, but we were very lucky to experience only a couple storms, and honestly, they were absolutely magical! That said, in the “green” season Costa Rica can get very wet, so plan accordingly. If you’re a photographer, make sure to have a rain cover in your bag just in case.

Why is a road trip the best way to experience Costa Rica?

Renting a car and driving yourself around Costa Rica is undoubtedly the best way to experience this magical country. Here are some key reasons why:

• Public transport isn’t great
• Tourist shuttles are expensive
• You’re able to see more by using travel days to stop along the way
• You have freedom to do what you’d like, when you’d like
• You can get to places early — this might not sound like a big deal, but if you want to experience Costa Rica’s most popular parks and tourist attractions without the crowds, you must arrive early. Using public transport means you’re tied to the first bus of the day, often well past the opening hours of attractions.
• You don’t need to take as many tours — the purpose of most tours is only to provide transport to people without their own wheels. They are expensive, and in many cases, are for activities that you can easily do independently without a guide. You’ll save a lot of money, and experience places on your own, which is how we like to travel.
• You can invest in wildlife guides when you see fit — an excellent way to learn awesome facts that provides a greater chance of seeing animals.

Arriving in San Jose (and getting out)

I recommend spending as little time in San Jose as possible. It’s not that the city is terrible, but you’ll want to spend every moment possible in the other areas you’re visiting. When we flew into the city, we picked up our rental car and immediately got on the road to drive to Manuel Antonio before nightfall.

When flying out of San Jose, however, we did elect to spend the night there to enjoy a full resort day at Nayara Gardens in La Fortuna. Though I cannot recommend the San Jose hotel we stayed in… ahem City Express by Marriott (cheap option, but yikes), I can highly recommend the restaurant we went to for dinner! Restaurante El Shrimp Shack is close to the airport and one of the best meals during our entire stay in Costa Rica. Despite its name, it specializes in much more than shrimp and is certainly not a shack (it’s part of a golf club). Our waiter was so kind, and it was an unexpectedly awesome way to end our trip! Little did we know we were about to get stuck overnight in Atlanta due to flight delays with only a microwaved $8 cup noodles for dinner… womp womp.

Renting a Car

Driving in a foreign country can be intimidating, but Costa Rica is one of those places where the rewards of renting a car far outweigh any anxiety. Having the freedom to chart your own course in this natural wonderland is a truly special experience, and I guarantee one of the best trips you’ll ever take. A great place to rent a car in Costa Rica is at your arrival airport. Our road trip itinerary has you starting and finishing in San Jose, which avoids any hefty one-way rental fees.

Rental Car Insurance

One of the most important, yet confusing, aspects of renting a car in Costa Rica is the insurance required by every car rental agency. There is no getting out of this or substituting this with your credit card/travel insurance unless you bring proof of coverage. If the price online seems too good to be true, it’s because this mandatory insurance isn’t included yet. On top of this are collision damage and optional insurance add-ons. I won’t get into the nitty gritty details here, but I suggest reading this article for more info before renting a car. You should choose the insurance that makes you feel most comfortable getting on the road.

Is a 4×4 really necessary?

The roads in Costa Rica are in very mixed condition. Most of the main highways are fine. They’re well-paved, multi-lane and driving is easy. That said, so many roads are unpaved, and many of the paved roads are actually in worse condition as they are so full of potholes!

If money isn’t an issue, rent a 4×4. It will give you complete freedom to go anywhere and follow any unpaved road you see without hesitation or anxiety over damaging your rental car. We did not have one, and there were many times that our car sounded like it was about to die while driving uphill. Additionally, our Airbnb driveway in Monteverde was so steep that it made for multiple scary instances while trying to park and exit.

Driving in Costa Rica

Here are a few things to keep in mind for a stress-free road trip:

➡️ Drive on the right side of the road

⚖️ Use the metric system — speed limits are in kilometers per hour and fuel is in liters (not gallons)

⛽️ Fill up when you see a gas station — there are areas where they don’t exist. Prices fluctuate, but we found fuel quite expensive overall. The staff will pump for you, and you can pay for your fuel with a credit card.

💰 Toll roads — there are a few toll roads in and out of San Jose, usually costing a couple of hundred Colones. You can pay by cash or on card. If you’re not in a hurry, you can choose a route to avoid them.

🗺️ Download Google Maps offline — phone service is often poor, so having the maps available offline is a lifesaver.

🛣️ Research your route in advance — before you set off for a day of driving, look properly at the map. Don’t rely blindly on Google Maps (Waze is better), as it often suggests strange routes that usually involve ‘shortcuts’ on insane unpaved roads. Stay on the highways as long as possible.

🚧 Drive slow — always be on the lookout for people, animals, motorbikes, large trucks and buses and pushy drivers. If you drive slowly and stay alert, you’ll have no trouble driving here.

🅿️ Paid parking — in many popular tourist attractions, there are unofficial parking lots far from your destination with attendants trying to charge you more and make your walk a long one. Research in advance to ensure you drive by those and to park in the official lot.

🌙 Avoid driving at night —roads are not well-lit, and with all the aforementioned hazards to watch out for, it’s safer to save long-distance trips for daylight hours.

Did we find the “Pura Vida” we were looking for?

YES, definitely! “Pura vida” translates to “pure life”, but we heard it said in place of everything from “hi” to “how are you” to “thank you”. The people of Costa Rica were one of our favorite parts of the trip. They were incredibly welcoming, kind, and excited to share their language and culture with us—I had so much fun practicing my rusty Spanish! We left feeling refreshed and can’t wait to explore more of the country during a future trip.