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Introduction: On A Quest for Pura Vida
Review: United Airlines (ERJ-175) First Class Oklahoma City to Houston
Review: United Airlines (737-800) First Class Houston to San Jose
Review: Marriott Costa Rica Hotel
Review: The Palms – Jaco
Out and About in Costa Rica
Review: Courtyard Marriott Hotel San Jose Airport – Alajuela
Review: VIP Lounge – San Jose Airport
Review: United Airlines (737-800) First Class San Jose to Houston
Review: United Airlines (ERJ-175) First Class Houston to Oklahoma City
Having been to Costa Rica a few times, I knew all of the touristy things that I wanted to do and the exact price that it would cost. The first thing that we wanted to do was ride ATVs in the mountains just outside of Jaco. Danny, our guide for the day, picked us up from The Palms and we made the short ride to the tour company. We were asked to provide our driver’s license and a credit card for a hold in case we crashed one of the vehicles.
We signed up for a tour that took for hours and cost us $200 USD per person. This took us through some of the most amazing countryside that I have seen. We also hiked to a waterfall deep in the forest. Oddly enough, there was a souvenir table next to the waterfall. After the waterfall, we stopped at a bar high in the mountains to try the moonshine. I really enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to anyone.
(Excuse the blur on some of the pics, the case had recently took a dive in a hotel pool.)
The next day, we decided that we would like to golf in Costa Rica. The closest place to golf was the Los Suenos Marriott Resort (one of the properties that I thought about staying at while in Costa Rica). The overall cost for 18 holes of golf was $200. It included clubs (each person had to get their own), a sleeve of balls, and the cart. The front nine of the course was in the rain forest, while the back nine had an ocean view. One thing that stood out to me was that a security guard followed us for the entire time, he was not a nuisance, but it was definitely strange. Just a heads up, the carts have GPS. If you go too far off of the cart path, the cart will cut off.
On the trip to Jaco, we decided to stop at the Crocodile Bridge. It is a must that you stop to see the crocodiles. There are places to eat, shop, drink, or all three. The guys actually remembered us from last year. They even remembered what I drank (a coconut filled with Costa Rican rum). I told them that I did not want that drink again because it was way too strong. They assured me that the pina colada would be better…it was just as strong as the coconut drink. LOL.
Last year, there was a poker game in Jaco that we visited. The game has since ended due to some personal conflicts, so Matt and I played blackjack at Crocs casino. The casino also offers slots, roulette, and a craps table.
On our final night, we decided to check out the City Mall in Alajuela. The mall is only minutes from the Courtyard Marriott (where we were staying). The mall is HUGE. Just outside the main entrance was a Hooters and a local beer garden. Inside the mall was a bunch of top end stores, restaurants, and a movie theater. We walked around the mall for about an hour.
Final Word
We had a great time in Costa Rica. I am happy that we got to experience the peacefulness of the mountains and the hustle of San Jose. Costa Rica is easily one of my favorite places to visit in the world. If you get the chance to visit, please do not hesitate to do so.
