Costa Rica’s unofficial slogan is Pura Vida, meaning pure life. After spending two weeks there in March, I understand the meaning and why the Ticos (Costa Ricans) say it so often. Life in Costa Rica is simple and beautiful.

It was Ross’ final high school March Break, so we decided to change things up and rather than go skiing, we chose Costa Rica because we wanted adventure. My promise to our seventeen year-old was to plan at least one adventure a day. Paul came home with a black eye and I am sure I had a few more gray hairs, however I fulfilled my promise- we had many adventures, some more hair raising than others!

Costa Rica, simply translated means rich coast, named by Christopher Columbus who reported vast quantities of gold jewelry owned by the natives. It is often called the “Switzerland of Central America”. Slightly smaller in size than Lake Michigan, it has 1290 km of coastline, with the Pacific Ocean on the west coast and the Caribbean Sea on the east coast. There is a mountain range that goes up the middle, with seven active volcanoes. Nicaragua is to the north and Panama is to the south. 25% of the land is protected National Parks. It is stunningly beautiful!

There are 4.5 million people, a democratic government, a 96% literacy rate and one of the highest life expectancies in the world at 79. The cuisine is simple- rice, beans and chicken. There isn’t an army, however the Ticos joke that the circling vultures are the Costa Rican airforce. The best time to visit is during the dry season, from December to April. The wet season is from May to November. We had perfect weather for 14 days, and depending on our elevation, we enjoyed lovely warm temperatures with cool nights and while on the coast, some very hot and humid days and nights. We felt safe everywhere we went, we drank the tap water and we did not get any mosquito bites. Pretty darn nice!

We landed in San Jose after a six-hour flight from Toronto. Relying on our rented GPS device, we drove north to the Arenal Volcano region and The Springs Resort. The last 5 km of our journey was in the dark, over a rough dirt road, teaching us not to fully rely on GPS when travelling in a foreign country- the most direct route isn’t always the smoothest! When we drove through the gates at the hotel we felt like we had arrived in a tropical paradise.

If you are looking for adventure, this is the best area to spend some time. We went tubing, horseback riding, atv-ing, zip-lining and rappelling. We loved the visit to the resort’s animal refuge where we met with the zookeeper and watched him feed the wild cats their raw chicken (with bones) dinner. One day a week they feed the cats live chickens, yet I know this is something I could not witness! In the afternoons, we swam in the many small, volcano-warmed mineral pools. I am not sure which one of the activities in Arenal scared me the most. I think I screamed the loudest on the resort waterslide, however my heart rate was probably highest when rappelling down a 55 m waterfall or flying on the zip-line above the rainforest canopy. I kept reminding Ross that I was likely the oldest woman at all of these activities and he should be proud of his daring, scared-silly, soon-to-be gray haired Mom!

Our next destination was The Peace Lodge, near the Poas Volcano. Located at the top of a winding mountain road, we hoped our GPS was giving us accurate directions this time. The road to our ski chalet is called The Forks of the Credit and it has a nail-biting switchback that is especially challenging on snowy nights. The road to this hotel was like The Forks on steroids! Every turn was a dramatic switchback, as we drove higher and higher into the mountains above the clouds. Serenity overcame us, as we safely arrived and stood in the lobby of The Peace Lodge, ready for our next adventures. The view from our rooms with the Poas Volcano in the distance was spectacular and Ross was thrilled to have his own room (and hot tub) and a break from us!

We had hummingbird feeders on the porch, with a steady flow of hummingbirds from morning to night. We learned a fun fact about hummingbirds… they are only found in the Americas, and on no other continent in the world. We toured the animal refuge at La Paz Waterfalls and Gardens, adjacent to The Peace Lodge. One of the highlights of the trip was holding a toucan on my arm while feeding him small pieces of fruits. We fed monkeys and hummingbirds and learned a lot about the wildlife in Costa Rica. Most of the birds and animals in this refuge were pets at one time, before the owners realized how difficult it is to care for a wild creature. Our day of zip-lining and horseback riding was not as smooth as we hoped, with Paul taking a tumble off his horse (named Shakira) and receiving a solid hoof kick to the face. For the rest of the trip, Paul sent SnapChats to Lexi and Jack of his ever-changing colourful black eye.

On our way to our next hotel, we visited the Poas Volcano and hiked to a platform overlooking the crater. There were signs warning us not to stay for too long because the vapors from the active volcano could be damaging to our lungs. Above the clouds, we felt on top of the world and very lucky to have a clear view of the crater. It was nice to stretch our legs, and the elevation provided us with an additional workout! We were in and out just as the busloads of tourists began arriving from San Jose.

We visited the Doca Coffee Plantation and took a guided tour, learning the steps involved in producing coffee, from the tiny plant to your cup at home. By law, all coffee growers in Costa Rica must produce only Arabica beans, which they claim are the very best. The plantation we visited was one of the largest in the country with 1600 hectares and supplies coffee beans to Starbucks. It was a fascinating tour and the cup of coffee at the end was divine!

Our GPS sent us on another goose-chase along steep mountain roads as we made our way to Savegre Lodge in the San Gerardo de Dota region. Perhaps our most treacherous drive, the remote valley we descended into was magnificent! This simple lodge attracts mostly bird watchers (looking for the elusive Quetzal), however we went for the views and the hiking. We hired a local guide to take us on the Cerro de la Muerte hike, starting at a drop-off point 3492 m above sea level. Ross set a rigorous pace, as we hiked 15 km down the mountain back to the lodge. On our decent, we hiked through many different eco-systems and forests. Even though we are hikers at home, it is a lot more strenuous on the legs, just going down. Paul finished the hike at the spa with a massage, Ross jumped into the hot tub and I went horseback riding. Paul and I struggled with stairs the following few days, as we recovered from our big descent. We wouldn’t recommend this spot if you are travelling with teenagers, however if you like birds, this is the place for you!

Anxious to get to the beach and our final stop on our trip, we departed from the Savegre Lodge right after breakfast. The cool mountain air was a refreshing 10 c! After three hours of driving from mountains to sea level and the Manual Antonio area, we arrived at Buena Vista Villas at 10:30 am and 30 c! We quickly peeled off our sweatshirts, and checked into our delightful bungalow overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The private beach at this resort was perfect in every way. I probably spent more time in the ocean at this resort than I have in my entire life. Warm water, sandy bottom, gradual drop-off, no visible sea-creatures, complimentary boogie boards and beach attendants waiting to bring you a drink, towel or snack, made for a relaxing beach holiday.

As tempting as it was just to park at the beach for the final five days of our vacation, I had my mandate of an adventure a day to fulfill. We woke up early the next day for our third zip-lining adventure. Zip-lining originated in Costa Rica, so when in Rome… Each zip-lining experience was unique, and in Manual Antonio, we went on the longest zip-line in Central America, zipping 1.3 km over rain forest canopy- it was pretty awesome!! This company has many zip-lines, high bridges and platforms and finished with a “monkey-drop”. This is where you allow the guide to lower you carefully to the ground, yet they let you free fall for a few seconds before gently placing you on the ground. I looked our guide in the eye and suggested that if he wanted a tip at the end, my descent would be slow and without the “thrilling” free-fall- he listened and received a nice tip. Our experience ended with a traditional Costa Rican lunch- beans, rice and chicken, and lots of chats with other tourists about travel.

The next day we went jet skiing (my first and last jet-skiing experience) on the ocean, in particularly choppy conditions. Ross and Paul loved every minute, while I gritted my teeth and struggled to keep up. The highlight for me of this excursion was when we stopped for a floating break in a calm cove and the guide pulled out a machete and pineapple and served us the best tasting pineapple I have ever eaten! Next time I will stay on the perfect beach and the men can have some unbridled fun.

I wasn’t sure if I was up for the white-water rafting adventure, however it was booked and Ross was keen! I am so glad we did this, as the experience was exhilarating and one of my favourite adventures on our trip! Our guide was a joker, who loved to scare me with shouts, splashes and by smacking his paddle on the water. I screamed, hooted and hollered the whole way down the river and loved every minute! The guys said they were not scared, however the pictures afterwards suggested otherwise! At one point we jumped out of the boat and floated down the river for 1 km. The cool mountain river was so refreshing and a welcome reprieve from the heat and humidity.

We had a fantastic holiday in Costa Rica. We experienced four completely different regions and had at least one thrilling adventure each day. We saw many animals and birds, both in the wild and in animal refuges. We found some excellent restaurants that went beyond the usual chicken, rice and beans. Most of all, it was wonderful to spend one last March Break with Ross, before he heads off to university in September. It was an incredible trip, it was Pura Vida!!