We are taking our first vacation in 8 years together. Well my first vacation ever and we dont have a ton of money to do it. There are 3 of us (2 adults and a 7 year old). Anyway, I looked at Costa Rica because there is a lot that appeals to me like the jungle, wildlife, and beach. I found tickets for $319 a piece flying spirit which is a great deal. We want to go anytime in July (gives us time to save a bit more). The dates I selected were July 18th through around the 24th. 6-8 days is what we'd like. Very flexible though to get the best price.
Anyway, Im reading on various sites that Costa Rica is pretty expensive once you get there so im a little concerned that maybe another destination might be more fun if our money goes a little further.
Here is our ideal vacation:
- Beach
- Wildlife
- Nature tours and hikes
- Cheap or free activities
Places I priced for tickets
Cuba- breathtaking beaches, but more cultural activities that I wouldnt be interested in. Tickets were about $400 a piece. Im worried our kiddo wouldnt have a lot of fun here.
Belize- The coral reefs would be amazing to see, but flights were a bit more than Costa Rica. I think I priced flights at $500 or more. Not sure about how far our money goes.
Costa Rica- Lots of things Id like in a vacation, but cost of activities might limit our time there. Looked into flying into San Jose Airport because Spirit flies there and it was the cheapest overall flight I could find. Kind of far from beaches though. Could go to Jaco which is an hour away, but read there is a lot of more grown up activities (and drugs and prostitutes) and we have a 7 year old coming. Cahuita is on the caribbean side but 3 hours away from the Airport, but looked like a great place to stay with beaches and wildlife.
Mexico My husband vetoed Mexico because he's already been and thinks its unsafe right now. Tried to open his mind, but he's decided Mexico is completely out. So its a no on Mexico
There are plenty of other places to look into, but Im ignorant in travel unfortunately. Any advice or alternate locations would be great. Safety is a priority because we're traveling with our kiddo
February 20, 2017 at 06:56AM
