Costa Rica Recap

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Well, I'm officially back from the most amazing vacation ever to Costa Rica and back in full work mode! And while I miss the tropical paradise that I called home for a couple weeks, I'm happy to be  home and back to work. I really do love what I do and I think that's the ultimate dream, right? Now, I've gotten quite a few request from friends and readers asking if I had any tips and recommendations, so I thought I'd put everything on here to share with you lovelies. I'm no travel expert, but I did learn a few things this time around and I'm happy to share!First of all, YES we went during the "rainy season" and NO it wasn't pouring rain all day everyday and miserable =) Unlike California rain. The rain we experienced (early Sept) was not everyday and didn't start until about 5-6pm when it did. And it was a warm rain. More thunder and lightening than pouring rain. I thought it was totally awesome to be perfectly honest! One thing I learned though - apparently the water is crystal clear during the high season (Jan, Feb, March), and the water was a bit murkier for us. But we still snorkeled and it seemed fine to me!We stayed in a small town called Uvita, located in the Southwest region of Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Super close to several beaches and waterfalls. 1 hour from epic surfing, zip lines, and mangrove tours. Several high end restaurants and several local places that are super yummy! (more on those later!) We rented the most amazing home from Airbnb. We stayed for 11 days. Which was perfect for adventuring and beaching (snorkel/surf) 1 day, and then relaxing and beaching (swimming & reading & napping) in between. It was a great fit for us.What we did: Whale Watching, Snorkeling, Canopy Tours (Zipline), Mangrove Tours, Horseback riding to a giant waterfall, several hikes, tons of beach trips - we got all the info for booking these at the "Uvita Info Center" located in the middle of town. Nothing was pre-booked. Most placed didn't require more than a 24 hr notice - it is the Tico (Costa Rican native) way after all!Fav Restaurants:Por Que No?  - more American, amazing seafood, and KILLER ocean view. Marino Ballena - great Tico food and they play ALL the sports games. The Goathouse - owned by a sweet German lady & a spectacular space.  Local Sodas - these are little roadside cafes that are attached to their homes. You can stop by and order food right from their kitchen. But don't except a menu - they usual serve the "typical dish" which includes white rice, black bean, a protein, and some plantains. And let me tell you, they are beyond delicious.

Oh, just some puppies I met in town =)

I will say - be warned - Costa Rica is not "cheap" by any means. I'd say everything for the most part is the same as the US. Some things are different - but overall - plan on spending what you would spend here for meals & tours. TIP- If you go the first couple weeks of September, they have their annual Whale & Dolphin Festival, which is awesome because whale watching boats are only $40/person as opposed to $70-$90!

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Overall, amazing experience! If you have more specific questions - please feel free to leave them in the comments below!

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