With so many possibilities in the world to take the family, why not choose a small and easy country to explore; a small corner of the world filled with beaches, volcanoes, rainforests and mountaintop retreats like Monteverde and its mystical cloud forest. What are the 5 things you need to do with your family in Monteverde? Let’s start our tropical trip to the mountains!
Costa Rica is all of the above and much more! Did you know that it is the second happiest country in America, after Canada, according to the latest World Happiness Index 2022? Vacations should be about creating happy memories, so what better than a happy country like Costa Rica? Oh, and yes, it’s close by with plenty of direct flights from major US and European hubs, which is a priority when traveling with the young and the young at heart. Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport or Guanacaste International Airport, as Monteverde is right in the middle of both.
Monteverde is a wonderful destination for families and people of all ages, as the range of nature activities is as diverse as the fauna that inhabits its dense clouds, tropical forests and open skies. Add in some great hotels, like the Ficus Sunset Suites, with its spacious, airy rooms, great location in the heart of Monteverde, and proximity to the best mountaintop adventures; and you will see that it is a great hotel for families.
Although Monteverde is famous for extreme adventure possibilities, such as bungee jumping, there are also fantastic opportunities to enjoy the cloud forest that mix some adrenaline but a lot of fun, such as zip lining, hiking and walking through the clouds on hanging bridges. It is also a great place to search and observe the diversity of wildlife that inhabits the forests of Costa Rica. Let’s look at the 5 best things to do in Monteverde with your family.
1. Zipline
Ziplining is almost synonymous with Costa Rica, as there are many places to fly through the forest canopy and enjoy nature in a whole new way. Monteverde has some great zipline courses, but Ficus Sunset Suites’ favorite is
Selvatura Adventure Park. This zipline course is the only one on the mountaintop that is entirely within the cloud forest.
With safety as your number one priority, let the expert guides put you in the harness and then let yourself go. You will fly to the end of the line with the adrenaline rush included before starting the next new emotion. Your ride is through the treetops, so enjoy views of the forest below and the skies beyond, while experiencing one of the most exciting adventures of your family vacation in Monteverde.
For lesser thrill seekers, safety-conscious adventurers, and younger children, ziplining remains a definite item on your “must do” list. You can go down the zip line in the company of an expert guide “tandem style”, so you enjoy the ride while they take care of the rest.
2. Hanging Bridges
Another way to really enjoy the treetops of the cloud forest is to walk among the clouds instead of flying through them. Selvatura Adventure Park has a series of hanging bridges as part of its nature trail that you can explore at your own pace.
Ranging in length from 170 feet to an incredible 560 feet, these state-of-the-art suspension bridges span the open sky with views of the cloud forest below and beyond. It is an activity for all ages and very fun for everyone.
As you cross the eight suspension bridges, take your time to watch the birds flying between the trees and feel like you are walking on air through the clouds. It’s a memorable time for the whole family and offers fantastic photo opportunities.
3. Walks through the Cloud Forest
After experiencing the cloud forest in the sky, explore its ground and look up and through the dense vegetation, as clouds dance between the trees. This is a magical experience and invites you to use your imagination of the underworld of this enchanted forest.
Monteverde has several possibilities for walks through the cloud forest, such as the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest, the Curi Cancha Reserve and the largest private reserve in the country, the Children’s Eternal Forest. Each of them has a series of trails that will immerse you in the forest and that include the observation of fauna and birds.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest is worth experiencing in many ways. Plus, each one is unique, meaning there’s a preserve and trail for the whole family. Ficus Sunset Suites recommends, during your stay in Monteverde, that you try to visit at least a couple of the reserves. Let the front desk help you decide.
4. Night tour through the cloud forest
If the cloud forest wasn’t magical and mystical enough, why not go visit it at dusk? Most of the animals at the top of Monteverde are nocturnal, so if you haven’t been able to see all of your favorite creatures during the day, a nighttime visit to the cloud or rain forest is the perfect opportunity for animal sightings.
This exciting experience will give you another perspective of the jungle where your senses are heightened, and animal spotting is the name of the game. Colorful frogs, sleeping bird balls, statue-like reptiles, and hungry mammals in search of their dinner are just some of the forest stars you’ll encounter in the dark.
The night excursion is undoubtedly a favorite of the whole family and it is worth taking an afternoon off to prepare for the excitement of the excursion. Rest in your spacious room at Ficus Sunset Suites or take a leisurely walk through the city to be prepared and alert for the evening excursion.
5. Fauna Up Close
Seeing wild animals is always exciting, but they don’t always appear when we want them to. That is when an animal exhibition comes to the rescue of the animal many times and also for the animal lovers. This is where Selvatura Adventure Park is the place to visit to see those animals that you couldn’t see in the cloud forest while ziplining, walking on the hanging bridges or along the forest trails.
How about a reptile and amphibian exhibit, a butterfly garden, and a sloth sanctuary to experience authentic wildlife adventures up close? After a walk through the beautiful butterfly garden, take a guided tour of the reptile and amphibian exhibit, made up of a series of terrariums with 360° views so you can see how each one lives just as it would in its natural environment. Frogs, snakes and lizards of all shapes, colors and sizes are on display for your viewing and enjoyment.
The Sloth Sanctuary is very special, as Selvatura Adventure Park collaborates with the Caribbean Sloth Sanctuary, offering refuge to sloths that cannot return to their natural habitat. Watch how these slow, furry tree-dwellers live, eat, care for their young and, of course, sleep.
Ficus Sunset Suites is the perfect place to rest during your trip to Monteverde with the family. Monteverde is a perfect family destination for the young and not so young, for family thrill seekers and also for the calmer members. Full of opportunities close to nature, sunsets and good food, Monteverde awaits your family visit!
