Hey, parents – quick question: Are your school-age kids still schooling from home?
If you're nodding your head (while possibly shuddering), you're not alone: Much of the world is in the same boat. Not quite homeschool and definitely not your standard education, COVID-age virtual schooling is both an understandable safety measure and an almost-guarantee of cabin fever. Whether your kids are 6 or 16, we stand in solidarity.
We also have an idea.
Costa Rica has long been an outdoor playground for kids and their families. From surfing and rainforest hikes to paddle-boarding and waterfall-rappelling, this is the kind of place that's naturally outward bound. No effort required.
And so, when The Wall Street Journal recently discussed a wild homeschooling alternative in Costa Rica... parents around the world perked up. But wait: That program is only for teens. Teens who are mature enough to travel without their parents – and the parents who are comfortable enough to send them alone.
What about the rest of us? Well, that's where our idea comes in...
A family vacation in Costa Rica is not a new concept: This is one of the world's top destinations for travelers with kids, tweens, and teens.
The new part of this concept? Consider staying a while. All of you. For an extended family vacation in Costa Rica. As in, for a month. Or maybe six. With the help of 100 Mbps fiber-optic internet, you can work while your kids go to school. As soon as you can close your laptop – outside, you all go!
Costa Rica's allure has something (okay, a lot) to do with the great outdoors: Here, you're not sternly ordering your kids to put down the phone or turn off the screen; here, you're beckoning them in from the surf or rock-paper-scissoring over who has to load the bike rack this time.
Because Costa Rica is the kind of place where the real world is more engaging than a screen. It's sunny and warm. The sky is blue and the wind is gentle. The Pacific crashes and the dry forest sings. The mangroves summon and waterfalls roar. Speaking of roars, the howler monkeys thunder and the toucans croak (yep). Iguanas skitter and parrots squawk. The world is alive, in the best and most naturally educational way.
Welcome to your outdoor, effortless office and classroom – to Tamarindo, where you can shake off the stir crazy, explore with abandon, and finally see your kids smile again.
Where you can smile again, too. Because a family vacation in Costa Rica doesn't have to end after a week. With incredible long-term rental rates, stringent (and country-wide) safety protocols, and year-round outdoor weather, you can stay awhile.
You can finally exhale.
The height (literally) of tropical luxury, Casa Puros Dieces ("pure tens" or figuratively, "straight 10s"!) is an eco-friendly, Balinese-style property offering stunning ocean views from almost every corner.
Built to take advantage of natural ventilation, Casa Puros Dieces is the kind of place where you fling open the windows and bask in the ocean breeze. In addition to an ocean-view infinity pool, jacuzzi, and expansive decking, the home is incredibly spacious, offering plenty of space for large families to find quiet and privacy.
Speaking of quiet spaces for virtual work and school, Casa Puros Dieces offers 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
A private waterslide? Yes, please!
Families with young kids – and really, anyone who's young at heart! – will fall immediately in love with Casa Bonita Beach: a home with the feel of an elite beach estate.
Located within Hacienda Pinilla and just 600 meters to secluded beach access, this spacious home offers incredible indoor/outdoor living, including an incredible terrace, shaded outdoor dining, a private pool with a waterslide, and so much more. As part of Hacienda Pinilla, you'll also have access to the 18-hole golf course, walking and biking trails, and much more.
As do our other homes on this list, Casa Bonita Beach is well suited to your extended family vacation in Costa Rica, with 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Treat your family to a little luxury – to Casa Rebecca, a private home located within Hacienda Pinilla, Costa Rica's premier gated community.
Walls of glass bathe Casa Rebecca in abundant natural light, illuminating your private pool, gourmet kitchen, and spacious outdoor living areas in sun and warmth. And just outside your doors: Hacienda Pinilla, home to miles of hiking and biking trails, an 18-hole golf course, three miles of pristine beach, and so much more.
As do our other homes intended for an extended family vacation in Costa Rica, Casa Rebecca offers 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Oceanfront on a budget? Yes, please!
Perfect for small families, Crystal Sands 104 is a ground-level condo right on the beach – ideal for surfers, beach-hikers, and anyone who ever dreamed of the Pacific at their front door.
In addition to a gourmet kitchen, air-conditioning, and a lush garden, this cozy family condo promise outdoor dining, ocean views, a dedicated work space, and plenty of room to spread out.
As far as the virtual office and virtual schooling go – Crystal Sands 104 has you covered with 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Virtual Schooling + Extended Family Vacation in Costa Rica
A family vacation in Costa Rica is not a new concept: This is one of the world's top destinations for travelers with kids, tweens, and teens.
The new part of this concept? Consider staying a while. All of you. For an extended family vacation in Costa Rica. As in, for a month. Or maybe six. With the help of 100 Mbps fiber-optic internet, you can work while your kids go to school. As soon as you can close your laptop – outside, you all go!
Costa Rica's allure has something (okay, a lot) to do with the great outdoors: Here, you're not sternly ordering your kids to put down the phone or turn off the screen; here, you're beckoning them in from the surf or rock-paper-scissoring over who has to load the bike rack this time.
Because Costa Rica is the kind of place where the real world is more engaging than a screen. It's sunny and warm. The sky is blue and the wind is gentle. The Pacific crashes and the dry forest sings. The mangroves summon and waterfalls roar. Speaking of roars, the howler monkeys thunder and the toucans croak (yep). Iguanas skitter and parrots squawk. The world is alive, in the best and most naturally educational way.
Welcome to your outdoor, effortless office and classroom – to Tamarindo, where you can shake off the stir crazy, explore with abandon, and finally see your kids smile again.
Where you can smile again, too. Because a family vacation in Costa Rica doesn't have to end after a week. With incredible long-term rental rates, stringent (and country-wide) safety protocols, and year-round outdoor weather, you can stay awhile.
You can finally exhale.
Your Extended Family Vacation in Costa Rica: What to Do
Honestly, the question is really, what are you interested in doing? Virtual schooling provides the opportunity for something so much richer: The chance to experience a new culture, learn about a new place, and grow as a family. Everywhere you look, there's a new recreational adventure, physical challenge, or learning opportunity. The hardest task is picking what to do next. Luckily, we have some (ok, a ton) of insight on that! Check out our Tamarindo-area things to do guides, which cover everything from surfing and sailing, ATVs and horseback riding to sea turtle watching and river rafting, mountain biking and kayaking.Your Extended Family Vacation in Costa Rica: Where to Stay
Again, you have options. The final decision comes down to where and what is best for you and yours – what's most accommodating for your extended family vacation in Costa Rica. Here are a few houses for rent in Tamarindo, Costa Rica – options that particularly suit families, from the smallest to the largest. Whether you want to splash out or simply splash in the Pacific, we'll have the home-away-from-home that's right for your family.Puros Dieces
Tamarindo | 8 Bedrooms | 8 Bathrooms
The height (literally) of tropical luxury, Casa Puros Dieces ("pure tens" or figuratively, "straight 10s"!) is an eco-friendly, Balinese-style property offering stunning ocean views from almost every corner.
Built to take advantage of natural ventilation, Casa Puros Dieces is the kind of place where you fling open the windows and bask in the ocean breeze. In addition to an ocean-view infinity pool, jacuzzi, and expansive decking, the home is incredibly spacious, offering plenty of space for large families to find quiet and privacy.
Speaking of quiet spaces for virtual work and school, Casa Puros Dieces offers 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Inquire about Discounted Weekly / Monthly Rates
Casa Bonita Beach
Hacienda Pinilla | 5 Bedrooms | 6 Bathrooms
A private waterslide? Yes, please!
Families with young kids – and really, anyone who's young at heart! – will fall immediately in love with Casa Bonita Beach: a home with the feel of an elite beach estate.
Located within Hacienda Pinilla and just 600 meters to secluded beach access, this spacious home offers incredible indoor/outdoor living, including an incredible terrace, shaded outdoor dining, a private pool with a waterslide, and so much more. As part of Hacienda Pinilla, you'll also have access to the 18-hole golf course, walking and biking trails, and much more.
As do our other homes on this list, Casa Bonita Beach is well suited to your extended family vacation in Costa Rica, with 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Inquire about Discounted Weekly / Monthly Rates
Casa Rebecca
Hacienda Pinilla | 4 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms
Treat your family to a little luxury – to Casa Rebecca, a private home located within Hacienda Pinilla, Costa Rica's premier gated community.
Walls of glass bathe Casa Rebecca in abundant natural light, illuminating your private pool, gourmet kitchen, and spacious outdoor living areas in sun and warmth. And just outside your doors: Hacienda Pinilla, home to miles of hiking and biking trails, an 18-hole golf course, three miles of pristine beach, and so much more.
As do our other homes intended for an extended family vacation in Costa Rica, Casa Rebecca offers 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Inquire about Discounted Weekly / Monthly Rates
Crystal Sands 104
Playa Langosta | 3 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms
Oceanfront on a budget? Yes, please!
Perfect for small families, Crystal Sands 104 is a ground-level condo right on the beach – ideal for surfers, beach-hikers, and anyone who ever dreamed of the Pacific at their front door.
In addition to a gourmet kitchen, air-conditioning, and a lush garden, this cozy family condo promise outdoor dining, ocean views, a dedicated work space, and plenty of room to spread out.
As far as the virtual office and virtual schooling go – Crystal Sands 104 has you covered with 100 Mbsp high-speed WiFi internet, battery backout (modem and router), and access to a portable wireless router, if required.
Inquire about Discounted Weekly / Monthly Rates