Unique cultural experiences in Costa Rica for kids

Most of the country’s museums and galleries are set in the capital, San Jose, where most Costa Rica family trips begin and end. And there are some great child-friendly museums if you’re planning what to do in Costa Rica with kids.

El Museo de Los Niños is designed specifically for children, with more than 40 exhibits in this interactive museum, including opportunities to get hands on and experiment, as well as exploring a mock city.

You could also learn more about Costa Rica’s history at the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, which has coins, jewellery and other precious items on display alongside maps and other exhibits from the centuries before Columbus first set foot here in 1502.

The National Museum of Costa Rica has more items from the pre-Columbian era, alongside more modern displays, plus there’s a chance to walk through the museum’s butterfly garden on the way in. Art-lovers should check out the Museum of Costa Rican Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, or try a guided tour of San Jose to discover a few of the city’ highlights.

With fantastic fresh fruit, avocadoes bigger than any you’ve seen, and very little spice, even the most particular kids can find something to enjoy when it comes to Costa Rican food.

And it’s a great way to enjoy a taste of local culture too, whether you’re shopping or eating like a Tico, as the Costa Ricans call themselves. Start off browsing a market, such as the Mercado Central in San Jose and pick up a few ultra-fresh fruits as you go.

Or head to a ‘soda’ – not the drink, but the name for little local restaurants, focusing on Costa Rican staples. Make sure you add a dollop of Salsa Lizano, a mild, savoury sauce that’s the most popular condiment in Costa Rica.

Casado is one speciality, usually including rice, beans, salad, tortillas and meat, while the only way to start the day in Costa Rica is with gallo pinto – known simply as pinto by locals. This mix of rice and black beans is usually served alongside eggs and cheese for breakfast.

If your kids aren’t tempted by that, who would say no to an ice-cream – Costa Rica style… Look out for some unusual flavours including bright purple dragon fruit, as well as guanabana, or soursop.

What’s better than trying a few Costa Rican dishes? Learning how to make them yourself at a cookery class.

There are plenty of opportunities to try out a few local specialities, with classes in San Jose and La Fortuna near Arenal, as well as good with an Afro-Caribbean twist in places like Cahuita.

You needn’t challenge yourself to whip up a complicated three-course meal either, with the chance to try your hand at making tortillas in Turrialba, with a mini Spanish lesson along the way. Finish by gobbling up your creations; the local way is to eat them with natilla, Costa Rican sour cream.

While tourism is a major part of the economy in Costa Rica, the country remains largely agricultural, with farming a key part of daily life across the country. From coffee and cacao to pineapple and bananas, a visit to these plantations is also a great way for kids (and adults!) to get to know more about local life during family holidays to Costa Rica.

If you’re visiting the Turrialba volcano, the landscape is covered with coffee farms, so you could add a visit while exploring the dramatic scenery – if you’re visiting with teens, everyone could enjoy a fresh cup of coffee after a hike, but there are family-friendly ways to explore Turrialba with younger kids as well.

Or how about looking around a pineapple farm? The country grows the exotic (and pricy) pink pineapple but the standard variety is just as tempting, and there are chances to taste a few samples in the pineapple fields of Sarapiqui, as well as chatting to the farm’s owner along the way.

There are eight recognised indigenous communities in Costa Rica, the Huetar, Maleku, Bribri, Cabécar, Brunka, Ngäbe, Bröran and Chorotega. And one of the best cultural experiences in Costa Rica for kids is to learn a little more about their traditions and histories.

The Watsi Bribri people lived in Costa Rica long before the Spanish arrived, and you can find out more about their culture if you visit the Talamanca region. At Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, see a little of their daily life, as well as indigenous crafts and art, and join in with activities such as chocolate making.

And not far from La Fortuna, you could visit the Maleku Indigenous Reserve to find out more about their individual culture and customs

Or head off the beaten track into the countryside of northern Costa Rica, to discover a typical Tico village away from the capital and the main tourist centres. A group of women from the Juanilama community set up an initiative to bring tourism to their quiet corner of the country, with the opportunity to experience rural life, see which plants and vegetables are grown, and stay in a local home.

One of the most fun cultural experiences in Costa Rica for families is seeing a festival take place, and there are plenty of occasions throughout the year.
As you consider when to go to Costa Rica, take a look at the list of annual events, to see if you can combine any of the major occasions with your Costa Rica family holiday. From Carnaval and ox cart parades to rodeos, processions and parades on public holidays and more, it’s a great way to see some Tico traditions in action.