Pura Vida! We just did 10 days in Costa Rica with our family of six + a grandma and a funcle! If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, this is a round-up of all our Costa Rica packing essentials we used during our 10-day family adventure through rainforests, waterfalls, beaches, river tubing, and national parks. Click here to shop our entire Costa Rica Essentials storefront! (I do make a small commission, so thank you for supporting my small corner of the internet!)
From La Fortuna to Tamarindo, these Costa Rica travel essentials made our trip smoother, cleaner, and so much more fun—especially when traveling with kids. Whether you’re searching for what to pack for Costa Rica, Costa Rica family travel tips, or Costa Rica vacation essentials, this guide will help you pack smarter. Costa Rica is not your average beach vacation, if you are looking for our whole 10 Day Itinerary and trip report, you can find that here. We did lots of adventures and needed the right gear, here’s a quick list of the adventures we did:
– Rainforest wildlife night hikes in La Fortuna- Book our fave here!
– Waterfall hiking and rappelling in La Fortuna – Book ours here! – Hot springs in La Fortuna Book a day pass to the best here!
– River tubing the Rio Celeste Loved this! Book it here! – Ziplines and ATV fun in Tamarindo Book the best spot here
– Surfing and bodyboarding in Tamarindo Book our stand-up-or-your-money-back lessons here!
– Long scenic (and sometimes slow) drives
Baseline Packing List:
My kids pack themselves and this is the list I gave them for Costa Rica. We do laundry mid-trip when we travel either in the sink with these amazing travel laundry sheets and this travel clothesline , we find a quick laundromat or we rent an Airbnb with a washer and dryer.
-7 bottoms (since we have boys, we pack these quick-dry swim suits to double as bottoms!)
-7 tops (we packed these quick-dry shirts that double as rash guards and come in a 2-pack!)
-7 underwear
-Closed-Toe water shoes ( many water activities required closed-toe and we all loved these!)
-Tevas (here’s our faves!)
-Multiple swimsuits (they dry fast in the humidity and we love these lined anti-chafe suits)
-PJs
-Sun hat (Here’s the ones we pack!)
WATER GEAR MUST HAVES
Water fun = Costa Rica. Be prepared for it all- it is TONS of fun! My kids are still talking about this trip daily.
(Shop our whole storefront here!)
Closed-Toe Water Shoes – Find kid’s here! Find our teen/adult ones here!
These were absolutely non-negotiable for our trip. Lots of excursions required them and we were so glad they had the extra toe protection and the dried overnight.
Lightweight Rain Ponchos – Find them here!
Costa Rica rainforest weather can change instantly. If rain changes the mood in your fam, these are disposable and pack super small.
Quick-Dry Compact Travel Towels – Find them here!
We packed these wondering if we would need them often…we used the EVERYDAY. It was so helpful to have compact towels that we could clean off with before jumping into the rental car and then hang it up and use the next day again. They also made getting back into the rental car MUCH easier.
Dry Bag Backpack – Find them here!
We were so glad we brought a dry bag backpack to hold all our stuff on all our water excursions and the beach too! It kept all our stuff dry in the unpredictable weather Costa Rica can have especially in the rainforest.
Swim Trunks with a liner – Find them here!
(Helps with chafing, my boys love these quick dry adventure swim trunks!
Water proof Band-Aids – Find them here!
We pack these on all our vacations. They are so helpful when someone has a small owie and the water hurts or you’re worried about germs. Such a hack.
Our go-to Tevas – Find our youth ones here! Find our adult ones here!
All 6 of us have these teas as a second pair of shoes, we take these on almost all our vacations. They last forever and are so versatile.
🎉 MUCHO FUN GEAR FOR COSTA RICA
We are nothing if not tons of fun and we packed a few things that were SO good to have!
(Shop our whole storefront here!)
The BEST Adventure Camera Grab one here!
This camera had gone with us all over the world and takes the coolest videos! We are OBSESSED. Fully waterproof, 360 degree recording and sooo many more features.
Games on the Go – Grab it here!
Costa Rica involves a lot of driving between destinations. Distances are deceiving, and roads can be slow due to construction, dirt roads, and traffic. I avoid screens when I can and this is always a fun alternative with different prompts, games and challenges.
Bouncing Water Balls– Grab some here!
These are a vacation staple for our family. They bounce on water. They are soft and squishy to avoid black eyes. They don’t sink and disappear.
Binoculars (Adult + Kids) – Find the youth ones here! Grab adult ones here!
One of the BEST Costa Rica wildlife hacks.
We used them daily to spot sloths, toucans, monkeys, iguanas and more.
Floating Frisbees – 2-pack here we love!
Never bringing sinking frisbees again. This is a 2-pack and they played for hours in the waves and in the hot springs at Tabacon in La Fortuna.
Surf Dude Beach Toy – Had this for 5 years strong!
One of the kids’ favorites. You throw it into the surf and it rides the wave back to you.
Body Boards & Skim Boards – Fave Boogie boards here! Fave skimboard here!
We brought our own boards to save money and time and it made beach days so much better.
We also used their backpack designed to carry multiple boards, which was a game changer for transport. We have taken this all over!
LIFE HACK GEAR (Costa Rica Travel Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed)
These are the items we often bring on EVERY family trip that have made our life more efficient, safer and less stressful. (Shop our whole storefront here!)
Bonine (The BEST non-drowsy Motion Sickness Relief) – Find this miracle med here!
A must-have for winding Costa Rica roads, this made a huge difference for our family! We pack this on all vacations. Pro-tip: If you have a motion-sick prone family member ( we have 3!) take one at bedtime and one in the morning the day before adventure and the day of and we have never had anyone get sick anymore!! We used to have verrrrry sick kids. GAME CHANGING REGIMENT.
Beach & Pool Locking Safe Pouch – Grab one for your fam here!
So nobody has to “stay back with the stuff” anymore! We bring this on all trips. Holds our phones, hotel keys, money etc
Quick-Dry Shirts / Rash Guards – Grab a 2 pack here!
We packed multipurpose quick-dry shirts and my kids live in them on all trips with water or heat. They wore them everyday in CR as their regular shirts they were at the ready for fun:) They come in a 2-pack and made packing compact and water days less whiney as they dried quickly moving to the next activity or long drive.
Sand Removing Mitts – Grab a pair here!
We pack these on all beach trips-less sandy car seats and hotel rooms! This mitt dusts the sand right off. Bonus tip: Sprinkle some baby powder on first and it’s even more effective.
Suture-free Wound Closures – Stock up on the here!
We never travel without waterproof bandages and no-stitch wound closures. Don’t ask me why. JK. These have saved us from ER visits multiple times!
Compact Travel Clothesline – pick up one for your fam here!
We have this on our balconies, across bathrooms or anywhere we can find a spot to make drying clothes and swimsuits for the next day’s fun much easier! this comes on most of our trips with us.
Dude Bombs – Grab a bag here!
Listen, I have 4 boys and one husband… this became a necessity, LOL. Much more effective than traditional sprays and when you have to share a bathroom for 2 weeks…you’re welcome.
🇨🇷 FINAL THOUGHTS: COSTA RICA PACKING LIST
If you’re planning a Costa Rica family vacation, packing smart will completely change your experience. Shop our whole shop here! The right water gear, fun travel activities, and life hack essentials mean:
● Less stress
● More adventure
● Cleaner transitions between activities
● Happier kids (and parents)
Save this Costa Rica packing list before your trip—and adjust it based on your itinerary, whether you’re visiting waterfalls in La Fortuna, beaches in Tamarindo, or wildlife parks in Manuel Antonio.
