Costa Rica for the Scarsdale Adventurer

Though Costa Rica has been a popular destination for years, there are still many parts of the country that are off the beaten path and offer authentic adventures. Costa Rica is frequented by honeymooners, families, retirees, couples and backpackers alike as it offers something for everyone. A wide variety of experiences and accommodations are available from small eco-lodges to all-inclusive beach resorts and everything in between

Costa Rica is an easy trip for the Westchester crowd. A 4 ½ hour direct flight from Newark brings you to one of two international airports. Costa Rica boasts some of the worlds best beaches (and surfing classes) as well as diverse and accessible wildlife, numerous volcanoes, the highest and fastest zip lines through the rainforest canopy, luxurious hot springs, scenic whitewater rafting, gourmet dining, world class spas, and, of course, supersized insects. There's only a two hour time difference between New York and San Jose, Wi-fi is readily available, medical care is relatively advanced, and you can get by speaking English.

We had only a week in Costa Rica since grandma was watching the kids and one week was her limit for (happily) babysitting. To limit our travel time in-country, we focused on two areas of Costa Rica: The Arenal Volcano area and the Pacuare River area.

We began our trip in La Fortuna where the 5,437-foot, conically shaped Arenal Volcano provides a gorgeous

and interesting backdrop for the area. We stayed at El Silencio del Campo, a lovely, villa-based resort with gorgeous hot springs on the property. On our first day, we spent time relaxing in the volcanically heated geothermic pools. The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast --which was included with our room fee (a Costa Rican lodge standard), learned how to milk a cow at the lodge's on-site farm (not so easy!), and headed out for a morning of waterfall rappelling, also called canyoneering. After being harnessed up and fitted for helmets, we were given a safety talk that, in true American fashion, was followed up by signing a waiver. Our small group headed up the mountain and began our canyoneering experience. We followed a river deep in the jungle and rappelled down several waterfalls, the highest being 200 feet. You just can't do this in Scarsdale.

The next day we took a guided walk through the jungle and traversed several hanging bridges surrounding the volcano. We saw snakes, coatis and a sloth, heard howler monkeys in action, and one out of the two of us ate the best thing to survive on if you're lost in the rainforest...live termites! We learned a lot about the flora and fauna of the area and saw some breathtaking waterfalls. From there, we headed to the ultimate zip line tour. We began with a gondola ride to the top of the canopy (4,100 feet) and zip lined down a total of 8 cables. The highest is 656 feet above the forest floor and the longest is 2,493 feet long. Talk about a rush... the guides hurl you off platforms and you soar above the rainforest canopy from mountain top to mountain top at speeds of over 50 MPH.

The following morning, we left for Pacuare Lodge, an upscale jungle resort that is only accessible via whitewater raft, earning it the title of one of the top unique lodges of the world by National Geographic. The river rapids on the way to the lodge were class I and II and were fun, but we were told that the class III and IV rapids on the way out were a whole other experience. None of our belongings got wet- everything was placed in dry bags and rafted in.

The set up of the lodge and its surroundings is magical. The rooms are designed to maximize the jungle experience but are luxurious and accommodating too. Each villa has a porch with a hammock and chairs, indoor and outdoor hot showers, dreamy beds, robes and towels and organic toiletries. Our room was sprinkled with flower petals and there were flower shaped chocolates awaiting us on arrival. Although the River Suite we had booked was lovely, we were promptly upgraded to a much larger suite higher up in the jungle that had a private infinity pool and a claw foot tub and 10 different options for lounging.

The real lure of Pacuare Lodge is the feeling of being so remote yet having 5-star service, 5-star food, and excellent management. The river guides are also your waiters and your waiters are also your activity guides, and they were all kind, professional, fun, and knowledgeable about the flora and fauna. If the backdrop wasn't the river and the jungle, you might think you were in Manhattan based on the quality of the food and service, included for a hefty price. We left each rather formal meal completely satiated and ready for adventure. The lodge offers zip lining, river boating options, a hike to an indigenous community, canyoneering, and a hike to a waterfall. Only the waterfall hike is included in your package. The wildlife around the lodge is abundant. We did see several poisonous snakes while hiking including a fer-de-lance (Costa Rica's most feared snake), but the guides were careful to point it out yet keep us out of harm's way. My husband experienced that story you hear about that you never think could happen to you. He put his foot in his sandal early one morning and yelped because something was in it. It was a gigantic Brazilian Wandering Spider, considered the most venomous spider on earth. (I hid under the sheets until he got rid of it.)

On our last night, the lodge gifted us a "romantic dinner" down by the river next to a bonfire. Once again, our dinner made us feel like we were seated in at Jean-Georges. We took several more outdoor showers for the novelty of it (until we realized there were bats in the shower!) and packed up to head out.

After another hearty breakfast, our rafting guide Luis led us to the rafts, the first let of our trip home. He expertly navigated us through the class III and IV rapids, in and out of picturesque canyons, and allowed us a quick stop at a utopian waterfall where we took a dip. Lunch was served along the river and was very impressive. Luis made the rafting fun but we always felt safe. Don't forget your GoPro for this part of the river!

The lodge had a van waiting to bring us back to San Jose at the end of the river. We spent our last night at Adventure Inn, a funky, clean, safe hotel near the airport. It's a great base for your first or last night in Costa Rica.

Other parts of Costa Rica that have phenomenal reviews from travelers are the Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula for the beaches, Manuel Antonio National Park for wildlife, Corcovado/Drake Bay for wildlife, beaches, and to "get away from it all," and the Caribbean coast for turtle watching and a more laid-back feel.

Have you been to Costa Rica? Share your stories! If not Costa Rica, where's your favorite place for adventure travel?