San Ramon and its surrounding areas is chock full of things to do for families. Even if you are older, you will probably want to do a few of these things too. She here goes my list of Things to do in San Ramon Costa Rica with Kids (of all ages). I know some things cost money – if you go, please let me know what they are! Rates are usually different for residents and tourists, so my husband is the one who always goes up to pay or they try to charge me tourist prices! I never really pay attention. Tell me! lol, gracias.
PLAYGROUNDS
2 I know of that are public and open –
(1) Big Gym – if standing in front of the Church in town, take the street on the left heading towards the blue church. The gym will be on your left with free exercise equipment outside. (Just on a side note- all this equipment is new, recently covered, though outside in the cool San Ramon air, and anyone can use it! Same with the tennis court, and the Olympic sized pool) Keep walking towards the church, and lake a left after the tennis court. The playground just around the corner! Bring sands toys, the whole thing is a giant sandbox! Small, fenced in, and great for all ages. There should be a bathroom inside the gym, but I could never find it and it’s just as fun to walk around the block to the pizza place, grab a slice and use theirs. Also great for playdates because not too many people use the playground – and bring water! Can get hot!
(2) The 2nd playground is behind the public library. From Pops, it is 1 block west, make a left, and go about 275 meters south. All wooden, ropes, the works. Lots of kids play here, surrounded by nice family neighborhood.
LA PAZ
Bajo de la Paz – not to be confused with a Paz waterfall gardens in Poas. La Paz, San Ramon is a gorgeous lush area of horseback riding to waterfalls, and fish for your own trout or Tilapia fish restaurants. Our favorite is Rancho Carrucha – they even have tiny cabinas is you want to spend the night. Horseback riding here too, and playground for kids to play while you eat. Even a soccer field! 2445-1940 Call ahead of time for horseback riding and speak Spanish! At least how many, what day, and how long…. they are very nice. About 25 minutes towards Piedades norte – stay left at deco church, stay elft at fork with no sign, stay left at fork with sign to La Carrucha, or there’s another great one if you stay to the right at this sign and just after the yellow bridge on your right. Big soccer field at this one, and really cute restaurant, though no playground.
La Fortuna HOT SPRINGS
$5 bus ride from station in town to La Fortuna! Take a taxi for a few bucks once you are there to the $8 hot springs complete with water slides! On your right just before you get to Baldi. Photos with the Baldi’s Hot Mama are free – it is outside the main entrance 🙂 2 hours weekday, 3 hours local weekends. Or drive just under 2 hours.
SAN RAMON MUSEUM
Though small, this is a great 1 hour excursion with the kids. Exhibits change. Just off the park, can’t miss it.
SAN RAMON CENTRAL PARK
For 500 colones for an IceCream from McDonalds postre stand on the corner, go to the park and just let the kids run around. Playing hide and go seek, tag, climbing on the war canon (a monument to old times!) – there are always kids there just running around, and parents who let them! Don’t freak if they disappear for a minute behind a tree. You will feel how safe it is after a little while!
SAN RAMON SWIMMING POOLs
There are 2 here in San Ramon. Ask about lessons or free time at the Olympic sized pool by the gym. I have posted the “signs” here!
My kids took lessons with school at the other one and once I figure out where it is I will post an update.
Eco Musas or LAS MUSAS
Our tico style swimming pools just 10 minutes from the town – follow the road past UCR and make a right into San Pedro. When the road splits before Colegio Bilingue, you will see the big sign for Las Musas, take a left. Follow the road to the entrance. Park! There is a fee, I will need to check what it is. Also a nice restaurant overlooking the falls.
Amazing waterfall!!!! A sheer cliffside with water cascading down! Feeds pools that they made for swimming and one giant waterslide! Plus a kiddie pool. Picnic tables, BBQs (rustic, bring wood or coals, maybe even the grill top…) swingsets and little play area, family friendly hiking trails, even covered ranchos if you get there early enough. If not, plenty of benches to choose from and other sitting areas. Showers, changing areas and bathrooms make this a complete day! Eat in the restaurant and let the kids fall asleep on the way home. Sounds like a good day to me 🙂
LOS ANGELES CLOUD FOREST
Villa Blanca? Los Angeles Cloud Forest? which one is it? One and the same… Villa Blanca is the hotel and Los Angeles is the cloud forest it rests in. A gorgeous boutique hotel made up of traditional styled tico casitas, each with a fireplace for those cold, Cloud Forest Nights. It is owned by the environmentally conscious and tico friendly owner of Si Como No in Manuel Antonio (he is know to take excellent care of his employees, something I love to hear, being married to a tico myself!). There is no cost to go and walk the trails, though there may be a small entrance fee to their observatory or for a guided tour. You can call ahead to ask, everyone speaks English that we could tell! And the hotel entrance is really cool – after your hike, tour, what have you, treat yourself to a really excellent meal. (prices are high for San Ramon, but worth it if you miss some expensive tasting cooking….) Again, a full day and kids asleep in the car on the way home. 🙂 Oh! And you can see the cows being milked at 2pm at the entrance! the Front desk will give you a map and all the details for all there is to do.
NECTANDRA CLOUD FOREST – secret! shhh….
Check them out on Trip Advisor – a more intense experience than Villa Blanca, and half the distance of Monteverde, you can meet with a private guide who knows everything about rain shed and hikes you through almost the whole forest – really find out about how the rainforest works, and how the world will stop working as we know it if we don’t take care of the rain and cloud forests. Though Monteverde is a cute town, there really is no reason to drive all the way there just to go to the cloud forest. This place is even better and just 45 minutes outside of San Ramon on the way to La Fortuna. Its a great way to split the trip to La Fortuna, spend the day at the forest, then drive another 45 minutes to the hot springs, the volcano, then on to the lake. Another great day!
TREEHOUSEs HOTEL and the Lake Arenal Area
Though the Treehouses Hotel is not necessarily in the Arenal Lake Area, it makes for a great trip from San Ramon! Have a fun night with the kids in these upscale homes in the trees, then go to the lake! Windsurf, boat, hike the trails. For more on the area check the Lake Arenal websites. There’s quite a few to choose from! But try and stay at the treehouse hotels!
PLAYA DONA ANA
45 minutes towards the beach, but turn towards Quepos and then it is on the right a few houses down from The Double Tree Puntarenas. Again there, is a small parking and entrance fee (11o0c?), but the beach is completely clean, in a small little alcove where everyone is swimming. There are signs for RIP currents which scared me, but there weren’t any – I think they are there for security, and I am sure there are some from time to time, but everyone was in the water. There was even a banana boat! Nice restaurant right on the beach, little beach kiosks, bathrooms and showers. Black beach so be prepared to wash up before you get back in your car!
SAN RAMON “Y”
back to the big gym in town – there are several difference classes that can be found for your children here, from rythmic gymnastics to Volleyball. Its not overly organized, that I can tell, but there is an office inside that may be able to help a little! There was no schedule when we went, basically separate people/groups can rent out the different rooms and make their own schedules, so the gym itself has no interest in making a master list of what is available and when. But if there is something your kids are interested in , you can go ask for the info on the teacher, then contact the teacher for the details on their classes.
CHEER ARMY
I fought tooth and nail to keep my daughter from becoming a cheerleader in the states. I don’t really care what other people think about it, I can’t stand the concept of a bunch of girls jumping around and showing their underwear to cheer on a bunch of guys that are raised above all else because they can do something with a ball. She’s my daughter and I want her to be cheered on! That being said, she is also a gymnast and there are no gymnastics here in San Ramon that we have found. Cheer Army here is just a troup that practices cheerleading as a Sport, they do not go flipping over scores, the flip for themselves! SO …. I agreed to let Jesse join. Its about $20/month, and not only does she love flying through the air, but she also has made many friends and her Spanish has improved immensely! They used to practice at the gym, but they rented a whole building in Palmares, 20 minutes from San Ramon. Please contact me directly for the details on that.
SINEM, something something National Education de Musica
From trumpet to piano, if your child (or inner child) wants to take on an instrument, this is the place to do it! Intense as it is fun, the kids study at least 2 days a week, and put on concerts. And my friend John donated his mini grand piano so it is one of the few places that does not rely on an electric keyboard.
There are several other things for children here in San Ramon, and as we find out about them, I will make posts and update this one. Dance lessons, karate (next on my list for my oldest son), art classes – and don’t forget the University of Costa Rica for adult classes.
I also have a basic list of 100 things to do near here and low long they take to get there by car on our B&B website – you can check that here at www.vistavalverde.com
Enjoy!
A Mom's Guide to Costa Rica - Life and Travel 