Our Most Popular Tour

This Relocation  Retirement Lifestyle Tour you will see just what you need to be able to decide on which is the best lifestyle for you — beach, Central Valley or lake living. The EXTRA TIME on this tour provides a PERFECT mix of sightseeing, interesting activities, viewing properties and meeting some nice people along the way.

This is also the retirement lifestyle tour with the broadest scope in Costa Rica. You’ll see the South Pacific, Central Pacific, Lake Arenal and the prime areas of the Central Valley. You’ll get more for your money on this one-of-a-kind tour. The new addition to this tour is a visit to a resort on the shores of spectacular Lake Arenal. We will tour the best area of the lake which is fifteen minutes from the town of Tilarán, 20-minutes from the new hospital in Cañas, an hour and one half away from Guanacaste’s sun-drenched beaches and just a little over an hour from the city of Liberia. The latter is one of the fastest growing cities in Costa Rica and the hub of activity in the region. Liberia also has all of the services you’ll need including an international airport.

On this retirement relocation tours you will see the best of both worlds and gain the proper perspective since it combines our very popular Central Pacific Beach Tour, Lake Arenal Tour with our Central Valley Tour. You are sure to find out if the beach or inland area is right for you. All of our clients love this activity-filled tour.

Southern and Central Pacific Portion of the Combination Retirement Tour

The Central/Southern Pacific beach area is one of Costa Rica’s jewels and perfect for retirement. It extends from Puntarenas in the north to beyond Playa Tortuga/Ojochal in the south. The closest and most accessible beaches to San José are found in northern part of this area. The beaches are sunny year-round, the weather is hot and the ocean warm. Whether you want to retire or just live in a tropical paradise, the Central and Southern Pacific Coast have something for your retirement dreams. Some of the outdoor activities found here are: golfing, sport fishing, yachting, canopy tours, river rafting, parasailing, hang gliding, mountain biking, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, bird watching and a lot more. There are even places to study Spanish and practice yoga in this area.

Here is one retiree’s take on the Central and South Pacific: "It was our experience that the west coast was very much like where we came from San Diego, California. The ocean was similar to that of California (but warmer). There has been a lot of American-style investment here. Prices, as you’d expect, are higher as you get closer to the water."

Saturday: Day 1 - Arrive in San Jose. Our staff will meet you at the airport and transport you to your Hotel.

Sunday: Day 2 - A buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then a 7:30 departure for Costa Rica's gorgeous Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal areas in the South Pacific. On the way you will receive a packet of materials and will be given orientation/mini seminar about the tour. Christopher will narrate and make comments about all of the points of interest along the way.

We will then pass through the city of Cartago located at the foot of the imposing Irazú Volcano. Then we will cross Costa Rica's spectacular Talamanca mountain range before we descend into the lowlands and the Valle de General. There are breathtaking views along the way where you can see both the Central Valley and Pacific Ocean. Once in the lowlands we will stop for a quick tour of San Isidro de General, the fastest growing town in Central America.

From there we will cross the beautiful costal mountains with their panoramic views and then go down to the coast at the mouth of the beautiful Barú River. From there we will check into our seaside hotel and have lunch. After lunch we will have an orientation about the area aboard the bus and tour the towns of Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal and Las Buenas.

A gourmet dinner will round out the day.

Monday: Day 3 - Breakfast and check out of the hotel. We will head north along the new costal highway. This new road cuts over an hour off the trip from the Central Valley.

We will pass through the town of Matapalo on the way to Quepos. The Quepos and adjoining Manuel Antonio area is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations and offers some of the most beautiful beach resorts in the world. The area offers other activities to keep you busy and happy during your retirement such as rafting on either the Naranjo or Savegre rivers, horseback riding, four-wheeling, hiking and canopy tours in the incredible mountains that serve as a backdrop to the area.

From Quepos we will gradually work our way up the coast to our hotel in Jaco beach. We will visit a couple of beaches along the way, view some homes and meet a couple of expats who reside in the area.

We will have lunch at beautiful Esterillos Beach.

Next we will check into the Arenal Pacifico Hotel in Jaco Beach and have some time to explore the beach. Dinner will be in Jaco beach or nearby Play Hermosa.

Jacó is conveniently located just 72 miles or about two hours from San José. This Key-West-like town is a very popular weekend retreat with ticos and tourists. A growing retirement community can also be found here. Jacó is by far the most developed beach town in the Central Pacific region and has excellent tourist infrastructure. An eclectic mixture of foreigners and locals gives Jacó a sort of cosmopolitan feeling.

Boredom will not be a factor here for those interested in retirement. There are pizza parlors, international restaurants, handicraft shops, bars, discos and late-night spot where you can party until the wee hours of the morning. Water sports, especially surfing and sport fishing, attract scores of people to the area. You can also explore the natural wonders of nearby forests on foot, horseback or a canopy ride through the treetops. The Jacó community’s new Plaza Coral Mall features 60 stores, a food court and two formal restaurants. The new mall caters to both tourists and local residents.

Just two miles down the coast from Jacó lies Playa Hermosa. Do not confuse this idyllic surf community with the beach with the same name in Guanacaste. Hermosa (“Beautiful”), as its name indicates, is protected as a national wild life refuge. Because of good year-round waves, most people come to Hermosa to surf. Many international surfing tournaments are held here every year. However, there is plenty to keep non-surfers busy, especially at nearby bustling Jacó. Hermosa is also a prime retirement area and has a foreign community.

Tuesday: Day 4 - A buffet breakfast at the hotel and check out. We head north up the coast to Lake Arenal. On the way we stop at the five-star Marriott Los Sueños resort, marina and golf course.

Lunch is along the way.

We arrive at a private Lake Arenal resort near the quaint town of Tilarán or “Tila” as the locals call it. In the afternoon we will tour the area.

The 48-square-mile, man-made Lake Arenal is surrounded by rolling hills covered with pastures and patches of tropical forest. The very active Arenal Volcano can often be seen in the distance with plumes of smoke emanating from the top. Lake Arenal is the largest lake in Costa Rica and the second-biggest in Central America, after nearby Lake Nicaragua.

Wednesday: Day 5 - Return to San José via the town of La Fortuna and the picturesque city of San Ramón or “Moncho” as the Costa Ricans call it. We will have lunch there and meet some friends of mine.

Check in at the hotel Torremolinos

Thursday: Day 6 - Breakfast at the hotel and pre-seminar orientation at 7:30 in the lobby of the hotel. At 8:00 the first day of a highly-informative relocation, living and retirement Seminar You will hear from some of the country’s foremost authorities in the fields of real estate, law, health care, moving, medical care, insurance, learning the language and more - everything that a person wishing to relocate to Costa Rica will need to know. A few people who have moved to and retired in Costa Rica will share their experiences with you. You will make new friends and begin to make a network of valuable contacts. A delicious buffet lunch is included. Happy Hour is scheduled after the seminar. Free evening.

Friday: Day 7 -Second day of the seminar with lunch included. You will hear more from the rest of Costa Rica’s experts including your retirement tour guide, Christopher Howard.

Surprise group dinner at a local where you will meet and mingle people who have made the retirement move and savor more delicious Costa Rican cooking. All of our past clients really love the activity and especially enjoy being welcomed into someone's home. It is a real cultural experience you won't want to miss on this retirement tour.

Central Valley Portion of the combination Retirement/Relocation Tour

About the Central Valley for Retirement/Relocation

The Central Valley, or Meseta Central, is the center of Costa Rica due to its geographical location, culture and economic activities. It is surrounded by spectacular towering mountains which make the area reminiscentof like Switzerland and inactive volcanoes such as Poás and Irazú.

The valley lies at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet above sea level. Its fertile volcanic soil makes it an ideal place for growing anything, including some of the world’s best coffee. It is not surprising that more than half of Costa Rica’s 4 million people live in this area because of its almost perfect year-round spring-like climate. The capital city of San José is located here as well.

This is the perfect retirement/relocation tours for anyone interested in living in Costa Rica’s Central Valley. This area is blessed by year round spring-like temperatures, excellent infrastructure including major shopping centers and malls, offers every imaginable activity to stay busy and almost all of the amenities of living in the United States.

Tour participants will view the many desirable areas where foreigners live and will have the opportunity to view some of their homes. A recent boom in the construction industry has created a wide variety of affordable new homes from which to choose. Many gated communities have been built in Escazu, Santa Ana, Puriscal, Heredia, Atenas and Grecia areas.

Saturday: Day 8 - Breakfast at the Hotel with a 7:30 departure. First, we will go on a city tour to see where Americans reside, the University of Costa Rica, malls, hospitals, parks, a wharehouse-style supermarket to show you what food products are available in Costa Rica and so much more. A few of the places you will see are the neighborhoods of Los Yoses, Barrio Escalante, Sabana Norte and Rohrmoser (best San Jose real estate places). You will also visit the towns Escazú, Santa Ana, Ciudad Cariari, Heredia and the areas of San José de la Montaña with its alpine-like setting and charmingly quaint San Isidro. All of these places are perfect for retirement and living in Costa Rica. You will even give you a chance to see the inside of a couple on homes along the way. Lunch at La Cocina de Don Leyla, where you will savor the best of Costa Rica’s authentic dishes. After lunch you will visit the town of Moravia to see the area and stop at the country's beat souvenir shops. Free night.

Sunday: Day 9 - Breakfast at the Hotel with a 7:30 departure. Today you will see more prime areas for retirement and living in Costa Rica. First, you will explore the beautiful mountain town of Atenas, considered by National Geographic as having the "best climate" in the world. Then you will visit Grecia, know as "the cleanest city" in Costa Rica. The surrounding area is spectacular. Next, you will visit Alajuela which is Costa Rica's second largest city. Lunch will be at "The Banco de Mariscos" considered by the natives the serve he best seafood in the country. After lunch you will visit a couple of properties to give you a better idea of the lifestyle in the Central Valley and to get an idea of the price of property.

Monday: Day 10 - Transportation to the airport is included. Airfare is not included.

This is an excellent tour to introduce you to the Central Valley and Central Pacific, its retirement and living possibilities, infrastructure and lifestyle.

Tour includes:

* A valuable two-day seminar by the ARCR with local experts in their respective fields. You won’t want to do without it!
* Private Phone Consult with Christopher Howard prior to your arrival
* Airport pick up and drop off
* Hotel stay for however many nights your tour is
* Most meals (75% of meals are covered. We give you a couple of free nights in San José to try some of the great local restaurants we recommend)
* Rental Properties to be viewed (when available)
* Comfortable Air conditioned mini bus
* Private driver and bus so that Christopher can devote 100% of his attention to giving you the best possible tour and you specific needs
* Led and conducted by Christopher Howard a 31 year resident and citizen of Costa Rica and Costa Rica’s most read author on retirement and living in Costa Rica.

As an added bonus tour participants will also receive: A FREE copy of the 15th edition of Christopher’s best selling guidebook, ”The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica”

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