Things to do in Manuel Antonio (with kids or without)

Last updated on April 16, 2026

Is visiting Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park worth it with kids? I read a lot of people complaining about how busy this Costa Rican national park is – so much so that I questioned if it was worth visiting at all. But amid the complaints, there were many more people marvelling at its beauty and saying there’s nowhere quite like it in Costa Rica – a national park where the jungle meets the sea and where wildlife sightings are guaranteed.

We risked it and ended up having a great time in Manuel Antonio. It was partly due to our amazing hotel, but we also loved the setting and experience of the national park. 

We visited with our two sons (ages 4 and 7), so here are our tips for planning a successful Manuel Antonio family trip.

We also have family guides to Santa Teresa and La Fortuna, and a guide to all the best things to do in Costa Rica with kids.

Is Manuel Antonio good for kids?

Manuel Antonio is a fantastic place to visit with kids. The national park is one of the best places in Costa Rica for spotting wildlife, with easy trails and the chance to see all sorts of animals, like monkeys, sloths, iguanas and snakes. The beaches inside the park are stunning, and while the sea can be rough, the combination of jungle and beach is a pure adventure for little ones.

Outside the park, there are family-friendly hotels like Si Como No that cater brilliantly to kids – with slides in the pool, wildlife in the gardens, and a genuinely welcoming vibe. That said, it’s busy and touristy, so it’s not for everyone. We personally wouldn’t spend a full week here (maybe pair it with somewhere like Monteverde or Santa Teresa), but for a few days, it was ideal.

Tips for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park with kids

Do a guided tour

There’s an argument that you could go to Manuel Antonio without a guide and surreptitiously see animals via other people’s tours. And while this might be true (albeit unethical) for bigger, nearby animals, you’d miss out on using the viewing scope, which is necessary for so many sightings. 

We booked a 2-hour guided tour and saw so much. Our guide Andrew was amazing at spotting animals – even snakes metres away in the bushes. Plus he was linked with other guides who shared their finds via walkie talkies. 

We saw a boa, squirrel monkeys, howlers, spiders, sloths, crocs and more.

If you can afford it, book a private tour

We went for a private tour, just the four of us, as the kids sometimes get restless/frustrated on group tours. This option allowed us to go at our own pace and be guided by the kids’ interests. 

Of course, a private tour is more expensive (ours was around £170). You could save money by joining a group tour – some are limited to just 6 people so you might not have much company anyway.

Be sure to book entrance tickets as well as your tour

Manuel Antonio National Park lets in a limited number of people each day, and you have to book your timed entry ticket in advance. This is normally done separately to your tour booking, so make sure you have your entrance ticket, or you won’t be able to do the tour! Book your entry ticket here.

Bring a non-plastic water bottle (but NO food)

You can’t bring food or single-use plastic into the park. Make sure you have a water bottle with you. There are water fountains around the park. 

Plan around meals

There’s one restaurant/cafe inside the park near the beach, but the lines get really long (around 40 minutes when we were there), so I wouldn’t recommend eating there unless you’re planning to spend a long time at the beach. There are plenty of sodas and other restaurants near the park entrance.

Be careful on the beach

The beach in Manuel Antonio National Park is beautiful, but also a little chaotic with big waves, strong undercurrents, and driftwood in the surf (I got scratched by a floating log). 

Take extra care when paddling, especially if you have little kids.

Consider the weather

Depending on the time of the year, it can get incredibly hot and humid in the park. In April, the heat was intense, and our youngest struggled, meaning we had to cut the tour short by about 15 minutes. We had a few classic meltdowns, but overall, the wildlife sightings made it worthwhile. In hindsight, we should have gone earlier in the day to avoid the midday heat. 

Similarly, depending on the season, a raincoat may come in useful.

The park is closed on Tuesdays

When planning your trip, remember that the park is closed on Tuesdays.

Consider your parking arrangements

You can park near the entrance to the park for around $10. It’s pretty chaotic and all the attendants are hustling to get you to park in their spot. Luckily, our guide had told us exactly which parking section to choose (some spaces are reserved for pre-booked tours). 

The general set-up with parking is that you leave your keys with an attendant who’ll move the car if needed (it’s a little like Tetris in the car parks). Another option would be to use a shuttle/taxi from your accommodation.

Other things to do in Manuel Antonio with kids

As well as the national park, there are many other activities to do in Manuel Antonio with kids. Here are some of the highlights.

Spend the day at the beach

Manuel Antonio has a public beach just outside the national park (Playa Espadilla), and then another inside the park itself (Playa Manuel Antonio). The one inside the park is meant to be less busy because of limited visitor numbers, but it was pretty packed when we visited, and the sea was rough (it is gorgeous though with pure desert island vibes!).

Playa Espadilla is huge and better for boogie boarders/surfers rather than swimmers. This part of Manuel Antonio is also super touristy and lacking charm. I’d give it a miss. 

The best beach of all is Playa Biesanz. This “secret” beach is about a 15-minute walk down a forested path and offers a quieter, more sheltered alternative to the others. It’s stunning and an ideal place to spend a beach day, with safe swimming and paddling. There are food stalls near the beach and you can rent beach chairs too.

You can also try surfing or SUP at the beaches.

Go to El Avion restaurant

El Avion is a fun restaurant to visit with kids. There’s a real cargo plane in the centre with a bar inside. Kids can even have a go at sitting in the cockpit. The food isn’t incredible, but it’s fine, and there are great views from the terrace upstairs. 

Do a night walk

Enjoy guided night walks spotting all the nocturnal animals in the rainforest. These tend to be around 2 hours, which felt a bit long for our 4-year-old, but we heard good things. 

Kayaking

You can either do kayaking in the mangroves around Damas Island’s Estuary or out on the ocean.

Dolphin/whale watching tours

The main season for spotting whales is August-March, so we didn’t do this when we were there in April. We could have seen dolphins, but we felt as though our 4-year-old might not cope with the long boat ride. If you have kids who are competent swimmers, there are also snorkelling trips you can do. Or for something gentler, try a catamaran cruise.

Zip-lining and Adventure Parks

Thrill-seeking families can brave ziplines or the zipcoaster in Manuel Antonio. They look like great fun, but our kids were a bit too young/scared.

Visit Rainmaker Park

The Rainmaker Conservation Park is just 20 minutes from Manuel Antonio. It’s a private rainforest reserve with gentle hikes across hanging bridges, waterfalls perfect for swimming, and abundant wildlife sightings. Many prefer it even to Manuel Antonio.

Visit a farm

Choose between chocolate, vanilla or coffee and do a tour of a local farm. 

Take a day trip

Good day trip options include the fabulous Nauyaca Waterfalls (about an hour’s drive), or a visit to Uvita or Dominical. The latter is a laid-back surf town with a more hippie vibe. 

Go horseback riding 

Ride through the rainforest on horseback on a 2-hour guided tour. 

Whitewater rafting

This is certainly only one thing to do with older kids, but if your family has a taste for adrenaline, there are two places to try white water rafting near Manuel Antonio – on the Savegre River or Naranjo River.

Where to stay in Manuel Antonio with kids

Si Como No

We stayed at Si Como No (full review here). It’s one of those rare hotels that delights both kids and adults in equal measure. Our boys called it the best hotel they’ve ever stayed in — mostly thanks to the waterslide and constant animal sightings — and we fell for it too.

Perched above the rainforest with sweeping views down to the Pacific, it’s a destination in itself. You could spend your whole time just soaking it all in — pools, wildlife, great food — but it’s also perfectly placed for visiting Manuel Antonio National Park. Check the latest prices and book here.

Found this useful? Share it on Pinterest!