Looking for Accessible Recommendations
Hi all!
My partner, sister, dad and I will be travelling to Costa Rica in January for twelve days. This is our second time travelling here as a family. My dad (56) has some mobility limitations (broken back) and uses a mobility scooter to get around, so I am looking for some activities we can all do together. He can walk short distances and deal with some bumps but nothing extreme. Stairs aren't really his friend, but he can do a flight or two. His mobility scooter is fairly durable and has gotten us through sandy beaches and muddy forest. We rent a car while we are there.
Adding in a list of what we got up to last year to provide some context and also recommendations if anyone else is looking for accessible activities: Playa Hermosa (1 night), Playa Avellana (3 nights), Samara (3 nights), Tilaran (1 night), La Fortuna (5 nights) and a final night close to Liberia at a hotel. This was too many locations for my dad so I've slowed down the plan for our next trip. Here are some of the activities we got up to:
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Lots of time on the beach, beach bars, the night market near Playa Avellana was fantastic.
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He somehow managed to get himself down the hill at the Belen Waterfall on our way to Samara without his scooter, but this was pushing it.
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This ceiba tree is certainly worth stopping for. A few dollars per person to enter the trails, my dad managed to walk down the path to see the tree (100-200m?)
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We did the accessible walking trail at Mistico Park in La Fortuna. A recent landslide blocked one of the paths, so he was only able to do about 10/15 minutes of the trail which was a bummer.
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Went to a thermal resort (Eco Termales Hot Spring)
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Boragin Trail in La Fortuna had a decent trail that was scooter friendly, saw 3-4 sloths and some other critters
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Centro de Rescate Las Pumas near Bagaces had great walking paths
We also really appreciate just relaxing and watching wildlife.
Here's what I've got planned this year:
12-14th: Playa Flamingo Margaritaville Resort (starting the trip off right with too much food and drink)
14th-19th: San Juanillo/Nosara area (beach day focus, maybe travel to Tamarindo to do a catamaran tour? are these normally rough/bumpy/uncomfortable?)
19th-24th: Monteverde (with potential to switch to Rio Celeste/Katira area) (hoping to do some of the cloud forest, possibly a night tour if we can arrange a private one on a flat path. Butterfly conservatory or orchid gardens are on the options list too)
I'd also be willing to change up our itinerary if there are any really good accessible activities my dad could do. His dream is doing a zipline. It can't be a whole course and would just have to be a one and done situation, since he wouldn't be able to hike a course. He's willing to accept the pain that would come as a consequence, but I feel like zip line companies may not let him zipline because of spinal injury.
Any recommendations are very much appreciated!
Pura Vida!
Posted Dec 7, 2025, 5:04 AM UTC