Mistico Park / Hanging Bridges - Arenal, Costa Rica

 

Another highlight of our time near Arenal Volcano was our two-hour guided hike through the hanging bridges of Mistico Park.

The park has a two-mile paved trail that includes more than a dozen bridges at various heights through the rain forest. Some are ground level, some are mid-canopy and a few a above the canopy. Six of the bridges are suspension bridges.

The trail and bridges are well-maintained and very safe.

We saw a great deal of unique flora and fauna during this hike starting with the yellow-throated toucan and a coati before we even started our hike.

The picture to the left is of a group of white-faced monkeys playing on the final bridge. We waited and watched them for a good 10 minutes before we could cross.

Everyone's wildlife experience will differ, but some of the things we saw included a beautiful roufous motmot, the poisonous dart frog, two types of vipers (very small), howler monkeys and spider monkeys. It was a treat to watch the spider monkeys fly from tree to tree.

White Water Rafting near La Fortuna

White Water Rafting is the only thing we did in Costa Rica that I don't have pictures from. It's kind of hard to take your camera along on the rapids. The rafting company took 80-some pictures of us, but I had already purchased a photo package from the zip line company the previous day, so I opted out of the rafting pictures.

Rio Balsa is near the town of La Fortuna. Our trip coincided with the beginning of the rainy season in Costa Rica, so the river was at a good level. The river offers both a Class IV section as well as a Class II and III section. We opted for the latter for two reason - one, none of us had ever been white water rafting before, and two, there is a minimum age of 12 to do the Class IV tour. Our daughter was 10. (There is a min. age of 8 for the Class II/III tour).

We were picked up at our resort and taken into La Fortuna where the bus picked up a few additional people at the company's headquarters. From there we drove about 40 minutes to the put-in.

Each raft accommodates six people plus the guide, so we had a boat to ourselves which was very nice.

For this particular tour, there was no breaking in period for us first-time rafters. Immediately after putting in we were in the midst of the rapids. We had a great time navigating through the rapids while staying safe as well.

We stopped at a couple of locations to observe sloths and a poison dart frog. We also saw several types of herons.

We were on the river for approximately two hours. After rafting we were driven to a sugar cane farm where we enjoyed a native lunch of rice and chicken with beans and fruit juice. The lunch stop included a presentation about how they make sugar cane juice and sugar cane "moonshine" with samples of both.

The entire tour lasted approximately five hours and was one of many highlights of our trip.

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

We spent several hours in the small town of La Fortuna one evening. The town has numerous restaurants and souvenir stores. The central park is a popular area where we happened to see dozens of green parakeets at the top of the trees. Shop around for the best deal and don’t be afraid to negotiate the price. My son was able to save several dollars on his souvenirs by negotiating.

Zip Lining near Arenal Volcano

One reason many people travel to Costa Rica is for various forms of adventure, including zip lining.

There are numerous places to zip line near La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano. We selected a place that features 13 zip lines and a Tarzan swing. The lines are above and through the canopy of trees. We didn’t see much wildlife during our zip line adventure, but it is possible to see wildlife at the top of the canopy. The zip lines are fast and range in length from roughly a few hundred feet to more than 1,400 feet. This was a safe and fun adventure for all of us.

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa is located five minutes outside of the town of La Fortuna. There are several room categories, but every unit faces Arenal Volcano. 

Breakfast is included with most reservation. Breakfast includes fresh fruits, pastries, made-to-order eggs, pancakes and other hot dishes. There are also two other restaurants, including a swim-up sushi bar. 

The resort has several hot springs fed naturally by Arenal Volcano. In fact, many of the resorts and hotels nearby feature hot springs.

There is also a pool that is open until 10 p.m. every night. 

We spent our first morning on the porch watching numerous tropical birds, including hummingbirds, tanagers and an oropendola.

 

Costa Rica: San Jose to Arenal

San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica and lies in a valley in the center of the country. It took us about an hour to go through immigration and meet our driver. He drove us up the mountain of the Poas Volcano. That area featured numerous coffee farms including a coffee farm owned by Starbucks. We also passed La Paz Waterfalls and Gardens, a popular tourist attraction. We drove back down the other side of the mountain into another valley. The drive to La Fortuna, the small town located near the Arenal Volcano took about four hours. 

Because Costa Rica is closer to the equator, its hours of daylight don’t fluctuate as much as most of the United States. For example during our trip in June sunrise was a little after 5 a.m., and the sun set by 6 p.m. There is a two-hour time difference from eastern daylight time, so when we arrived around 6 o’clock in Costa Rica it felt like 8 p.m. our time.

What I'm anxious about for my next trip

My son graduates from high school in a few days.

Several years ago I decided it would be great to take a "big" trip as our "final" family vacation. Our family trips have almost all been within 8-12 hours of driving distance. I wanted to go somewhere international.

The original plan was Europe for the summer of 2021, but due to some other anticipated summer activities we opted for Spring Break of 2021.

In late December I purchased our airline tickets for a trip to Costa Rica in March. Days later the US government announced that all travelers entering the country would need a negative COVID test.

After much consternation, I decided to postpone our trip to June. The possibility of testing positive (even a false positive) wasn't worth the risk in March when the kids would miss two weeks of school and athletics, and I would miss two weeks of work during a busy time of year.

So here we are - the trip is just a few weeks away. I'm not worried about travel delays. I'm not worried about exchanging money or how much this trip will cost. I'm not worried about any of us getting COVID (2 of us have been vaccinated and none of us have pre-existing conditions that would likely lead to a serious illness). My biggest worry is the possibility of a positive test that would require some or even all of us to quarantine in Costa Rica for an extra 14 days.

Such a requirement wouldn't necessarily be as inconvenient in June as it would have been in March, but it would be very inconvenient nonetheless.

As the trip nears, I hope my concerns ease, and I also hope I can enjoy my time in Costa Rica knowing the test (and results) won't come until the last few days before our departure.

Are you thinking about travel in 2021? What are your biggest concerns?

The Paris Museum Pass

The Paris Museum Pass offers free admission to dozens of sites in Paris, including most of the top attractions. Is it worth it?

That depends!

Before you go investigate which sites you want to see and how much those will cost. It could very well be worth it.

The pass also includes a Metro card, so you'll be able to use public transportation at no additional cost.

There is also a savings of time as most attractions allow pass holders to skip the entry line and go directly in.

For our short 3-day visit, we did not get the pass. We spent around 180-200 Euros total for the attractions and transportation we needed. The pass was 155 Euros per person.

It's worth investigating though before you go.

Arc de Triomphe

If you haven't walked enough while in Paris, here's your chance to work out your legs with a 284-step climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

Once you're at the top, you have stunning views in all directions. Stare down the length of the Champs-Élysées, or get a great photo of the Eiffel Tower or the golden-domed Invalides.

In addition, spend some time watching the chaotic traffic below as 12 boulevards feed into one roundabout.

Sainte Chapelle cathedral

I've been fortunate to visit some very impressive cathedrals in Europe, but I was absolutely stunned by Saint Chapelle.

It's relatively small compared to many of Europe's cathedrals, and the 11 Euro entry fee seems high, but it is beautiful inside.

This is a two-level cathedral that was built to house the supposed crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus' head. King Louis IX paid three times as much for the crown as he did to build the cathedral.

The second floor of the cathedral is where you'll find the splendor. Fifteen stained glass windows line the walls depicting more than 1,100 scenes from the Bible. It will take your breath away.

Sainte Chapelle is located on Ile de Cite, a few blocks from Notre Dame. Walls around Notre Dame include pictures and descriptions of the fire that destroyed part of that cathedral in 2019.

Chateau de Versailles



Eiffel Tower



The Louvre

It would be hard to visit Paris and not go to the Louvre. It's one of the largest museums in the world and, of course, home to the Mona Lisa.

The Louvre frequently has long lines so consider buying a ticket in advance. You will have to wait in a security line no matter what.

We listened to Rick Steves' audio tour, and I would highly recommend it. You'll start in the Ancient Greece area and see Venus de Milo.

You'll also see some key Roman statues, including Winged Victory. The tour continues through medieval and renaissance art, including the Mona Lisa.

Da Vinci's painting draws huge crowds, but they manage those by forming two lines. At the front of the line, small groups of 8-10 are allowed a couple of minutes for pictures with this famous artwork.

After the audio tour, we ventured into the much-less-crowded near eastern antiquities area for a few minutes.

You'll want to allow several hours to visit The Louvre.

Champs-Élysées

The Champs-Élysées is one of the most well-known boulevards in the world, famous for its broad sidewalks and expensive shops. The two-mile boulevard starts at the Arc de Triomphe and ends at Place de la Concorde.

You'll see high-end shops like Louis Vuitton (pictured above) as well as restaurants, cafes and entertainment. We bought crepes from a street vendor to enjoy during our walk.

You'll pass the Grand Palais and Petite Palais en route to the end.

If you continue on past Place de la Concorde, you'll come to the Orangerie, Tuileries Garden and the Louvre.

Montemarte / Sacre Couer

We began our visit to Paris with a visit to the Montmarte neighborhood and the Sacre Couer basilica located on Paris's highest hill.

Take the Metro to the Abbesses stop where you'll see a plaza and a nearby wall of love. The tiled "I Love You" wall has those three words written in 250 languages.

From there, you can follow the signs to the Sacre Couer, a basilica built in the late 1800s and early 1900s on Paris' highest natural point.

Climb the 200 steps to reach it for a panoramic view of the entire city.

The inside is impressive, too, and is free to visit. You can also pay to climb the dome. Don't forget to visit the cryp underneath.

Montenarte / Sacre Couer

We began our visit to Paris with a visit to the Montmarte neighborhood and the Sacre Couer basilica located on Paris's highest hill.

Take the Metro to the Abbesses stop where you'll see a plaza and a nearby wall of love. The tiled "I Love You" wall has those three words written in 250 languages.

From there, you can follow the signs to the Sacre Couer, a basilica built in the late 1800s and early 1900s on Paris' highest natural point.

Climb the 200 steps to reach it for a panoramic view of the entire city.

The inside is impressive, too, and is free to visit. You can also pay to climb the dome. Don't forget to visit the cryp underneath.

Le Belmont Hôtel Paris



Le Belmont Hôtel Paris

We stayed at Le Belmont Hotel in Paris.

This four-star hotel is located about half a mile from the Arc de Triomphe and a short 10-minute walk to the famous Champs-Élysées boulevard and a metro station. It's about one mile from the Eiffel Tower.

Our stay included the daily breakfast buffet valued at 21 Euros per day.

The breakfast was the same every day and included some hot items like bacon, eggs and sausages as well as croissants, pastries, cheeses, breads, yogurt and fruits.

The hotel has a spa, fitness center and bar. There is free WiFi.

We found it to be a convenient and comfortable home for our visit to Paris.

Le Bus Direct

There are several transportation options once you arrive in Paris to get you from the airport (CDG) into the city.

A regional (RER) train will take about an hour and will connect to the city's metro system. Taxis and car services are also available.

Our trip came on the heels of several months of transportation strikes so we opted to take Le Bus Direct.

Tickets can purchased in advance, at a kiosk in the airport or directly from the driver, although that final option is more expensive.

A one-way ticket is 18 Euros, or you can get a round trip ticket for 31 Euros.

The bus stops at two terminals at CDG before heading to Paris.

The bus makes only three stops, so it is very much a direct trip to the city. It stops at Ponte Maillot, Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.

The trip takes 50 minutes to an hour. Busses run every 30 minutes.

There is free WiFi onboard although I found it pretty spotty.

Indy to Paris nonstop on Delta

Delta began offering a nonstop flight from Indy to Paris in May 2018. It makes traveling to Paris or connecting to the rest of the world very convenient.

The flight operates several days per week and leaves Indy at 6:30 pm, so you don't have to wake up before dawn, and you can even work a half day or more before going to the airport.

I was impressed that Delta offers a complimentary welcome cocktail to everyone on board, even those of us flying in the main cabin.

The food was good, and there was an entertainment unit at each seat.

The flight arrives at 8:30 am, giving you a full day to explore or to make your connection to another destination.