Where to Eat with Kids
Best Breakfast/Pancakes in town, are hands down, at El Patio Cafe in North Santa Teresa. Besides amazing pancakes and equally delicious french toast, el patio offers wide array of smoothies, smootkie bowls and hearty breakfast and lunch options. There is something for everyone on the menu. Place is laid back, the amtospere is really welcoming, service is quick, food is delicious and the staff is super friendly, and helpful.
Two other great spots in North Santa Teresa are Cafca Cafe and brekkie. Both places have super friendly and helpful staff members. Cafca Cafe also offers a wide range of choices, ranging from smoothie bowls, chocolate coffee, homemade loaf cakes (banana, coconut, lemon, and many more!) through amazing avocado toasts and salads.
brekkie is a new (2023) addition to the Snata Teresa’s food scene, and it has been doing great! There are many healthy options on the menu (they only use natural sweeteners and no seed oil). Highly recommend trying their iced pumpkin spice latte (available all year round, and made from scratch!). The only downside of eating here with little ones is that most tables are high tables/chairs, but the food is really good.
In the heart of Santa Teresa, you will find Eat Street that also offers kiddo-friendly option for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and service is pretty quick. Our favorites so far have been the pink king, green bowl, kids casados and tacos. Enjoy!
The votes on the pizza in town are divided between Pronto, Muzza, and Amici, so we recommend you give them all try to decide for yourself! Pronto is owned by an Italian chef, and is situated in central Santa Teresa that has a large indoor and outdoor sitting area. Chances are you will find something you like on the menu because the choices range from wide selection of pastas, salads and pizzas to other Italian specialties. Muzza offers outdoor seating and a sourdough based pizza pie! The wait can be a bit longer, but there is a wide array of appetizers and pastas or salads to choose from to shorten the wait :) Amici is located in South part of Santa Teresa and it offers a laid back atmosphere and thin crust pizza that is pretty tasty as well!
If you are longing to try typical tico breakfast or dinner, look no further than soda Pura Vida, Soda Toquicia or Soda Tipico in the Playa Carmen Mall (behind the pharmacy and behind budget car rental).
The Roastery in Playa Carmen is another great choice for breakfast (especially for coffee lovers). It offers a responsibly grown coffee roasted by the owner, and a array of breakfast and lunch food choices along with locally made sweets. This is one of the best choices for coffee in town, with the second, equally delicious, being La Rosa Cafe located in Playa Carmen as well in the little condominium mall, behind the pharmacy.
And don’t forget about Rocamar! Amazing beach location, great vibes and drinks, good food, fast service with ocean and sunset views! Bring some sand toys, and enjoy what Rocamar has to offer including Sunday evening family gathering nights!
Make sure to visit the previous posts about restaurants with swimming pools and restaurants with playgrounds as these will always be good choices
Recommended products: clip on hanging chair, stroller or wagon and toy box!
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Tide Pools
Visiting tide pools is an amazing activity for the entire family! Sometimes, we spend hours sitting in warm tidepools, looking for octopuses, building dams from rocks, or catching/watching other colorful tiny fishes.
Our favorite locations for visiting tide pools are on the beach to the left from the entrance right next to Selina North, and across Eat Street. Also, amazing location is right in front of Blues Mist Hotel and Restaurant. You can access them through the restaurant (which also has delicious food and is open to the public) or enter the beach before and walk towards them.
Lastly, great tide pools are also on Playa Hermosa. When you enter through the main Playa Hermosa beach entrance walk to the right, and the tide pools are behind the curve.
Only trick with tide pools is that you need to visit them during a low tide, otherwise you will not be able to enjoy them as they will be flooded. So make sure you check the tide here: https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Playa-Santa-Teresa/tides/latest before you head out to the tide pools!
Product recommendations: beach wagon, beach shade tent, beach blanket and outside toys!
Hope you enjoy! Also, if you did, we love hearing your feedback, so please text, email or reach out through the website!
Help When You Need
Feeling sick? Do you or your kiddo need urgent care, or have medical emergency? Do you have a dental emergency? Or maybe you just need some advice for treatment of non-urgent medical matter like bug bites, non-life threatening allergic reaction, etc.
Santa Teresa is a remote town, but there are couple of options in town for medical care. NOTE: very urgent cases will most likely have to be transferred to other medical hospitals or institutions in Costa Rica, but providers below should/could be utilized as first contact providers who would/couod help you navigate next steps.
Urgent care, or medical emergencies: Lifeguards Clinic - they are open 24h/7days; there are two locations (they often have an ambulance parked in front of them). One clinic is located in Playa Carmen Crossings, right on the intersection when you turn onto Cobano road, on your right side (this location have an X-ray). And here is a link for the second location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fU6cebe7NtUVM7sY7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy which is located in the central Santa Teresa.
So you want to take your kiddo to a doctor? Or do you need to see a doctor, but this is a non-urgent matter, you can make an appointment to see Doctor Gamboa who has an office located in Playa Carmen Comdominium. He has been serving the town for many years.
Does your kiddo or you have a dental emergency or do you want to get your teeth checked? Contact Costa Smiles/Dr. Garro Ramirez at Costa Smiles Dentist Santa Teresa Costa Rica - he can take care of anything, from cleaning your teeth, through fillings to surgeries and orthodontics.
Make sure to mention Santa Baby Rentals to the doc to receive a discount for your first visit/treatment!
Lastly, pharmacies in town are an amazing resource for non-urgent and small issues. The pharmacists are pretty knowledgable and are a great resource for small, non-urgent medical discomforts. Our favorite pharmacy is the one in Playa Carmen Condominium (main street) or the one in Plaza Kahuna!
Product recommendations: baby carrier, stroller.
CURU National Wildlife Refuge
Visiting CURU National Wildlife Refuge and farm in the southern Nicoya Peninsula of northwestern Costa Rica with family. CURU is located about an hour drive from Santa Teresa. This one is definitely a whole day trip, so be prepared to leave early, or alternatively, you can pre-book cabin and a meal at Curu to stay overnight or longer- the prices are really affordable: https://curuwildliferefuge.com/.
Curú contains Costa Rica’s first private National Wildlife Refuge and is an example of a successful sustainable development program. The hacienda still includes low levels of cattle grazing and produces tropical fruits such as mangos on an annual basis. Curú National Wildlife Refuge and farm is managed sustainably to produce a profit and local employment while also protecting its threatened and endangered forested habitats such as mangroves, tropical moist and dry forests, and coral reefs.
The area contains a total of 1,496 hectares, including deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, mangroves, beaches, marine habitats, pastures, and plantations. A total of 1,100 hectares are protected forest (75%), 312 hectares are for grazing and agriculture (20%), and 84 hectares contain the Curú National Wildlife Refuge (5%). The area is known to contain a high level of diversity due to its protection of several habitat types. 232 species of birds, 78 species of mammals, 87 species of reptiles, and more than 500 species of plants have been identified. Curú contains a great example of tropical dry and moist forests as well as coastal and marine habitats, ie White-faced Monkeys, Spider Monkeys, Scarlet Macaws, White-tailed Deer, Collared Peccary, Coati, Raccoons, Coyotes, Iguanas, and hundreds of species of tropical and migratory birds as well as Amphibians and Reptiles like Giant Toad, Boa Constrictor, Iguana, Sea Turtles, Anolis Lizards, and Crocodiles!
When at CURU there is plenty to do with little ones (no matter the age)- there is a beautiful beach that is easily accessible from the parking area, as well as many trails throughout the property that vary in distance and settings. The trials are well kept and maintained. There is also an option to book an 1-hour or 3-hour long horseback ride tour at CURU, or to take a boat to a Tortuga Island, and enjoy snorkeling on the way there.
There is a restaurant at the premises (*featuring super simple and reasonably priced Costa Rican food), and a gift store.
What to pack: I will highly recommend packing your own snacks and water supply. I will also highly recommend a carrier or all terrain stroller if you are traveling with little ones. All terrain strollers will not get you through all trails, but it will through most of them!
Bioluminesence with kids - to do or not to do it?
Here is the deal about bioluminescence- it requires a drive to Pochote (45min) or Paquera Bay (65min) and a drive back at night if this is your only scheduled activity for the day and you are planning to go on a small boat or kayak as opposed to taking a boat or organized trip from Santa Teresa, or Montezuma. Also, I would highly recommend scheduling the bioluminescence excursion during the new phase of the moon as the sky is much darker during that time, and the effects of the natural phenomenon are more perciptible and prominent.
Be ready to jump in the water or paddle on the kayak to immerse yourself in the glowing water or observe this natural phenomenon right under your paddles! I would recommend going on that tour if you are physically and mentally ready to jump into the water at night as this is when the ‘magic’ experience happens, as my friend said: “it kind of feels like you are in an ‘Avatar’ movie” when you see the glowing particles under you arms”.
With that said, I think that the absolute lower age limit for the kiddos to be able to enjoy this trip/excruaion is 3,5-4yo. Of course, if you have younger kiddos that are chilled to enjoy a boat ride at night, they will be able to go (in most cases as some kayak tours have a minimum age requirement of 10 years old), but it will just require a bit more logistics to ensure that you can get the most out of it and be able to jump into the water.
*side note: prices for this excrusion vary greately depending on the mode of transportation, timing (2h vs 5h), refreshments and snacks provided, etc.
The Secret Beach
If you are longing for a small secluded beach close to Santa Teresa, Playa Suecos in Mal Pais will become your new favorite place! To get to Playa Suecos, keep on driving all the way to the end of the Mal Pais road. until it turns into a dirt road. You will pass Mal Pais Soccer Field on your right than Fish Market, and shortly after the road will end in a small parking lot in the jungle. Park your car, grab your snorkeling and beach gear and head to the playa!
I highly recommend visiting the beach when the tide is low (or around that time) this way you will be able to enjoy everything that this location has to offer- you can hike between the rocks, or climb on some of them, snorkel, collect rocks and crabs and swim in the clear & shallow water. Visit this site to check the tide schedule before you plan your trip: https://www.surfline.com/tide-charts/santateresa/5842041f4e65fad6a7708e31
Hanging Bridges, Ziplines and Waterfalls!
Check out this sweet day trip idea that offers a chance to explore local fauna & flora, some novelty and a bit of adrenaline for the brave ones! Sun Trails in Montezuma offers access to Montezuma Waterfalls from the top of the town through an array of hanging bridges and trails, as well as the option of zip lining through the jungle! This hiking or zipping adventure is surely to be remembered.
The trails through the jungle are wide enough for carrying a hiking backpack, so you can easily discover them with the youngest ones. The hike by itself is pretty easy, but it does get steep for a short period of the road, so make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes. Also, fyi, the entrance through the Sun Trails bridges costs about 3000colones/adult. If you are lucky, you will spot some wildlife while on your trail- birds, snakes, lizards, butterflies and/or other critters! For the brave ones at heart, there is an option of ziplining through the jungle- my 6 year old really enjoyed it. He needed to ride with the guide on some of the ziplines since he is pretty lightweight (*might have not gotten to the end of the line on his own). The guide has explained that some 5 year olds can ride by themselves (depending on their weight and level of confidence) while some 8 year olds still choose to ride with a guide on all the rides, so it all really depends on the kiddo, and their level of confidence. You know your kids best, so you will know what is right for them. Either way, with or without the guide, adventure is guaranteed! And then you can just enjoy the beautiful waterfalls and refreshing bath in the river water.
Horseback Riding with Kids
Did you know that your kiddo can join you on a Horseback Riding Tour as early as at one, two, or three years old? And they actually really love it (in most cases). Kids will only be able to ride horses unassisted (with or without guide tour rope lead) at six or seven years old since they have grown physically strong enough to balance alone. Every child is unique, so some may be able to ride a bit sooner or later.
Either way, if you were ever curious about trying horseback riding or wanted to practice while in Santa Teresa, there are great opportunities to do it and enjoy a beautiful sunset from a whole new perspective :) Besides that, there are numerous benefits (mental and physical) to horseback riding besides gorgeous views!
Horseback riding offers many emotional and physical advantages for young ones (and older ones as well :). As youngsters learn to ride, they build improved balance and coordination. Better muscle strength further contributes to wellness. Riding horses also provides a unique therapeutic experience that helps young ones regulate the state of their minds. It is a valuable tool for children dealing with psycho-related issues. If you want to learn more about the five emotional benefits of horse riding for kids, check out the following article.
At the time of the booking and when you arrive, the instructor will check with you about the level of confidence and previous experience, and this way, they will choose a horse that will suit your level of experience, from the beginner (never ridden before) to advanced.
There are couple of different horseback riding locations near Santa Teresa, so far I have worked with one that is located in MalPais: HORSE RIDING Ollie’s Adventures, and another two located in Playa Hermosa/Manzanillo: Horizonte Horse Experience, and Ario Tours in Manzanillo. We enjoyed both locations, instructors and adventures, so we are happy to recommend both do not wait any longer and create lifelong memories by trying horseback riding while in Santa Teresa! Both locations offer rides through gorgeous beaches and natural trails featuring amazing ocean and beach landscapes, and beautiful sunset views.
Visiting a Local Farm
I think this has been the best little trip that we have taken so far… I am kidding but also, I am not There are definitely way more scenic excursions that have beautiful wild fauna and flora, but there was something very special about visiting a local farm, learning about farmers life and being a part of their daily routine.. I think at some level this visit reminded me about my childhood and months spent camping in rural Poland with my parents. Rural Poland does not look like that anymore, but there is so much beauty in this simplicity and self-sustainability that I think it is really worth exploring, especially nowadays, and especially with the little ones..
Nicoya Peninsula is one of the geographic regions of the world identified as a Blue Zone; and what it means is that residents of these regions live healthier and longer lives, suffer fraction of the diseases that commonly kill people, and enjoy more healthy years of life due to their lifestyle choices which include food choices (self-sustainability), community and family connections as well as healthy lifestyle choices (movement, no alcohol, etc.) The local farm tour was designed to let us participate in a day of a typical Costa Rican farm, and to let us witness how the farmers live such a healthy lifestyle.
With that said, we had a pleasure to tour and participate in some farm up-keping activities like feeding the chickens, ducks and turkey, milking the cows, checking on the pigs. While at the farm, we all had breakfast together that was made with ingredients exclusively sourced from the farm- lemonade, eggs, cheese, rice and more! We were a part of harvesting sugarcane to make sweet juice, and making cheese from the milk that we obtained from milking the cow in the morning. While we were waiting for the milk to settle so we could make cheese, we took the kids down to the river so they could play, and we could relax!
Day Trip to Los Vivos Beachfront
Are you looking for a low key, relaxing experience for a whole family with a bit of adventure added in? Look no further, Los Vivos is all of that plus an amazing experience with culinary fair crafted from all-organic ingredients grown by the family who owns it. If you would like to learn more about this location, family and the experience, I highly recommend visiting their website here - it is truly an inspiring story.
The organic farm that provides ingredients for the onsite restaurant (open from 10:00am-9:00pm daily) also provides the produce to other families in town through Santa Teresa Farmers Market and other locations- it is the large stand with fruits and vegetables that is always at the Saturday’s Farmers Market!
Los Vivos resembles an island as it is only accessible through sea/boat which makes it a really fun experience for the whole family It is a perfect place to get away, escape the crowds, enjoy nature and relax. The location offers peaceful white sand beaches, clear water, idyllic views, beautiful fauna and flora, on-site activities and lodging, delicious food and kids corner with a handmade outdoor kitchen, tepee and sand toys! The food and drinks were amazing, especially the patacones and freshly made drinks, so make sure to try them!
There are several ways to get to Los Vivos- you can book a local boat tour that will take you directly there, or you can drive to Tambor or Pochote (park at the Camping Don Trino, 2000c) and then book/catch a small boat (for about 3,000c/per person for round trip) that will take you there (*there are always some boats parked by the Campground, so you do not have to worry about booking one in advance). During our last trip, we ended up driving to Pochote and asking a local fisherman to take us there and pick us up.
Alternatively, Los Vivos offers a $50 Daypass that includes a boat transfer (and $40 is allocated towards food purchased at the restaurant) to/from the island frrom "Camping Don Trino" Parking Lot. And if you purchase the Day Pass, you can use their comfy beach chairs. If tha option feels the most appealing, you can inquire directly with them to schedule that via WhatsApp +506 8318 3630. Wish you a fun trip!
Kids Classes in Santa Teresa, CR
Santa Teresa is truly an amazing place for families living here and/or visiting the town. There is so many amazing and talented people that have moved here, and are now sharing their talents and passions with the community by offering classes for kids. Check out current offerings, and feel free to reach out to me or any of the listed contacts below if you have any questions, comments and/or if you need any additional information, hope you find something that you like!
Parent & Baby Swim Classes with Kali – Kali is a certified aquatics instructor, competitive swimmer and a wonderful soul; she is also a transplant from California, and is truly an amazing soul. She offers baby and parent group classes that have an option of drop-in, and they are open to tourists and locals. You can also start your own private group class with three or more parents, or take one on one private lesson! Kali uses Hermosa School pool and Montezuma, and she will be happy to work with you to figure out a place and schedule that works for you and your family. Check out Kali’s website here for current offerings: www.aqusolswim.com
Art Classes at Galeria Pura Vida – Pura Vida Galeria is a new addition to Santa Teresa (as of 2023) and it is located right across the soccer field, on the main street. They offer art classes (seasonal and on-going) for children at various age (parent is asked to stay around if the child is younger (2-4) or needs help). The gallery itself is a wonderful open space that features art from local artists, so even if you are not going to sign up for a class, I encourage you to stop by to say hi, and check out the artwork. Visit their website to find more details at www.galeriapuravida.com or Instagram @galeriapura
Ceramic Classes for Kids (and Adults) with Alawa Ceramica at Zeneidas Surf Garden. The studio offers on-going pottery classes and workshops for kids starting at age 4 up to 10 years old (as well as adults). They also offer camps for kids. Everyone is welcome to come to the class, visitors and/or locals. They also offer camps. Check out current offering or reach out to the studio via their website: www.alawaceramica.com or visit their instagram @alawa.ceramica
Capueira Classes with Ariel for 5-7 year olds once a week. Ariel believes that capoeira is a way of life, and that it gives kids an amazing opportunity to learn martial arts while they play sport games, practice drills and work with each other. Ariel focuses his classes on movement, fun and learning. Classes are open to visitors and locals. Feel free to reach out to Ariel directly to get more information about his current scheduled and/or offerings at WhatsApp +972 526645448
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Ballet and Dance Classes with Estef Calderon. Estef is a professional ballerina, and a local mom who loves working with kids to teach them ballet! She currently offers Ballet Classes at Deck Cuatro Vientos for kids ages 3-6 & 7-11 that are open to visitors and locals in town. Feel free to reach out to her directly to ask about her current schedule and/or offerings via WhatsApp +506 7018 2504
There is also an Urban Kids Class being offered for ages 7-10, and Contemporary Dance Class for adolescence 15 years old + that take place across from Future Verde School, and if you are interested in these classes, contact Debbie at +506 6014 4537
LACUNA Music Classes. Jo and Dan are both musicians, Dan is professional guitarist/composer but also teaches piano, ukulele, bass, rhythm, expending musicality and more, Jo is a singer songwriter and teaches singing privately and in groups for all ages! Their family of five has moved to Santa Teresa permanently from the UK after traveling here back and forth for 20 years. They are currently offering private lessons, Vocal Flow, and group instrument classes, and Jo might be starting parent & baby/toddler singing group, so stay tuned! If you would like to get more information, reach out to them via WhatsApp +44 7515 691323
And finally an Theater Drop off Class for kids that is being offered at zeneidas deck on Tuesdays evenings!
There are also private surfing and/or skateboarding classes available upon request, as well as soccer classes! These classes can be scheduled depending on your and/or instructor’s availability. Also, if you are looking for anything else, reach out to us directly and we will try to point you in the right direction! Pura Vida!
Visiting Montezuma with Kids
I recommend visiting Montezuma on Saturday because this is the day thta there is a Farmer’s Market in town, and I have found that the Montezuma Market has more vendors and bigger variety of items than the Santa Teresa Farmer’s Market. But if you end up going on a different day, just skip that part of the itinerary!
I highly recommend arriving to Montezuma on Saturday morning and pretty hungry so you can visit the La Vida Dulce bakeshop/café, and fully enjoy it. You cannot go wrong here. Anything you order will be delicious, and there is something for everyone- sweet or savory, gluten free options, great taste and good coffee (did I mention that I got these delivered in larger quantities to my house every Saturday when I was pregnant? That good.) The bakery opens at 8am.
After you had your morning coffee and a tasty bite, head to the Montezuma Waterfalls for a nice hike and a refreshing swim! The easiest way to get to the waterfall is to come down to the main street of Montezuma, stay on the main road past the downtown (do not go into the town), keep driving/walking, cross a small bridge, and there will be the entrance to the trailhead on your right. Park your car at the parking lot, and you are ready to go!
Montezuma Waterfalls is compromised from three waterfalls; the first waterfall is a pretty accessible hike, but I would still recommend a hiking carrier that you can wear on your back for full visibility while you are walking. The hike to the first waterfall, ends with a pool that is great for hanging out, jumping in or swimming! The middle waterfall might not be accessible with kiddos (you need to swim across a natural pool to see it) And honestly, the first one might be an adventure on its own. If you are eager to keep going to see the last waterfall, be ready to pay a small fee (c1000). The last waterfall is not as big as the first one, but it is definitely less crowded.
After a refreshing hike and swim, I recommend heading to town to explore a bit. Walk around town, check out the little souvenir shop and artists alley market, and if you are down there on Saturday, I highly recommend visiting local Farmer’s Market that starts at 11:00am! It is more than likely that you will be able to find something freshly made and tasty for lunch at the Market. If you are not there on Saturday, I recommend eating light lunch at the local soda, or grabbing some ice cream.
After you visit the market, I recommend visiting the beach, and/or Montezuma playground to let the kiddos be wild for a bit! The playground is truly great for the little ones- it is large and it has many different structure options to play at, and offers plenty of shade. It is located directly behind the artist’s stands on the main street- it is super easy to miss if you do not know to look for it there. If you have trouble finding it, ask anyone in town, and they will point you in the right direction!
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To wrap up your Montezuma trip, I highly recommend visiting a local Mediterranean restaurant, Playa De Los Artistas. Even that this is not entirely children friendly establishment, it is on the beach (offering shaded seating), so kids can still play in the sand, and explore while you are waiting for the food. The food is absolutely delicious. The restaurant is only open four days a week, from 12pm-5pm (taking orders up to 4pm). Hope you enjoy it!
Restaurants & Hotels with Public Pool Access in Santa Teresa
Vista de la Olas is one of our favorite pools in town. It is located up the Calle Vista de Olas road in Mal Pais. It is a pretty steep road, but it has been paved in recent years, so you might be ok without a 4x4. Vista de Olas has an amazing infinity pool and jacuzzi overlooking the ocean, and sunset in the evening. There is also a bar and a restaurant at the venue. The bar can be accessed directly from the pool. To enter the pool, adults need to pay 20,000 colones per person which can all be applied to food and/or drinks.
Another super easy to access pool is Selina North located just steps away from the beach, across Eat Streets. The pool can be accessed by the public by paying a $5 entrance/pool fee. Jump in!
There are other locations that have pools accessible to the public when you dine at the location:
Frank’s Place at Crossroads in Playa Carmen
Brukas (great dinning experience with a pool and a view)
Que Mae w/ Koji’s in Manzanillo (super fun location for a pool jump, sushi, sunset and good craft beer)
Tropico Latino *note: this has been a hit or miss for us (depending on manager who is working) so if you are hoping for a pool jump, I would contact them beforehand to confirm that the pool can be used by restaurant guests.
Manzu (Nantipa) a beach front restaurant with great food, ambience, and pool. I recommend visiting the restaurant in the afternoon-evening hours- playing in the pool first to grow an appetite, and then ordering some food at the restaurant to catch a beautiful sunset while eating your delicious dinner. The pool is large and has different depths, so it is suitable for babies, toddlers (*under supervision) and older kids, and the surroundings area/garden are beautiful and tranquil. The management asks to obtain a day pass at the reception to access the pool, the day pass is $75 and $50 of that amount can be spend towards the food/drinks at the restaurant (*note - this option is only available during off-season, so contact them beforehand if your main goal of the visit is enjoying the pool!)
Kids Camps in Santa Teresa
These camps are seasonal and often run during the times that local schools have Holiday breaks, so in December/January and around Easter, except Camp Jaguar run by Vera which is a pretty much all year on-going beach camp. All of the posters included here are for December 2023 – January 2024, so they might not be applicable on different dates, but for all of them (*most of the time) point of contact stays the same, so you can always inquire about private lessons or other offerings!
Please note that some of these are for specific age groups, Salty Jungle Camp and Kids Camp might be the only ones accepting kiddos as young as 2 years old, while Wild Kids Camp & Skate Camp usually work with a little older kids, and Eco-STEAM and Take Off Surf Camp work with even older kiddos.
Farmers Market in Santa Teresa
Every Saturday at 3pm there is a farmers market that takes place right next to Playa Carmen Restaurant. Local vendors arrive to sell their own production foods, from baked goods (La Vida Dulce is a must try; you cannot go wrong, everything is absolutely delicious. When I was pregnant with my second kiddo, I had La Vida Dulce baked goods delivered to my house every week. I will just leave you with that.) through fresh bread to middle eastern foods, and salsas, spices or sauces. Also, there is always a fresh farm stand with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits that have been grown organically locally. Besides everything food, there are also local artists and makers that often come to the farmers market to sell their products- clothing, jewelry, art or cosmetics (my other favorite is an organic cbd-infused cream, crème de la crème, made with essential oils, cacao & shea butter; it is great to replenish your skin after the sun, or to help it heal or repair small skin ailments). With that said, there are also some on-going beach stands that are located right by the beach in front of Playa Carmen Restaurant that offer a selection of handmade, local (and some Chinese) products. Hope to see you at the Farmer’s Market!
Must Try on Santa Teresa Beach
There are two really cool things to try (other than some amazing restaurants) on Santa Teresa beaches- fresh fruit & drink stands & local treats available to buy!
There are two really cool things to try (other than some amazing restaurants) on Santa Teresa beaches- fresh fruit & drink stands & local treats available to buy!
Fruit stands that are located to the right of the Santa Teresa/Selina North Beach Entrance. There are often two or three stands, but there is at least one stand that is open throughout the day every day! And it is a whole family affair- you can see mom with her son selling frutas (fruits) on some days, other days dad is there. Try some pipas – fresh coconuts, pina (pineapple), mango or pinacoladas (*yes, they do have a blender and generator there!). The frutas are so fresh and full of flavor, and the pinacoladas are super refreshing– enjoy!
Other things, treats available to buy on the beach during or right before sunset. Take some colones and/or dollars if you want to try something new! Also, do not be surprised if someone approaches you with a box or cooler, just say yes and give it a try (maybe just make sure that they are regular treats if you have kids:). Sometimes, there are brownies or cookies, other times, churros or alfajores... Still, the variety of treats and the anticipation of who and if we run into someone on a particular evening has been fun on its own! Now, good luck chasing a guy with a cooler!
And lastly, there are often other local people who try to make some extra $ by whatever craft they possess, let’s take this older Costa Rican guy who has recently approached us on the beach. He took a leaf from a nearby palm tree and pulled out a pair of scissors from his shorts (which seemed a bit concerning at first, I have to admit :), but I just continued watching him. He was working on something for 10-15 minutes and then he gave the boys a fish and a cricket made of a palm leaf! They were both really amazing, and the kids were so impressed and totally loved it!
Best Beaches in Santa Teresa!
Best Beaches in Santa Teresa! Where to go, how to get there and what to take with you. Read on to learn more about different beaches around Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa.
Where to go, how to get there and what to take with you. Read on to learn more about different beaches around Santa Teresa and Playa Hermosa.
La Lora
Car accessible beaches in Santa Teresa are marked in Pink on the map below, and they include Playa Carmen (use Playa Carmen Roads), and La Lora Beach (access road is across El Falcon Grill & Bar). Both beaches are great for families traveling with kids- they offer beautiful views, wide beach area for playing in the sand, easy access to the ocean and some shaded area (La Lora offers slightly more shaded space than Playa Carmen). Grab a stroller or a wagon, some snacks, beach toys, water body board and a blanket (available to rent from here) and you are set for the entire day! Also, both beaches are great spots for surfing for a bit more experience folks!
Playa Carmen
Another amazing beach, especially for families traveling with young children, is Playa Hermosa. This is a wide, white- sanded beach (the sand is slightly different; finer than on the other beaches) with a very long shallow ocean area; the waves are calmer and longer than on other beaches. This is a very popular beach for people who are trying surfing for beginner surfers, or people who just want to try out surfing. Once you enter the beach, and you walk to the right for quite a while, you will find some rocky area with natural pools that are also great for little humans (but note that this is quite a walk). Another thing to note: this is a really great beach, but it offers pretty much no shaded area, so I highly recommend one of our compact beach pop-up tents to make sure you have a place to take a break from the sun.
Playa Hermosa
There is a parking area by the entrance to the Playa Hermosa beach which has limited parking spots, so I would recommend going there pretty early in the morning to ensure a spot. Please note that even if you have a spot on the parking lot, you will still need to walk a little bit to access the beach (maybe 3-5 minutes). The walking access is pretty good with an exception of one fallen tree that you would have to step over- with that said, if you are carrying snack, toys, etc. renting a wagon might be useful (note: you will need two people to get the wagon over the tree trunk).
One other good beach to visit is Playa Santa Teresa that you can access through a walking path that is right next to Selina North, across from Eat Streets. You will need to park the car on the street, and walk 5-7 minutes via a walking path that is pretty wide. This beach can be accessed by walking with an all-terrain stroller and/or wagon without a problem. If you go left from the entrance, there are some natural pools during a low tide that are great for little humans. If you go right, there is a sandy ocean access. Note, that the waves and tides can get pretty rough during the high tide. This beach offers some shaded area as well.
Santa Teresa
There are two other beach access roads that are super nice and even for walking with stroller or wagon: one entrance is located right across the the Tico Souvenirs Shop (which by the way has a pretty good selection of souvenirs) and another one across the Casa del Sol Hostel. Only issue here is parking, you will need to either walk or find street parking, but other than that, these are great beach spots as well! Hope you enjoy the Playa! Pura Vida!
Playgrounds in Santa Teresa
Visiting Santa Teresa with kids? At this point, there are three pretty awesome playgrounds in the town that are open to everyone. Each playground is located in a different part of town, and slightly different settings, offering something for everyone. Read on to learn more- also, I am adding a map snapshot to help locating these!
#1 Banana Beach Playground is located right by the sitting area of the restaurant that is situated on a beachfront (*map below) This one is a win/win for both parents and children :) Restaurant on its own has a very welcoming ambience and comfortable variety of beach seating (including swings), amazing sunset views and amazing smoothies (with & without alcohol). Parking can be a bit hard during the evening hours as this is a popular establishment. Check it out for yourself @bananabeach1
"IMPORTANT UPDATE about the Playground Behind the Soccer Field! The Playground is not there anymore :) Supposingly, this whole area is getting a remodel and hopefully, we will have a new safer playground here soon, but at this point, there is no playground at all. BUT the skatepark is still here, and it is great for bikes, skateboards and/or roller skates, or just running around. Note: skatepark is not shaded, it is an exposed concrete park, so plan accordingly, and bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
#2 Playground Wave Boutique Mall is situated in the back part of the TIKILAND mall, right next to TIKILIANO (Lounge and Cocktail Bar). So when you get to the shopping mall, you have to go through to what seems like a back part of the stores to find it. One parent can do some shopping when the other parent enjoys the drink while the kiddo is playing on the playground, or you can order pizza to-go for dinner in the restaurant next door @prontopiccolaitalia while the kids are playing! This playground is the newest playground addition to town; it is in a fun shape of a ship, and there is a large trampoline placed next to the playground in case someone needs to burn some extra energy (*side note: this might not be a best choice for middle of the daytime- there is no shade over the playground).
