Family activities may be an important consideration to your visit, and El Castillo de Relajamiento is central to family-fun spots. In the local town of Santiago, less than 5 minutes away, you can find a large soccer/football field and basketball court, open 24 hours a day. In San Ramon, less than 10 minutes away, Las Musas provides a wealth of outdoor activities with pools, soccer fields, volleyball courts, playground, cookout areas, and a magnificent waterfall, for which it is best known.

Also within San Ramon, you will find the Central Church of San Ramon, many excellent restaurants (Rincon de Poeta, Mi Choza, Mi Casita, El Jardin, Las Tinajitas, Café Delicias, and Nescaffe to name a few), numerous shops, a variety of banks, a shopping mall, and three screen theatre. Just north of the main square is the Museo de San Ramón, which showcases the important role the city has played in Costa Rican history and culture. Known as “the city of presidents and poets”, San Ramón has been home to many of Costa Rica's great political and literary figures, such as former President Jose Figueres Ferrer, who abolished the country's army and granted women the right to vote.

Most San Ramón residents are involved in farming and agriculture, so the weekly Saturday morning Farmers Markets, or “Ferias del agricultor,” is not to be missed. There you will find a delicious variety of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and coffee. Another festive San Ramón tradition occurs in August: San Ramón Day, a day of citywide celebration that includes music, dancing and the parade of saints.

Venture outside of San Ramon to the nearby city of Palmares. During January the city of Palmares hosts their 'Fiestas', a large fair organized by a local committee which have become along with Zapote in December, and Liberia in July, one of the largest fairs in the country. This fair lasts for two weeks, with two days of special note: the 'Tope' (a massive horseback riding parade through town) and the 'Carnaval' (carnival). It is said that during these days you can find over 500,000 people in Palmares. It also ranks 2nd in most beer drunk in a yearly festival (after Oktoberfest-of course!).

Sarchi is another city to see, considered as the major craft-making center of Costa Rica. This small town is one of the best places to visit for souvenirs, arts, craft, woodwork, and any other reminders of your visit to Costa Rica. The small town is divided by the Tojas River into north and south quarters and stretches for several miles. The main plaza in North Sarchi features a twin-towered church, restaurants, and a few accomodations.

Venture farther out into the country to experience more of Costa Rica’s natural beauty, which includes long coastlines, soaring mountains, lush rain forests, and bubbling volcanoes. Costa Rica is active in the development of national parks and the preservation of wildlife. More than half the country is forested. In its reserves, you can see more species of birds than are found in the US and Canada combined. In Costa Rica, many colorful kinds of butterflies, abundant native wildlife, and saltwater fish and mollusks are found. Costa Rica is known to be a favorite destination for ecologically oriented tourists from all around the world.

Day-long excursions are a great way to experience much that Costa Rica has to offer, without the need to plan out the travel. ECDR offers set excursion packages, or special packages on request. Visit our Daily Excursions link for more information, and be sure to contact Cesar, our Property Manager and activity coordinator, today to assist with your excursion planning.