Costa Living
Amanda McDonald
Destination: Tamarindo, Costa Ri
Tamarindo is a surfing and eco-tourism town on the Pacific-side of Costa Rica, about an hour from Liberia International Airport. I went with a group from For the Love of Travel (FTLO) for the first part of the week, then extended my trip for the rest of the week. FTLO plans trips, including lodging, activities, and other amenities, for those 25-39 years old.
Lux Lodgings: The Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort was wonderful –it’s literally in the center of the beach. I had an ocean-front room with a balcony, plus four restaurants and three pools on the property.
Favorite meal: Green Papaya Taco Bar. Try the ahi tuna tacos and white sangria. This cute restaurant has swings on the patio instead of benches. The only downside, the restaurant only accepts cash, but everywhere in Tamarindo accepts U.S. dollars.
Coolest photo op: Sunsets and the Rincón de la Vieja National Park.
The sunsets are gorgeous and we made sure to enjoy them every night from the hotel restaurant, where we would grab drinks before venturing out. The sun set around 6 p.m. and was gone within 10 minutes, so you can blink and miss it!
In the Rincón de la Vieja National Park we went zip-lining and ventured to the hot springs for a volcanic mud bath. We saw the largest termite nest in the treetops. Fun fact: termites and parakeets live together!
The Ticos (Costa Ricans) told us that the termite nests are burned as a mosquito repellent, and trust me, the mosquitos are ravenous.
Can’t miss spot: Tamarindo Beach! The beach is great for swimming and for novice surfers. We took a surfing lesson and it was a lot of fun, but I quickly realized that surfing is not in the cards for me!
There's also this wonderful rock point you can climb during low tide to watch the waves break and see the entire beach.
Amanda McDonald lives in College Hill and enjoys traveling, spending time with her pets, hip-hop dance classes, and participating in arts events. She is the Director of Individual Giving at ArtsWave, the nation's first and largest community campaign for the arts. Amanda is an alumna of the University of Cincinnati and C-Change Class 13, and a past finalist for the Legacy Next Generation Leader Awards.