Explore Central Valley of Costa Rica

VERY IMPORTANT: THIS MEETUP WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL ANOTHER DATE.

Join us on our very first trip to the Central Valley region of Costa Rica!

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: This excursion has already been planned out, but I want to gain a general inquiry of who is interested in attending this trip. I will wait to purchase my airline ticket in either February or March after we have our initial meeting to ensure that there is adequate and genuine interest from members. I will notify everyone when I purchase my ticket, then provide the airport location, the airline information, and the flight times. If there is no interest from members, I will consider cancelling or postponing this excursion. My ticket will be purchased after we have our initial meeting at a local venue.

Prior to this trip, I will announce a separate meetup at a local venue in DC possibly in January or February, where we can discuss the details and dates for the trip while having a drink and getting to know one another. I will also provide more information and details about the trip at our meeting.

Costa Rica is located between Nicaragua and Panama and is known as one of the most progressive countries in Central America. We will spend the majority of our excursion in and outside San Jose and Cartago; however, there are many exciting and adventurous activities that are outside of the city as well. We will arrive in San Jose on Wednesday, but begin our activities on the following Thursday.

We will spend Thursday visiting some of the main attractions of central San Jose, including the National Theater, Plaza de la Cultura, Museum of Jade, Central Market, and the Costa Rica National Museum. The remainder of the day will include dinner at a downtown restaurant and possible nightlife.

On Friday, we will take a guided tour from San Jose to the Iruzu Volcano National Park and the town of Cartago. The remainder of the day will include dinner at a restaurant and possible nightlife in a neighborhood nearby. The name of this tour is Irazu Volcano National Park Tour and is offered by Costa Rican Trails. The cost of the tour is $68 and includes transportation. If you are interested in this tour, visit www.costaricantrails.com for more information. E-mail the tour company if you want to attend this tour. There is no immediate cost to reserve a spot for this tour. They will e-mail you a few days before the actual tour to notify you that they have enough people to conduct the tour; then they will send you a payment link for the tour. You have the option to cancel this tour if you give the company a cancellation notice at least 48 hours before the tour.

On Saturday, we will explore more of San Jose on a food tour of some of the more popular neighborhoods or Barrios of the city along with their history. On this four-hour tour, we will explore the food scene of neighborhoods such as Amon, Aranjuez, Otoya, and Escalante, as well as pass through famous landmarks of the city. Some of the delicacies include Costa Rican burger, local chocolates and coffee tastings, and alcoholic beverages that are native to the country. The name of this tour is Barrio Sites and Bites and is also offered by Costa Rican Trails. The cost of the tour is $77 and includes transportation. If you are interested in this tour, visit www.costaricantrails.com for more information.

On Sunday, we will conclude the trip with everyone selecting their own activity for the day. For those who are interested in other outdoor activities, there are numerous outdoor adventures that are available in Costa Rica outside of San Jose. These activities include rain forest and nature exploration, beach and water activities, and motor sports. For tour suggestions, check Costa Rican Trails for an extensive list of adventures at www.costaricantrails.com.

• The date that I am choosing for departure to San Jose will be Wednesday, June 26th. The date that I am choosing to return to Washington, DC will be Monday, July 1st.