Turtle Beach Lodge, Colorado

Turtle Beach Lodge was one of the best little finds on our trip in Costa Rica. Just getting there was an adventure with a two-hour boat trip along the canals. The lodge is simple but very clean, in a beautiful location with one side on the canals and the other side facing the beach front. The staff was friendly as could be, helpful and attentive. The place was kept immaculate and the food was good! At the time we were there, there was no TV (that may have changed) - which I loved and the kids quickly learned to live without - as the communal area had misc activities (down to the turtle shaped pool) to keep you busy and give you a chance to talk to your fellow traveler (or not) if not exploring the rainforest or taking one of the various tours. (Note to self: don't take the rainforest walking tour if it just rained... long, wet, muddy story). We met a Chinese author/photographer who was on a quest to photograph a red (or was it a green) tree frog and two Dutch girls that stayed on to volunteer at another reserve whom we still keep in contact with two years later. Our tours were awesome - we saw so many animals, although sadly, we were a little early for the giant sea turtles. The place is also a steal. The price includes all your meals, tours and roundtrip transportation from San Jose (kids under 12 are practically free considering what you are getting for the price). The lodge is on the turtle reserve, so you get a lot of information and education about the area and the reserve - a great eco-friendly vacation. The kids are still talking about it and we're planning our trip there again for 2006. Trust me - you'll love it here...