Episode Details

Hawaii vs Costa Rica for families: a real comparison of cost, activities, logistics and accessibility — plus which one we chose for our winter break.

If you've been going back and forth between Hawaii and Costa Rica for your family's next trip, this episode is for you. I've taken my family to both destinations.  After an embarrassing amount of research comparing both destinations for our upcoming winter break, I'm sharing everything so you don't have to do it yourself.

We cover flights and time zones, a detailed cost breakdown, activities for families, logistics and itinerary planning, the best time to visit each destination, accessibility considerations, and which destination we chose for this winter.

In This Episode:

• Why where you live completely changes the flights and time change math
• Accommodations: why Costa Rica wins on cash but Hawaii wins on points
• How to search for award flights (and what the tools miss)
• Activities: where Hawaii wins and where Costa Rica pulls ahead
• Why itinerary planning in Costa Rica is a completely different challenge than Hawaii
• Seasonality: what "dry season" actually means and where to go when
• Accessibility: what traveling with a grandparent taught me about these two destinations
• Our final decision for winter break — and why

Whether you're planning for next spring break or still dreaming, this comparison will help you figure out which destination is right for your family. Find the full blog post and more planning resources at thefamilyvoyage.com.

Links

Credit Cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Capital One Venture X
• Amex Platinum

Award Search Tools

• PointsYeah
• AwardTool

Articles

• Why I Love the Southwest Companion Pass (and How to Get One)
• Best Credit Cards for Family Travel
• All free travel resources
• Hawaii vs. Costa Rica for Families
• All Hawaii resources
• All Costa Rica resources

Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.

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