Beginning in the 1970’s, Central America gained a big following among surfers and hard-core eco-explorers; especially Costa Rica, because over a quarter of its land is set aside as protected nature preserves. Even so, most families did not consider a trip to Costa Rica, Panama, or Central America in general as a viable option for traveling with kids—until recently.

I’ve been traveling to Central America since the early 1990’s and twice in the last four years, I’ve taken my wife and kids on guided tours to Costa Rica and Panama.

Costa Rica has a lot going for it as a family vacation destination. This tiny Central American country between Nicaragua and Panama is different enough to feel exotic, but safe enough that you won’t worry about bringing your kids there. Since it’s due south of Florida, you won’t have to worry too much about jetlag either.

My husband and I took our kids to Costa Rica for a whirlwind week last March. It was a great trip, but we didn’t relax much.