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.