www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I'm a spontaneous kind of guy and don't like too much advanced planning. A friend and I are staying at The Del Rey during Memorial week and want to take advantage of a few non gulch activities during the daytime...(Zip lines, rafting, golf, etc.). Can we just hop on these trips without advance booking? For instance the day before we want to go on one? And where would be a good safe, reliable one stop shop to get all this set up in or near The DR? I've read a few posts about Presidente, but I won't be staying there. Will they still help me out? Any recommendations on better activities than others would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance...

Check with the tour desk right across from check in (in back of couches) at the Del Rey. I'm sure they can hook you up. Most hotels will book tours the day before and I think they use the same tour operators anyways.

After you are done checking in at the front desk of the Del Rey, turn around and you will see a desk with a bunch of tour brochures. They will be able to book them for you the day before you want to go on one. The DR, or the Presidente don't conduct the tours they just book them for you and collect a commission.

I had a feeling this was the case. The last couple times I was there, I saw a beautiful woman working that desk, but didn't get a chance to discuss the activities with her. I got sidetracked for some odd reason and never left the hotel I don't want to come back home again with no cool stories to tell the women I work with when I get the question..."So how was Costa Rica, what did you do there?" LOL!! Stock answer: The snapper fishing was amazing. I don't even fish.

What has been said already is quite correct. I just want to add a couple of quick points. The commission that was mentioned by Skink comes out of the STANDARD price for the tour. You'll probably pay the same amount for any particular tour regardless of where you book it, so you might as well book it wherever it is most convenient. The tour desk at the HDR is pretty good one with a good variety of tours offered and it doesn't get much more convenient. If you don't see a flyer for the tour you want at the desk just ask the person behind the desk about the tour you saw on-line and they can probably book it for you.

I do have one qualification about being able to just book any tour the day before. You don't want to wait TOO long. Many tour outfit offices close at 5, 6 or 8PM. If you wait until 9, 10 or 11 at night to book a tour that is supposed to pick you up at 7 the next morning, even if you find someone at the HDR to make the call for you there probably won't be anyone they'll be able to get in touch with to add you to the tour company's list. If you're arriving in SJ late and want to do a particular tour early the next day, you should probably book at least that tour before you arrive. The rest of your activities you can decide upon as you go along.

Anticipating these type of questions, I visited the Gold Museum, Super Mercado, and National Theatre. Then, after telling them about walking a lot, practicing my Spanish, and that is no army in CR, they forget to inquire why I spent all of my time in the city!

In my experience the tours use the bookings from the previous day to determine the size of the bus they will be using. Many times you CAN get on the tours that day but it is unlikely. They usually use a bus with a fixed number of seats and when that bus is booked that is it.

Depending on the type of tour and the travel time you will need to be awake and ready to go at 6 am.

One tour that is usually not a problem is of the Cafe Britt coffee plantation. It is a guided tour of a representative coffee plantation. Actor play the roles but they also teach you about the roasting process, grading of the bean and how to "taste" coffee. Other coffee growers have similar tours.

I agree with others, figure out what you want to do and book it a day or two in advance.

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I was steered to the desk at the Del Rey by none other than Circus.

he recommended them as being very competent and dependable.

they had lots of tours and options.

i took a morning/half day tour so i could get back in San Jose by mid afternoon.

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