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Is it practical to make day trips to Monteverde / Arenal, or should you at least spend the night out there to make the trip worthwhile?
I'd like to spend a couple of days out there hiking, doing a sky walk, maybe a little four-legged horse riding, and maybe the raft thing, too.
My total trip time will probably be 5 nights and 4 days not including travel days, so I don't want to fool around too much packing, repacking, and changing abodes.
As always, muchas, muchas, gracias for your help.

I haven't heard of any day trip packages to Monteverde, though thats not to say they don't exist. One could possibly do it independently by bus or private vehicle. The first express bus from SJ leaves each day at 6:30AM for the 3.5 hr drive. The last bus returns at 2:30. That means if you just go for the day you'll spend at least 7 hours on the bus to get 3.5 hours in the Monteverde area. That doesn't seem particularly practical to me. If you go by private car you could return a little later, but thats not much better, considering the best wildlife viewing is in the early morning and early evening. Personally, I think even an overnight trip to Monteverde is kinda rushed. One should allocate at least 2 nights to do it right.

Arenal is slightly different story. I know they have day trips that leave SJ early for the 4.5 hr drive putting you at Tabacon around noon and departs in the early evening for a late night arrival back in SJ. I'm sure a lot of people with limited schedules such as yourself go for this. Personally, I think one should still figure at least a one night stay in the Arenal area.

I think the biggest mistake that a lot of first time visitors to CR make (including myself) is trying to fit too much in to too short a period and trying to see too much in one trip. My advice to you is definitely to get out of the Gulch. If you only have a few days, there is a lot you can see with just day trips from the Gulch (canopy tours, raft trips, farm tours, volcanos, 4-in-1, etc.). Or you could pick one destination further afield for an overnight or 2. But I wouldn't plan for any more than that unless you're there for a week or more.

If I may digress for a moment. It's amazing to me how many interesting things to see and places to go in such a small country. I've been to CR many times and still haven't seen it all. I usually travel to different countries figuring that is my one chance to see what that country has to offer and that my next trip will be somewhere else. I certainly didn't go to CR my first time with even clue that I'd be returning so many times and yet I have. My advice to fellow whorticulturalists is to figure you'll be back. I don't know how many tourists in general end up returning to CR. I'm guessing that guys like us more often tend to repeat, though I could be wrong. It certainly seems to be the case on this board (at least by the active posters), but we may not be representative. I think that could be something very interesting to find out, but I'm not sure how to set up a unbiased study.

Of the non-board members I know that have been to CR about half of the eco-tourists have indicated they could see going back though they haven't yet. Of the "amateur" whorticultural tourists I know (those who don't normally participate on hobbyist boards) 2 have returned for 2nd trips, 1 might, 1 can't because his new colombiana esposa won't allow it and 1 has moved on to other things. The odds seem pretty good that whatever you don't get to see on your first trip you'll have the opportunity to see on future trips.

What an excellent and helpful response!
I've expressed my appreciation to Prolijo by PM, and I'll certainly follow his advice.