Going to be spending a quick week in CR in early december - wanted to know anyone's driving experiences.

Basic itinerary is to stay 2 days in the central valley, head to arenal for three days, then back to San Jose (returning the vehicle before getting to the city). All the guidebooks recommend getting a 4x4, but that seems to be a little more for the rainy season/or going to monteverde/off the beaten track. We plan to stick to main roads and only use the car for getting from A to B.

Could we get by with a normal rental, or is a 4x4 essential?

Driving in Costa Rica is not usually a problem. The roads between the airport and Arenal Volcano are in pretty good condition, though even the paved roads in Costa Rica are sometimes badly potholed. Three days in Arenal may be a bit more than you need to be there. A side trip to Quepos/Manuel Antonio on the Pacific is well worth the time. It's 3 to 3 1/2 hours from the airport to Quepos, as is the time for the trip to Arenal. Costa Rican drivers can be aggressive. Sometimes the roads are not marked very well. "Ticos", as Costa Rican nationals are called, are very friendly. Don't hesitate to ask directions.
I go to Costa Rica once or twice a year. You will love it there.....

Oh, and for your itinerary, a 4x4 is not necessary....pura vida!

A 4X4 is not necessary for normal travel on the roads. However, there is a much more serious subject when you are renting a car in Costa Rica. Criminal acts against tourists driving rental cars is on the rise in a significant way. Some of the acts have been found by the authorites to be linked to the rental car employees. Please check with your embassy first, and get some information and advice. You can see the country without renting a car via vans and buses operated by tour agencies, including for a half day, full day, or multiple day tour. There have also been crimes against passengers in these vehicles, but it is much safer. Don't get me wrong, MOST Costa Ricans are very nice, but it only takes a few, especially in hard economic times. Enjoy.

Thanks for the advice. Two fairly savvy travelers on this trip, so I'm hoping we won't have any problems.

Hello Scoop
As you can see I live in Sydney, but am originally from San Jose, Costa Rica.
As for the 4x4, you probably won't need it 95% of the time. So you should do fine without it. However, in Arenal and surroundings there are some places which you may wish to visit that are of much easier access with a 4x4
So how are you getting to SJO? I take the trip 2-3 times a year and fly UA 90%...although I've been wanting to do the QF-AA run for a while.
All in all, I hope you have a great time in my country. Should you need any info. regarding the trip I might be of use. You'll enjoy Arenal, and hopefully you'll get lucky with the weather in order to see its activity, especially at night.
Regards

Can someone tell me how long it really takes to drive from SJO to the Guanacaste area? We are staying at the Melia Playa Conchal next Feb. I want to get our FF tickets now so I need to know if we can make a 1:50 PM flight without leaving the resort ay 4 AM or if we should stay an extra day in the SJO area.

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Pat

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Pat H:
Can someone tell me how long it really takes to drive from SJO to the Guanacaste area? We are staying at the Melia Playa Conchal next Feb. I want to get our FF tickets now so I need to know if we can make a 1:50 PM flight without leaving the resort ay 4 AM or if we should stay an extra day in the SJO area.
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4-4 1/2 hours. Stay an extra day in SJO (Actually outside SJO) Try Marriot;Melia Herradura closeby the airport.

Thanks.

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Pat