Central America - Costa Rica around Christmas - good idea?

I'd like to go somewhere warm with my lady for a couple weeks around Christmas and new years. Ideally, wherever we go would be warm and have a mix of beaches, shopping, night life, and wildlife. I need wherever we go to be pretty safe. We both speak English, she speaks decent Spanish, and I speak mediocre German, if it matters.

I'm currently thinking about going to Costa Rica - and trying to spend maybe half the time in major cities and half the time in more relaxed places.

Does this seem like a reasonable idea? Are there better places to go?

I should mention that I have a preference for going places where my AA miles will take me - and currently I have about 175K miles (with another 15K or so coming in every month). Costa Rica is 70K round trip, so that is looking fairly reasonable :) Of course, I can purchase tickets as well, so I'm not limited to only AA served destinations...

PTY was my chioce in that area, same miles,

Xmas can be pretty crowded and hectic -- schools get out here mid-December and Ticos like to head to the beach. In droves.

Personally, I avoid the beaches for the week between Xmas and New Year's. Last year we went to the Marriott for Xmas Day brunch -- outstanding selection of food and top-notch service.

Some of the "quieter" areas to check out would be Monteverde and the Lake Arenal area (Tabacon Springs still being my favorite spot in the country). Even these areas tend to fill up quickly around the holidays.

Guess the most important point I am poorly conveying: make your plans NOW!

Xmas can be pretty crowded and hectic -- schools get out here mid-December and Ticos like to head to the beach. In droves.

Personally, I avoid the beaches for the week between Xmas and New Year's. Last year we went to the Marriott for Xmas Day brunch -- outstanding selection of food and top-notch service.

Some of the "quieter" areas to check out would be Monteverde and the Lake Arenal area (Tabacon Springs still being my favorite spot in the country). Even these areas tend to fill up quickly around the holidays.

Guess the most important point I am poorly conveying: make your plans NOW!
But do you think it would be a good place to go? Is there much to do? I'm a bit worried that all there is to do in Costa Rica for tourists are outdoorsy things like hanging out in jungles and stuff on the beach. Not a lot of history, museums, etc. What do you think?

there are a few museums worth seeing in downtown San Jose and thats pretty much IT in San Jose

Gold Museum, Jade Museum, National Theater and National Museum, perhaps the INBIO park in Santo Domingo

but depending on the day ,it may be closed during xmas /new years etc

souvenir shopping is good in San Jose also, in Moravia and in La Casona in San Jose but expect them to be on the expensive side

San Jose is in the Central Valley and I would be hard pressed to come from Guanacaste or the beach just to see those museums (they are really good but worth a 2 to 4 or 5 hour drive.....now that depends on your interests)

I normally try to steer people away from San Jose.

I am going too. How crowded is it around the Arenal area? I was wondering if I should purchase the Tabacon tickets now versus when I ma there depending on weather?