For eco-tourists who crave adventure there are few places better than Parque Nacional Corcovado, a biodiverse smorgasbord of tropical rainforest, coastline and wildlife. Puerto Jimenez is a great base for those who wish to explore the park via one of several local touring companies, but it’s also got its own thing going on, including an impressive wildlife sanctuary, some lovely restaurants and an excellent local crafts shop.

Legend has it that notorious pirate Sir Francis Drake hid his treasures somewhere in Drake Bay, hence the name. Doubloons or not, there are plenty of natural treasures to marvel over, like lush rainforests and colorful sea life. Invest in a guided hiking, diving, fishing, tubing or treetop canopy tour to get the full Drake Bay experience. “Tracie the Bug Lady” even offers a night tour to acquaint you with all of the local creepy crawlies.

You can easily fill a week with activities in and around the mountain village of Boquete. Tours of every sort—jungle tours, coffee estate tours, hiking tours. Adventures for every age—ATVs, zip lines, white water rafting. Or just relax and let your travelling companions do all the adventuring. Boquete's good for taking it easy, too.

A tiny village with two miles of pure white sand and fabulous conditions for swimming, Uvita might become your favorite place in Costa Rica. It's part of the Marino Ballena National Park (Whale Marine Park), named for humpback whales who meet and mate here every winter and spring. Take a boat ride to Caño Island, a nature reserve with incredible marine life.

Surf, dive, snorkel, beach comb, horseback ride, bicycle, or relax in a hammock in Dominical. Take a stress-relieving yoga class at Bamboo YogaPlay. Enjoy beach restaurants serving up everything from East Indian curries and Italian pastas and pizzas to local gallo pinto and shots of anise-infused sugarcane liquor. Savor lonely beaches populated by pelicans, frigate birds, brown boobies, and hardy surfers here for the waves and good beachfront food at reasonable prices. When you’ve caught up on your sleep and feel relaxed, take the family on a hike to the double-cascade waterfall at Nauyaca. Perhaps the family would be up for a horseback gallop on the beach, or a trot to a smaller waterfall like Pazo Azul, whose plunge pool is popular with local kids. There is always boogie boarding at Playa Dominicalito. Or beachcombing and dolphin-watching at Playa Dominical. Guided bird-watching, and mangrove estuary and rainforest tours are always educational. Charter a fishing boat. Catch and release big sailfish like marlin in the deep sea, or keep some tasty dinner fish like red snapper, yellowfin tuna, snook, wahoo, and dorado. In Marino Bellena National Park, humpback whales migrate south towards Dominical to escape the Arctic cold. December to April is the humpback whale mating season in Ballena (Whale) Marine National Park. May to November is the nesting season, when Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles do their nocturnal egg-laying on the beaches. Low tide beach combing walks can take you out to Punta Uvita Tombolo island. Snorkel, dive, and explore mangrove habitats. Or just sit with the family on the gold and white sands watching green marine iguanas sunbathe between dives into the rocks and corals to feed on marine algae.

Wineries are beginning to rival the sweet-tasting Walla Walla onion as the hallmark of this lovely town at the foot of the Blue Mountains. In fact, the combination of excellent wineries and appealing scenery has put Walla Walla on the map as one of the country's hottest new wine-touring regions. The town's rich history, starting with the Indian tribes who first settled here followed by the early pioneers, the establishment and subsequent tragic demise of a famous mission and then a gold rush, is also a tourist draw. Fascinating museums and historic attractions bring this past to life. Music and the arts are a vital part of this culturally conscious college town, which boasts one of the oldest symphony orchestras west of the Mississippi, frequent summertime blues and jazz concerts, arts festivals and at least 15 art galleries. A revitalized downtown features restored 19th-century buildings, restaurants, galleries and wine-tasting rooms. If you're itching for outdoor fun, head east for hiking, mountain biking and fishing in the Blue Mountains or take the relatively easy Stateline Loop bike trail to Oregon and back.