A Perfect 7-Day Travel Guide: Costa Rica

From Costa Ballena, drive five hours north to Lake Arenal. Break up the trip by stopping for lunch in the popular beach town of Jaco.

You won't want to miss Lake Arenal because it is home to the popular Arenal Volcano. The large now-dormant volcano towers over Lake Arenal and can be seen from miles away. In 1968, it erupted violently and killed around 70 people. From 1968 to 2010, it erupted interminably, but never again with the force of the 1968 eruption. From 2010 onward, it has remained dormant.