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Planning a Vacation in Liberia, Costa Rica
Liberia is the dusty cowboy capital of the Guanacaste Province, and a good place to soak up a little authentic Costa Rican culture on vacaction.
Traveling to Liberia
Liberia is about an hour drive from the Nicaraguan border and a four-hour drive from Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. Hop a Nature Air flight and you'e there in 40 minutes - a smart way to spend your vacation in Costa Rica, instead of driving. The Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR), just 4 miles from the center of Liberia, offers flights from a number of major US cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Miami. However, flying to San Jose and then to Liberia via Nature Air offers a lot of flexibility and options for your vacation planning. Contact us to help with your Costa Rica travel planning and questions.
Things to do near Liberia
Liberia's central location makes it a great stopping point en route to Playa del Coco and Playa Hermosa, two of Guanacaste's most popular beaches on Costa Rica's beautiful Northern Pacific Coast. These beach towns and others are as close as 20 miles from Liberia.
It's also just a 15 mile (25 km) drive to the Rincon de la Vieja volcano National Park. If you're up for a little light adventure, try rapelling down a canyon next to a waterfall. And for the thrill of your life, take a scenic zip-line canopy tour. Then relax in the thermal hot springs or rejuvinate with volcanic mud spa treatments.
Dining in Liberia
Healthy eaters look forward to Thursdays and Fridays in Liberia, when the fresh food fair known as la feria comes to town. Just behind the soccer stadium, this farmers' market is packed with the freshest food imaginable – and at dirt cheap prices. Two pounds of vine ripe tomatoes or mangos might cost less than $2, and pineapples less than $1 a fruit. The social atmosphere is a great place to practice your Spanish and mingle with Ticos, while sampling seasonal produce unique to Central America.
If you aren’t particularly motivated to cook, Los Comales serves up the best olla de carne (or meat stew) in town. (If they run out, the chicken meatball soup is also fantastic). Nearby, Casa Verde offers an upscale ambiance at mid-range prices, serving up mouthwatering meals in a chic New York City atmosphere. At night the most frequented pub in town is Bar Lib, on the second floor of the Jumbo shopping center. Here the town gathers to dance and drink before moving on to various other bars and discos within walking distance.
Twice a year, the entire town of Liberia basically stops everything for ten consecutive days to celebrate Guanacastecan culture with parties, horse parades, and Tico bullfights. Don’t worry, the bull is never harmed. The Fiestas Civicas (or Civic Parties) take place in February and observe local traditions and culture; July 25 marks Annexation of Guanacaste Day, when Guanacaste was liberated from Nicaragua in 1824.
