There is a lot to do to stay busy in Costa Rica

As I have stated repeatedly in prior articles, retired expats and others have no excuse for being bored in Costa Rica. The country offers year-round outdoor and indoor activities for everyone. Below are some examples.

Oktoberfest: As most people know Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival Held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Tt is a 16- to 18-day festival running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October, with more than six million people from around the world attending the event every year. Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Octoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich event. Costa Rica is no exception.

This year’s event will be held at El Centro de Eventos Pedregal in Belén de Heredia, about half way between the capital city of San José and Juan Santamaría International Airport. Ninety types of beer will be on display. In addition ten restaurants will offer a variety of food including different types of German sausage. There will also be a music venue.

Wale watching: it is now whale watching season and tours are operating out of the Pez Vela marina in Quepos, located on the Central Pacific Coast. During this time of year whales swim near the surface and delight tourists with their acrobatics.

A day trip to Puntarenas: Located only an hour and one half from the Central Valley, Puntarenas offers many activities for people of all ages. A beautiful Blue Flag beach attracts beach lovers. The Paseo de los Turistas is long seaside walkway that is dotted with restaurants and souvenir stands. The restaurants offer fresh seafood delights including a variety of ceviche dishes. There is also a cruise ship dock where visitors can view large ships and a lot of tourists.

Don’t be surprised if a local approaches you to tell you an anecdote about the history of Puntarenas.

A visit to Puntarenas or the ‘puerto” as it is called by locals would not be complete without indulging in a Churchill. The latter consists of shaved ice with syrup, covered with powered and condensed milk, and topped off with a large scoop of ice-cream.

Visitors can round out the day by watching a spectacular sunset for the end of the town’s peninsula.