Pura Vida! Costa Rica is a Must-See

Accruing miles pays off.  Using frequent flyer miles, I booked my flight and hotel accommodations for an unforgettable experience to Costa Rica's Pacific Coast.  Now that I'm back from my much-needed vacation and have adjusted to being back in the real world, I had to share.

First and foremost, Costa Rica is an absolutely beautiful place with a little something for everyone.  Whether you're the type to lounge at the beach; into surfing; a culture enthusiast; a nature lover; an adventure junkie or appreciate all the above (like yours truly), Costa Rica should be on your short list of vacation spots.  I know I plan to go back one day!

Desafio Adventure Company
Sky Trek/Sky Tram

I'm an adrenaline junkie. So, for my fellow thrill seekers, you absolutely cannot visit Costa Rica without doing a canopy tour where you zip line through the treetops.  I highly recommend doing a tour with the Desafio Adventure Company.  They offer a full range of adventure excursions and tours as well as transportation from your hotel to their location in La Fortuna.  Desafio, which means "challenge" in Spanish, gives you an opportunity to do just that -- challenge yourself to tackle a world of fun and adventure without compromising safety. 

Arenal Volcano

View from the Observation Deck
@ the Arenal Reserve

Desafio has a high standard for safety and excellence.  I was lucky to have great tour guides for my Sky Trek/Sky Tram experience with Desafio Adventure Company. Ricardo and Andres were absolutely fantastic!  They pointed out interesting facts about the rainforest,  the volcano, and the lake as we rode the Sky Tram to the observation deck at the top of the Arenal Reserve.  It was there that we got all the safety tips to make sure we knew how to safely complete all the zip lines without sacrificing fun.

Panoramic View of Lake Arenal

There were 8 adrenaline pumping zip lines.  You almost get the sensation as if you're flying.  If you've never done zip lining -- doing the Desafio canopy tour is the way to go.  My favorite zip line, the Big Daddy, was the longest and gave AMAZING views of both the Arenal Volcano and Costa Rica's largest landlocked body of water, Lake Arenal. 

La Fortuna Waterfall

As part of our tour, we had the opportunity to visit the La Fortuna Waterfall.  It was 460 steps down to the emerald pool below -- but man, was it worth the trek!  Too bad, I didn't have my swimsuit for a quick swim, but just seeing its beauty up close was breathtaking!


Because of all the beauty, adventure, good food (I'm hooked on tres leches cake), and friendliness, Costa Rica is now one of my favorite vacation spots! And I've been quite a few places... I definitely have to go back!  So you know that means... back to stacking up my miles.  Pura Vida!

Costa Rica...Mileage Diva Style

First class flight to Liberia, Costa Rica en route to the Pacific coast...continental breakfast on the first leg; Greek salad, broiled fish and potatoes with a glass of sauvignon blanc on the second. All using mileage!!

After a nice ride from the airport, we checked in to the  Flamingo Beach Resort in Guanacaste.  Mind you, I used miles to book our hotel reservation so the net cost of this trip less was than $120 per person!! All we had to do was pay the taxes on the airfare and the difference for the hotel that the miles didn't cover.  (I was just shy of the amount of miles needed to cover the entire hotel stay.)

When we checked in at the reception area, we were greeted with friendly smile and a fruity welcome drink. Now that's how you say "welcome!"  The Flamingo Beach Resort is a beautiful hotel right on the white sands of Flamingo Beach. The staff so far, have been very nice and helpful.  I definitely get to work on my Spanish.

After a rejuvenating volcanic mud body wrap treatment at the spa, a hike in the rain forest, a dip in the natural hot springs near the Arenal volcano, we enjoyed a relaxing sun-filled, beach day to get our vacation in gear.

Look out for pictures in the next few days... Great times in Costa Rica so far.  Pura Vida!

Mileage Pays Off...Costa Rica Here I Come!

I often go on and on about my quest for frequent flyer miles and great deals; but this mileage diva is putting a twist on things. In addition to sharing helpful tips and ideas to build up your frequent flyer mileage, I will provide a little more insight into how I redeem miles to highlight your options for using mileage.  

After building up more than 90,000 miles, I decided to cash in for a wonderful 6 day adventure to beautiful Costa Rica. I've never been to Central America and I am SO excited to combine adrenaline-filled, Eco-friendly experiences like zip lining in the rain forest with much-needed relaxation of the spa and beach.

I used frequent flyer mileage to book my flights and hotel accommodations at a 4-star beach resort in Guanacaste, Costa Rica for practically nothing!  I saved over $1,100 on my vacation by using miles. All I paid was the difference for the hotel that my miles didn't cover and the taxes on the flight.  Did I mention I'm flying first class??  I can't wait!!

I'll be sure to share my photos and videos from Costa Rica. Hopefully, they will inspire you to ramp up your mileage efforts towards your next vacation.  Stay tuned.