Costa Rica Packing List: Complete Guide for First Timers

So, your itinerary is finalized, your flights are booked, your hotel reservations are made, and you’ve picked out which tours you plan to do. Now comes the question, what do I pack?!

Many trips to Costa Rica include some beach time, a few adventure activities such as ziplining and hiking, plus dinners in the evenings. Even in the dry season, there’s the chance you’ll get caught in a rain shower or two. Plus, you’ll need sunblock, sunscreen, your passport, and some sort of camera, to capture all of the fun you are having (and those cute sloths in the trees).

Coming up with a packing list may seem like a daunting task.

Continue reading to see Earth Trekkers' packing list for Costa Rica, written by Julie.

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June 26, 2025

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Hi there! I’m Julie, the main author and photographer of EarthTrekkers.com.

First, I want to welcome you to our website. EarthTrekkers.com is a family run website that has evolved quite a bit over the years. I, along with Tim, Tyler, and Kara, started EarthTrekkers.com to share our one year trip around the world with friends and family. Once home, our travels continued, as did our writing, becoming the site that you see today.

Our goal is to help you plan the perfect trip. We write detailed itineraries, city guides, trail guides, and travel guides, based on our travel experiences.

A Little Bit About Julie
I grew up in Maryland and attended the University of Maryland, earning a degree in Biology. I was a triple jumper on the University of Maryland track team, and this is where I met Tim, who was also an athlete on the track team.

After college, I spent a few years living in New Jersey, where I went to graduate school to become a physician assistant. For 15 years, I worked as a physician assistant in Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, right up to the point where we started our one year trip around the world.

I traveled very little the first 35 years of my life, taking some road trips on the east coast, quick trips to Canada, Colorado, and California, and visiting a few Caribbean islands.

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