Tamarindo is one of the most sought after surfing destinations in the entire country of Costa Rica.

1) Tamarindo Beach, located in the thick of things "downtown" is a great beach to learn how to surf with endless options for surf board rentals and instructors. It is a beginner level wave break. I highly recommend taking a sunset surf lesson here. This beach will have all the vendors and people walking about. It is busy and fun!

2) Playa Grande, located just across the estuary, which can be accessed by water taxi or rental car ( if you drive around) is a massive stretch of beach with a lot less people and bigger waves. Playa Grande is for intermediate to expert level surfers depending on how big it is. Playa Grande also has a few local restaurants and bars.

3) Playa Avellanas, known as "Little Hawaii" has some of the best, consistent waves in the area. Located about 30 minutes south of Tamarindo, you will need a rental car to get here, but it will be worth it. Pull up to Lola's, and have yourself a very relaxing day on the beach.

4) Want to keep going south? Nosara or Samara are well-known surfing towns about 2 hours south of Tamarindo. Great waves and a small town feel, Nosara and Samara would be a great day trip!

To recap:

- To learn how to surf (beginners): Tamarindo Beach is your best friend

- To test your skills (intermediate to advanced level): Playa Grande or Playa Avellanas (little hawaii) is the move for you. At high tide these places should create tubes. Pitted.

- Take a day trip down to Nosara or Samara to explore famous surfing towns

The Guanacaste Province is known for its spectacular beaches. Below is a list of options for you to check out! Looking for a local beach club to relax, have drinks and a bite to eat? Look at the bottom of this list!

1) Tamarindo Beach - this will be the closest option for most who are staying in the area. Tamarindo beach is the liveliest and busiest beach on the list with endless activities at your fingertips. From massages on the beach in the morning, to horseback riding at sunset to fire shows at night, Tamarindo beach has it all! It is said the best sunsets in the country are located here!

2) Langosta Beach - Playa Langosta is just a 10-15 minute walk further south of Tamarindo Beach. Langosta is a quieter beach if you would like some more peace and solitude. Langosta still has great waves as well, but beware of the rocks!

3) Playa Conchal - Perhaps the most famous beach in the area, Playa Conchal is known for its very clear, blue water and endless shells. Playa Conchal is about 40 minutes away from Tamarindo, so you would need a rental car to get here. There is no direct vehicle access to Playa Conchal, which is what makes this beach feel so exclusive. You can park your car around Brasilito Park, next to a soccer field, and walk south along Brasilito Beach to get to Conchal Beach. This walk will take about 15 to 20 minutes one way.

4) Playa Flamingo - a neighboring beach to Conchal. Playa Flamingo is known for its white sands, relaxing waves and clear water.

5) Playa Danta or Dantita - a small town, probably the least amount of crowds. Located about an hour north of Tamarindo. To get to Dantita (ultra secluded) you can cross the rocks from Danta, or take a 30 minute hike through the forest.

6) Playas Del Coco

7) Playa Hermosa

Check Out Other Beach Options HERE

BEACH CLUB OPTIONS, CLICK HERE (tamarindo specific)

You think we'd book a destination wedding to an area without epic fishing?? C'mon guys. Tamarindo has great offshore and nearshore fishing. Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Snapper, Sailfish, Marlin, Rooster Fish, you name it! There are plenty of charters in the area, stay tuned for a more dialed list of recommended charters to choose from. Look out for a sign up sheet for this excursion closer to the wedding date, a family friendly tournament may be in the works. Lastly, are bonita fish big? Yeah..

If you know Mckenna, she can find a fantastic place to eat just about anywhere on the planet at any time. Yeah you may have to hike 17 miles, traverse a cave and give up your first born child to get there, but at least you know it'll be GOOD. Here are our recs (don't worry, they are not a hike to get to):

1) Pangas Beach Club - High quality food and high quality views!

2) Patagonia - Argentinian style meats!! Can also check out La Boca, similar food.

3) Dragonfly - Fine-ish Dining, can still dress casual, but food quality is higher-end.

4) Aqua Salada - great location and great food, right on the beach. Perfect for sunset!

5) Breakfast! Sol Bakery - must go for breakfast, traditional, big portions, amazing pastries.

6) Green Papaya Tacos - famous for their massive tacos and great margs!

7)Chiquitas - good bar and drinks in the middle of central avenue where all the nightlife is!

8) Soda Buffet El Estero - Local, quick food, healthy options. You'll see signage for "Soda" all over the place, this means quick food options! I can't recommend going to these "Sodas" enough. This is where you will get the real authentic costa rican foods, and it'll be a lot cheaper. You should be able to google search "Sodas" when you are there, but if not, they are located everywhere in the area!

9) El Mercadito - the best rated food market, located next to Patagonia Argentinian Grill

10) "El Be" - Tamarindo Beach Club. El Be is a great spot for happy hour drinks, live music, and light bites. Expect a fire show on the beach just after sunset here!

11) NOI Bistro - best rated breakfast spot

12) The Red Van ... Apparently there's a lady that sells incredible food out of a Red Van just on the side of the main road in the downtown area. This is kind of a where's waldo situation, don't ask how I got this information, but if you find the Red Van, kudos to you.

13) Coffee!

14) Coffee x2!

Click on the hyperlinks to be directed to a specific tour!

- Las Baulas National Marine Park, you can either do a Kayak Tour or boat tour and explore this marine estuary. Walking distance within Tamarindo!

- Catamaran/ Sailing Tours for snorkeling or to catch a sunset. Smaller group option.

- La Leona Waterfall Hike (full day trip), requires a tour guide, very immersive hiking experience. Note: About 2 hours away by car

- Rio Celeste Hike, highly recommend!! One of the most famous in costa rica, however it is about 2.5 hours from Tamarindo!

-Rincon De La Vieja National Park hike(s) Hike

- Guachipelin Adventure Volcano Zipline Horseback River Tubing Combo (all day excursion)

- ATV Tours

- Horseback Riding on the beach or other option , there should be plenty of options for this in Tamarindo as well, not just playa conchal.

- World Class Zip Lining, another option

-Snorkeling

- Scuba Diving

- White Water rafting

- Jet Ski tour

- Tamarindo Night Market (Thursday Nights)