We’re George Allen (51) and Karen Rivera (49). We picked Jaco because we wanted somewhere tropical that wasn’t complicated, and that gamble paid off. We booked a Downtown Jaco Beach Airbnb Apartment and spent the week finally catching our breath.

Our four standout experiences were Horseback riding by Sunset, a serene Waterfall Tour in Bijagual, dinner at Lemon Zest Restaurant, and a stroll through Jaco Walk Open Air Shops. Guides were patient, servers were attentive, and even the folks at the little grocery store downstairs went out of their way to chat.

We used Jaco as a hub, hopping to Playa Hermosa to watch surfers, up to Herradura and the Los Sueños marina to walk the docks, and out toward Esterillos and Bejuco for long, quiet beach walks. Taxis and Ubers made it easy to come and go, and the buses felt safe, inexpensive, and surprisingly comfortable.

One of my favorite little memories is the man at a roadside fruit stand who insisted we try a slice of pineapple “on the house” before we bought anything. We walked away with a bag full of fruit and a story we’ll repeat for years.

At night, we sampled the nightlife just enough—drinks at a beachfront bar, a few low-stakes casino visits, a couple of spots with live music—and still made it back to our apartment on foot feeling completely at ease. The vibe was social but never out of control.

We came down here hoping for a reset and walked away feeling like we got a bonus—new favorite restaurants, a few new friends, and a town we can’t wait to revisit. Jaco is firmly on our “regular rotation” list now.