I didn’t realize how tired I was until I stopped. I’m Linda, 48, from Portland, and my trip to Jaco Beach came after a year of juggling work, aging parents, and adult kids boomeranging in and out of the house. I wasn’t looking for a wild party trip; I wanted somewhere I could feel safe,… Read more: Recharging in Jaco – Linda, 48, Solo Getaway from Portland

Birthdays at home usually mean dinner, a cake, and the same three bars. This year we wanted something different. I’m Isabella, 29, and my boyfriend Noah, 31, and I decided to celebrate my birthday in Costa Rica. We picked Jaco Beach because it looked like the perfect mix of laid-back and lively—beaches, rainforest, good food,… Read more: Beachfront Birthday in Jaco – Isabella (29) & Noah (31) from Miami

On a Tuesday afternoon in Dallas, I was hunched over my laptop in a gray cubicle, half-listening to a meeting that could have been an email, when a photo of Jaco Beach popped up on my phone. Dark sand. Long waves. Green mountains rising right behind town. I’m Anthony, 36, and within an hour I’d… Read more: From Cubicle to Coastline – Anthony, 36, Long Weekend from Dallas

My name is Patricia, I’m 55 and live in Seattle, and I went to Jaco Beach because I needed a change of scenery in the truest sense. Years of gray skies and long workdays had worn me down more than I realized. Friends kept telling me about Costa Rica—about the warmth, the kindness of the… Read more: Finding Pura Vida in Jaco – Patricia, 55, from Seattle

I’m Emma, 41, and my husband James, 44, and I decided our anniversary gift to each other this year wouldn’t be something that sits on a shelf—it would be a trip. We’d both been curious about Costa Rica for years, and when a friend mentioned Jaco Beach as a spot that blends romance with easy… Read more: Anniversary in Jaco – Emma (41) & James (44) from Boston