The Top Beaches in Costa Rica for Toddlers and Babies

Wouldn't ya know, this is one of the top questions that tourists ask? TOTALLY GET IT, YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR BABY BEING MAULED BY A GIANT WALL OF SEAHORSE WHIZ. Let me first begin by telling you the top three places you probably won't want to go with a baby, toddler or other small human:

Jacó Beach
Hermosa Beach in Herradura
Dominical Beach

All three of these are known surfing spots, and for a reason: waves are big and water is rough. Not ideal for wading in the ocean with a cute little polka-dotted tutu bikini and a sunhat. On the other hand, here are three beaches where I think you'll be VERY happy:

Manuel Antonio Beach & National Park if you're coming to the Central Pacific (the water inside the national park, especially, is soooooo clear-lagoon-like and calm and warm and wonderful—but not only that, it's one of the most family-friendly destinations in the whole country). You can also pop down to Uvita and their national park to see the whale's tale—worth the ride! And also lovely calm waters, with great restaurants nearby for a glass of wine for the ‘rents.
Flamingo Beach and Tamarindo Beach if you're going north Pacific toward Guanacaste. (I loooove Tamarindo but there's more of a surfer vibe here—however, it’ll still be great for the kids!)
And Cahuita Beach if you're headed over to the Caribbean side. The Caribbean waters are more blue-clear than the Pacific waters, but it's a bit more isolated if you hoped to do other things, like see cloud forests and monkeys and go ziplining. AHHH, THE TRADEOFFS! (You'll want to head to Manuel Antonio for that.)