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Costa Rica (country #70 together) - courtesy of Delta and Starbucks
'''Pura Vida' - pure life: a Costa Rican philosphy to live a peaceful, simple, uncluttered life with a deep appreciation for nature, family, and friends." -- Catherine McAtier
It's genuinely not a scam! It was legitimate—we won a trip to Costa Rica with Delta through their frequent flyer program. Some frequent flyers received emails, but we stumbled upon the sweepstakes by chance when Jack was searching for a flight.
Day 0/1 - We began with a complimentary night at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta before heading to the airport to catch our morning flight. At the airport, we enjoyed complimentary Starbucks coffee, snacks, and champagne to kick off our journey. Jack was thrilled from the moment he heard 'coffee.' During the flight (the best one ever), we received burlap bags filled with water bottles, iced coffee mugs, hats, travel blankets, eye masks, and more! Our fantastic Starbucks educator treated us to free coffee samples with pairings, and we enjoyed an incredible meal. Even as a non-coffee drinker, I appreciated the coffee! At the stunning Marriott Hacienda Belen, we attended a reception with plenty of food and endless drinks, including... wait for it... espresso martinis! Moreover, if we hadn't already had enough food and drink, they provided us with an additional $50 for a meal that evening.
Day 2 - Our first full day was packed with unique experiences, beginning with a complimentary breakfast and a relaxing yoga session (including a free yoga mat to take home). After a peaceful morning, we visited the Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffee Farm for Starbucks research and development. We were delighted by an incredible tour where we learned about the growing, hand-harvesting, and processing of coffee fruits into beans. We then enjoyed a coffee tasting paired with chocolates, followed by a visit to the farm where we participated in planting coffee trees with legacy statements. Throughout the day, we sampled additional coffee drinks and snacks. That evening, still at the farm, we enjoyed more food and beverages with a DJ, followed by a concert from Emmy-nominated Debi Nova, Costa Rica's most renowned singer-songwriter. Once again, we received $50 for more food back at the hotel that night!
Day 3/4 - The following morning, breakfast was once again courtesy of Delta and Starbucks. After an amazing experience with them, we decided to extend our stay by two days. On the first day of our extension, we relaxed by the pool, and Jack practiced his golf skills at the driving range. On our final full day in Costa Rica, we toured the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Wildlife Refuge. We began at the wildlife refuge, which cares for wild animals that are injured or were once pets (which is illegal in Costa Rica) and can no longer survive in the wild. We enjoyed visits with toucans, butterflies, sloths (including one with its eyes open), monkeys, and wild cats. After a pleasant lunch, we hiked to the Templo, Magia Blanca, Encantada, and La Paz waterfalls.
5 Tips for Costa Rica
If you have the chance for a free trip, go for it! LOL
Visit the Starbucks R&D farm, plant a tree, and take the tour; it's definitely worth it!
Explore the rainforest by touring the wildlife refuge and waterfalls.
We've heard that the eastern and western coasts of Costa Rica are amazing, but we didn't have time to visit them due to the holidays.
Finally, embrace the Pura Vida lifestyle!
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