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Online Program

Adventures Online: Exploring Costa Rica From Coast to Coast

Program No. 24234RJ
Discover the meaning of “pura vida” — or the pure life — from the comfort of your own home during this live, online learning adventure that shares the natural treasures of Costa Rica.

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Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

No Dates
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At a Glance

Known for its reputation as a peaceful and happy nation, Costa Rica is equally famous for its natural treasures that the country has fought hard to protect. From cloud forests to coffee plantations, explore Costa Rica from coast to coast with experts during this live, online learning adventure! Enjoy virtual walking field trips in San Jose, Monteverde and through a private rainforest preserve to gain a sense of Costa Rica’s cultural and natural heritage. Take an online field trip to a coffee plantation in the Central Valley to discover the importance of this crop to the country and get insight into the proper way to taste coffee and identify its quality. Delight in an online field trip to Tortuguero National Park to marvel in its vast biodiversity, and learn about its importance in the lives of endangered sea turtles. Virtually explore the community and farms of Sarapiqui and enjoy a cooking demonstration, and hear about the efforts to protect the Tropical Dry Forest in the Gulf of Nicoya at Ensenada Wildlife Refuge. Along the way, enjoy lectures on biodiversity, climate and more as you bond with fellow Road Scholars who share your enthusiasm for the fascinating country of Costa Rica.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Explore San Jose’s vibrant Mercado Central, a cultural and commercial hub founded in the 1880s, during a virtual walking field trip.
  • Delight in the sights and sounds of the rainforest as you enjoy a virtual walking field trip through a private preserve, and learn about conservation of green sea turtles in Tortuguero National Park.
  • Enjoy a virtual walking fieldtrip in Monteverde to learn about the unique characteristics of a cloud forest and how it impacts local agriculture.

General Notes

You’ll enjoy 2-3 hours of daily instruction, discussion and/or field trips, which includes sufficient breaks throughout the program. This online program is through Zoom, an easy-to-use web video service that includes closed captioning. All you need is an Internet connection and your computer. We’ll provide a how-to guide to make sure you’ll have a hassle-free experience. In keeping with our Traditional On-Site programs, ALL ADVENTURES ONLINE MULTI-DAY PROGRAMS (INCLUDING THIS PROGRAM) ARE PRESENTED LIVE; THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT RECORDED. Please review the daily itinerary for start and end times to ensure you won’t miss a minute of this live experience. All times are listed in the EASTERN time zone. If you live in a different time zone, please adjust your schedule accordingly.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Wild Costa Rica
by Adrian Hepworth
This beautiful, informative survey of the habitats, wildlife and protected areas of Costa Rica features 200 color photographs and chapters on natural history and conservation.
Volcanoes, Crucibles of Change
by Richard Fisher
A complete primer for the volcano lover, this heavily illustrated book covers types of volcanoes and eruptions, worldwide distribution and the physics of their formation.
The Birds of Costa Rica
by Richard Garrigues, Robert Dean (Illustrator)
This new edition covers 903 species of birds with hundreds of new, supplemental or revised color illustrations by Robert Dean and revised color-coded range maps.
Culture Smart! Costa Rica
by Jane Koutnik
History, religion, daily life, food, health and safety are all covered in this accessible pocket guide to Costa Rican customs, etiquette and culture.
The Ticos
by Richard Biesanz
This insightful, fact-filled portrait of the Costa Rican people details their culture, history and society.
Aroma of the World: A Journey into the Mysteries and Delights of Coffee
by Santo Versace (Foreword), Elisabetta Illy
A beautiful book for the coffee lover, this heavily illustrated compendium is equal parts history and travel journal, detailing the passage of the coffee bean from origination to current status as an icon of modern living.
Costa Rica, A Journey Through Nature
by Adrian Hepworth
Dividing the book by ecosystem and geographic area, BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Hepworth's color photographs showcase the diversity of Costa Rica's wildlife and habitats.
Nature of the Rainforest, Costa Rica and Beyond
by Adrian Forsyth, E.O. Wilson (Introduction), Michael Fogden (Photographer)
Our favorite biologist-writer returns to the Neotropics in this beautifully illustrated, oversized overview of the rainforest. With chapters on Monteverde and Guanacaste, plants, frogs and snakes, birds, monkeys and jaguars, the sloth, peculiar insects and biodioversity; A marvelous, anecdotal introduction to ecology, evolution and conservation.
Costa Rica, The Complete Guide
by James Kaiser
From pristine beaches and jungle waterfalls to high-altitude coffee plantations, award-winning author and photographer Kaiser shows readers the best of Costa Rica, including the country's stunning collection of national parks.
Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics
by Steven Palmer (Editor), Ivan Molina (Editor)
A lively, literate sourcebook on the politics, economy and society of Costa Rica
Tropical Nature
by Adrian Forsyth, Ken Miyata
Two uncommonly observant and thoughtful field biologists offer a lucid portrait of the tropics through 17 marvelous essays that introduce the habitats, ecology, plants and animals of the Central and South American rainforests.
Costa Rica, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Barbara Ras
These 26 well-chosen stories by Costa Rican writers introduce the people, culture and land.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.