Carrie Haverfield, of Boulder, took her first trip to Costa Rica a decade ago after researching destinations that were safe for solo travelers and that fit her budget. She swam in hot springs bordered by the jungle in the Arenal Volcano area and took hikes — one around the base of a volcano, another to the La Fortuna waterfall, which cascades down 230 feet into a refreshing pool. She went canyoning, then whitewater rafting in Puerto Viejo, embarked on an eco tour boat ride with binoculars, spotting colorful birds and monkeys, and enjoyed beach time along the country’s Caribbean Coast in “I’m a little more adventurous when I travel,” Haverfield said.
Coloradans love Costa Rica, and that’s not just an anecdotal assumption. Ahead of the busy summer travel season, Google analyzed every state’s favorite international vacation destination with data collected for a month between March 30 and April 29. Italy, according to Google Trends, emerged as the most popular international destination for U.
S. travelers, with 20 states searching for vacations along the Amalfi and Cinque Terre coastlines, in the vineyards of Tuscany, through Rome’s historic landmarks, and so on. But Coloradans take a flight path less traveled: According to Google’s summer travel report, Costa Rica is the most searched vacation destination for the Centennial State.
“Both Costa Rica and Colorado offer rich outdoor activities, making Costa Rica’s rainforests, volcanoes, and beaches equally appe.