For families seeking meaningful bonding time away from screens and distractions, a nature escape is one of the best vacation options. From scenic national parks to eco-lodges and adventure camping, reconnecting with nature allows families to grow closer while exploring

1. National Parks Advent
Visiting a national park is one of the most enriching ways to experience the outdoors. In the US, national parks like Y,Yos,Great Smoky Mountainso

2. Camping with Kids
Camping teaches resilience, teamwork, and appreciation for nature. Families can start with established campgrounds that have restrooms and play areas, such as KOA campgrounds or state parks. For first-timers, “glamping” (luxury camping) is a comfortable entry point—think safari-style tents with beds and private bathrooms.

3. Beachside Nature Reserves
Combine water fun and ecology lessons by visiting a coastal nature reserve. Destinations like the Outer Banks (North Carolina) or Sanibel Island (Florida) offer pristine beaches and nature centers where kids can learn about marine life, birds

4. Mountain
In the summer, ski towns like A,Whoa, orLacquertran

5. Eco-Lodges an
For a sustainable option, try an eco-lodge where children can learn about conservation through immersive experiences. In Costa Rica, for example, you can find family-friendly lodges with butterfly gardens, jungle trails, and nighttime wildlife to

When traveling to Costa Rica in search for real estate, there are a number of travel tips you’ll want to keep in mind before you leave home. Costa Rica is a beautiful place and can be the perfect location for your first or second home, so let’s make sure you’re ready and answer a few questions first time visitors usually have.1. Be Prepared For the Weather! Costa Rica is definitely a tropical country; the average annual temperature for the majority of the country is between 71 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The yearly climate is divided into two seasons: the dry season, which is from January through May, and the rainy season, which runs from May to November/December. Some areas receive as much as 18 feet of rain a year!2. Do I Need A Visa? Costa Rica welcomes tourists and locals typically have a very friendly attitude towards visitors. But first we have to make sure you’ll get in! Most visitors are free to stay in Costa Rica for up to 90 days without a visa (you will of course need your passport). Travelers from The United States, Spain, Canada, Germany and Austria are included. If you are not from one of the previously mentioned countries please check this completed list.3. How Long Will It Take To Get There? Costa Rica is actually very close to the United States, making it a prime location for Americans to have a vacation home or to invest in real estate. A flight from Miami to San Jose is only two and a half hours. It’s actually even shorter then a flight from N.Y. to San Jose, Costa Rica, then from N.Y. to California!4. What Airports Are In Costa Rica? Costa Rica currently has two international airports, San Jose’s Juan Santamaria in the Central Valley, and Liberia’s Daniel Odouber in the Northwest region.5. Is it necessary to speak Spanish? The primary language in Costa Rica is of course Spanish, however it’s not totally necessary that you speak the language. Although we do highly recommend it to be able to get the full experience of being in another culture, most tourist areas are generally English speaking and quite easy to communicate and get around in.6. What Should I Bring? Packing for such an adventure is very important, you want to make sure you have all of the proper amenities to have a successful and enjoyable trip. Some of those things include:a. Passport, drivers license, cash and traveler’s checks

b. Both beach sandals and hiking/walking shoes, Sunblock, bug repellent, and sunglasses

c. T-Shirts, including a long sleep shirt to protect you from sunburn, both pants and shorts, jacket, baseball cap, and a bag of some kind to keep wet clothes.

d. Extra batteries and film for your cameras, (these may be hard to find in Costa Rica)7. Taking Photo’s In a Tropical Climate. Costa Rica is very humid, so even when it’s not raining there is plenty of moisture in the air. This often puts visitors camera equipment out of commission. Costa Rica is an absolutely beautiful place to visit and there will be countless photo opportunities on your trip regardless of what kind of visit you have planned, whether it be hiking, site seeing, or real estate shopping. So it’s not a bad idea to first make sure your camera can handle moist environments. Buying a waterproof case for your equipment isn’t a terrible idea.8. The Costa Rican Property Market. More and more American, European and Canadian investors are being attracted to the real estate market of Costa Rica. It’s a very attractive alternative to the volatile, insecure, and expensive domestic property markets. Land and housing prices in Costa Rica are very affordable, even with the recent real estate boom the prices are yet to reach anywhere near that of the US, UK, or Canada.

More and more homeowners are finding themselves in a position of owning a home they can not sell, and moving to another state to take employment. Some questions are: Should they personally manage the rental of their home or hire a home property management professional? How to deal with unexpected vacancies or major repairs when needed? How to deal with repairs from long distance if they personally manage the property?Home owners who do long-distance property management run the risk of letting their homes fall into disrepair if they happen to rent to bad tenants. They really need to have a friend or family member keep an eye on their property to ensure that the tenants are taking care of the home.Just as there are good and bad tenants, there are good and bad property managers. A reputable home property management professional will charge approximately 10% of the rental amount as their fee. It is important to understand that reputable managers will interact with your tenants to oversee the condition of your property. On the other side, check internet forums and you will find many instances of home owners who were let down by property mangers who never checked on their properties. They collected the 10% fee and let their clients’ homes suffer major damage by bad tenants.No matter if the property is management personally or by a home property management professional, there will be vacancies and major repairs from time to time. These expenses need to be covered by the home owner. So they should plan to have at least six months rent in reserve to cover these contingencies.If the home owner decides to manage the property, the question is how to repair their home when they live in another state. This can simply be accomplished through a home warranty company. A typical arrangement is for the lease to require the tenant to pay the deductible to get the warranty company to respond, and then the deductible amount would be deducted from their next rental payment.