About Us

Our Mission

To inspire you to travel.

To empower you to plan your “perfect” trip.

And to make the whole process easy and fun.

From the big picture, right down the the nitty gritty details.

About

I’m Ashton Brown, the founder of Costa Rica TripKit. A lifelong traveler, I love to visit new places (and old favorites), shoot photos, and publish trip accounts, anecdotes, and helpful info.

As a frequent traveler, I’m also all too familiar with the travel-planning rollercoaster: The thrill of deciding where you’ll travel next, followed by the downward plummet into frustration, at trying to find travel resources with up-to-date information and truly helpful insights.

Even in the internet age, it’s still a challenge to connect with knowledgeable insiders, amiright?

Well, that’s the heart of Costa Rica TripKit: connecting you with locals and recent travelers, who have more insight, more recent experience, and better travel tips than your generic guidebook. We’re here to collaborate, to discuss, and then to publish our collective knowledge.

Once Upon a Time, in Tamarindo

When I moved to Tamarindo, a town on the north Pacific coast (it’s spectacular here, you should visit), I immediately saw the same problem: Costa Rica is a well developed tourist destination, with tons of guidebooks to our name. But where was all the meaty, truly helpful insider information?

Look, anyone can tell me that Manuel Antonio is a top destination, but what real travelers want to know is, how many days do you need to absorb the best of Manuel Antonio? Where are the safest swimming spots for young kids? Where can you grab the best grub? (Right now, not when that popular guidebook was last updated.)

For me, there’s nothing worse than outdated, outmoded, or downright incorrect information. Especially when you’re traveling somewhere for the first time.

The Beginnings of Costa Rica TripKit

And that’s how (and why) Costa Rica TripKit was born: to fill the void. The whining chasm between what guidebooks (online and print) offer, and what travelers really need (and want) to know. What you need and want to know.

I have a background in web design and photography, so I’ve tried to create a site that’s both beautiful and full of information. And about that information – it’s written by insiders. True insiders, who have lived and traveled here for years. Insiders who have zero ulterior motive. And if you’re interested in writing for us, please get in touch.

Costa Rica TripKit is a free, online, ever-growing resource designed to inspire you. To enable you to plan your perfect trip – and by that, I mean your own, personal definition of “perfect,” whatever that means to you – and to make it happen.

Here, you’ll find curated lists of the most popular destinations and culturally rich experiences. Pages of general info and contact details, as well as useful sidebars and in-the-know tidbits. Because we know trip planning can be complicated, and we want to make it easier for you to explore and enjoy Costa Rica.

So here’s our thing: Whether you’re doing all the planning yourself (psst, check out our awesome itineraries), or booking some of your trip online, or handing it off to a do-it-all travel agent, we’re here. We’re all about helping you create your version of “perfect.”

One thing is sure – no matter how you plan your trip, traveling through Costa Rica can be inspiring, can be spectacular, can fulfill your every hope. Costa Rica could even change your life. So come, join us!

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