Flight
There are two airport options from the U.S. that will get you to Costa Rica. Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) or Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIB) are both great options. SJO is in a bigger city with more options rentals cars, connecting airlines, and buses. If you fly into LIB it’s a shorter drive to Santa Teresa. If you fly into San Jose (SJO) you will need to connect to either Cobano Airport (ACO) or Tambor (TMU), or arrange alternate transport to Santa Teresa. The bottom section of this page will have information on which regional airlines connect to both airports.
Rental Car
You can reserve a vehicle online in advance and collect it from San José International Airport (SJO), or Liberia Airport (LIR). Both airports have direct flights from the US. LIR will be the shorter driving route compared to SJO. If you rent a car and drive from SJO, you will need to catch the Paquera to Puntarenas ferry to cross the Gulf of Nicoya and finish the drive to Santa Teresa. If you drive from San Jose you will need to take a ferry halfway through (Liberia will not require a ferry it is a direct driving route). Ferries operate 6 times a day from 5 am with the last one departing at 8.30 pm, although times differ on the return journey. The scenic ferry ride takes 70 minutes, passing biological reserves and uninhabited islands. Ensure to check which ferry to board with your car, as they travel to two destinations on the Nicoya Peninsula. Upon disembarking in Paquera on the peninsula, it takes around 80 minutes to drive to Santa Teresa. Renting a car is our preferred method as the drive is scenic and very safe. We use our GPS on our phones (Waze works best in Costa Rica) for getting around. There are also shared shuttles available from San Jose to Santa Teresa, with a journey time of around 6 hours. The cost equates to approximately $69 per person for a single journey and they depart from San José hotels at 7.30 am and 13.00 hours each day. Alternatively, if you wish to travel with family or groups of friends, you may prefer a private shuttle transfer. These are bookable in advance by yourself online or via your hotel. Costs of private shuttle transfers to Santa Teresa can cost anything upwards of $200 USD, depending on the number of passengers and size of vehicle.
Flight
If time is of the essence or you simply don’t want to drive, you can fly from San José International Airport (SJO) to Tambor (TMU) on the Nicoya Peninsula. SANSA Airlines operates direct flights to the region with travel times of around 35 minutes. Your hotel may be able to arrange a transfer from Tambor Airport to Santa Teresa, or you can book a taxi or hire a car to collect here. Some airports in Costa Rica apply an arrival and departure fee which equates to a few dollars, so it’s wise to have this ready in Costa Rican colónes to avoid delays. Costs for a one-way ticket are around $90-100 USD per person. Depending on the time of year you’re traveling, and if your luggage falls outside of airline restrictions, you may need to pay a surcharge. Another option is flying into Cobano (ACO). Cobano is a new airport that's closer to Santa Teresa, but it's only served by Green Airways. Both airport options require a short taxi to Santa Teresa once you land.