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Costa Rica's land activities provide plenty of "soft" adventures for vacationing families with less active -- or more fearful -- loved ones.

Nature has blessed Costa Rica with an ecosystem of scenic beauty and variety, from steaming volcanoes and dramatic mountains to rainforest jungles and cloud forests to gorgeous beaches on the Caribbean and the Pacific. The incredible variety of wildlife includes 850 bird species, multitudes of butterflies, howler monkeys, coatimundis and armadillos on the land, to oceans teeming with fish, sea turtles and dolphins.

"Watch Out! Watch Out! Oh my God -- Brake! Brake!" These were the words of my teen-age son and the tour guide as they stood on platform #3, built into a tree about 75 feet above the forest floor. They were watching my husband careen through the tree tops, coursing down rapidly from the second platform, directly toward the guide's head. Luckily, he engaged the braking mechanism in time and everyone was safe and sound.

"Canopy tours" provide travelers to Costa Rica with a unique means to see the tropical rainforest's various levels by swinging between the trees. Gliding from platform to platform on a system of cable and pulleys, using modified equipment employed by canyon rappelers and cave explorers, tourists can see the jungle from a viewpoint formerly accessible only to naturalists and researchers. Does this sound like an adventure vacation? Well, for us city slickers, it was just that!

Our eight-day visit enabled us to get a taste of its capital city of San José, spend a few days in the Guanacaste Region on a black-sand Pacific beach, and experience the mountainous region near the Arenal Volcano. Calling themselves "Ticos," the people are gracious, welcoming, and justifiably proud of their home. The country is small, but so rich that we look back on this trip merely as an introduction to a wonderland of variety and natural beauty.

Pacific Coast Adventures

We arrived in San José in the evening and journeyed the next morning to the Pacific coast. Our first days were spent unwinding at the beachfront Allegro Papagayo Resort ( 800/858-2258). Positioned atop a winding road overlooking Golfo de Papapayo, this comfortable all-inclusive resort offered just the right combination of relaxation and activities. Lounge by the pool, play water polo, do some aerobics with staff or take the introduction to scuba lessons. The bay's warm, gentle water invites you to swim, take out a kayak, or just lounge on the black sand beach, common in Costa Rica, due to volcanic action. There's a Kid's Club to entertain 4-12-year-olds, a 15-minute boat trip to a pristine private beach for lounging and sports, and the nightly entertainment is spirited. The air-conditioned, balconied rooms are very comfortable and meals and drinks are plentiful.

Enough downtime! After catching our breath, we spoke with Allegro's on-site tour operator to arrange some local excursions. The National Parks System which covers about 14% of the land, protects and preserves Costa Rica's unique ecosystems. The Guanacaste region is home to two such parks, Santa Rosa and Rincon de la Vieja, the one we chose to explore. As we neared the park, the van drove along an unpaved road for about 12 miles, which was very bumpy and slow-going. We recommend our guided van tour, but if you choose to go on your own, you'll need to rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

The park encompasses the crater of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano whose geothermal activities create steaming mud pots, sulfur ponds and fumaroles, fascinating to view. As we hiked the Las Pailas Loop, a two-mile trail with a swinging bridge, our very knowledgeable guide educated us about the life inside the jungle the trees, plants, insects, birds and animals which were all around us. He explained that this was not Disneyland and that he could not assure us of what we would see. However, his excellent bird and monkey calls, and our complete silence, brought out quite a few greeters.

The next day we donned flippers, masks and snorkels, took a launch to the boat moored off the beach at the resort, and traveled to an inlet to see some incredibly colorful underwater life. Here too, our guide was very knowledgeable and everyone on the trip, from 10-year-olds to several Grandmas and Grandpas were thrilled by the variety and beauty of what we observed. Another trip which would be of great interest to bird watchers, is a raft/float trip down the Corobici River where snowy egrets, tri-colored heron and other colorful birds as well as howler monkeys, otters and iguanas are plentiful.