When we checked-in to Hacienda AltaGracia, we knew the surprise for our kids was given away when the desk clerk confirmed our itinerary for the week. We hadn’t shared much with them about our trip, but for years they have been asking to see whales after seeing them on a nature television show.

Imagine flying above the Costa Rican jungle getting an eagle eye view. This is exactly what I experienced when on a helicopter tour over Chirripo National Park during my stay at Hacienda AltaGracia. It is hard to understand the majesty of the landscape from the ground and this gives you a wonderful opportunity to soar like a bird.

Every morning as I head down to the stables, the first rays of sunrise begin to peak over the crest of the lush mountains of Pérez Zeledón and slowly filter down into the valley creating a golden glow. A carpet of dew blankets the fields and sparkles in the morning sun.  A chorus of neighs and hoof stomps let me know that the horses are awake a ready for breakfast. On this morning last November, the 18th to be exact, Buena Noche’s white belly looks like it is about to burst.

Each year, my family and I reunite with friends in the tropical paradise of Costa Rica in celebration of the Easter holiday. Pops of color surround the city paralleled by a dewey rainforest scent as stunning processions sweep through the island’s picturesque towns and scenic cities during Semana Santa (Holy Week) culminating in traditional ceremonies on Easter Sunday. Semana Santa is considered one of the most influential holidays for native Costa Ricans and sparks lively celebrations combining lavish feasts and cultural festivities presented throughout the island.

Whether it be to mark the moment you proposed or a milestone anniversary date, Hacienda AltaGracia’s Tree For Life offering is a memorable way to bookmark your love story in Costa Rica. Walk hand-in-hand through the wondrous re-forested land that our non-profit initiative has replanted, and adopt a tree to flourish along with your growing love.

A fine dining wedding menu takes on a whole new meaning at AltaGracia. Here, join Chef Ramces in hand-selecting your special day's ingredients straight from the earth’s soil at “La Huerta,” our 20-acre sustainably-managed farm. As we guide couples through our lesser-known garden gems, from chayote to maracuyá, guests have the opportunity to craft a highly-personalized menu that incorporates the local tastes of Costa Rica.

I've been traveling to Costa Rica for almost 30 years, and I've been to plenty of the country's resorts. In all that time, I've never seen a place where both kids and adults can have equally incredible experiences than at Hacienda Alta Gracia. For kids, the stables are the best in Central America. Well-trained and easy for kids to ride and enjoy, my granddaughters fed and brushed the horses following their ride. Plus, a huge bonus - there are almost always baby horses on the property, which are always a hit! Back at the resort, the kids played at Kata Grande, conveniently located near a bar where parents can enjoy!

I don't just plan trips, I change lives. When a couple comes to me in need of a romantic getaway, it's especially exciting to plan a travel experience that is not only out-of-the-box and inspiring but that also stops time. An insider tip I love to give my clients is the special opportunity to make their own scrubs at Hacienda AltaGracia's spa. The team of massage therapists assist you in mixing your bathtub blend with lush tropical oils, bottling the scent of Costa Rica for you to take home.

“Am I really here? Can you pinch me?” said my husband almost every morning during our coffee-sourcing trip to Hacienda AltaGracia. We came to select the perfect beans for our shop in Vancouver, as Costa Rica is considered one of the best coffee growing regions in the world - it's the only country where it's illegal to produce any type of coffee other than 100 percent Arabica beans. Though we tried the renowned Tarrazú Geisha coffee before - the most expensive coffee ever sold by Starbucks - we came for the bird-friendly beans found in the Perez Zeledon mountains, an area where mountainous terrain and warm temperatures collide to form the ideal conditions for Arabica beans to flourish.

“Am I really here? Can you pinch me?” said my husband almost every morning during our coffee-sourcing trip to Hacienda AltaGracia. We came to select the perfect beans for our shop in Vancouver, as Costa Rica is considered one of the best coffee growing regions in the world - it's the only country where it's illegal to produce any type of coffee other than 100 percent Arabica beans.

What feels dense inside, appears light as a tuft of cotton, but weighs up to a million pounds? Find out when you glide your fingers through them during an Ultralight flight above the mountains of Pérez Zeledón. When you buckle-up in the two-seat, fixed-wing Ultralight aircraft you can discover what clouds feel like as you glimpse whales, dolphins, and turtles of the Pacific Ocean from above.

Good foundations are the premise of every Costa Rican meal. Our ecology in the Pérez Zeledón region is perfect for sourcing rice, beans, and tortillas and growing sugarcane and coffee, but most people don't know we're experts at transforming the savory empanada into a sweet treat. With corn from Hacienda AltaGracia's farm as the base, we make viscachas - sweet empanadas made with sugar instead of salt. It tastes delicious with picadillo made from chayote squash, a pear-shaped green fruit packed with fiber, antioxidants, and even weight loss properties.

My friend Eladio Soto has helmed the fields at Hacienda AltaGracia since the land was only comprised of a coffee plantation. Soto, along with a group of five full-time farmers from the local community grow crops like asparagus, passionfruit, chayote squash, and mustard leaf, making my job as a chef much, much easier.