• Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • My House
  • Contact

Kelly Elko

Love where you live - inspired decorating ideas

  • Eclectic Homes
  • Projects
    • My Projects
    • FREE Printables
    • Garden
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Organization
  • Decorate
    • My House
    • Decorating
    • Outdoors
    • Christmas
    • Fall
    • Summer
    • Spring
    • Tablescapes
  • Life
    • Travel
    • Musings
  • Shop

My Epic 50th Birthday Celebration in Costa Rica!

March 7, 2020  Travel | Uncategorized

Exactly one year ago today, I was celebrating my 50th birthday in paradise and it was my favorite vacation ever! The combination of an amazing villa with killer views, visits from sloths and monkeys that we hand fed (we even saw a mama sloth and her baby), the food, fun adventures and being with my favorite people made for the most memorable birthday of a lifetime! Let me show you some of my favorite scenes from Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Vacation - this villa near Manual Antonio National Park has an infinity edge pool and tons of monkeys and sloths on the property kellyelko.com #costarica #quepos #manualantonio #vacation #pinkflamingo #pool #infinitypool #poolfloat #beachview

If you’re traveling with a group, I highly recommend renting a villa. Casa Bella Vista did not disappoint with it’s infinity edge, zero entry pool that even had a swim up bar! The two best things about this villa were the live in groundskeeper who made sure we were safe and secure every day and the fact that the villa sits high up in the canopy where the monkeys and sloths live!

Read More of My Travel Adventure Here

This stunning villa in Costa Rica has an infinity edge, zero entry pool with swim up bar - Costa Rica villa rental Manual Antonio kellyelko.com #costarica #quepos #manualantonio #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #escape #pool #beachvacation

It was difficult to drag us out of the pool and I loved the zero entry in the shade and the infinity edge in full sun. The pool even has a swim up bar!

This villa in Costa Rica has the most amazing infinity edge pool and three stories of beautiful views kellyelko.com #villa #villarental #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #costarica #manualantonio #pinkflamingo #escape

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something, I earn a small commission.

It was fate that my girls’ spring breaks fell during the same week as my birthday and I was thrilled to celebrate with them, my sister and two great friends, Lisa and Sarah (not pictured) and of course our security guard … my hubby!

My sister brought the Birthday Crew shirts, Lisa brought the pink flamingo float (we named her Tina) and matching drink floats, and I gave everyone a fun hat (mine says “I’ll bring the wine”).

Celebrate a milestone birthday in style and rent a villa in Costa Rica kellyelko.com #vacation #villa #costarica #birthdaycelebration #milestonebirthdayideas #birthdaytrips #girlstrips #pinkflamingo

The absolute highlight of our trip was feeding the monkeys at the villa! This little guy is a White-Faced (Capuchin).

Feed monkeys on the property of this villa in Costa Rica! kellyelko.com #monkeys #costarica #vacation #capucianmonkey #whitefacedmonkey #travel #travelblog #travelblogger

This mom with baby on her back is a spider monkey. One day, we started feeding them by the pool and a swarm of them descended and one jumped onto my sisters leg! We were all screaming and laughing and it was one of the best parts of our trip.

Not pictured are the howler monkeys who were kind of intimidating with their high pitched screeches that would wake us up in the early morning hours. Luckily, they kept to themselves and stayed hidden in the treetops.

Feed monkeys on the property of this villa in Costa Rica! kellyelko.com #monkeys #costarica #vacation #spidermonkey #travel #travelblog #travelblogger

This little guy walked up to my coconut drink, flung the straw out and dipped is arm into the coconut milk and proceeded to leisurely lick it from his fur.

Feed monkeys on the property of this villa in Costa Rica! kellyelko.com #monkeys #costarica #vacation #capucianmonkey #whitefacedmonkey #travel #travelblog #travelblogger

When everyone is on the same page, it makes for the perfect trip. We were all happy to spend the majority of our time in the pool.

The ultimate girls getaway! Rent a villa in Costa Rica with an infinity edge pool and killer ocean views kellyelko.com #costarica #manualantonio #girlstrip #birthdaytrip #infinitypool #travel #vacation #travelblog #travelblogger

She stole my look! My sister and I arrived poolside one morning wearing the exact same bathing suite (we had no idea the other had bought it)!

Rent a luxury villa with infinity edge pool and drink out of coconuts! kellyelko.com #costarica #girlstrip #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger

Everyone surprised me with a sloth themed birthday dinner that our private chef Lilly prepared for us. She is available to hire through the villa and it was so worth it! I think she cooked for us four nights and would even do the grocery shopping. She whipped up appetizers, cocktails and sit down dinners then cleaned everything up! For the party, she even made all of the decorations and filled a pinata with sloth themed goodies!

This villa in Costa Rica planned a sloth themed birthday party and it was epic! kellyelko.com #costarica #sloths #birthdayparty #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #girlstrip #birthdaytrip

This villa in Costa Rica planned a sloth themed birthday party and it was epic! kellyelko.com #costarica #sloths #birthdayparty #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #girlstrip #birthdaytrip

All the ladies got a sloth cupcake with a pink bow and my hubby got a bow free one!

This villa in Costa Rica planned a sloth themed birthday party and it was epic! kellyelko.com #costarica #sloths #birthdayparty #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #girlstrip #birthdaytrip #cupcake

My goal was to see a sloth but knew my chances were pretty slim since they hide way up in the treetops. I am happy to say I exceeded my goal when I saw a sloth and her baby and they sloooooowly made their way across a branch one night. This sloth was on our villa property! I can’t recommend this place enough for the excitement of being able to see wildlife up close.

It’s hard to make out but that blob dangling upside down in the middle of the picture are the sloths!

This Costa Rica villa has sloths on the property! kellyelko.com #costarica #sloth #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #wildlife #adventure

Cute sloth at our Costa Rica villa kellyelko.com #costarica #sloth #vacation #villa

We did manage to tear ourselves away from the villa a few times.

At 1590 meters long, we went on the longest zipline in Latin America!

Zipline in Costa Rica on the longest zipline in Latin America kellyelko.com #zipline #costarica #adventuretravel #adventure #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #manualantonio

Embarrassing note … my friend Sarah and I had to be taken off the line once we started throwing up! We waited for the others to finish in the comfy hut and were given fresh fruit and iced tea to calm our tummies!

Here I am pre-puke!

Zipline in Costa Rica on the longest zipline in Latin America kellyelko.com #zipline #costarica #adventuretravel #adventure #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #manualantonio

Sunny, the villa manager, took us to some of his favorite secret places where we explored underwater caves!

Swim in caves in Costa Rica kellyelko.com #costarica #caves #adventure #adventuretravel #beachvacation #beaches #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #girlstrip

and swam underneath waterfalls.

Swim under waterfalls in Costa Rica kellyelko.com #costarica #travel #adventure #adventuretravel #vacation #girlstrip #waterfall

Beautiful beaches in Costa Rica kellyelko.com #costarica #beaches #beach #vacation #travel #travelblog #travelblogger

The ultimate Costa Rica villa with infinity edge pool and pink flamingo float! kellyelko.com #travel #travelblogger #vacation #pinkflamingo #girlstrip #birthdaytrip

I’ll never forget this trip and loved being able to celebrate a milestone birthday in such a memorable way!

I highly recommend Casa Bella Vista if you are looking for an amazing escape. It’s in the Quepos area of Costa Rica near Manual Antonio National Park and about a three hour drive from the airport. The villa manager, Sunny, visited us every day to make sure we had everything we needed, Chef Lilly’s food was some of the best I’ve had, our groundskeeper kept us feeling very safe and made sure he alerted us to animal sightings, and our cleaning lady came every day and even did our laundry!

I’m spending this year’s birthday in New Orleans visiting my daughter with my hubby and sister!

Sign up to get Kelly Elko's latest posts delivered right to your inbox
Your information will never be shared or sold to a 3rd party.

Share this Post!

13 shares
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
« Previous: Top of the Morning to You!
Next: Eclectic Home Tour – The Farmhouse Project »

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Francie Tucker

    March 7, 2020 at 8:16 am

    What a fantastic place for y’all to celebrate your birthday milestone!
    Loved it
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      March 11, 2020 at 3:41 pm

      This is going to be a hard vacation to top Francie!

      Reply
  2. Debbie

    March 7, 2020 at 8:21 am

    Amazing Beautiful pictures thanks for sharing them. Love this Great family and friends!!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      March 11, 2020 at 3:41 pm

      Thanks Debbie!

      Reply
  3. Dianne

    March 7, 2020 at 9:48 am

    Happy birthday!! What a memory! I hope you make great ones this year,too!

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      March 11, 2020 at 3:41 pm

      Thank you Dianne! It was such a great trip and this year was so fun too and I was happy to celebrate with my daughter!

      Reply
  4. Marlene Stephenson

    March 7, 2020 at 10:26 am

    Memories are so sweet, have fun in New Orleans and Happy Birthday.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      March 11, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      Thank you Marlene! We had such a great time in New Orleans!

      Reply
  5. cassie bustamante

    March 7, 2020 at 10:53 am

    Happy birthday to you! What an awesome experience- now I want to go back to Costa Rica! LOVE that you and your sis matched, and I think Steve’s security shirt is my fave thing.

    Reply
    • Kelly Elko

      March 11, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      Thanks Cassie! Security Steve is available to rent for your next vacation!

      Reply
  6. Colleen

    March 7, 2020 at 2:40 pm

    Was the trip of a lifetime, one I will never forget! So happy to be there to celebrate your 50th!

    Reply
  7. Lisa K .

    March 7, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    Happy Birthday Kelly! Looks like you made wonderful memories. I love the sloth decor and the pic of you all under the cave. Have fun in New Orleans!

    Reply
  8. Testo

    March 10, 2020 at 9:15 pm

    What a fantastic place

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. I Threw My Dog a Birthday Party! - Kelly Elko says:
    June 11, 2020 at 5:55 am

    […] I thought it would be fun to set up an Instagram worthy photo op spot so I dragged my vintage turquoise glider onto the lawn, added a balloon arch that someone gave me the day before (she had just celebrated her daughter’s first birthday) and borrowed my friends pink flamingo pool float (remember it from my Costa Rica birthday trip?). […]

    Reply

KELLY

About / Contact / Press
facebook twitter instagram google pinterest snapchat

Join me as I decorate my 100 year old home, scour thrift stores, create pretty things, putter in my peony and hydrangea filled garden, and mix up a mean cocktail all with a touch of sarcasm and a side of bacon - Cheers!



More About Kelly

Love where you live by mixing high and low, new and old to create a home that shows off your personality. My mantra ... simple projects equals more time for cocktails!
Subscribe for Email Updates:

Get in Touch

facebook twitter instagram google pinterest snapchat

I'd love to hear from you:
[email protected]

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · KellyElko All rights reserved. Site by WordPress Barista

Copyright © 2023 · KellyElko - 2016 on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Sign up to get Kelly Elko's latest posts delivered right to your inbox
Your information will never be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
13 shares