About Us

Home > About Us

Costa Rican Adventures was born from the dream of creating a healthier and more sustainable planet. We provide experiences through which travelers of all ages can personally connect with the natural wonders of the earth and become aware of the complex issues facing tropical environments. Central to these experiences is the introduction of our visitors to positive solutions for preservation and sustainable development of the tropical rainforest land. We strive to build to a new generation of environmentally conscious and culturally aware citizens.

In 1995 Stephen Brooks traveled to Costa Rica for the first time on a personal visit. He was deeply touched by the beauty of the country, which led to an enhanced personal connection with the earth and her resources. He was also troubled by the amount of rainforest destruction he encountered as well as by the struggle of indigenous communities to maintain their cultures in the face of modernity. Stephen was moved to want to make a difference in some way. After much soul searching, he decided to organize learning excursions for students. He believed that since his own visit had such a profound impact on him, it could also deeply affect young people--the future consumers and decision-makers. During Spring Break of 1996, twenty students from two Miami, Florida schools experienced the magic of the first Costa Rican Adventure with Stephen and his father, Norman. One student from that group summed up the experience:

"We didn't do all of the touristy things. Stephen wanted to show us Costa Rica and the way that people live there and the way that people are there. I think this experience totally changed the way I looked at life."

The word about this incredible educational opportunity spread, and the following year we worked with seven schools, and then twelve, and then seventeen. In 1998 we began Ecovacations -- Sojourns for the Curious Traveler -- when we realized that the teachers and chaperones of the student trips were learning and having as much fun as their students. We have worked with thousands of people to plan and organize their Costa Rican Adventures. Our most successful groups have been our Jewish Singles Tours, which we run several times per year. These programs bring Jewish solo travelers from all over the world for eight days of adventure combined with ancient Jewish wisdom about the environment.

From the beginning, we always dreamed of having more time to spend with our student visitors. It was from this desire that EarthConnect was founded in 1999. EarthConnect, our traveling summer experience, allows teens to spend 3-4 weeks interacting with nature and the people who live closest to it. Students join a group of 18 teens from all across North America to create a traveling community in Costa Rica.

While planning for the very first trip, Stephen was looking for a site where students could camp out and watch the sea turtles nesting on the beach. That was how he met Padi, a 70-year old local fisherman who lived by himself at the remote Monkey Point or Punta Mona. Padi invited him to bring the students to camp in his yard where he would share the food from his garden and catch fish for their dinner. Stephen and Padi quickly formed a life-long friendship. After months of spending all the time he could with this wise man, Stephen fell in love with the property next-door to Padi's. With the vision of creating a learning center about sustainable farming and building, Stephen arranged to purchase the 29-acre beachfront site from a San Jose lawyer who used the place as a vacation retreat in January 1997. In the years since the purchase, Punta Mona has been developed into a Permaculture Center where the previously cleared 12 acres have been cultivated into flourishing organic gardens. All of our groups have the opportunity to visit this part of paradise, the time there being a lesson in sustainability as the site is being developed towards the goal of independence from outside resources.

Since its modest beginnings at the family kitchen table, Costa Rican Adventures has become a total family effort since Stephen's sister, Lisa Brooks, became his partner in 1998. After spending several years learning the ropes in Costa Rica, she moved the office out to Northern California~ where it is now located in downtown Berkeley. Kattya Jimenez handles the 'control center', our reservations and operations center at Casa Mona in San Jose. Norman Brooks, the father, advisor and Chairman of the Board for Costa Rican Adventures, also stays busy by overseeing operations for Punta Mona.

	Stephen Brooks Founder and Owner
	Lisa Brooks Co-Owner and Director
	Other Really Important Members of the Costa Rican Adventures Family:
	Padi aka: Blas Martinez Punta Mona's Wisdom
	Tino aka: Florentino Grenald Naturalist Guide
	Baco aka: Lloyd Skeeling Boat Captain
	Norman Brooks Advisor

		Biographies
		Stephen Brooks, Founder and Owner After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Stephen followed his dreams and began Costa Rican Adventures in order to try to make a difference on this planet. Since then he has become an avid organic farmer and Permaculturist as well as a rare tropical fruit collector. He spends most of the year in Costa Rica leading tours and putting lots of love into the gardens at the Punta Mona Center for Sustainable Living and Organic Farming.		Back to Top
		Lisa Brooks, Co-Owner and Director Lisa's interest in experiential education began during the years that she lived in Israel and worked as a guide and informal Jewish educator for such organizations as Project Otzma, Melitz Centers for Jewish-Zionist Education and Project Oren. Her B.A. from Tufts University in Child Development and Spanish and her Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education put her on a path that logically led to joining her brother's endeavor to educate through action.		Back to Top


		Other Really Important Members of the Costa Rican Adventures Family:
		Padi aka: Blas Martinez The quintessential "Old Man by the Sea," Padi is the glue that holds together the project at Punta Mona. His constant presence and old school wisdom combined with the fresh ideas brought by permaculture and the many visitors has made Punta Mona the beautiful example of sustainability that it is.		Back to Top
		Tino aka: Florentino Grenald Tino is a local naturalist guide in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. In addition to providing a fun, humorous and information-filled guided hike to many of our visitors to Punta Mona, Tino has been an essential member of the Costa Rican Adventures local team.		Back to Top
		Baco aka: Lloyd Skeeling Baco is the world's most tireless boat captain! In addition to guiding visitors on dolphin watching excursions and carrying guests out to Punta Mona, Baco organizes the transport of important materials out to the farm. His five children have shared much time with our guests exchanging ideas about the world and they way they live their lives in a small fishing village.		Back to Top
		Norman Brooks, Advisor Norman's 'other job' as a dentist does not slow him down from contributing creative ideas and advice everyday! He learned to use a computer when he was forced to hold down the fort that his children left understaffed while they were facilitating tours down in Costa Rica during the first years. His time in Costa Rica has only enhanced his love of orchids and rare tropical fruits.		Back to Top