Budget Travel Mindset: A new roundup pushes “shoulder season” booking and smarter trip timing to cut flight and hotel costs, plus tips for stretching budgets without skipping the fun. U.S. Alternatives for Sun Seekers: Americans looking beyond Florida are being pointed toward national parks, mountain towns, and beach options like Myrtle Beach and Gulf Shores for cheaper stays and fewer crowds. Costa Rica Mid-Year School Break: Education specialists warn the July 6–17 pause can trigger dropout risk for students already slipping away, including about 19,000 who didn’t finish the 2025 year. Tortuguero Turtle Season Timing: Ostional’s arribada (mass olive ridley nesting) is explained with the key clue: the biggest events often land in the rainy season, with late June as a transition period. Road Travel Reality Check: Congestion data says up to 90% of roads in parts of the Greater Metropolitan Area can jam at peak hours, with average speeds dropping to single digits in some cantons. Dry-Spell Forecast: Costa Rica is heading into an early dry, windy pattern for the Pacific and Central Valley, while the Caribbean stays wetter. Digital Identity for Travelers: Costa Rica’s Digital Identity platform is expanding into tourism check-ins and remote identity verification, aiming to reduce paperwork and wait times. Wildlife Protection Watch: Prosecutors say wildlife trafficking is becoming more organized, raising the stakes for enforcement and visitor safety around protected species. Guanacaste Safety Update: A German resident was found dead on a Guanacaste farm; OIJ is investigating a homicide.