Maybe its not what you think
Costa Rica has some of nicest beaches around. The Pacific side is a treasure of beach after beach but sometimes the drive can be lengthy. There is a route close to the coast side called Route 911 which can be used to access many of these beach areas from Coco to Tamarindo and beyond. This particular route has one challenging spot.
The challenge here is a river crossing with no bridge and many rental companies will tell you up front not to try this route. It probably isn’t for the faint of heart and definitely not something to be tangled with in the rainy season, but when conditions are dry, it can be traversed. The advantage here is not having to around which adds a lot of time to any excursion. You can get a feel for the crossing in the video.
Most of Route 911 has been updated. The route itself is rather enjoyable and scenic much like some of the driving in BC, Canada. Some of the views are spectacular and the beach towns have some interesting things to offer.
There are many places along this route to stop and take in some of the beauty of Costa Rica and the culture. Although the road can be interesting to drive, it did seem to be fairly well maintained in almost all areas we encountered.
You can get an idea of the road condition in the video below.