UTEP Releases Itinerary For Basketball Trip to Costa Rica

If UTEP fans are looking for a last minute summer vacation, they can spend a week in Costa Rica with the men's basketball team. The school today released the itinerary for the August trip, including air travel, hotel information, and their exhibition opponents.

The team will be leaving El Paso on Tuesday morning, August 15th and fly to Dallas. They will connect on American Airlines Flight #986 to San Jose (Costa Rica), departing DFW Airport at 2:50 p.m. Arrival at San Jose Juan Santamaria International Airport in Costa Rica is set for 6:02 p.m. local time.

UTEP's hotel for the first three nights (Aug. 15-17) is the Costa Rica Marriott San Jose, and the team hotel for the last two nights (Aug. 18-19) is the Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort.

The Miners will return to El Paso on Sunday, August 20th. The return flight to Dallas from San Juan (Costa Rica) is American #2436, departing at 6:55 a.m.

I priced out this vacation using each website and the hotel stays would cost about $1,100 over the five days. As for airfare, American Airlines offers flights into San Juan, Costa Rica for $667. For $100 less, you can fly Southwest Airlines, but they fly into Liberia, Costa Rica which is a four hour drive from San Juan. When you add up food, hoops, and souvenirs, this trip will probably set you back about $2,500. Well worth it for Miner Ball in Costa Rica!

UTEP has games scheduled versus McGill University on Aug. 16 and Aug. 17 (both at 7 p.m.), and the University of British Columbia on Aug. 18 (11:30 a.m.). All three games will be played at the Ciudad Deportiva, Av. Francia Hatillo #2 in San Jose. All games will be governed by FIBA rules.