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11 Best Things to do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

A center for eco-tourism and adventure travel in Costa Rica, La Fortuna is the major town at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. The nearby area offers rainforests, waterfalls, zip-lining, rafting, hiking opportunities, and hot springs and there are many amazing things to do in La Fortuna, making it the perfect base for your adventure in Costa Rica. If you are looking for things to do in Arenal Costa Rica, La Fortuna is the easiest place to stay.

When I first visited the La Fortuna area in 1998, the town was a sleepy town focused on the natural world. On our most recent visit, we were impressed with how the area has grown while still maintaining an emphasis on showcasing the amazing natural world of Costa Rica.

See our more recent 1 Week Costa Rica Itinerary.

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Quick Look at Things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica

Take a look at the best things to do in La Fortuna. You can see more details below or click the image with the list of things to do in La Fortuna for a free printable PDF.

  1. Check out the Volcano
  2. Visit the Hanging Bridges
  3. Try a Hot Spring
  4. Hike to a Waterfall
  5. Visit the Animal Rescue
  6. Take a Chocolate Tour or Cooking Class
  7. Check out the Butterfly Conservatory
  8. Go Zip Lining or Waterfall Rappeling
  9. Try White Water Rafting
  10. Adventure at Club Rio Outdoor Center
  11. Visit Lake Arenal

Map of the Best Things to do in La Fortuna

Best Things to do in La Fortuna

Check out Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano is at the heart of La Fortuna and stands sentinel over the town. Often shrouded in mist and clouds, the peak of the Arenal Volcano can be seen from most places in the area although it is often covered in clouds.

Unlike the lush forests that cover the rest of the area, the Arenal Volcano is covered in dark volcanic rock. The best views of the volcano are often from further away as you can see the whole peak, and another of the La Fortuna things to do is to take a hike around or up the volcano.

There are several options if you are planning on hiking La Fortuna and the nearby areas, and some of the best hikes are around Volcan Arenal. Most of these trails are in Arenal Volcano National Park and you will need to pay an entrance fee around $15 for adults.

A few of the trails to check out include:

  • Arenal 1968 Volcano Trail: 2.9 miles
  • Arenal Volcano Trail: 3.3 miles
  • Mirador El Silencio Trail: 3.1 miles
  • Las Arenas Trail: 2.4 miles
  • Arenal Observatory Lodge Trail: 3.8 miles
  • Old Lava Trail: 0.5 miles
Things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica
Things to do in La Fortuna: Check out Arenal Volcano

Visit the Hanging Bridges

The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges are a must and are on every list of things to La Fortuna activities. The 16 hanging bridges pass through and above the forest canopy on over 600 acres. The trail is 3.1 miles and is generally easy (as long as you aren’t afraid of heights). The best way to visit Hanging Bridges is to book a tour with one of the naturalists. You will get a lot more out of your visit with a tour and your guide will be able to point out different plants and give you the best chance to see animals.

Try to book the earliest tour as possible for the greatest chance of seeing animals. Check out this tour that includes pick-up in town.

Things to do in La Fortuna: Mistico Hanging Bridges
Things to do in La Fortuna: Mistico Hanging Bridges


Visit some Hot Springs in La Fortuna

The volcanic activity in the area related to Arenal Volcano also feeds many hot springs in the area. Many of the regional resorts also have hot springs and you can often book a day pass to one of these resorts. Many of the hot springs are beautifully manicured with small pools, waterfalls, and plants.

Book your tickets in advance or pay more to stay at a hotel with hot springs. Some of the best hot springs include Tabacon, Baldi, The Springs, Paradise, Kalambu, and Ecotermales. The Baldi Hot Spring is one of the best hot springs in La Fortuna and is best for groups and families. If you are looking for a more private and quiet hot spring, check out Spring Resort Hot Springs – this hot spring resort is a bit outside of town.

If you are looking for a local activity, you can check out one of the free hot springs La Fortuna. The best way to access the free hot spring is to park on the side of the road right after the bridge near the Tabacon Resort. from the road, walk down the trail alongside the river and you will see a series of natural pools that the Tabacon River flows down. It was a pretty fun scene when we visited, but not a quiet and tranquil spot. See more about visiting this spot and El Salto here.


Hike to a Waterfall
(including La Fortuna Waterfall Costa Rica)

With an abundance of rain, there are many waterfalls in the Arenal/La Fortuna area. If you love waterfalls, you will want to plan a few hikes to waterfalls during your visit to La Fortuna.

The La Fortuna Waterfall is one of the largest and drops 75 feet through the rainforest. There is a small fee to hike the trail that you can pay when you enter, although it is also possible to visit the falls as part of a tour. The trail descends a series of stairs to get down to the base of the falls. Once you get to the bottom of the waterfall, you can feel the full force of the water and swim in the river. The forest here is beautiful with plants clinging to the rocks on the cliff walls.

There are a few other waterfalls in the general area to visit if you have time. Check out:

  • El Canto Waterfalls
  • Rio Celeste Waterfall
  • La Paz Waterfall Gardens
  • Bajos del Toro Waterfall

Another amazing activity in La Fortuna is to go canyoneering (or waterfall rappelling). You can read more about this below, or check out this waterfall tour.

Things to do in La Fortuna: Swimming at the base of La Fortuna Waterfall
Things to do in La Fortuna: Swimming at the base of La Fortuna Waterfall


Visit the Animal Rescue

If you are interested in seeing some of the animals of Costa Rica up close and personal, you can visit the Proyecto Asis Animal Sanctuary. This small animal rescue helps to rehabilitate native animals with the goal of releasing them back into the wild. You can book a tour to see the animals or boot a longer program to volunteer. This is really just an opportunity to learn more about the animals and get a more personal experience.

We did the volunteer option and spent time cutting up and prepping the animals’ feed for the day and then going from animal to animal feeding the different animals. The kids adored this activity and appreciated the chance to feel like they were contributing the animals.

* Anytime you are booking an animal encounter, make sure you do your research in advance. Read more about being a responsible traveller.

Things to do in La Fortuna: Visit the Animal Rescue
Things to do in La Fortuna: Visit the Animal Rescue


Take a Chocolate Tour or Cooking Class

There are many opportunities in town to book a chocolate or cooking tour or you can even visit a farm to get out into the local community. This is a great activity to learn directly from a local. Check out this coffee tour or this chocolate tour.


Check out the Butterfly Conservatory

Located to the southeast of the Arenal Volcano in El Castillo, the Butterfly Conservatory is a lovely spot surrounded by gardens and so many butterflies. The drive to get to the butterfly conservatory is lovely on its own along the shores of Lake Arenal. Once at the conservatory, you can learn about the different insects and walk through a series of enclosures full of gardens and different species of butterflies.

We really enjoyed the visit here. It was especially entertaining since they had just cut down the local population of monkeys’ favorite tree. In retaliation, the monkeys had pelted the area with their own dung and it was a bit stinky (although this was a very temporary problem). We never got to see any of the naughty monkeys, but really enjoyed the butterflies!

Things to do in La Fortuna: Visit the Butterfly Conservatory
Things to do in La Fortuna: Visit the Butterfly Conservatory


Go Zip Lining or Waterfall Rappeling

With the growing interest in adventure travel in Costa Rica, La Fortuna has a growing list of adreneline-inducing zip lines and canyoneering opportunities. These popular tours give you the opportunity to get out into nature and enjoy a bit of adventure. We did a 1/2 day canyoneering activity with our 10 year old twins who loved it!

During the day, we moved through a series of waterfalls and rappelled or swung down each with short hikes through the woods. This was waterfall rappelling tour was incredibly fun.

The last time I visit the La Fortuna area, our group opted for a zip lining tour and you can find several tour companies in the area.

Things to do in La Fortuna: Waterfall Rappelling


Try White Water Rafting

Another fun adreneline filled activity is to try white water rafting. The Balsa River offers class II and III rapids and you can book several different white water tours. This tour also includes a delicious lunch and beautiful scenerey as you travel down the river.

You can also check out this rafting tour on the Rio Sarapiquí.


Adventure at Club Rio Outdoor Center

Located at the Spring Resort and Spa, the adventure center offer many adventure tours. Horseback ride and tube on the river all while enjoying the facilities. They also have a wonderful hot springs area. Located about 15 minutes outside of town, this is a lovely and fun place to spend the day!

Visit Lake Arenal

Located to the east of La Fortuna, the lake is a beautiful spot to visit. There are several windy road that go along the lakes edge. Look for a place to stop and grab a meal alongside the lake and keep your eye out for jungle animals – we saw several toucans during our drive. Another option is to book a paddleboard tour on the lake.

Things to do in La Fortuna: Lake Arenal

What to Know About Traveling to Costa Rica – La Fortuna

General Information about Visiting Costa Rica and La Fortuna

Here are a few things to know about:

  • Spanish is the official language but most people in La Fortuna speak English
  • The official currency in the colon
  • There are a few ATMs in the town of La Fortuna, but you can also use credit cards in most of the hotels and restaurants in town
  • In general, the water in La Fortuna is safe to drink – ask your hotel to confirm

How to get to La Fortuna Costa Rica

There are a few ways to get to La Fortuna. The 2 biggest airports you can fly into are San Jose Airport (Juan Santamaría International Airport) and the Libaria Airport. From the airport, you can rent a car, take a bus, or book private transit.

Renting a car is Costa Rica is generally safe, but many of the roads are narrow and windy. Be prepared to take your time. The hardest part for us was that there is no shoulder in many of the mountain areas. As long are you are comfortable with these driving conditions and take it slow, a car is a great way to get around to the different things to do in La Fortuna.

Another option is to take a bus from San Jose to La Fortuna. This is cheap and costs just $4-$5. The bus runs about once and hour and ticket must be purchased at the terminal in downtown San Jose.

Driving Distances to La Fortuna:

  • San Jose Aiport to La Fortuna: 2.5 hours
  • Liberia to La Fortuna: 2.5 hours (very windy roads for the last hour)
  • La Fortuna to Monetverde: 3 hours
  • La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio: 4.5 hours
La Fortuna

How to Get Around La Fortuna

Once you arrive in La Fortuna, you will need to get around to different activities. While a bus is the cheapest way to get to La Fortuna, you may end up spending more money to book tours or rides between the different things to do in La Fortuna. Since we had a car we could drive from place to place, but many tours include the cost of transportation and you can also book taxis to get around town.

Best Time to Visit La Fortuna, Costa Rica

The best time to visit Costa Rica in general is December – April during the dry season. This is also the most crowded. You can also visit during the wet season when there are fewer crowds and lower prices. Even during the wet season, you shouldn’t get rain all day except during the months of September and October when it truly rains most of everyday.

How Long do you Need in La Fortuna?

Ideally you need at least 2 full days and 3 nights in La Fortuna to do several of the best activities. The ideal amount of time is 4 days so you can enjoy of a few activities and have some down time as well.

2 Days in La Fortuna Itinerary

If you have 2 days in La Fortuna you can use this suggested itinerary. This assumes that you spent the night before in the area.

Day 1 – Start early with a guided tour at the Mistico Hanging Bridges. In the afternoon, visit La Fortuna Waterfall and finish the day with soak in one of the nearby hot springs.

Day 2 – In the morning, book a tour of your choice to either try out zip lining, canyoneering, or white water rafting. After lunch drive around the east side of the volcano, check out the lake and hike around the volcano.

This itinerary doesn’t give you much down time and you still don’t have enough time to get to all the activities in La Fortuna. If you can, give yourself one more day to explore the area.

3 Days in La Fortuna Itinerary

With three days in La Fortuna, you have a bit more down time. Start with the itinerary from the day before and add on the last day below.

Day 3: Volunteer at Proyecto Asis. In the afternoon choose from one of the activities you missed such as zip lining, the Butterfly Conservatory, or get some much deserved downtime at your hotel or another hot spring.

After leaving La Fortuna, we headed to Nosara for the rest of our Costa Rica Itinerary.

If planning a trip to La Fortuna or Costa Rica in general feels overwelming, you can also consider a multi-day tour that takes some of the work out of planning. Check out this 5 day tour to the Arenal Area or this 9 day Tour.

Best Places to Stay in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

There are many amazing places to stay in and near La Fortuna, Costa Rica

We stayed at Los Lagos Spa and Resort and enjoyed having pools and hot spring tubs right at the property. The property is large and was a great base for our adventures.

You can also take a look at The Spring Resort and Spa. It’s a bit more expensive than other options,

A bit outside of town, we also considered the small luxury Nayara Gardens and glamping at Hotel Arenal Glamping.

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