When deciding what things to do in La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area in Costa Rica, I, of course, turned to travel blogs and articles. Personal recommendations and reading about real experiences from travel hobbyists tend to give us our most successful tips. They are what inspire me to keep this website going. (This website will likely never be my fulltime job. But the thought of helping someone based on what we experienced keeps me returning here.)
Yet this is where the uglier and more complicated side of posting recommendations on the Internet surfaces. Have I received biting comments because someone thought I left something out when talking about a place? Yup. And are travel blogs and articles sometimes wrong? Also, yup.
Being an explorer and sharing travel recommendations is fraught. The ability to inspire and help people, to document what we learned, is powerful for me. But, different experiences and different budgets appeal to different people. What appeals to someone else might not appeal to me and vice versa. Second, locations, prices, menus, value, experiences… things change!
When we arrived in La Fortuna area and Arenal Volcano, we had used the Internet to gather ideas for funtivities but we hadn’t booked anything in advance. Some of what we ultimately decided to do was incredibly successful and some things we wished we had skipped. I’ll share honestly below. But when reading my website (or anyone else’s) remember that we write from a mixture of experience and personal preference. Be sure to make the trip your own. Don’t treat any blog post like a checklist. Spend your time (and your money) how you want.
I am still glad we came to La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano. This area of Costa Rica is mystical and magical. La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano are mysterious. They ask you to turn a corner, wait out a rain cloud, peek through jungle vines to discover them in their own way. The best times we had were slow and unplanned. They were in places that we picked based on what we felt like in that moment. When we went where we felt like we “had” to, we were less impressed.
There are many roads and experiences very well-traveled, and a lot of this area is a slick tourist machine. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the visit. We loved the views of the volcano in all weather and from all different viewpoints. (Does a volcano ever stop inspiring a feeling of awe in a human?) Seeing the jungle so thick and impenetrable around us was an experience as well.
Most of all, we were glad we did it in the way that mattered to us. And I am happy to provide our thoughts and experiences, hobbyist travel blogger I am, in the event it is useful.
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Things to do in La Fortuna & Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Table of Contents
Tips On Visiting Arenal Volcano: When to Go, Where to Stay, How to Get There
Arenal Volcano is 90 km and about a three-hour drive from San Jose, Costa Rica. We rented a car and did this drive right after we landed (see our post on tips for driving in Costa Rica). There are services that will take you here, as well, but we found having a car in the region pretty crucial to our enjoyment. We didn’t book any tours while in this area, either, as it all felt very accessible and easy to manage.
Arenal Volcano is considered young, under 7,500 years old, and it is still active, even if you aren’t likely to see huge eruptions. You aren’t going to want to get close. The last major eruption happened in 2010.
Truthfully, Arenal Volcano isn’t that large, particularly compared to others around the globe. But it has such a beautiful cone shape and an eerie presence as it flirts with clouds and patches of mist, jungle all around.
Arenal Volcano is the big, natural draw to the area, but there are a few towns and places to stay near it. (We stayed in a small nearby Costa Rican town called El Castillo and loved that quieter experience.)
But the town that attracts the most tourists in the vicinity is La Fortuna. La Fortuna currently has a population of around 15,000 residents, but estimates are around 150,000 visitors come to the area every year. It is swollen with restaurants, eateries, shops, bars, and places offering to arrange tours for you. There are also a lot of options for lodging, with something for every budget. It is convenient and fun.
This means that very little you do in this area is going to feel undiscovered. There will be other tourists and visitors along with you wherever you go.
Additionally, as we experienced in Costa Rica traveling as a family of four, it isn’t exactly a cheap vacation. Most of the experiences in Costa Rica cost money. So adjust your budget accordingly.
The best times of the year to visit, as we shared in our overview post, is October through April, November through June is the rainy season. But you are likely to see rain, clouds, and mist throughout the year, so pack accordingly.
Is La Fortuna Waterfall Worth It?
This is one of the top things on all of the “to do” lists in La Fortuna. And candidly, we wish we had skipped it.
Is the waterfall itself gorgeous? Absolutely! But there are a lot of waterfalls in the world and Costa Rica charges a lot of money to walk to this one, with a controlled entry that has a busy gift shop. At the time of this article, the prices were $20 USD for anyone over the age of 8. So yes, we spent $80 to walk down to this waterfall and back up. (Iceland charges nothing for their waterfalls.)
I know this is a contrarian opinion as I look at all the other travel bloggers who say that this is a “must-do” but the math changes a lot when you are paying for four people.
Many visitors flock to La Fortuna waterfall because you can swim at its base, bathing in its pool – but that’s on a good day where all the weather cooperates and the water pummeling over the edge isn’t too dangerous. Being able to swim here isn’t a guarantee.
The benefit to having to pay a lot to get in is that the Costa Rican government keeps the place in wonderful condition, with well-maintained steps. I wouldn’t even call this hiking. It is a very steep walk! (Think of your Stairmaster exercise days.)Â There are 530 steps to get down to La Fortuna waterfall – and another 530 to get up.
If you feel short on time during your stay in this area, feel free to skip this one without any guilt. If I had to do it over again, I might spend the time heading out to Rio Celeste or Baja del Torro (this is a great introductory post to those).
Picking a Family Friendly Hot Springs Experience in La Fortuna
Visiting a hot spring while in the La Fortuna or Arenal Volcano area is a must, though. It is one of the most unique offerings in this part of the world. La Fortuna has quite a few resorts and experiences that have popped up around this, each catering to different budgets and different goals.
After visiting a few, I can say that Baldi Hot Springs is the best for families.
This does not mean that it is going to be a free-for-all of screaming kids around the hot springs. In fact, what we loved about it was there were areas with slides and water features for kids but also areas that were like sanctuaries and felt luxurious and peaceful (complete with swim-up bars).
Baldi has a lovely mix of experiences, pools, temperatures, and places to explore that it kept our attention all day. We had a very enjoyable experience here.
How to Visit Arenal Volcano National Park and Where to Hike
Exploring Arenal National Park is great if you just want to disappear into the rainforest, as we did. We started in a light rain (as is common in Costa Rica) and felt enveloped by the vegetation. It felt like another world.
You absolutely do not need a guide for this experience – it is easy hiking, trails were easy to follow, and it felt safe. The benefit of a guide would be assistance in spotting animals. But we still saw plenty of wildlife.
Again, it costs to get into this park. During our visit, it was about $15 per adult (anyone over 8) and $5 for children. The park entrance also closes promptly at 4:00, after which you can not get in as they close the gate.
We entered via the main visitor’s gate, where the roads are maintained, and it was easy to find. Entry was smooth.
We ended up doing a lollipop hike from the second parking area, which took us up to the lava flow fields and El Mirador Volcan. It was just over 3.5 miles and very easy. You can follow this trail here.
We opted for a quick side trail to see a huge ceiba tree, Sendero El Ceibo (because we like big trees), but, friends, it is broken!! In fact, it looks like it might not make it at all. That was sad, but it was still an impressive site.
The trails back here were muddy, as in sink-your-shoes-in and get-the-tops-of-your-boots-wet-muddy, so wear appropriate footwear.
Arenal Volcano is flirty, though. She doesn’t like to turn out and show off all the time. She hides behind clouds and mist and then surprises you with full exposure to her beauty when and only when she wants.
So be patient. If you don’t see the volcano right away, wait. Usually, she comes back out again. And it’s worth the view.
Other Options in La Fortuna if You Have Time (& Money)
- Paddling Lake Arenal
- Mistico Hanging Bridges
- Ziplining (although we chose to save this for Manuel Antonio)
- Hike the Bogarin Trail to see sloths
- Do a guided night hike through the jungle
- Whitewater rafting
- Horseback riding
Are There Free Things to do in La Fortuna?
Of course! But they do require you to seek them out and they aren’t necessarily less-crowded.
There is a free hot spring spot, actually a free hot river, but that was packed when we were in La Fortuna. There is also a rope swing nearby. (See details on the free hot springs El Choyin and El Salto in this article.)
There isn’t much free hiking to be had (Cerro Chato is officially closed by the government for safety reasons, and Arenal National Park and the Arenal 1968 trail all charge for entry). Vegetation is so dense around the area that taking off on your own really isn’t possible. You need to find a cleared and maintained trail. We did walk up the mountain in nearby El Castillo, which was free, but that was due to the location of our Airbnb. We drove some of the back roads through the National Park for free and enjoyed seeing the animals and the view.
We also enjoyed a scenic drive around Lake Arenal. There are some lovely, hidden towns, with varying foreign influences, to explore.
Places to Eat in La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano Area
It is a bit of an Internet fake for me to recommend places to eat in La Fortuna since we didn’t eat out much at all. We loved lounging at our Airbnb and making meals for ourselves, enjoying the birds outside the window and the cows meandering by.
That said, we’ve recommended Soda la Hormiga to quite a few people since our visit and it hasn’t disappointed anyone. The casados were some of the most delicious we tasted in the country and the price was fantastic. This isn’t a fancy meal, but it was fun to eat in a soda and enjoy an authentic (and tasty!) meal.
The best advice I can give you on Costa Rican food is to stray off the beaten path. Eat at the places that AREN’T on lists. Visit the family-owned restaurant on the side of the road. Engage with the exuberant business owner who wants you to come try his special drinks. Be bold and try it.
Costa Rica is no longer a hidden, under-the-radar vacation spot. It is a place where families, college co-eds, retirees, and really anyone can come to experience the eloquent nature combined with the friendly culture.
You may not find yourself alone while you experience Arenal and La Fortuna, but if you plan activities that fit your family and your desires, you are sure to have an excellent time here.
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