Things to Do in La Fortuna Costa Rica

When we moved back to the US from Germany, I knew I wanted to start exploring more places outside of Europe. After going on some pretty amazing nature trips while living abroad, I had a newfound appreciation for going places other than my usual city trips. As my 30th birthday approached, I knew I wanted to plan a getaway to somewhere warm during winter. We landed on Costa Rica, and it was everything I’d hoped for and more.

There are so many places to go in Costa Rica and where you stay depends on what you want to do. Many people opt to do a few days in the jungle and a few on the beach. As neither my partner nor I like to sit on the beach for more than a few hours, we opted to head into the jungle for the entire trip. Again, even for jungle trips, there is a long list of options on where to go. We stayed in La Fortuna for five nights. I was worried we might feel like we missed out, but we went on so many adventures while there and never had to pack up and move - an ideal way to spend a trip. And as for the other places we didn’t go, it’s just an excuse to go back again someday. Here are the top things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica.

Getting around Costa Rica:

Costa Rica has two major airports, Liberia and San Jose. Both are easy to get to popular destinations from, and where you fly in to usually depends on where you’re flying from, and which airport is less expensive/easier to get to. Odds are that you won’t spend much time in either of the cities, so it’s best to rent a car. While there are a lot of bus options, having a car makes everything a lot easier throughout the trip.

A few things to note on car rentals: it will look relatively inexpensive online, but they make you opt into minimum insurance, even if you have your own travel insurance. But, even with that, it was a pretty reasonable price. Second, opt for a larger vehicle if you can. We had a sedan, but the road to our hotel was quite rocky, and we got a bit worried at times if the car would make the drive.

There are a few tolls going into major cities, so be sure to have some cash.

One other important note when planning a trip to Costa Rica - make sure to avoid the rainy season (May-Nov)! We went at the tail end and got very lucky that it only rained one day - but it was a torrential downpour, so if it had rained every day, the trip likely wouldn’t have been as fun.

Where we stayed:

I cannot say enough positive things about Hotel Lomas del Volcan. For under $150 a night, we had our own private bungalow with not one but two patios, of which the back one had a perfect view of the Arenal volcano (see main blog image for the view). Breakfast came included and the hotel has a pool, hot tub, and its own hiking trails on site. They also have a concierge just for scheduling trips, all of which pick up directly from the hotel.

While they only have one restaurant and one bar (which also serves food), we loved the food and drinks there so much that we ate there most nights during our stay. My one small criticism of the resort - the road to get there is a bit of a trek. However, if we had rented a car like a jeep (as everyone else at our resort did) I don’t think we would have been as nervous driving up and down it every day. The nice part was that there was a taxi service from the hotel into town for $12 round trip.

What we did:

There are so many opportunities for adventure in Costa Rica. Ziplining on my 30th birthday was at the top of my list, and it exceeded my dreams. We went to Sky Adventures, where you zipline through the jungle with a view of the volcano and lake. The longest ride is a half a mile long! If you do a full day package, you also get to walk the hanging bridges during a nature hike. We loved this, as the guide pointed out a lot of wildlife along the way we could have never spotted on our own - including a monkey!

My partner surprised me with a two-day pass to The Springs Resort for my birthday. Hot springs are all over the La Fortuna area, thanks to the local volcano, and we knew we wanted to visit some on our trip. We were absolutely blown away by our visit to The Springs Resort. It’s probably the nicest resort I’ve ever been to (they’ve filmed The Bachelor and the Kardashians there). They have over 20 pools and hot springs to choose from, and plenty of amazing dining options as well. We had a blast and took use of both days of the pass. It’s on the pricier end of the hot springs for the area, but it’s well worth it.

One of the most popular things people do on a visit to Costa Rica is to see their national animal - the sloth. We went on the Sloth watching trail and had a great guide who pointed out five sloths on our walk, including a baby and a mama! You’ll also see birds, iguanas, and snakes (!) on the tour if you’re lucky.

La Fortuna is filled with hiking trails and things to do. One important thing to note - there’s not really much to do for free in the area. Even the parks and nature usually come at the cost of a national park fee. We opted to visit the La Fortuna waterfall and climb the 500 steps to get there. It cost $18, but the waterfall was amazing, and you could swim in the river below.

On our final day of the trip (the day it rained) we did the North field coffee tour. During the tour, you’ll learn about coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane, and get to do a whole bunch of tastings along the way. It was an informative and tasty trip, and also was covered outside, which made it a good rainy day activity.

Where to eat in La Fortuna:

You’re probably not traveling to Costa Rica for the food, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be impressed. The basics of steak, rice, and plantains made for some very tasty meals. We ventured into town a couple of times for dinner, though some of the best food we ate was at our resort. For very inexpensive and authentic meals, try Pollo Fortuneño or Soda La Horminga. Cafetería y Restaurante Rain Forest Arenal is a great spot to stop for coffee and a pastry in between excursions. While at The Springs Resort, we had a great lunch overlooking the jungle at the Treehouse Restaurant. Our favorite meal of the trip was by far the coffee BBQ chicken at Don Rufino. It’s a bit more upscale than a lot of the spots in the area, but it was an incredible meal from start to finish.