15 Things to Do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
La Fortuna packs more into a small radius than anywhere else in Costa Rica. A volcano, a famous waterfall, thermal springs, rainforest canopy, caves and whitewater are all within about an hour. Here is what is actually worth your time, and what to book before you arrive.
The essential three
1. The La Fortuna Waterfall
Roughly 500 steps down into a canyon to a broad pool you can swim in, with the waterfall coming in hard above you. The climb back up is the workout. Go early — by mid-morning the stairs are busy and the light is worse. More on the waterfall →
2. Arenal Volcano and the 1968 lava trails
You cannot climb to the crater, but you can walk the old lava fields from the 1968 eruption at the national park and at Arenal 1968. Black rock, regrowing forest, and the cone above you when the cloud lifts. Mornings give the best odds of a clear summit. More on the volcano →
3. The hot springs
Arenal heats the groundwater, and the resorts built on those thermal rivers are the reason many people come. Tabacon is the iconic one, Baldi is best for families with kids, The Springs has the views, Eco Termales is the quiet one. Which springs to choose →
Rainforest and wildlife
4. Mistico hanging bridges
A loop of trails and suspension bridges that put you level with the canopy instead of under it. This is where you see toucans and, if you are lucky, sloths at eye height. Guided walks find far more wildlife than you will alone.
5. A guided wildlife walk, by day and after dark
Sloths are genuinely hard to spot without a guide carrying a scope — they look like termite nests. Book a daytime sloth walk and it is one of the highest-satisfaction couple of hours in the area, particularly with children.
Then do it again at night, because the rainforest swaps species after dark: red-eyed tree frogs, kinkajous, snakes, insects the size of your hand. Short, cheap, and different enough that it is worth doing both.
6. The Arenal Observatory Lodge trails
Closest legal access to the volcano's flank, with hanging bridges, waterfall trails and a famously good bird deck. Quieter than Mistico and worth the entry fee even if you are not staying there.
Adrenaline
7. Zip lining
Multiple courses, and they differ a lot — some are long fast lines across valleys, others are canopy tours with more stops. There is also a Superman-style line and a rappel finish depending on the operator. Comparing the zip line courses →
8. Whitewater rafting
The Balsa river is the family-friendly option, class II–III, suitable for most people who can swim. The Sarapiquí runs harder. Both are day trips with transport included.
9. Canyoning and waterfall rappelling
Descending waterfalls on a rope in a canyon. It sounds worse than it is — operators take complete beginners — and it is the single most memorable half-day here for anyone reasonably fit.
10. Tubing the river
Gentler than rafting and cheaper. A good filler afternoon, and one of the few activities that suits mixed ages and abilities in one group.
11. ATV through the hills
Mud, farm tracks and viewpoints you do not reach otherwise. Popular with groups of friends; less so with anyone who dislikes being filthy.
Water, caves and slower days
12. Lake Arenal
Costa Rica's largest lake sits right past us on the west side. Kayak it, paddleboard it, or in the windy months watch the windsurfers. The drive along the north shore is the best scenery in the region. More on Lake Arenal →
13. El Salto rope swing
A rope hung over a deep river pool just outside town, known locally as El Salto. No ticket, no queue, no operator, no waiver — you climb the bank, take the rope and let go. Locals have been jumping here for generations, and it costs nothing, which makes it one of the few genuinely free things on this list.
14. The Venado Caves
About an hour north. Limestone caves you wade and squeeze through with a helmet and a torch, full of formations and bats. Not for the claustrophobic; brilliant for teenagers.
15. A chocolate or coffee tour
Cacao and coffee both grow around here, and the small farm tours are hands-on — roasting, grinding, tasting. The best rainy-afternoon activity in the area, which matters more than you would think. See what the weather is really like →
How many days do you need?
| Trip length | Realistically covers |
|---|---|
| 3 days | Waterfall, volcano trails, hot springs — the headline three |
| 5 days | Add rafting or canyoning, hanging bridges, and a slow day |
| 7 days | Add Lake Arenal, the caves, a night walk, and time to do nothing |
Book zip lining, canyoning, rafting and Eco Termales ahead, particularly in high season and particularly for a group. Everything else absorbs walk-ins.
Free download
The La Fortuna Group Trip Planner
A printable planner for anyone organising a trip here for more than a few people: a day-by-day template, what has to be booked ahead, real driving times between everything, and how to feed and move a group of twenty without losing an afternoon to logistics.
We'll email it straight over. We also send the occasional note when dates open up or rates drop — unsubscribe any time.
Where to stay while you do all this
Almost everything on this list is within about 45 minutes of The Majestic Lodge. We are a 10-bedroom lodge just outside La Fortuna — the largest home under one roof in the area — sleeping up to 33, with a private bathroom for every bedroom and breakfast included.
For groups, the practical advantage is that we book the excursions and handle the driving. Organising fifteen people across four of the activities above is a real job; we do it as part of the stay.