La Fortuna is a small town in North Central Costa Rica that has become a hub for hippies, adventure junkies and even luxury tourists. It’s a city, or at least area, that finds its way on just about anyone’s itinerary for a trip to Costa Rica. The draw to this town is a combination of its natural surroundings and its location.
ABOUT LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA
This town is still a relatively new one. It was established in the 1930’s, but it was made famous in 1968 when Arenal Volcano erupted. Although it destroyed a lot of nearby land, and tragically killed many people, La Fortuna was spared from the eruption. Now, it is a booming hub of tourism with many shops + restaurants in La Fortuna proper. Plus, La Fortuna now serves as a jumping off point for many of the region’s outdoor adventure activities. There are two volcanoes so close to La Fortuna, but only Arenal is still accessible to tourists.
Top Things to Do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
EXPLORE AREANAL VOLCANO
Arenal Volcano is one of the most picture perfect volcanoes I’ve ever seen. It has that conical-shape that you’d draw when someone asks you to draw one. The crazy thing is that because of the climate you can be there for days and never see the top of it. We definitely got lucky, though, and got to see the very tippy top. Experiencing Arenal is more than just looking at it from the road, though. To really experience Arenal in all of its glory, you should hike within the National Park and trails surrounding the volcano.
SOAK IN A NATURAL HOT SPRING
Because of the two surrounding volcanoes, there is a lot of geothermal activity brewing around here meaning hot springs! There are so many options for hot springs. Some are completely natural, some have water that’s pumped in and others are a combo. When we were in La Fortuna, we had the absolute pleasure of visiting two of these hot springs: Tabacon + EcoTermales. Tabacon is the height of luxury. They have a completely natural hot river that spills throughout the property. In addition to being a spa experience, you can also stay here, and let me tell you, it’s a stunner! EcoTermales is also a natural hot spring. The thing I love about this hot spring over Tabacon, is that they limit the number of people who can enter at one time. This means you have a more intimate and/or relaxing experience because you don’t have as big of crowds.
GO ZIP-LINING
I love a good adventure activity and Costa Rica is definitely a destination for that! While we were in La Fortuna, we did one of the most intense zip-lining tours. We ended on a superman-style zip-line that lasted almost a full minute, was insanely high and exceptionally scenic. It was insane and had me laugh-screaming the whole time!
OR BETTER YET, A FULL-ON ADRENALIN-INDUCING COURSE
In addition to zip-lining all through that Sky Limit course, we did all kinds of crazy activities in between! We did a Tarzan swing (my favorite thing of the whole course), a waterfall repel, hanging bridges and so much more! This was only the second time I’ve done something like this, but I’m addicted and plan to do more and more as we travel. I’d definitely recommend Sky Adventures to anyone traveling in La Fortuna, Costa Rica!
FIND A SLOTH, OR AN ANTEATER, OR A TOUCAN….
…Or any other number of truly extraordinary animals that are native to this area! The best way to do this is respectfully and in the wild. The crazy thing is you can see these at your hotels, along the road and, of course, in the nature all around La Fortuna. Near La Fortuna we saw a famous blue morpho butterfly, an eyelash viper and even a sloth! I have to say, though, seeing an anteater actually stole the wildlife show for me!
GO HORSE-BACK RIDING
Now, I go back and forth on horseback-riding. I cannot decide if I feel it’s an ethical activity. That said, we gave it a go while in Costa Rica and it was definitely an added adventure. And if horseback-riding is your thing, it’s a thing you can definitely do in La Fortuna. We did a horseback riding tour to La Fortuna Waterfall. It was definitely scenic and more unique than just driving up to the parking area.
TAKE A DIP BELOW A WATERFALL
Speaking of La Fortuna Waterfall, don’t miss this unreal beauty while you’re in La Fortuna! This almost 230-foot cascade falls into a gorgeous turquoise pool that you can swim in! You start across from the top of the fall and go down over 500 steps to get to the base of the waterfall. Don’t forget your swimsuit because you can take a dip in the pool below!
Where to Stay in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Luxury Budget ($300+)
TABACON RESORT + HOT SPRING – This is where Stacey and I stayed while we were traveling in La Fortuna. It is the absolute height of luxury. In addition to the top-of-the-line accommodation, there is a natural hot spring river that cuts directly through the property where you can soak + relax in the most amazing gardens. You will not be disappointed.
BOOK HERE, rooms start at $345/night.
Mid-Range Budget ($100-$150)
ARENAL OBSERVATORY LODGE + SPA – This seems like an incredible place to stay. It seems like there is so much to do: bird-watching, hikes that lead right into the national park so much more. The views here look beautiful and I would love to stay here with Matt, it looks quite romantic, especially for nature lovers.
BOOK HERE, rooms start at $126/night
Budget Hotel (under $50)
CASSE TORRE ECO-LODGE – Perfectly-priced, these modest rooms may be without the luxury amenities but they have all the necessities and a beautiful view of Arenal Volcano. With a 9.4 rating on Booking.com, it has to be great!
BOOK HERE, rooms start at $41/night
Shoestring Budget (Under $25)
ARENAL CONTAINER HOSTEL – Unlike the other places on this list, this hostel sits in the heart of La Fortuna. This hostel looks cozy + clean and gets a 9.2 rating on Booking.com. It’s the ultimate spot for budget travelers!
BOOK HERE, rooms start at $24/night
Getting to La Fortuna, Costa Rica
ARENAL AIRPORT: This very small airport with flights from San Jose that are just over 1 hour. I’ve also read there are flights from Liberia, but didn’t find as much information on those flights.
DRIVING: Many people opt to rent a car and drive from destination to destination. This is nice because it gives you the flexibility to stop for sights. Rental fees vary greatly depending on the type of car, season and number of drivers. The drive from San Jose takes just under 3 hours, but that’s also with a very confident driver and no stops. The drive from Liberia takes about 2.5 hours with a very confident driver and no stops. Note that both drives are pretty curvy, but especially the drive to/from Liberia.
HIRING A DRIVER: Another, albeit more expensive, option is to hire a driver. This becomes a better option the more people you have, the less confident you are in driving/navigating public transport or the less time you have. This was the option we took. This allowed us both to gawk at all the beauty we passed and each time our drivers were incredible! They had wonderful suggestions of restaurants and resting spots, overlooks and markets. It was so worth it with our limited time, as well. We could tell that that drive would’ve easily been doubled for us because we didn’t know the roads and they were quite narrow and windy. That said, I’m now much more open to driving the next time.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There is a good amount of public transportation throughout Costa Rica. It’s also the most affordable option. There are a few direct buses from San Jose each day. However, getting to and from Liberia takes a bit more planning because you have to piece it together with some connections. I’m sure the people at the bus station will be more than willing to help get it put together.
La Fortuna is a wonderful spot in any Costa Rica itinerary. Any nature-lover, adventure-junkie or luxury-seeker will find what they’re looking for in this beautiful jungle town.
Did You Enjoy This Post? PIN IT So Others Can Too!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a reservation with Booking.com, a policy with World Nomads or GetYourGuide.com through For the Love of Wanderlust, you will help me stay on the road + keep my site running at no additional cost for you.
Be sure to read the terms + conditions of these sites when booking or purchasing!
No Comments