Things to do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

4 Nights in La Fortuna gives enough time to do most activities

Quick Summary: La Fortuna is the home-base for adventurers: hiking, rafting, ziplining, rainforest tours, hanging bridges, hot springs, and more. In terms of nightlife, La Fortuna does not rank as high as other cities such as Tamarindo, which you can read more about in this post:

Around La Fortuna (also just Fortuna), there are a lot of things to do. Here are the things I did and recommend:

What I wish I would have done:

Rain Forest Night Walk
Ziplining
Rafting

Arrival in San Jose on December 26th

I flew into San Jose airport and needed to get to La Fortuna, where I had my hostel booked for the first night. I immediately started bargaining with taxis, and I got prices ranging from $120-$160 for the drive. I considered renting a car, but prices were higher still, and I didn’t want the hassle of driving.

Pro Tip: if you can drive stick shift, then the rental cars are less expensive.

The drive from San Jose to La Fortuna is difficult. This stretch does not have any interstates, so the drive was small, windy roads through the mountains alternating with passing through towns and cities, which had a lot of traffic. When it got dark towards the end of the drive, I was glad I was not driving. It was a 4 hour drive that I was glad I did not do. All in all, $120 is a good deal if you find it.

Getting around in Costa Rica is actually quite easy. You can choose taxis, shuttles, private hires, Uber, and public transportation (buses). I heard Uber is illegal, but many people use it. If you have a high budget and your family with you, then rent a car. If you have a low budget and it’s just you and maybe your partner, I recommend taking the shuttles, taxis, and Uber. If you have a really low budget and you have plenty of time to waste sitting in a bus, you can take the public transportation. I talked to a few Europeans who had traveled all day in the bus, and it didn’t sound fun.

Overall, I was glad that I didn’t rent a car and just used shuttles for the longer trips (+1 hour) and Uber and taxis for shorter trips (-1 hour). Uber was really cheap and easy. Shuttles and Uber also gave me the opportunity to sleep, relax, journal, and talk to other people.

Before renting a car, consider booking shuttles at bookaway.com

I am a bookaway affiliate because their shuttles were professional, reliable, clean, and safe.

Day 2: Experiencing the Rainforest and Arenal Volcano on the Hanging Bridges and Arenal 1968 Hike

I went to the Mistico Park Hanging Bridges. The Uber from Fortuna was CRC 6,770 or about $12.50 USD. The park is a very family friendly, low impact activity. It takes you through the rainforest and you can see lots of flora and fauna. I think I spent about 3 hours here, and I was a bit slower than average.

Pro Tip: I recommend getting a guide so that you can learn more, but you can also walk through on your own and have a great time!

In the afternoon, I went on the Arenal 1968 hike, which takes you on rock created by the 1968 eruption. This was a cool hike, also fairly low impact, and through the rainforest. At the end there is a nice bar/restaurant to relax at. It was a 2-3 hour hike, and I would definitely do it again.

That night, there was a cheap shuttle from my hostel to the free, local hot springs. The “hot springs” is a creek with gentle flowing water. The water is warm, definitely not hot. When it gets dark, the locals light candles and it gets very romantic. I stayed at the hot springs for 2-3 hours. I would definitely go here again, especially with my girlfriend this time.

Pro Tip: Bring your water shoes and be ready to get romantic when it gets dark!

Day 3: An Awesome Hike Up the Cerro Chato Volcano and Finding Community at the Hostel

On day 2, I set out early to hike Cerro Chato, which is a volcano next to Arenal with a lake at the top that you can swim in. The Uber from Fortuna to Green Lagoon Wellbeing Resort (where you pay and start) CRC 1,970 or about $4 USD with a tip. You pay $15 at Green Lagoon, and they have a couple of tips for you.

I was alone on the hike, and it is extremely rugged. Make sure to bring food and water. There were times when I was using arms to pull me up. It is wet and muddy, also very muggy. There were times when I considered turning back, but I persisted on. I was greeted along the hike by a frog and a snake. I think it took about 1.25 hours to reach the lake at the top. I think I hike faster than average because I passed 2 groups of people.

At the top, I swam in the water, which felt awesomely refreshing. I stayed at the top for about 15 minutes, and then a group of Germans were descending, so I decided to go with them so I wouldn’t be alone. If you enjoy hikes that are challenging and ‘off the beaten path’, Cerro Chato highly recommended. You won’t be disappointed.

After Cerro Chato, I needed some food and rest, so I just relaxed at my hostel. I stayed at the Palacios Arenal for $22/night and there were a bunch of friendly, social people from around the world there. If you are looking to meet people and rub elbows, I recommend staying in a hostel instead of at a resort or Airbnb.

My hostel had a very vibrant atmosphere to it with people from all over the Americas and Europe passing through. There was a group of Europeans there who made “family dinner”. They wrapped a bunch of foil around the table and then made a huge serving of nachos on top. We then sat around and talked and drank and got to know each other.

You can find the best hostels from Hostelworld. Make sure to check Hostelworld everyday, because people cancel all the time, and new openings come up hour by hour.

Pro Tip: If you want to meet people, definitely book through Hostelworld. I am a Hostelworld affiliate because I think they offer great places at great prices, and are super easy to use.

Day 4: Free Fun at El Salto and the Chocolate Tour of a Lifetime

On day 4, I was a bit tired and I was going to be leaving so I stayed close to La Fortuna.

I went to an archeological site that was about ancient maize cultivation. I thought this was going to be an official museum, but it wasn’t – it was very small and unofficial, yet really interesting. I wandered around for a few minutes, until a local farmer saw me and told me all about the ancient practices and showed me ancient tools. It was all in Spanish, as he did not speak any English.

I then walked to El Salto, or ‘The Jump’. This is a rope swing that is free and popular. It was a lot of fun to do the swing and watch people do it as well. I wish I had brought my water shoes with me. I spent about 3 hours here.

I then went on a Rainforest Chocolate tour. This was one of the highlights of my trip. Overall, my attitude is that there are somethings I can’t do in the U.S., and a chocolate tour is one of them.

The chocolate tour was informational, talking about the history of chocolate, and then we played a couple of games in around the chocolate trees, and finally got to participate in the chocolate making process. The entire tour was very kid friendly, and there were a lot of kids and families there.

We also got to try lots and lots and lots of chocolate samples with dozens of different ingredients available, such as lavender, vanilla, whiskey, cinnamon, sprinkles, marshmallows, anise, turmeric, and the list goes on.

This was my last day in Fortuna, so I had to pack and say goodbye to my friends. Read my post on the beach portion of my trip.

Summary and My Observations

Fortuna is a great home-base for doing as many adventures as you can fit in. I was in the Fortuna area for 4 nights, and I felt safe the entire time. Even when I walked alone to parts far beyond the tourist areas, I felt safe, and I did not feel like anyone was looking at me being out of place or anything.

No one confronted me, no one offered me drugs (which did happen in Tamarindo, FYI), nothing was stolen. I didn’t see any fights, confrontations, or catcalling.

Prices in Costa Rica are very similar to the US or even more expensive! Yes, it is Latin America, but no, it is not the place to get a 4-course meal and drinks for $7.50. Places like that exist in the world, but it’s not Costa Rica. Overall, the food was ok, nothing fancy. Bring enough cash, as I ran out of cash quick and the line for the ATM was sometimes long. If you use a credit card, there is a 15% tax, so cash is king! I do believe there are is a parallel pricing system in place that charges locals (or people with really, really good Spanish and negotiation skills) less for things.

For affordable food, I found Sabor Tico (Soda de Doña Flor). There are a few other sodas as well. While affordable, the food isn’t amazing.

I also found a used clothing store (thrift or second hand store) in the neighborhood directly south of the main strip. It is called ‘Tienda Americana Emilia’. I think there was also another thrift store in this area, too. I observed mostly locals in this area.

There wasn’t much nightlife in Fortuna. There was some live music playing popular covers, and there was a nightclub, but for the 4 nights I was there, it didn’t look open.

Overall, I highly recommend La Fortuna if you are looking for adventures, to relax, or to have a family-friendly vacation.