A town to walk and trails to guide you La Fortuna is a walk-it-yourself town. The centre is a flat, compact grid, so a town stroll needs no tour. The guided walking on offer is on the nature trails around the town, where a guide helps you find frogs, birds and plants. This page covers both. The town stroll The centre of La Fortuna is built around the central park, which has a manicured garden, a fountain and a clear view of Arenal volcano on a good day.

Seeing Arenal from its base Arenal is a cone of about 1,633 m that dominates La Fortuna. Sightseeing here means viewpoints, short trails and a few ticketed reserves at the base, because the cone and the zone around it are closed to the public. Prices are in US dollars and rounded. About the volcano Arenal has been quiet since late 2010, so there is no lava glow and no night display.

A slow few days for two La Fortuna is a good place for couples because the best moments are quiet ones: warm water at dusk, forest after dark and a volcano that fills the skyline when the cloud lifts. The plan below stays with places that suit two people and are easy to book. Prices are in US dollars and rounded. Evening soaks The hot springs are geothermally heated, and the evening is the calm time to use them.

How to spend three days Three days covers the main sights of La Fortuna without rushing. The plan below puts a walk, a soak and an adventure into each day and keeps travel short. Prices are in US dollars, rounded, and worth confirming before you book. Day 1: the volcano base, the falls and a soak Spend the morning in Arenal Volcano National Park. Entry is about $15 for foreign adults and about $5 for children, and the park is open about 8am to 4pm with last entry about 3pm.

Planning a family day in La Fortuna La Fortuna suits families because the activities are short, the town is small and the rain and heat set a gentle pace. The key is choosing places with child rates, shallow water and clear rules, and leaving the river spots to adults. Prices below are in US dollars and rounded. Thermal pools and water parks Baldi Hot Springs has 25 pools and waterslides, open daily 9am to 10pm, with no reservation needed.

Where a day trip can take you La Fortuna works well as a base for full days out. The two classic options are the blue river of Rio Celeste and the wetlands of Cano Negro, and a third is a slow drive around Lake Arenal. Each is easy to book through a local operator or to do with a rental car. Rio Celeste, Tenorio Volcano National Park Rio Celeste is about 1.

Ticketed attractions around Arenal Most visitors book two or three paid attractions in La Fortuna, and prices vary a lot from one to the next. The figures below are rounded, in US dollars, and meant as a guide. Many parks add 13 percent IVA, so confirm the final total with the operator. Canyoning with Pure Trek Pure Trek runs waterfall canyoning in a private rainforest canyon. The standard trip costs about $103, takes around 4 hours and includes 4 rappels: three waterfalls and one rock wall, plus a rock climb and a “monkey drop”.

La Fortuna at the foot of Arenal La Fortuna sits in San Carlos canton, Alajuela, at the foot of Arenal volcano (about 1,633 m), with Lake Arenal, a reservoir, to the west. The town is compact, and every activity below is a short drive or taxi ride away. Prices here are in US dollars, which are accepted widely alongside colones (about CRC 450 to $1), and cards work almost everywhere.