Rainforest, lush green, and a volcano that today watches quietly over it all: around La Fortuna, you experience the vegetation of Costa Rica at full intensity.
The following four excursions show you the region from different angles — sometimes active, sometimes laid-back, but always memorable.
Things to Do and Where to Stay in La Fortuna
Arenal 1968 Volcano: Hiking Between Lava and Rainforest
The further you drive inland from the Pacific coast, the more often it appears on the horizon: Arenal Volcano. Perfectly cone-shaped. Almost too perfect.
And then it disappears into the clouds again.
For a long time, Arenal was one of the most active volcanoes in the country. Since its last eruption in 2010, however, it has been dormant.
We lace up our shoes and dive into the volcano’s landscape at Arenal 1968 Park.
The trails lead across cooled lava fields from the 1968 eruption and through dense tropical rainforest. The scenery shifts constantly — open and barren, then shaded and lush. It’s exactly this back-and-forth that makes the hike fascinating.
And then there’s the volcano itself. It doesn’t appear on command. It wraps itself in clouds, vanishes, makes you wait. For Katja, this excursion is still one of the most memorable of the entire trip.
Tickets: Book online in advance via arenal1968.com for around USD 28 (as of March 2026). Parking is available and the fee is included in the ticket.
Plan for 2–3 hours, depending on which trail you choose: there are loop hikes of varying lengths. All of them swing back to the parking lot via the on-site restaurant.
We recommend starting early for better visibility and fewer crowds.
Sturdy footwear is a must because of the uneven lava fields. You don’t want to twist an ankle out here.
Mistico Park Costa Rica: The Rainforest from Above
Mistico Park offers a completely different kind of nature experience: 16 bridges through the rainforest, 6 of them suspension bridges. The highest sits 55 meters up, the longest stretches 97 meters.
You’re no longer walking through the forest — you’re floating above it.
The view of Arenal Volcano from up there is one of the more spectacular angles around La Fortuna. And on the bridges themselves, you quickly notice how quiet you become when there’s nothing but treetops below you — and the bridge sways a little.
If you’re afraid of heights: the bridges have safety nets along the sides. The first few seconds take some courage, then you get used to it.
Tickets: Book online via misticopark.com. Admission is USD 32 for the self-guided tour (as of March 2026).
Start early, wear sturdy shoes (they won’t let you in without proper footwear), optionally book a guide for more background knowledge.
La Fortuna Waterfall: 500 Steps and a Plunge into Cold Water
The La Fortuna Waterfall plunges 70 meters into an emerald-green pool. Famous, yes. But that takes nothing away from the dramatic scenery.
The trail starts with a small announcement: around 500 steps down!
The descent is steep but unspectacular — and the arrival at the foot of the waterfall is all the more overwhelming for it. The pool invites you in for a swim, and after the descent, the cool-off is absolutely earned.
What you shouldn’t forget: those 500 steps go back up too. So pace your energy accordingly.
Coming early pays off twice over: fewer people at the waterfall, and better chances of spotting toucans or monkeys in the surrounding rainforest.
Tickets: Book online via cataratalafortuna.com, cost: USD 20 (as of March 2026). Bring non-slip shoes and your swimwear.
Don Juan Tour: Coffee, Chocolate, and a Lasting Impression
Granted: a coffee and chocolate tour sounds like the classic tourist program.
It isn’t, though. As a coffee and chocolate lover, this tour was a “must” for me.
The Don Juan Tour in La Fortuna shows you in around two hours how coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane are made — from plant to finished product.
Since this tour, I drink my coffee more consciously: did you know that coffee is grown in countries like Costa Rica, Brazil, or Vietnam, but is mostly consumed in Europe? Switzerland especially?
And you make your own chocolate on this tour, too. Although getting your mixture to actually taste good — well, that takes some practice.
We can warmly recommend this tour. It’s also ideal if it happens to rain. And along the way, you’ll spot plenty of wildlife on the loop trail — toucans, sometimes even a sloth.
Bookable via GetYourGuide or directly with Don Juan.
Cost: around USD 50 (as of March 2026).
Where to Stay: Nayara Gardens Hotel
La Fortuna has some lovely hotels. We treat ourselves to a stay at the Nayara Gardens.
The property feels more like a botanical garden than a hotel.
Small paths wind between tropical plants to pools, restaurants, and private bungalows. Water trickles everywhere, and you constantly hear birds or frogs.
For dinner, we recommend the hotel restaurant Amor Loco and its multi-course tasting menu. It will stay with you for a long time…
More great hotel picks in La Fortuna:
Wrap-Up: La Fortuna Belongs on Every Costa Rica Itinerary
La Fortuna packs more memorable experiences into a small area than any other stop on our road trip.
Lava fields, suspension bridges, a waterfall with a natural pool, a coffee tour, and behind it all this volcano that doesn’t always show itself — but when it does, it’s unforgettable.
If you’ve got four days in La Fortuna, you don’t need to wonder what to do with them. The harder question is what to leave out.
La Fortuna itself is functional: a small town that knows tourists aren’t here for it, but for everything that happens around it.
La Fortuna is stage 3 of our Costa Rica road trip — between the Pacific coast and the cloud forest of Monteverde.
