La Fortuna is where the Arenal Volcano is located. This is a very popular tourist location in Costa Rica and accessible from multiple destinations. There is something for everyone here whether you want to live it up lavishly at a high-end resort with hot springs or check out sloths and waterfalls. There are activities and lodging in a variety of price points making this a location within reach for most travelers. I highly recommend combing through Airbnb for local stays that are often a fraction of the price of other sites. There are multiple hostels in the area as well for those that are looking for that style of lodging.

One nice thing about the layout of this city is that the main drag has a lot packed into it, making it very walkable in those areas. While researching my 2024 trip, I decided that I was going to treat myself to a multi-course tasting meal at Don Rufino which was phenomenal! Everything about the food from the plating to the freshness of the local ingredients was on point. The weaving of native cuisine and stories throughout the tasting made the experience top-notch and very memorable.

I followed the amazing dinner with a much needed massage - after plane hoping between 3 countries and being on the road and boats to get to remote locations for the prior 5+ days, my arrival to La Fortuna was all about pampering myself (to the extent that I could afford).

During this trip I selected to stay at an Airbnb location ~10 minutes outside of the main drag which was nice. The Agua Azul neighborhood is conveniently located off the main road tuck behind it to keep it quiet but still relatively close to everything.

This worked out for me since I had a rental car. If you are replying on public transit or other means of transport, I would recommend finding lodging that is more centrally located or nearby to the activity you are planning to engage in so you maximize you experience without spending too much of your stay trying to get around. I spent ~2 1/2 days in the area and packed my schedule with tons of activities, because that’s how I roll, but I know many other people who have visited the area and prefer to stay longer. At the end of the day so much of that comes down to how much time you have, what your budget looks like and what types of activities you enjoy. Make the trip work for you! Even if you only get 1 solid day in La Fortuna on your trip to Costa Rica, it’s worth it.

I have included some of the activities I did while in the Arenal area below. I linked them either to the Viator event or another website in case you want to use the same tour company/activity provider. I’ve also add post links for my experience with these activities next to each for additional reflection.

Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour
Costa Rican Cooking class at El Fogan de Chela
Birdwatching Tour around Arenal Oasis
North Fields Café: Craft Specialty Coffee & Chocolate Tour
Sarapiqua River White Water Rafting (Class 3/4)
An evening at Ecotermales Fortuna Hot Springs
La Fortuna Waterfall
Rio Celeste Horseback Riding Tour (this was ~1 1/2 hours one-way from La Fortuna, but absolutely worth it)

Arenal Volcano and Lake are also great to check out. Depending on the time of year the view of the volcano from La Fortuna changes. To be honest it can even change within the hour (or less lol). If you have clear visibility while you are there, take the photo because you might not get it again while you are in the area. The lake has a bunch of activities for those that like water activities. Additionally, if you are planning to go between La Fortuna and Monteverde and you are not driving, there is a service called Jeep-Boat-Jeep which is essentially what it sounds like, although most companies no longer use Jeeps, they use travel vans to fit more people and luggage. This can be a nice option to see the scenery by crossing Arenal Lake by boat and having transport on both sides take you between your lodging on each end.