La Fortuna, Costa Rica: The Lucky Tourist Town by Arenal Volcano

La Fortuna, Costa Rica is a small town in the Northern Highlands, full of fantastic outdoor adventures, beautiful scenery, natural hot springs, charming hotels and stunning volcano and rainforest views.

For these reasons, La Fortuna is one of the best destinations in Costa Rica for first time visitors, families, couples, budget travelers and even repeat visitors.

If you are visiting La Fortuna, here is our guide to help you plan your visit to this adventure capital of Costa Rica.

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La Fortuna Know Before You Go

• Location: In the Alajuela province.
• Distance from international airport: ~3 hours from Guanacaste Airport (Liberia Airport) and San Jose International Airport by car
• How to get there: Direct public bus from San Jose, domestic flight from San Jose Domestic Terminal, private or shared shuttle, driving or a taxi-boat-taxi from Monteverde. Also can arrive as an interconnection from a Pacuare whitewater rafting tour from San Jose or Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean coast.
• Airport: La Fortuna has its own domestic airport, 10 minutes outside downtown
• 4×4 Required? No.
• Main attractions: La Fortuna waterfall, Arenal Volcano National Park, Arenal Hanging Bridges, Lake Arenal, hot springs, free swimming holes
• Best things to do: Hiking, ziplining, waterfall rappelling, safari floats, cooking classes, chocolate tours and bird watching
• Weather: Hot and humid all year long (average 70-85° F or 21° to 29° C). As tropical rainforest, it can rain any time of the year, even during the dry season months (December through April). Rainy season is May through November.
• Safe destination in Costa Rica, especially for families, female travelers and solo travelers.

Things to Do in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna is an excellent home base to explore the surrounding natural attractions of the Arenal area.

Not only is it an adventure destination, but it’s a popular wellness destination.

Here are some of our recommended activities in La Fortuna.

We offer a small discount for La Fortuna tours, check it out in the link!

Traveling with your family? Check out our post Things to Do in La Fortuna with Kids or our specific La Fortuna 3 days itinerary which also works for 2 and 4 days.

Canyoning

Canyoning is one of our favorite adventures in this area. It’s so much fun to rappel down waterfalls in the lush rainforest!

This activity is perfect for adventurous families as the minimum age is 5. Read about canyoning in Arenal and get our La Fortuna canyoning discount!

Craving even more canyoning adventure? Check out Rainforest Falls, a tour that combines cliff jumping, canyoning and swimming in a pristine river in a rural mountain.

Hanging bridges hike

There is a very nice private reserve called Mistico Hanging Bridges near Lake Arenal that has several hanging bridges.

The bridges let you get high in the rain forest canopy for beautiful views and better wildlife watching opportunities.

La Fortuna waterfall

This emerald green waterfall is only 15 minutes from downtown and you can swim in the refreshing water.

Read our guide to visiting La Fortuna waterfall here. You can also visit El Salto, which is the free local spot downriver of the Fortuna River.

Hot springs

A visit to one of the hot springs in La Fortuna is a must! The naturally hot Tabacon river supplies water to the many popular hot spring resorts in the Arenal area, making La Fortuna a top wellness destination.

Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa is one of the most popular hot springs. Other nice options are the Springs Resort & Spa, Baldi Hot Springs Hotel, Ecotermales and Paradise.

If you’re on a budget, head to the free natural river El Choyin or one of the cheap hot springs called Termalitas (~4000 CRC entrance fee or around $8 USD per person).

If budget is no concern, The Springs Resort has one of the best hot springs resorts in La Fortuna.

We offer a $5 USD discount for The Springs 2 day hot springs pass and the day pass is good for two consecutive days.

Sloth Walk

The Arenal area is home to both types of sloths found in Costa Rica. I have seen sloths many times in La Fortuna, many times in hotel properties. Read reviews to see what past guests say about the wildlife on the property.

If you’re staying at a hostel or hotel that isn’t surrounded by rainforest and want to see a sloth, you can book a full La Fortuna sloth tour with transportation and birding opportunities included.

Massage/Spa

Thanks to the gorgeous rainforest, impressive Arenal Volcano and naturally hot Tabacon River, La Fortuna is a town for wellness with many spas.

All the high end hotels have their own spas for a luxury indulgence, offering body wraps, facials, massages and bath soaks with beautiful views of the rainforest.

In town, there are small spas offering very reasonably priced services.

You can find promotions like a 1 hour massage + mini facial for $35 USD per person or $35-40 USD per hour for a relaxing massage.

We really like Hope and Asiel Spa, they offer very affordable rates in downtown La Fortuna (walk ins accepted).

For guys, The Shop – Barber Studio is a great locally owned barber shop with very reasonable prices. Get a haircut, a drink and get a facial while chatting with the locals.

Volcano Hike (Arenal Volcano National Park or Private Reserves)

You can hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park or at the several private reserves nearby such as Arenal 1968, Mirador El Silencio or Arenal Observatory Lodge for great views of the Lake Arenal and volcano.

Other amazing activities in La Fortuna are canopy tours, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, a day visit to Tenorio Volcano National Park to see Rio Celeste and chocolate tours.

Read our other top picks for things to do in Fortuna and get our tours discount here!

Our recommendation: Rio Celeste is one of the best day trips from Fortuna that you can’t miss!

La Fortuna Resorts and Hotels

There are tons of places to stay in the La Fortuna area and Arenal Volcano area at every single price point. You can find cheap hostels from $20 USD a night per bed in a dorm to $850 USD a night luxury resort.

For lodging right in town, it is generally cheaper, ideal for budget travelers. There are a lot of hostel options.

Te closer you are to the volcano, the more high end the hotels become as those ones are more immersed in nature with amazing views.

Here are some recommended places to stay and you can read more details in our where to stay in La Fortuna post.

Best hotels on a budget (all in La Fortuna town)

• Hotel Las Colinas: Charming family run hotel conveniently located in downtown.
• Pura Vibra Hostel: Small cozy hostel located just 5 minute walk from downtown in a dead end street so quiet atmosphere. Dorm rooms.
• Xilopalo: Hotel in walking distance to town with a small pool, restaurant and game rooms. Nothing fancy but has AC and friendly staff.
• Arenal Poshpaker: A hostel right in town with a pool
• La Choza Inn and Hostel: Dorms and private rooms. Good hostel atmosphere. They offer their own shuttle pass to several attractions.

Mid to high range/luxury

• Hotel Magic Mountain – Great breakfast, nice pool area and comfortable/spacious rooms. About a 3 minute drive to town center.
• La Fortuna Lodge: 5 minute walk to town center but in a quiet local neighborhood. Comfy beds, rooms have a balcony. Adults only.
• Arenal History Inn: Mid range hotel with individual bungalows and a pool, close to town center.
• Volcano Lodge and Springs: Cozy and comfortable hotel with their own hot spring pools
• Arenal Kioro: Luxury hotel with spa, pool, exclusive hot springs and restaurant. One of the closest hotels to the volcano.
• Hotel Montana de Fuego: Hotel with villas and bungalows with their own on-site hot springs, restaurant and hiking trails
• Arenal Observatory Lodge – The closest to the volcano. Huge property with tons of trail, hanging bridges and waterfalls. Great rainforest lodge for birders and hikers. Near the national park, about 20 minutes from downtown.
• Royal Corin: Luxury hotel with their own hot springs and pools. Adults only.
• Nayara Springs: Ultra luxury rainforest adult only rainforest resort. Each bungalow has their own private plunge pool!
• Nayara Gardens Hotel: Beautiful family rainforest resort.They also have the Nayara Tent Camps for glamping.
• Los Lagos Hotel: Spacious rooms, on-site restaurants and their own hot springs. They have a special view point of Arenal Volcano on their property.
• Tabacon: A very well known luxury rainforest resort with beautifully appointed rooms.
• Amor Arenal: A luxury adults only (13 and up) with a spa, restaurant, gym, gorgeous rooms and a close view of Arenal Volcano. Highly recommended for couples!
• The Springs Resort & Spa: Luxury family friendly hotel with on-site restaurants, their own outdoor adventure center, animal sanctuary, two separate hot springs sections and beautiful rooms with a stunning volcano view.

There are also many Airbnbs and VRBO’s in the Arenal area. Tons of options to rent an apartment, studio or fully furnished houses.

Recommended La Fortuna, Costa Rica Restaurants

• El Coloso Arenal: Cheap local food. Big portions.
• Soda 5 Tejas: Cheap local food, pick and choose style. Tastes like our mom’s home cooked food.
• Travesia: A Costa Rican restaurant focused on elevated local dishes and relaxing atmosphere. Make a reservation. The lava cake is delicious! We love their fish, risotto and chicken cordon bleu.
• Rainforest cafe: Across from Hotel Las Colinas, delicious empanadas, cake and coffee.
• Snappers Marisqueria: Great place for seafood.
• Marisqueria Del Carajo: Very reasonably priced and good seafood restaurant
• La Parada Restaurante and Pizzeria: Right in downtown, good local food and decent pizza
• Cafe Perro Barista: Nice little cafe with really good coffee, pastries and sandwiches. Dog friendly
• Don Rufino: Great place for steak and seafood and a nice dinner out.
• La Casa de la Hormiga soda: Cheap local restaurant, we like their breakfast.
• Chocolate Fusion: Cute cafe and bakery with coffee, chocolate, ice cream and pastries.
• Piura: Very good Peruvian restaurant. Great place for meat, seafood, ceviche, etc.
• Restaurante Pollos Fortuenos: Delicious chicken, burgers, nachos and sandwiches.
• Mercadito Arenal: Nice food court with pizza, tacos, burgers, sushi and a bar. The burger place, La Canalla is super good.
• Soda Viquez: Another decent local restaurant next to Rainforest Cafe.
• Spectacolar Cantina: Mexican food and beer, fun atmosphere. Roadside in town.
• Soda Garra-Pata: Great place for barbecue and steak, a local favorite and one of ours for meat and traditional Costa Rican casados.
• Organico Fortuna: Vegetarian and vegan food. Great coffee, smoothies, desserts and fresh breakfasts
• Soda Nene: A well known place for local food. Awesome ceviche and coconut flan.
• Fortuna Pub: Enjoy craft beer with delicious bar food and fun games. Also has vegetarian options.

La Fortuna Town

La Fortuna is a cute Costa Rican town.

It used to primarily be a farming community but thanks to its proximity to many natural attractions including the active Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal and La Fortuna waterfall, it became the main tourism hub of the Arenal area after the 1968 eruption.

From wherever you are in La Fortuna, you can get a view of Arenal Volcano. La Fortuna downtown is one of our favorite local parks in Costa Rica because of how picturesque it is.

When the volcano is clear, it is truly an impressive sight to see!

Although Fortuna is a popular tourist destination, you still get a good local vibe.

One interesting fact about this town is that majority of the businesses are owned by local Costa Ricans which is a rare occurrence in the touristic areas of Costa Rica.

As one of the more popular destinations in Costa Rica, the months of December – April are extremely busy. You will need to pre-book your tours and hotels for these dates.

May, June, September, October and November are in the low season with less tourists.

July and August are busy months. Not as busy as December through April, but not as quiet as September or October.

Video of the Town

Here is a walking video of downtown (no editing, ambient sound at night).

Location of La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna is located in the Alajuela province, 140 (87 miles) kilometers from Juan Santamaria (San Jose) International Airport and 143 kilometers (89.1 miles) from Guanacaste Airport.

How to Get to La Fortuna

By public bus

There is a direct bus from San Jose to La Fortuna at 8:40 AM from Terminal Atlantico Norte in downtown San Jose.

If you can’t make the direct bus, you can take a bus from San Jose – San Ramon – La Fortuna or San Jose – Ciudad Quesada – La Fortuna.

From Guanacaste (like Tamarindo, Flamingo, Playas del Coco), you need to get to Liberia first. Then take the bus to Canas (one every thirty minutes from 8:30 AM to 3PM), then to Tilaran (one every hour from 5AM to 10AM, 11:30AM, 13:00,15:30 and 17:00) and then to Fortuna (one at 7 AM and 12:30PM).

By shuttle

You can book a private shuttle to La Fortuna from San Jose and Liberia for around $220 USD one way.

Want to book a private transfer? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help you schedule yours!

Shared shuttles from San Jose and Liberia to La Fortuna are available. Normally two schedules a day (1 AM and 1 PM). Get 10% off your Interbus shared shuttle here!

Air

La Fortuna has its own local airport just 5 minutes away from town. A domestic flight with Sansa Air is around 20 minutes from San Jose and costs around $110 USD one way.

Driving

Driving to Fortuna from Liberia and San Jose takes around 3.5 hours one way in a rental car. You can read about the Guanacaste to Arenal drive and the driving San Jose to Arenal in these posts.

If you’re coming from Guanacaste, it is possible to stop by Rio Celeste on the way to see the sky blue river, the driving time is a little bit longer, like 30 minutes total.

Make sure to take advantage of our Costa Rica car rental discount and read our driving in Costa Rica tips here!

Boat

If you are coming from Monteverde, you can take the taxi-boat-taxi across Lake Arenal. Costs approximately $50 USD per person.

Adventure transfers

You can also take a white water rafting trip as an interconnection.

Some rafting companies offers the one day white water rafting Pacuare tours where they can pick up in either San Jose or Puerto Viejo and drop off in La Fortuna (get $5 off this tour here).

They can also go vice versa to pick up in La Fortuna and drop off in San Jose/Puerto Viejo.

Driving from Guanacaste to La Fortuna (from Tamarindo/Playas del Coco) Video

We made a video of us driving from Tamarindo to La Fortuna including places to stop for food, coffee, drinks and bathroom.

Check our full blog post here for details: Driving from Guanacaste to La Fortuna.

How to Get Around La Fortuna, Costa Rica

You can easily walk around La Fortuna downtown. The main bus station is in downtown next to the Mega Super in the big plaza.

However, unless you are staying in downtown La Fortuna, renting a car is the best way to access all the attractions of the Arenal area on your own schedule, since they are all spread out.

Unfortunately, there aren’t direct buses or shuttles to the attractions like the hanging bridges park, the waterfall or national park.

You can find plenty of red taxis in La Fortuna. Estimated prices are from town center to Fortuna waterfall, at least $15 USD one way and at least $20 USD to the national park one way.

There is Uber in La Fortuna and you can find Ubers in downtown La Fortuna. From downtown to La Fortuna Waterfall, a taxi/Uber costs around $4 USD per way. To the Mistico Hanging Bridges park, it’s around $35 USD one way.

Very cost efficient way to get around and super cheap, but there are limited Ubers so you may not be able to get one or it may take awhile to call one.

Also remember you need data on your phone to call an Uber and some places like the national park do not have any service or Wifi.

Renting a Car

If you have a rental car, there is plenty of street parking in the town center.

There is also a secure public parking lot right in town as well that costs 700 CRC per hour (~$1.40 USD).

There is a gas station in town, a couple blocks from the park. Get our Costa Rica car rental discount here!

You can also rent scooters, there are rentals for ~$45 USD per 24 hours by Hotel Regina.

IMPORTANT. If you are driving around La Fortuna town center where the park is, the road suddenly turns into a one way at the corner of Ruta 702 and Route 142.

There are two signs that says “NO HAY PASO” with an X over the arrow. Do not drive down this road as it is a one way.

La Fortuna Weather

The weather experiences typical dry and rainy tropical seasons. During dry season (December to April), the temperature is around low 80s° F (26° C) during the day and cools off at night to a comfortable 70° F (21° C).

Since it is the tropical rainforest, this area is very humid and it can rain anytime of the year, even during the dry season.

Although January is technically the start of the dry season, the first few weeks tends to rain quite a bit.

During rainy season (May through November), the temperature stays in the high 70s° F and low 80s° F (25°-28° C). This area rains a fair amount in rainy season, receiving about 15 feet (4.5 meters) a year.

The typical day in rainy season will be sunny in the morning, off and on rains during the day and rainy at night/evening.

The rainiest months are September and October in the Arenal Volcano area and La Fortuna.

What to Pack for La Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna is hot and humid all year round.

Whether you’re visiting for one night or a few days, you have to bring a lightweight rain jacket, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, fitness/workout clothes (dry fast, lightweight, moisture wicking, odor resistant) and a hat.

Shoes: We recommend a good pair of running/walking shoes if you are hiking and water shoes or closed toed hiking sandals if you are going to go rafting/tubing/water activities. Should have completely closed shoes.

If you forgot water shoes or don’t have any, you can buy water shoes from most of the souvenir stores and also the supermarkets like Super Christian. They cost around $8-18 USD.

If you’re visiting in rainy season, you will also need a waterproof backpack or rain cover. Read our guide to packing for rainy season in Costa Rica to be prepared. You can also check our Costa Rica packing list for more tips.

Shopping

There are several souvenir stores in town such as Green Forest Souvenir, Cianikal Galeria, Souvenir Leo, Wood & Art Gallery, Mercado Artesania and the Galeria Estudio Art.

I like the store Bambamboo for eco-friendly clothing. Galeria Estudio Art has very pretty glass pieces made by a Costa Rican glass blower, Erick Araya.

You can get pre-paid SIM cards at the Kolbi office or the Tecnocell store.

Supermarkets

There is a fruit and veggie stand called Sarchisenos and there are several supermarkets called Super Christian #1 and #2.

There are also big and small supermarkets, such as Mega Super, Super Market Arenal, Maxi Pali and a Super Rovi for supermarket needs including produce, meat, toiletries and other basics.

Read more about grocery shopping in Costa Rica.

Banks

There are plenty of banks with 24 hour ATMs. There is a Bac San Jose and Banco Nacional by the gas station.

Laundry

Two places called Tuanis and Burbajas in downtown.

Sample La Fortuna Itineraries

We recommend to spend at least 3 nights in La Fortuna so you can have 2 full days to enjoy the area. Here are some sample itineraries for your full days.

Remember, you can perfectly visit La Fortuna without a car and book tours with roundtrip transportation to maximize your time there.

Nature and wildlife lovers

Day 1: Full day of hiking and wildlife at the Arenal Hanging bridges, La Fortuna waterfall and Arenal Volcano National Park hike to see the highlights of the area. Then hot springs at night. Best done as a tour or you can go on your own if you have a car.

Day 2: Do a sloth walk tour in the morning and safari float in the afternoon.

Adventure

Day 1: Canopy tour in the morning and whitewater rafting Class iii rapids for a full day of adventure. (If you do not want to zipline, do a full day whitewater rafting Class iv rapids instead).

Day 2: Stand up paddle board at Lake Arenal in the morning. Afternoon relax and go to the natural hot springs in the evening. If you want to see animals, take a night walk.

Family Activities

Day 1: Go ziplining in the morning and then spend the rest of the afternoon/evening at the Springs hot springs. They offer a 2 day pass and they have a waterslide in the pool section, super fun for kids.

If you’re staying a hotel with their own hot springs, omit The Springs and go horseback riding or visit Proyecto Asis to volunteer or tour their animal sanctuary.

Day 2: Go for a safari float in the morning to see wildlife. Then visit the Springs hot springs again that afternoon for the rest of the day for more relaxation and hot spring fun.

*If you are already staying a hotel with their own hot springs, then omit The Springs and pick another activity like chocolate tour or cooking class or a night walk.*

Why We Love Fortuna, Costa Rica

La Fortuna has the perfect balance of touristic and local.

With reasonably priced restaurants, souvenir stores, hotels and hostels, visitors will have everything they need within walking distance.

La Fortuna is one of our favorite places in all of Costa Rica. Anyone can find something they will love about Fortuna!

There is so much to do and see and you get a wonderful experience of the lush rainforests, volcano and pura vida lifestyle of the Costa Ricans.

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