What To Do in La Fortuna in 48 Hours

With only two days to spare in La Fortuna during our road trip around Costa Rica, we found ourselves overwhelmed by the number of things to do available for visitors.

La Fortuna is the city that sits beneath the now dormant Volcán Arenal.  This volcano looks beautiful from the city down below and is one of the top reasons people visit this area.

La Fortuna also offers many adventures such as water rafting, hiking a volcano, waterfall and suspension bridge tours, ATV rentals, and much more.  There is always something to do!  Here I share how we enjoyed La Fortuna in 48 hours.  That’s two full days of fun!

What To Do in La Fortuna in 48 Hours

Day 1: Full Tour

Cerro Chato

To take advantage of our short stay in La Fortuna, we decided to do the Two Volcanoes Tour.  It is a complete packaged tour that your hotel can arrange.  It starts with a strenuous rain forest hike to the top of Cerro Chato (Chato Hill), where you will have access to swimming in a beautiful turquoise lagoon in the crater of the volcano.  How awesome is that!?

The hike is not easy at all.  On the contrary, it’s a strenuous hike that made me feel like I was going to quit, faint, or throw up!  Luckily, none of those happened. Arriving at the top of Cerro Chato was a rewarding experience.  There is a fantastic view of the forest canopy and the crater lagoon.  In addition, you can run into wildlife, such as snakes, birds, centipedes, and monkeys.

Suspension Bridges and Waterfalls

Following the success of making it to the lagoon inside the crater, we climbed back out of the crater.  You will need some good hiking shoes and have a good hand grip because you will be pulling yourself up by holding on to branches, stretching your feet high up and latching on to rocks, and possibly being helped by others.

Just make sure you look out for snakes before placing your hands and feet anywhere.  We saw two snakes and some centipedes on our path.

Once we made it out of Cerro Chato, we headed towards the Arenal Observatory and crossed two suspension bridges on our way there.  These are pretty cool to walk on, and you’ll want to snap some pictures on these hanging bridges.

After walking more, we eventually came across a beautiful waterfall.

Observatory Lodge and Arenal Volcano

The next stop is the Observatory Lodge, where we passed beautiful flora and wildlife, such as the frog pond.  Our guide allowed us to snap some close-up pictures of a bright green frog.  Finally, the Arenal Observatory offers a beautiful view of Volcan Arenal. Unfortunately, the fog and clouds obstructed our view of the volcano, but thankfully it semi-cleared off for a bit, and we were able to enjoy a marvelous view.

While at the observatory, we were excited to see spider monkeys crawling high above the trees located at the observatory.  Just before leaving, we got hit by a storm that got us completely soaked!  Not a surprise since we did visit during the rainy season.  However, this didn’t ruin our tour.  Instead, we laughed about it.

Natural Hot Springs

The final stop at night was a natural hot spring river where we relaxed after a long day of hiking.  However, there was a lot of rain, and after five minutes, we had to leave. Those five minutes of warm water were needed.  Our muscles rested from the difficult hike.

Lastly, the tour ends with a cocktail prepared by the tour guide and then you get dropped off at your hotel.

What to bring:

• Good walking/hiking shoes are a must.
• Long pants (to prevent scratches)
• Bring a swimsuit underneath
• small backpack with snacks and water.

The tour will provide a decent lunch that includes a ham sandwich, granola bars, chocolates, a drink, and a container filled with fruits.

When to go:

• The high season is the best time because there are fewer chances of rain. However, we visited during the green season (rainy season), and we still enjoyed it despite the storm that hit us while there.  The rain only made our adventure more memorable.

What you’ll see:

• Wildlife such as frogs, monkeys, exotic birds, two volcanoes, a crater lagoon, hot spring waters, suspension bridges, a waterfall, and many trees.

Warning: We chose a strenuous hike and realized being fit would have helped. You will be climbing rocks, walking through mud, possibly getting rained on, walking at a steep incline, walking for hours, and maybe slipping once or twice.  We didn’t fall, but later we found a few bruises and scratches on our bodies.

Some people did trip and fall. Our guide told us sometimes people quit on the first incline of Cerro Chato. So, if you don’t feel prepared for it, consider doing a more leisurely hike.

Personally, at the time I went, I wasn’t fit and I had a hard time hiking it.

Price: $70, but we paid $50 each during low season (after bartering)

Time: 10:00 AM to 8PM (10hrs)

Nightime: Walk the town and find a place to dine and possibly grab a drink.

Day 2: La Fortuna town, Hot Springs, and La Fortuna Waterfall

We started the day with a good breakfast and then spent some time walking the town of La Fortuna.

After enjoying the town a bit, we headed to a hot spring on our own.

Free Hot Spring:

The next day we woke up sore, but ready to explore. We decided to look for a natural hot spring to relax our muscles.  So, we returned to the hot spring from the day before.

It’s across Hotel Tabacon, so we parked our car there.  Then we found the trail that leads to the river/ hot spring.  Mainly, we found locals enjoying this place.  Tours don’t arrive until after the hike.

At the luxurious hotel across, vacationers are paying large amounts of money to have a hot spring inside.  I don’t know about you, but not paying a lot for hot spring feels pretty darn good.

Price: free

Location: It’s across the Tabacon Resort. Park on the street, go past the yellow poles, and follow the paved road that leads down to the river.

What to take: A bathing suit, clothes to change into, towel, water.

La Fortuna Waterfall:

Though we didn’t stop at La Fortuna Waterfall because we decided to leave a few hours early that evening, we recommend it because there is enough time to make a stop there on a second day.

Those who enjoy adventurous activities can swim in the chilly waters of La Fortuna Waterfall.  Visitors can arrive on foot or horseback through a pastured trail and rain forest.  You can even spot monkeys, toucans, and other wildlife.  The hike down the stairs to the waterfall takes 15 minutes, but to arrive by horse, it can take up to an hour as it takes a different trail.

Fee: $8

Location: Just outside the town of La Fortuna

Where to Stay in La Fortuna:

Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort

If you’re looking for a more luxurious stay in La Fortuna, Tabacon  Grand Spa gives you that experience.  Rainforest views and hot springs surround it.

Cabins:

Staying in a cabin is a great way to save money in Costa Rica.  They have just the basics of a bed, towels, shower, and t.v.  They are similar to a lodge or a motel.  One option in La Fortuna is Cabina Las Palmas.

Hostels 

La Fortuna has many options for those traveling solo or on a budget.  As we explored the town of La Fortuna, we passed by some hostels conveniently located and nicely maintained.  They seemed like great spots to meet new people. Two we came across with excellent ratings are Arenal Backpackers Resort and the Arenal Hostel Resort.

There you have it! A two-day adventure in La Fortuna is something you will enjoy if you visit Costa Rica.  Although 48 hours is enough time to enjoy, I recommend spending three or four days if you can.  There are many things to do around the area and two days wasn’t enough for all the fun it offers!