There is a reason Arenal tops almost every Costa Rica itinerary. The near-perfect volcano cone towers over the easy-going town of La Fortuna, and around it sits one of the densest concentrations of adventure in the country: waterfalls, natural hot springs, rainforest wildlife, hanging bridges and white-water rivers. Narrowing down the best things to do in Arenal is the only hard part.
As Costa Rica residents, we have made the trip up to La Fortuna more times than we can count. The 16 picks below are the ones worth your time and money, with a map, honest tips and how to get there. Whether you want a relaxed soak-and-stroll or a full adrenaline week, here is everything to do in Arenal, plus where to stay, where to eat, and how many days you really need.
Key Takeaways
- Arenal is Costa Rica’s adventure hub. The volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, hot springs, hanging bridges and a long list of tours all sit within easy reach of one town.
- You cannot see lava anymore. Arenal has been dormant since 2010, so it is now about the iconic cone, the rainforest and the activities, not eruptions.
- Two to three days is the sweet spot. Enough for the volcano, the waterfall and a couple of adventures without rushing.
- There is something for every budget. Free hot-spring rivers and national-park trails sit alongside luxury resort springs and guided tours.
- The dry season is clearest. December to April gives the best volcano views, but this is rainforest, so pack for rain any time of year.
Arenal at a Glance
Here is the quick snapshot before the detail.
Arenal at a Glance
| Where | La Fortuna, north-central Costa Rica |
| Known for | Arenal Volcano, hot springs, La Fortuna Waterfall, adventure tours |
| Best time to visit | Dry season December to April (clearest views) |
| How long to stay | 2 to 3 days |
| Getting there | About 3 hours from San Jose; easiest by car |
| Base town | La Fortuna (walkable, full of restaurants and tour desks) |
| Free highlights | The Tabacon hot-spring river, national-park trails |
About Arenal and La Fortuna
Arenal Volcano sits inside Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica’s northern lowlands, rising 1,633 metres in an almost perfect cone. It was one of the world’s most active volcanoes from 1968 until it went quiet in 2010, and today it is dormant, so there is no visible lava, just the iconic silhouette, often wrapped in cloud, and the rainforest and lake at its feet.
The gateway town is La Fortuna, a relaxed, walkable hub packed with restaurants, tour operators and hotels. Once a quiet farming village, it reinvented itself around volcano tourism, and today its compact grid of streets is where you will book tours, eat, and base yourself between adventures. Almost everything in this guide is within a short drive of town, which is what makes Arenal so easy to do without a tight plan. To help you get oriented, here is a map of La Fortuna and the Arenal area showing where the main attractions sit.
How to Get to Arenal
Arenal is about a three-hour drive northwest of San Jose, and the journey is straightforward on paved roads. The two practical options are driving yourself or taking a shared shuttle.
By Car
A rental car is the most flexible way to do Arenal, letting you reach the trailheads, hot springs and viewpoints on your own schedule. We use Vamos for rentals in Costa Rica because their quoted rate includes the mandatory local insurance, and the Vamos rates are transparent. For the full breakdown, see the guides to renting a car in Costa Rica and the local Costa Rica driving tips.
By Shuttle
If you would rather not drive, shared shuttles connect La Fortuna directly with San Jose, Monteverde, Tamarindo and the main beach towns. They are comfortable, air-conditioned and easy to book. The famous jeep-boat-jeep transfer across Lake Arenal between La Fortuna and Monteverde is faster and far more scenic than the long road around.
By Public Bus or Air
Public buses run from San Jose’s Terminal 7-10 to La Fortuna a few times a day for a few dollars, the budget option if you have time. There are also short domestic flights to nearby La Fortuna airport for those who want to skip the drive entirely.
Best Time to Visit Arenal
Arenal is a year-round destination, but the weather shapes the experience. The dry season (December to April) brings the clearest skies and the best chance of seeing the volcano cone unwrapped from cloud, along with the easiest trail conditions. It is also the busiest and priciest time, especially around the December and Easter holidays.
The green season (May to November) is lush, quieter and cheaper, with sunny mornings and afternoon rain the usual pattern. One honest truth about Arenal: it is rainforest, so the volcano hides in cloud on plenty of days no matter the season. For the month-by-month picture, see the best time to go to Costa Rica guide.
16 Best Things to Do in Arenal
From the volcano trails to hot springs and a long menu of adventure tours, here are the 16 best things to do in Arenal and La Fortuna, with a quick comparison table first and the detail below.
| Thing to Do | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Arenal Volcano National Park | Hiking | The iconic volcano and lava trails |
| White water rafting | Adventure | Adrenaline on the rivers |
| Hot springs | Relaxation | Soaking with a volcano view |
| La Fortuna Waterfall | Nature | A swim under a 70m fall |
| Mistico Hanging Bridges | Nature walk | Rainforest canopy and wildlife |
| Zip lining | Adventure | Flying over the canopy |
| Sloth tour | Wildlife | Guaranteed sloth sightings |
| Rio Celeste day trip | Day trip | The famous turquoise river |
1. Hike Arenal Volcano National Park
The national park is the heart of any Arenal visit. Its trails wind across the old 1992 lava fields and through rainforest to viewpoints of the cone and Lake Arenal, with a real chance of spotting toucans, coatis and monkeys along the way. The trails are well maintained and mostly easy, and there is a modest entry fee of around $15 for foreign visitors, payable at the gate. For context on this and the rest of the country’s parks, see the Costa Rica national parks guide and the official SINAC site.
The most popular route is the combination of the 1968 and Las Coladas trails, which loop across a dramatic old lava flow to a lookout over Lake Arenal and the cone. It is mostly flat and takes a couple of hours at an easy pace. Go early in the morning for the best chance of a cloud-free volcano and the most active wildlife, and bring water and sun protection, as the lava-field sections are exposed.
2. Go White Water Rafting
The rivers around La Fortuna, especially the Rio Balsa, are some of the best in Costa Rica for white-water rafting, with rapids that suit both first-timers and thrill-seekers depending on the section. It is the classic Arenal adrenaline activity, run by experienced guides, and a fun way to see the rainforest from the water. You can book a La Fortuna rafting trip in advance.
Trips are graded by difficulty: the Rio Balsa offers gentle Class 2 to 3 rapids that families and beginners can handle, while the Rio Sarapiqui and Toro run bigger Class 3 to 4 water for experienced rafters. Half-day trips are the norm, with hotel pickup, a riverside snack and a guide in every boat. The green season brings higher water and bigger rapids, so time your trip to the level of thrill you are after.
3. Soak in the Arenal Hot Springs
Arenal sits on volcanically heated groundwater, which feeds the area’s famous hot springs. At the top end, resort complexes like Tabacon and The Springs offer landscaped thermal pools, swim-up bars and spa treatments. For a deeper look at the options across the country, see the Costa Rica hot springs guide, and our take on Baldi Hot Springs covers one of the biggest resorts.
There is a hot spring for every budget. Tabacon is the most natural-feeling, with thermal water running through a landscaped jungle gully; The Springs is a vast multi-pool resort with volcano views; and Baldi is the biggest and liveliest, with slides and swim-up bars. Most resorts sell day passes if you are not staying, often bundled with a meal, and the late-afternoon-into-evening slot is the most atmospheric. If you are travelling cheap, the free Tabacon river delivers the same volcanic water for nothing.
4. Try Water Adventures at Lake Arenal
Lake Arenal, the huge reservoir at the foot of the volcano, is Costa Rica’s largest lake and a hub for water sports. The far end is world-famous for windsurfing and kitesurfing thanks to reliable winds, while closer to La Fortuna you can kayak, stand-up paddleboard or take a sunset boat cruise with the volcano as a backdrop. It is a more relaxed counterpoint to the adventure tours.
5. Visit La Fortuna Waterfall
The La Fortuna Waterfall is one of the most beautiful in the country, a 70-metre ribbon of water plunging into a turquoise pool deep in the rainforest. A steep staircase of around 500 steps leads down to the base, where you can swim in the cool pool or the calmer spots downstream. There is an entrance fee, and going early beats both the crowds and the midday heat. Our full guide to La Fortuna Waterfall covers the practicalities.
The swim is the highlight, but the current right at the base of the fall is strong, so most people swim in the calmer pools just downstream. Bring water shoes for the rocks, a dry bag for your phone, and your swimsuit on under your clothes, as the changing facilities are basic. The whole visit takes one to two hours including the climb back up, which is the real workout.
6. Hike the Arenal 1968 Trail
For the best close-up volcano views and a quieter hike, the privately run Arenal 1968 Trail is the pick. Named for the catastrophic 1968 eruption, its trails cross the old lava flow to a viewpoint over a tranquil lagoon with the cone rising behind, and through regenerating rainforest full of birds. It is well marked, moderately easy, and far less crowded than the national park.
7. Walk the Mistico Hanging Bridges
The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges park is a network of trails and suspension bridges that carry you through and above the rainforest canopy. Walking across the high bridges puts you eye-level with the treetops, a brilliant vantage for spotting birds, sloths and snakes, and the volcano views from the longer bridges are superb. A guided walk turns up far more wildlife than going alone.
The full circuit is around three kilometres with roughly half a dozen hanging bridges, the longest stretching about 100 metres across a ravine, and it takes one to two hours at a gentle pace. It is suitable for most ages and fitness levels, and the early-morning and night tours are the best for wildlife. If you only do one canopy experience in Arenal and prefer calm to adrenaline, this is the one.
8. Go Zip Lining
Arenal is one of the best places in Costa Rica to fly through the rainforest canopy on a zip line, with several operators running long, fast lines and add-ons like rappelling and a “Tarzan swing”. It is a rush and a genuinely good way to see the forest from above. For what to expect, the zip lining in Costa Rica guide covers it, and you can book an Arenal zip line tour ahead of busy days.
9. Go on a Sloth Tour
The rainforest around La Fortuna is prime sloth territory, and a guided sloth walk, with a naturalist and a spotting scope, all but guarantees you will see these slow-moving locals dozing in the trees. The guides also turn up frogs, birds and other wildlife you would walk straight past. Our guide to seeing sloths in Costa Rica explains where and how, and the wider Costa Rica animals guide covers what else to look for.
10. Take a Rainforest Chocolate Tour
Costa Rica grows superb cacao, and a chocolate tour near La Fortuna walks you through the whole bean-to-bar process on a working plantation, from pod to roasting to grinding, with plenty of tasting along the way. It is hands-on, family-friendly and a tasty break from the adrenaline activities, with a real connection to the region’s agriculture.
11. Go Canyoning
For one of the most exhilarating things to do in Arenal, go canyoning (rappelling down waterfalls). Guided trips lower you down a series of rainforest cascades, some over 50 metres, with all the gear and training provided. It is suitable for reasonably fit first-timers and consistently rated a highlight by those who try it. You can book a canyoning tour with a certified operator.
12. Take a Rainforest Horseback Ride
A horseback ride is a gentler way to get into the countryside around Arenal, following forest and farm trails with the volcano as a backdrop. Routes range from easy family rides to longer treks that reach viewpoints or waterfalls, and the local horses are well used to the terrain. It suits riders of most levels and is a lovely slow-paced half-day.
13. Take a Day Trip to Rio Celeste
About 90 minutes from La Fortuna, the surreal turquoise Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most jaw-dropping sights, where two clear rivers meet and a mineral reaction turns the water a vivid sky blue. The hike to the waterfall and the “blue lagoon” is a rewarding half-day. The guide to visiting Rio Celeste and Tenorio has everything you need.
14. Explore the Venado Caves
North of La Fortuna, the Venado Caves are a network of limestone caverns carved by an underground river, full of stalactites, bats and odd rock formations. A guided trip has you wading and squeezing through the passages by headlamp, a muddy, adventurous couple of hours that is great fun for those who do not mind tight, dark spaces. Bring clothes you do not mind ruining.
15. Go on a Mistico Night Walk
The rainforest comes alive after dark, and a guided night walk is the best way to see it. With a flashlight and a sharp-eyed guide, you will find red-eyed tree frogs, sleeping birds, snakes, insects and maybe a kinkajou, a completely different cast from the daytime. The Mistico park and several operators around La Fortuna run them, and they are a highlight for wildlife lovers.
16. Do a Guided Twilight Wildlife Safari
A twilight river safari floats you gently down the Penas Blancas or Rio Frio at the golden hour, when the wildlife is most active. From the boat you can spot caimans, sloths, monkeys, river birds and, on the Cano Negro routes, an incredible density of birdlife. It is a relaxed, camera-friendly way to end a day of adventure.
Best Hotels in La Fortuna
La Fortuna has somewhere to stay for every budget, from downtown hostels to volcano-view resorts with their own hot springs. Here are four of the best across the price range, and the guide to the best places to stay in Costa Rica has more options.
| Hotel | Area | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Springs Resort & Spa | Lakeside | $$$$ | Luxury and a dozen hot-spring pools |
| Tabacon Thermal Resort | Near the volcano | $$$$ | The famous natural thermal river |
| Arenal Observatory Lodge | Volcano flank | $$$ | The closest volcano views |
| Arenal Backpackers Resort | Downtown | $ | Budget, pool, central |
The Springs Resort & Spa
The Springs Resort & Spa is the showpiece of Arenal luxury, a sprawling lakeside property with more than a dozen thermal pools cascading down the hillside, a wildlife sanctuary, and volcano views from many rooms. It is a destination in itself, popular with honeymooners and families who want to spend as much time in the hot springs as out exploring. Rates are high, but day passes let you sample the pools if you are staying elsewhere.
Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa
Tabacon Thermal Resort wraps its rooms around the most natural-feeling hot springs in Arenal, a thermal river running through landscaped jungle gardens at the foot of the volcano. The setting is gorgeous, the spa excellent, and guests get unlimited access to the springs that day-trippers pay a premium for. It is a splurge, but for many it is the single most memorable place to stay in La Fortuna.
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Arenal Observatory Lodge sits higher and closer to the volcano than anywhere else you can sleep, originally built as a research station. The trade-off for the front-row cone views and the on-site rainforest trails is a location away from town, so a car helps. Rooms range from simple to smart, and the wildlife around the grounds, from coatis to toucans, is a highlight. The pick if volcano views top your list.
Arenal Backpackers Resort
Arenal Backpackers Resort is the budget favourite, a self-styled “five-star hostel” a short walk from the centre of La Fortuna with both dorms and private rooms, plus a pool with volcano views most hostels could only dream of. It is sociable, well run and walkable to the restaurants and tour desks, making it the easy choice for travellers watching their colones without giving up comfort.
Best La Fortuna Restaurants
La Fortuna eats well, with everything from traditional Costa Rican sodas to international kitchens. Here are five standouts across cuisines and budgets.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don Rufino | Costa Rican / grill | $$$ | A proper dinner out |
| Lava Lounge | International | $$ | Something for everyone |
| Organico Fortuna | Healthy / vegetarian | $$ | Juices, bowls, breakfast |
| Restaurante Las Tablas | Costa Rican soda | $ | Authentic casados |
| Kenko | Japanese / Asian | $$ | Sushi and a change of pace |
Don Rufino
Don Rufino is La Fortuna’s best-known restaurant and a deserved local institution, a buzzy open-fronted grill on the main street serving polished Costa Rican and international plates, from slow-cooked beef to fresh fish and creative cocktails. It is livelier and a little pricier than the sodas, and reservations are smart in high season. If you only sit down for one proper dinner in town, this is the safe, satisfying choice.
Lava Lounge
Lava Lounge is a relaxed, open-air spot with a broad, crowd-pleasing menu spanning Tico classics, burgers, Tex-Mex and vegetarian options, plus cocktails and a lively evening buzz. The portions are generous and the prices fair for the quality, which is why it stays busy. It is the kind of easy, something-for-everyone place that works whether you want a quick lunch between tours or a casual dinner with a beer.
Organico Fortuna
Organico Fortuna is the go-to for health-focused eating in La Fortuna, serving fresh juices, smoothie bowls, wraps and hearty vegetarian and vegan plates in a cheerful little space. It is a welcome change of pace after days of rice and beans, and a great spot for breakfast or a light lunch before hitting the trails. Portions are generous and the staff are friendly.
Restaurante Las Tablas
Restaurante Las Tablas is the spot for an authentic, no-frills Costa Rican meal, serving big casados (the classic plate of rice, beans, salad, plantain and your choice of meat or fish) at honest local prices. It is where you go to eat like a Tico rather than a tourist, and the quality-to-price ratio is hard to beat. Simple, filling and genuine.
Kenko
Kenko is the pick when you want something other than Costa Rican fare, a reliable Japanese and Asian kitchen turning out fresh sushi, rolls and rice bowls. It is a popular change of pace in a town heavy on grills and sodas, with a relaxed setting and fair prices. Good for a lighter dinner, or for when the group cannot agree on local food.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arenal
How many days do you need in Arenal?
Two to three days is ideal: one for the volcano national park and La Fortuna Waterfall, and one or two for hot springs, hanging bridges and an adventure activity like rafting, zip lining or a sloth tour. Many travellers wish they had stayed an extra night.
Is Arenal Volcano worth visiting?
Yes. Arenal is one of Costa Rica’s signature destinations, pairing a near-perfect volcano cone with waterfalls, natural hot springs, rainforest wildlife and a huge range of adventure activities, all based around the easy-going town of La Fortuna.
Can you see lava at Arenal Volcano?
No. Arenal was highly active until 2010 but has been dormant since, so there is no visible lava today. You can still hike the old lava fields and trails in the national park and enjoy the iconic cone, often wrapped in cloud.
What is the best time to visit Arenal?
The dry season from December to April brings the clearest volcano views and easiest trails, but Arenal is rainforest, so cloud and rain are possible year-round. The green season from May to November is lush, quieter and cheaper, with afternoon showers.
What are the best free things to do in Arenal?
Soaking in the free natural hot-spring river near the Tabacon resort and hiking sections of the national-park trails are the standout free options. The La Fortuna Waterfall and the private trails charge a small entry fee.
Is La Fortuna expensive?
It can be, as a major destination, but it suits a range of budgets. Hostels, sodas and free hot springs keep it affordable, while the resort thermal pools and guided tours are where costs add up. Picking two or three paid activities keeps it reasonable.
Final Thoughts
Arenal earns its place at the top of so many Costa Rica itineraries. In a couple of easy days you can hike an old lava field, swim under a rainforest waterfall, soak in volcanic hot springs and pick from a dozen adventures, all from the comfortable base of La Fortuna. After countless trips up here, it is still one of the places we send first-timers without hesitation.
Give it two or three days, mix one big adventure with the free and gentle stuff, and leave time to just watch the cone. If you are building the wider trip, a 2-week Costa Rica itinerary shows how Arenal fits in. What would be top of your Arenal list? Share it in the comments below.
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