Things to do in La Fortuna start with a correction: Arenal has produced no visible lava since 2010
, which means the volcano is the backdrop rather than the show. What fills the day is everything around it — and each piece has a condition worth knowing.
The hanging bridges
They run through the canopy, with suspended sections crossing ravines at treetop height.
What they give you: the forest from above rather than below, which is a different set of wildlife entirely — canopy species you do not see from a ground trail.
Timing: early morning, before the heat and before the groups.
The rafting
On the region's rivers, and there is one rule that matters more than the brochure.
Class depends on flow.
A section rated III in dry season can run IV after rain.
Which means: confirm current conditions, not the published grade.
And what to verify before booking: guide-to-participant ratio, guide experience, equipment condition — helmet, vest, raft — the swimming ability required, which is a requirement rather than a suggestion, and cancellation criteria for flow, which is professional judgment.
La Fortuna waterfall
Reached by about 500 steps down, and back up.
Entry: $18.
Which means the return is the hard part, and worth calibrating if anyone in the group has knee or cardiac issues.
Lake Arenal
Wind is the product here.
The same conditions that make windsurfing and kitesurfing excellent make wakeboarding impractical during the windy months.
Which means: check which season you are arriving in, because the lake offers opposite activities depending on it.
The hot springs, which work regardless
They are heated by the volcano's geothermal system, not by surface activity.
So the absence of lava since 2010 does not affect them at all — they run on the same heat source they always did.
Practical note: the pools are hottest and least crowded in the early evening, and most resorts sell day passes without requiring a stay.
The volcano itself
The cone is typically clearest early, with cloud building through the morning.
Which makes arrival time matter more than most itineraries account for — a mid-afternoon arrival often means a volcano you never actually see.
And night tours promising glowing lava are selling something that stopped happening more than a decade ago.
What the volcano still offers: the cone when weather cooperates, the geothermal system feeding the springs, and the old lava flows now recolonized by forest.
Getting to things to do in La Fortuna
La Fortuna / Arenal (FON) — 71 km (44 mi) from San José: 15 minutes.
By road it is three to five hours through mountain terrain.
Rest of the network from San José (SJO):
| Destination | Distance | Flight time |
|---|---|---|
| Tortuguero (TTQ) | 99 km (62 mi) | 20 minutes |
| Limón (LIO) | 130 km (81 mi) | 25 minutes |
| Drake (DRK) | 155 km (96 mi) | 30 minutes |
| Liberia (LIR) | 161 km (100 mi) | 35 minutes |
A full day
07:00 — Depart San José 07:15 — Land at La Fortuna 08:00 — Volcano viewpoints while the cone is clear 10:30 — Hanging bridges 13:00 — Lunch in town 15:00 — Hot springs 18:00 — Departure
Cone in the morning, springs in the evening, home the same night. By road that is a two-night trip.
Before you book
Confirm the river's current class, not the published grade.
About 500 steps at the waterfall, with $18 entry.
Check the lake's season if wind sports are the objective.
Clothes that can get wet and a dry change, if rafting is on the plan.
And book an early departure if seeing the cone matters.
From the air
The cone in full, which from the ground is only ever seen in sections through the tree line.
The old lava flows on the flanks — now forested, but still legible as darker channels.
And Lake Arenal stretching west, with the wind corridor that makes it a sailing destination.
Official source: current regulations and fees are published by WWW.
Fly with AeroRide
La Fortuna is 15 minutes from San José. Tell us your dates and passenger count.
Quoted on request for the whole aircraft, round trip, up to five passengers. Final pricing depends on route, date and aircraft assigned.
If seeing the cone is the point, book early and keep the date flexible. Cloud cover is the one thing no operator controls.
Related
- Cabo Blanco
- Sportfishing Costa Rica
- How charter flights actually work
- UNESCO sites in Central America
- Flying Central America
Frequently asked questions
How many steps to La Fortuna waterfall?
About 500 down, and back up — the return is the hard part. Entry is $18, and it is worth calibrating if anyone in the group has knee or cardiac issues.
Is Arenal rafting hard?
Class depends on flow. A section rated III in dry season can run IV after rain, so confirm current conditions rather than the published grade.
Can you wakeboard on Lake Arenal?
Not practically during the windy months. The same conditions that make windsurfing and kitesurfing excellent make wakeboarding impractical, so check which season you are arriving in.
Is there lava at Arenal?
No. Arenal has produced no visible lava since 2010. Night tours promising it are selling something that stopped more than a decade ago.
Do the hot springs still work?
Yes. They are heated by the volcano's geothermal system rather than surface activity, so the absence of lava does not affect them at all.
What do the hanging bridges offer?
The forest from above rather than below, with canopy species you do not see from a ground trail. Go early, before the heat and the groups.