Getting There
Fly into San José (SJO) for a 3.5-hour drive, or Liberia (LIR) for 2.5 hours. More airlines are adding Liberia routes, so check both. We recommend renting a car for the most flexibility.
Map Of La Fortuna
La Fortuna is located in the Northern Mountain area of Costa Rica. It lies in the province of Alajuela, specifically in the canton of San Carlos.
On a map, it appears to be very close to the town of Monteverde, but due to Lake Arenal, it takes about 3 hours to drive between the two towns.
Weather & Best Time to Visit
Dry season (Dec – Apr)
Best volcano views. Hot and sunny. Book hotels early. This is peak season.
Rainy season (May – Nov)
Mornings usually clear with afternoon rains. Fewer tourists, lower prices. Still very warm.
Daytime high
70–90°F
Nighttime low
60–70°F
Sunrise / Sunset
~ 5:30 AM / ~ 5:45 PM
Pro tip: During rainy season, ignore all-day rain forecasts. The mornings are almost always dry and perfect for outdoor activities.
Where to Stay
Nayara Springs
Best adults-only luxury
Private plunge pools, world-class spa, consistently ranked among the best in Central America.
The Springs Resort & Spa
Best family-friendly resort
Multiple pools, a wildlife sanctuary on site, and enough activities to keep everyone busy for days.
Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails
Best for nature lovers & birdwatching
Closest hotel to the volcano. Private trails, incredible bird life, and the best volcano views of any property.
Suwa Villa Arenal
Best walkable boutique stay in town
Modern and minimalist boutique hotel right in town. Great if you want to walk to restaurants without renting a car.
Viajero La Fortuna
Best social hostel
Lively social atmosphere, great for solo travellers and those on a budget who still want a fun base.
Most activities are 20–30 min from downtown, staying outside town often gives better value. See all the 12 best hotels →
Top Things to Do
Top 3 La Fortuna Excursions on Viator
1. Arenal Volcano National Park
Hike the 1968 lava trail with close-up views of the volcano cone. Not possible to hike to the top, but the trails are spectacular.
2. La Fortuna Waterfall
A 70m waterfall plunging into a crystal-clear pool you can swim in. Get ready for 200 stairs. It’s a workout!
1. Arenal Hot Springs
From budget pools to full resort experiences, there are options for every budget. Some hotels have hot springs on-site, which is great value.
4. Zip lining
Several parks to choose from — SkyTrek for best views, Ecoglide for the Tarzan swing, Arenal Mundo for waterfall scenery.
5. Mistico Hanging Bridges
Easy trails above the jungle canopy with great volcano views, just 15 minutes from downtown. Works well as a half-day trip.
Restaurants
Breakfast
Red Frog Coffee Roasters
⭐ 4.5/5 TripAdvisor · Vegetarian friendly
Our go-to for breakfast. Best coffee in La Fortuna plus Gallo Pinto done right. Opens at 7am.
Organico Fortuna
⭐ 4.5/5 TripAdvisor · Vegan options
Acai bowls, salads, smoothies. Our healthy cafe pick, great for breakfast or a light lunch.
Lunch
Soda Viquez
⭐ 4.5/5 TripAdvisor · Vegetarian friendly
Traditional Costa Rican, generous portions, always fresh. One of the best value spots in town.
Soda Rodríguez
⭐ 5/5 TripAdvisor · Vegetarian friendly
Unique garden vibe with hanging wooden signs. Great traditional food at great prices.
Dinner
Restaurante Tierra Mia
⭐ 5/5 TripAdvisor · Vegetarian friendly
Elevated traditional Costa Rican food at affordable prices. Some of the best service in La Fortuna.
Tiquicia Restaurant
⭐ 5/5 TripAdvisor
Classic Costa Rican near the town center. Great service, tropical drinks, reliable every time.
Good to Know Before you Eat
- Most restaurants don’t have websites, TripAdvisor is your best research tool.
- Reservations usually not needed, but you might want to call ahead during peak season (Dec–Apr).
- Dress is almost always casual. Bring a light layer for evening, it cools down after sunset.
- Food allergies? Carry a card with your allergies translated into Spanish.
Good to Know
Grocery stores
Mega Super (across from the city park) or Super Cristian 4 near the volcano, both decent.
Banks
Banco Nacional and BCR are downtown. Lines get long, so go early. They have ATM’s as well.
Gas
All full service. Stay in your car and an attendant fills it up. Go to Gasolinera La Fortuna.
Safety
- La Fortuna is generally very safe. Your main concern should be petty theft.
- Don’t leave anything in your rental car and park in secure or guarded lots.
- Keep valuables out of sight and avoid displaying expensive gear.
- There are a lot of open-air restaurants here. Don’t leave your phone on the table.
- Avoid walking alone at night.
- The emergency number is 9-1-1.
Getting around La Fortuna
The downtown is walkable but most activities are 20–30 min away by car. We always recommend renting, it gives you the most flexibility.
Rental car
Most flexible. Adobe delivers to your hotel within 12 miles of their office.
Taxis
Use only registered red taxis with a yellow triangle on the door.
Ready to Book?
🏡 Find vacation rentals that make sense for your trip: From jungle villas with pools to laid-back beachfront homes.
🚗 Save 10% on your car rental: Plus free second driver, 0% deductible, and genuinely great service (this is who we use ourselves).
🚐 Compare shuttles & private transfers: Easy airport pickups and point-to-point rides anywhere in Costa Rica. Use code: SARAHMC5 at checkout.
✈️ Compare flights: We use Skyscanner to compare routes, prices, and flexible dates, especially helpful when flying into or out of Costa Rica’s different airports.
🛡️ Travel insurance: We always recommend traveling Costa Rica with insurance that covers medical care, trip interruptions, and adventure activities. It’s one of those things you hope you don’t need, but are very glad to have if plans change.
We created a ready made itinerary to La Fortuna for you!
One Week in Costa Rica Itinerary
The exact trip plan we recommend to all first time visitors. This one week itinerary takes you to some of Costa Rica’s top highlights (including La Fortuna). It includes a full pdf guide, an interactive Google Map, hotel and restaurant suggestions for all budgets, a full planning packet, and more!
Currently on sale: $37.50 $27.00
All La Fortuna Articles
Accommodations
Activities
- The La Fortuna Waterfall: The Ultimate Hike and Swim Guide
- The 4 Best Companies for an Arenal Zip Line Adventure
- Arenal Volcano: Practical Visitors Guide
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park: Plan Your Experience
- How to Experience Lake Arenal Near La Fortuna, Costa Rica
- 30 Things to Do in La Fortuna Costa Rica That You’ll Love
- White Water Rafting in Costa Rica: 16 Best Tours and Tips (Balsa River / La Fortuna)
- Rio Celeste Costa Rica: Bright Blue River and Waterfall Guide (day trip from La Fortuna)
- Canyoning in Costa Rica: An Adrenaline Pumping Experience (popular in La Fortuna)
- 14 Best Arenal Volcano Hot Springs in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
- 19 Best Restaurants in La Fortuna, Costa Rica: Eating Guide
Planning & getting there
- San Jose to La Fortuna: The 5 Transportation Options
- How to Get from Liberia to La Fortuna: 5 Easy Options
- How to Get from La Fortuna to Monteverde (and Vice Versa)
- Car Rentals in La Fortuna, Costa Rica: What You Need to Know
- Weather in La Fortuna, Costa Rica by Month: What to Expect
- Is La Fortuna, Costa Rica Safe to Visit? Here’s The Truth
Comparisons & itineraries
You Might Also Like Visiting
Monteverde: A moody cloud forest town that is perfect for wildlife lovers
Check out our Guide to the Northern Mountains for more ideas of places to visit in this area.
Hello!
My husband and I are going to Costa Rica the first week of May for our honeymoon. We are staying two fulls days in Arenal and two full days in Monteverde and one day that is up in the air. We know that the weather at this time is pretty uncertain. Can you suggest some activities that are good to do when it is raining. I like to plan ahead and know that we have options if the weather isn’t great. Any other suggestions are welcome as well! Thanks so much!
Hi Vanessa! You actually should be ok in early May. It will be just the start of rainy season, so you may have an afternoon rainstorm in La Fortuna, but you might get lucky and not have anything. In Monteverde, it is almost always raining but it is such a light constant rain that we just continue along with our normal activities and try not to let it bother us.
However, if it does rain in La Fortuna but isn’t thundering we like to go to the hot springs. You will be wet anyway and even when it rains it will still be hot in Fortuna at that time of year.
Also, definitely go ziplining in either fortuna or Monteverde. That is a must do activity in those places.
Let me know if you think of any other questions 🙂
Is there a night life in LaFortuna? Restaurants and shops stay open late? Bars? Thanks so much!
Hi Stephanie,
Most bars and restaurants with bars tend to be open until about 11pm. There are also a few clubs, but I’m not sure how safe they are. I would stick with the bars and restaurants if possible.
Just a quick question. Do you need cash to get into the falls or do they also take visa. mastercard, debit? Also is it a problem taking a taxi there?
Thanks Sandy
Hi Sandy, I’m sorry for the late reply. I somehow missed this. You can definitely take a taxi there. The problem will be coming back. I cant recall seeing taxi drivers waiting around the airport. If you have a working cell phone it might be best to ask your taxi driver for his number so you can call him when you are done. I am not 100% positive but I am about 80% sure that they take credit cards at the La Fortuna waterfall.
Let me know if you have nay other questions!
Hello,
Just wanted to thank you for your blog, it has definitely helped our family plan our upcoming vacation. I did have one question, we need transportation from San Jose airport to Tabacon resort in La Fortuna. We decided not to rent a care b/c we will do so when we drive out to Tamarindo. What mode of transportation do you suggest from airport to resort? I hear uber is a pretty good option. The quote Tabacon resort gave me for 3 of us was 190.00 US dollars. I feel that’s a little pricey. We welcome any suggestions you may have.
Hi Evelyn! It is a bit pricey but I think you Uber will probably cost you more. I’ll check for you though! My phone is getting fixed this morning but when I get it back this afternoon I will input Tabacon and see how much it costs. I live pretty close to the airport.
There are private shuttle companies but those are also expensive. I would suggest checking with Interbus. That tends to be the go-to shuttle company here. https://www.interbusonline.com/ However, it seems that the shuttle would be even more expensive.
Honestly, your best bet might be to rent a car for a day. I just checked prices with our Adobe discount and it seems like this will be much cheaper for you. I would rent an SUV for comfort but you can definitely do the drive in a small car and will be fine if you want to save money. We have done the drive with a little Hyundai Grand without any problems. You can input San Jose Airport as your pick up and return in Fortuna. You can make a note that you are staying at Tabacon and Adobe will pick up the car from your hotel for free. https://www.costaricavibes.com/renting-a-car-in-costa-rica/
Let me check on Uber this afternoon and let you know though!