My top 10 picks in La Fortuna, all kid friendly:
- Canoa Aventura River Float: fun but relaxing way to experience the river, the flora and fauna, plus you get to try delicious local foods
- Jaguariders ATV Tour: a very fun way to see the countryside and get a little wild, even with young kids
- Venado Caves: unique experience for Costa Rica, guides are very knowledgeable and safe, the perfect amount of thrilling
- Ecocentro Danaus: great during the day, even better with the night tour, the guides are very knowledgeable and you will see a lot of wildlife, the trails are flat and not too long
- Baldi Hot Springs: the best overall option for hot springs, it has it all
- Arenal Volcano National Park and Arenal Volcano National Park, Peninsula Sector: each sector offers something different, but both are beautiful and great ways to experience the volcano and the lake, and you can access both sectors with the same entrance ticket
- La Fortuna Waterfall: a majestic waterfall, but you must get in the cold water to really complete the experience
- Sky Adventures Arenal Adventure Course: a unique all-in-one combination of a lot of adventurous activities including ziplines, high ropes course, rappelling, canyoning, tarzan swing, and bridges, as well as the sky tram
- Bogarin Trail: easy, flat, short hike with a self-guided option and a lot of wildlife
- Rainforest Chocolate Tour: an informative and hands-on tour that allows you participation in the chocolate-making process
Honorable mentions:
- Butterfly Conservatory: a good option if you haven’t gone to a butterfly garden yet
- Arenal Volcano Ecological Park: a nice option to combine a volcano hike with a water activity such as kayaking or stand up paddleboard
- Tenorio Volcano National Park (Rio Celeste): a far drive from La Fortuna, but a unique experience to see the bright blue waters and learn about how it is created, can be somewhat crowded but the trails are beautiful and you will see a lot of wildlife
Restaurant picks:
- Soda La Hormiga: delicious typical food, great prices, one of the only places open for early breakfast
- El Chante Verde: really delicious food, board games, and sometimes live music