La Fortuna – Day 2 of a 6-Day Trip in Costa Rica
Day 2 consisted of a visit to La Fortuna. La Fortuna is a town north of San Jose. It is a popular tourist destination due to the Arenal Volcano and hot springs. I had booked a tour (pick-up from my hotel was included). The tour was actually a round trip to and from San Jose, but I asked to be dropped off in La Fortuna instead and the tour guide had no issue. I assume it is a common request. This was a great option for me as I would have had to pay about half the tour ticket just to travel from San Jose to La Fortuna through Interbus (company that provides transport from city to city). I recommend Interbus for the city to city travel in Costa Rica. They pick you up and drop you off directly at your hotel and the bus is air conditioned. The van seats about 10 people, including the driver. It is definitely more expensive than public transit, but I valued the ease of travel.
Day 2
La Fortuna
My day started really early on Day 2. The tour bus was picking me up at 6:20am. Although, the hotel breakfast did not open until 6:30am, I had told the front desk I had to leave early, so they organized an early breakfast for me (at 5:30am!). My selection was limited, but I was appreciative that they had done this.
The tour was good, although I would recommend doing the tour on your own if you have a car. The tour stops were:
#1: Stopped at the edge of a coffee farm. The tour guide picked some coffee beans off the plant and let us try them. To taste them, we put the bean under our tongue (they were sweet) and then once done, spat out the bean. About a 5 minute stop.
#2: Visited the coffee plantation, Cafe Tres Generaciones. There was a very brief explanation of the plantation and then we were free to look around. About a 20 minute stop to shop and take photos.
#3: Stopped at a gift store near La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park. The gift store gave out sample of their cheeses and strawberry wine. Note this region is popular for their strawberries. The strawberry wine was really good and if it was not for the fact that I had to lug my bag around for the rest of the trip, I would have bought a bottle. About a 15 minute stop.
#4: Stopped at La Paz Waterfall. The waterfall is right beside the road, so keep an eye out for cars. About a 15 minute stop for photos.
#5: Stopped at Soda Y Mirado Cinchona, a roadside restaurant, which has a waterfall view and is a bird watching haven (in particular, they had hummingbird feeders and it was so interesting to watch and hear the hummingbirds!). I also had a strawberry drink and a queso tortilla with natilla. Natilla is a salty milk cream and it is delicious! About a 30 minute stop for photos and snacks.
#6: On the way to the next destination, our tour guide spotted sloths in the trees. The sloths were hard to see as they were very high in the trees. We also stopped at a stall selling fruit juices and I got a dragonfruit drink (~$2 USD). Then, we stopped at the Centro Turístico Las Iguanas. This is actually a restaurant/gift shop, but it is frequented by iguanas and they roam freely in the area. About a 15 minute stop.
#7: We arrived in la Fortuna and it was time for lunch at the restaurant, La Fortuna Containers. The restaurant is outdoors and I selected the chicken with gallo pinto. The chicken was too dry, but I thought the rice was tasty. The meal also came with veggies, plantain, and an iced tea. About a 45 minute stop.
#8: There are two options for the next stop. You can either go zip-lining through the forest or visit the Maleku Indigenous Community. The latter option also means that you have more time at the hot springs. We hadn’t purchased the tour option that included zip-lining, so we visited a hut in the forest where a member of the Maleku people welcomed us and told us about their traditions and showed us their wood artwork. About a 20 minute stop.
#9: Dropped off at Paradise Hot Springs to relax for the rest of the afternoon. This is a nice location to unwind and there are hot pools as well as (smaller) cold pools. There is a nice view of Arenal Volcano from the hot springs, although the volcano was slightly covered by the clouds. Arenal Volcano is an active volcano, but has been dormant since 2010. About a 3 hour stop. Note this is not the only hot spring resort in the area. There are many to choose from!
After the hot springs, I was dropped off at my hotel in La Fortuna. The area was lively and the stores were open late. For dinner, I went to Tierra Mia Restaurante and ordered the shrimp ceviche and a Pilsen beer.
Complete Day 2 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
6:00am: Breakfast at the hotel. Get picked up for the day-trip tour to Arenal Volcano/La Fortuna or drive yourself.
7:00am: Stop at the coffee plantation (Cafe Tres Generaciones)(40 minute drive from San Jose), La Paz Waterfall (34 minute drive from Cafe Tres Generaciones), Soda Y Mirador Cinchona (5 minute drive from La Paz Waterfall), and Centro Turístico Las Iguanas (1 hour drive from Soda Y Mirado Cinchona).
1:00pm: Lunch at La Fortuna Containers (30 minute drive from Centro Turístico Las Iguanas).
2:00pm: Go zip-lining in the Go Adventure Arenal Park (9 minute drive from La Fortuna Containers).
4:00pm: Visit one of the hot springs in La Fortuna (5 minute drive from Go Adventure Arenal Park). Book ahead!
7:00pm: Have dinner at Tierra Mia Restaurante (6 minute drive from the hot springs).
6-Day Costa Rica Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 6-Day Costa Rica Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip!
Costa Rica Links:
Travels with Carolyne 