Planning a trip to Costa Rica and not sure where to start? Can't pick between La Fortuna or Tamarindo? We did both on our trip! Out of all of the Central and South American countries I have visited, Costa Rica takes the prize for the prettiest (in my opinion). Looming volcanoes, suspended bridges, dense and colorful rainforests, blue oceans, sandy beaches...I could go on...so let's begin!
Where to Stay in La Fortuna: Fortuna's Eco Glamping
For only $32 a night you can stay in *the* cutest hut found on Airbnb. The bed is a queen and was big enough to fit 2 adults. There is an outlet and even a fan in the hut for us glampers out there that need the white noise while we are asleep (as if the sound of the rainforest isn't enough LOL). There is a shared area with a kitchenette space, a bar/buffet with high-top tables, a private bathroom with a big walk-in shower, and an adorable hammock area with a firepit. The Wi-Fi is strong, you can see volcanos in the distance, the place is fully fenced in, and there are security cameras on the property. I wouldn't want to have stayed anywhere else on this trip. However, if sleeping in a fancy tent isn't your style, there are plentyyyy of options in La Fortuna on Airbnb.
La Fortuna Waterfall
After walking 530 steps, you will reach the bottom of the La Fortuna Waterfall hike where you will be in awe of the majestic and powerful Rio Fortuna waterfall. Wear closed-toe shoes on this hike to get safely down all of the steps and bring durable water shoes for the rocky path in the waterfall cove! I'd also recommend bringing a waterproof phone case with a strap so you can take pictures while swimming! The hike is self-guided and costs $18 per adult to enter the park area. If you are lucky, you will see a TON of monkeys like we did on our way back up the 530 steps!!!
Night Walk in the Rain Forest
We booked and went on our nighttime tour in the rainforest on Airbnb the day that we landed. Just in case we ran into travel issues, we didn't make a reservation until we got there. For $39, we spent 2 hours walking in the rainforest looking at venomous snakes, poisonous spiders, ginormous toads, and many more creepy crawlies. Our tour guide, Brandon, was very knowledgeable about the rainforest and the history of Costa Rica, he made us all feel safe, and knew exactly where to look to show us slimy or creepy surprises. We even made friends all the way in Denmark! 10/10 recommend booking your night walk in the rainforest with Brandon.
Sloth's Watching Tour & Natural Trail
I booked our Sloth's Watching Tour & Natural Trail on Airbnb Experiences for $31 and this was worth every penny. We saw sleepy sloths, impressive ants, colorful birds, and more creepy crawlies on this tour. The sloths look just like moss in the trees and can be hard to spot. Our guide even took spectacular photos of the wildlife on his camera lens for us so we could we the sloths with a closer look.
Rainforest Chocolate Tour from La Fortuna
I booked this tour before we went on our trip through Viator, which is a TripAdvisor company. They also specialize in trips and destinations but also reservations. We booked our Rainforest Chocolate Tour for $30 at 8AM. We were shown how chocolate was harvested, dried, roasted, grinded, and brewed into a liquid delectable chocolate. On this hands on experience, you can grind the chocolate and try as much chocolate as you would like at the cholate flavoring station. Try orange and amaretto in the chocolate...wow! While walking around the chocolate farm looking at how the chocolate grow, keep an eye out for sloths in the trees!
Link to Viator (a TripAdvisor company)
Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges
Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges is very popular in the La Fortuna area because of the stunning view of the volcano, countless hanging bridges, and a hike through the rainforest. We even got to see monkeys in the trees! Mistico park even offers guided tours and night tours. This experience was $27 per adult. (p.s. - make sure you wear closed-toe shoes).
Tabacon Natural Hot Springs
Sit back and relax in natural hot springs in Tabacon (a few miles outside of La Fortuna). Did I mention this activity is free??? There are a handful of natural hot springs in the area that you can pay to relax in, but this is one that is completely open to the public (except for parking if you drove yourself). There are little pools in the stream that you can laydown or sit down in. Families brought pinic baskets and food to stya the whole day, but we were only there a couple of hours. Your total time there totally depends on how much time you have and how much you love natural hot springs,
p.s. Don't forget to pack your waterproof phone case with a strap to this location either.
Paradise Hot Springs
Want to relax in a natural hot spring after a long day of hiking or taking excursions in the rainforest surrounding La Fortuna and Tabacon? Visit a hot spring to unwind and sip on a cocktail of your choice! We went with the Pina Colada and Strawberry Daquiri...so fresh! Although we only ordered drinks at Paradise Hot Springs, there is a lovely restaurant located here. They even have live bands come and play!
Where to Stay in Tamarindo
Selina Hostel
Selina Hostel is such a fun place to stay! There is a beautiful pool to swim in, the Wi-Fi is strong (there were plenty of people working remote/on their laptops during the day), the property is super clean, and there are plenty of fun activities to partake in such as surfing, paddle boarding, day of arrival shots, karaoke, and much more. We didn't stay in the bunkbed style of housing at this hostel, so we paid a little extra to have a private area.
Sunset Sailing Tour on Ti Marouba Catamaran in Tamarindo
Sunset Sailing Tour on Ti Marouba Catamaran in Tamarindo would be a 10/10 recommendation from me if you can handle being on the ocean for part of the day. The tickets online show $85 but we paid $75 on the beach the morning before the boat was about to take off because there was a little room left....I'm SO glad we did. During this trip, you can enjoy free alcoholic beverages while enjoying the stunning Costa Rican views. Part way through the trip, we stopped on a private beach to swim, take a paddle board or kayak out for spin, put on some of their snorkeling gear to look for fishies in the water, or go to the beach to relax. We even enjoyed a spectacular meal with a chip and salsa appetizer.
Surf or Paddle Board
If you have never been surfing before, Costa Rica is a great spot to try it out! I am no pro at surfing but I love to try every time. We rented our surfboard and paddleboard from our hostel for $25 but you can also book surf lessons on your Airbnb app if you want to really get some great experience. I love paddle boarding but had never actually tried paddle boarding on an ocean...much wavier than a lake or pond (LOL) until this trip. Give it a try!
Go Out in Downtown Tamarindo
Tamarindo is definitely known for it's nightlife. Adults of all ages enjoy the buzz and feel of downtown Tamarindo when the sun goes down. We went to Pacifico Bar two nights in a row because of how much fun we had. We happened to go on a big Day of the Dead themed night party. Another fun bar to go was The Alley where we tried to partake in the beer pong tournament.
Need a place to eat in Costa Rica? This post has it all covered!
We booked a car for our trip. If you plan on only going to La Fortuna or only to Tamarindo/near the beach, you don't necessarily need to rent a car.
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