Fun things to do in La Fortuna de San Carlos: 9 fun attractions and activities

Free local watering hole. We showed up and parking was plentiful by the bridge. Guy was asking for $4 to watch our vehicle. Fun spot and worth doing the swing if in the area after the waterfall.

My wife and I went twice while on our honeymoon because it was so fun. The first day we went was on a somewhat rain-y Thursday morning. There was hardly anyone there and it was great. The second day was around noon on a beautifully sunny Sunday and it was packed. So so many people but still so fun. I definitely recommend going when you think there will be less people but either way this is a fortuna must-do!

A little scared to jump at first, the current looked strong. But after seeing a local do it and encourage us, we jumped several times. The water was cool and refreshing, and later there were so many people from all over speaking a bunch of different languages so it just felt like you could come here and enjoy yourself no matter where you're from.

Such a cool rope swing and a great atmosphere here. Lovely place to swim with lots of spots to jump in too!

We went just to see the river and were not disappointed. Definitely check this place out regardless if you want to rope swing or not.

Locals and tourists visit mainly for the nice rope swing. When you don’t want to get wet, find a place on the rocks to look at the jumps, some of the locals did some great tricks.

Very cool local spot to hang out and it's free. We enjoyed people watching there and it was fun to see people kayaking down the springs and jumping off the ropes. There is a rocky path down and not that hard to navigate, it was fun to explore the different areas. Definitely wear swimsuit as you'll want to sit on the rocks by the water and will get wet and wet shoes are a must as the ground is very rocky and slippery. I saw others walking around barefoot and couldn't imagine how painful it must be although maybe locals are used to it. There is parking on the street nearby. Thankfully we were not scammed into paying the "parking attendants" as it was slow season. Right by the side of the road there are people grilling corn and hot dogs. Unfortunately we had already eaten but we would love to go back and buy some food from the local vendors.

The chocolate tour with Roberto was such a fun and unforgettable experience for our whole family. Roberto made the entire tour engaging, informative, and full of laughs. You can tell he truly enjoys what he does, and that energy made the experience even better. Roberto showed us the process from cacao bean to finished product and let us sample different types of chocolate at each stage. It was hands-on, educational, and honestly, just a lot of fun. We even got to try chocolate with various toppings like salt, coffee, and chili powder. What made this tour stand out was Roberto’s humor and storytelling. He kept the kids entertained and had the adults laughing too. It never felt rushed or scripted..just a genuine, down-to-earth experience with someone who clearly loves sharing Costa Rican culture. If you’re in La Fortuna, this tour is a must. My four kids gave it 5 stars.

We had a wonderful experience. One of the highlights of our trip to Fortuna area. Our guide was Gexel and her trainee who were great! They were incredibly knowledgeable, very fun, and professional. It was a memorable hands on experience that we are so glad we chose to do!

We had an awesome tour. Our guide was Gexel , she was superb, very friendly and informative. Tried different combinations of the chocolate at end of tour. Definitely worth a visit.

We took this tour because of other reviewers raving about Roberto. He did not disappoint. Very informative. I thought I knew something about cacao, but most of it was wrong! This is a great experience, well worth the money.

The chocolate tour was fun but is really only an hour long. During the first bit our guide brought us over and was doing more of a nature walk than chocolate tour. He kept trying to hype people up about how much chocolate they’d be getting but it got old pretty quick. He pointed out some mold on some of the cacao pods and was commenting on how it needed to be broken off and buried and made a huge deal out of it and then ignored the fact that there were two other pods near him that had the mold on it. Making the chocolate itself was fun and so was mixing things together at the end. Overall was a do it once kind of tour and then not again. I’d probably recommend going on a tour that couples multiple activities together.

Our family of five, with kids aged 7, 5 and 3 had an absolute blast today. Keilor was a very good tour guide and it was fun going through the whole process of harvesting cacao, processing and tasting chocolate. It was very informative and kept the kids engaged the whole time. Highly recommended!

I really recommend this tour. It's super interesting and informative. Our guide Gexel was so passionate and energetic, clearly she's knowledgeable about the cacao and production process and made sure to include everyone in activities. It's the people who makes places special and everyone who works there is so nice, kind and full of joy. Absolute pleasure even in the rain. You get to try all sort of chocolate. The small gift shop is very well priced for all locally produced chocolate. Definitely worth stocking up here rather than at the airport or other major souvenir shops.

This was one of the things we really wanted to do on our trip! Our daughter has a horse of her own so it’s kind of her life ❤️ Booking this was super easy. We didn’t book way in advance…maybe 3 days. Communication was often whether by email or text. It was also easy to find where to go. The location on the stables and ride was great. We went during the rainy season so we didn’t see as much of the Volcano but we were okay with that. We still went up old lava tubes, saw some other wild life and spent some time loving on the horses. Our guide, Adrian ??, was really great! He was very friendly, even let my daughter and I switch horses and I prefer a slower, hang out in the back kind of horse. The info he gave us about the property and horses after the ride was really interesting as well!

Great ride to the stables, clean bathrooms before descending about 400 stairs to the waterfall was spectacular. A beautiful plunge and back up. We also crossed a suspension swinging bridge. Unfortunately, the wildlife was not out for us. Then a nice ride back. Even in the rain.

Truly an amazing tour with our amazing guide Adrian! He was so knowledgeable, my partner & I talked to him for quite a while about his life & some local history/fun facts. The horses were very well cared for and all very sweet, all very well behaved. The riding path is great, with stunning views of the volcano most of the time. Adrian took the time to help everyone get photos. He even gave us a tour of the barn afterwards and let us meet all the horses that were in barn. This experience was one of the highlights of our trip, 10/10 all around. If you love horses like we do, you do not want to miss out on this gem!!!

Loved my experience horseback riding up to the viewpoint to see the volcano! Unfortunately the weather was not on our side so I didn’t get to actually see the top of the volcano, but the riding experience was still fun. I had previous riding experience but I would say it’s also suitable for new riders! Horses were very calm and well-behaved. I got to ride a little faster at different points and that was super exciting. Our guide Mario was very friendly! Definitely prepare to be sore the next day 😅

We absolutely loved this experience! My daughter loves horses, so we planned to do a horseback riding experience. We are so happy we found Horseback Riding Costa Rica. They were amazing! The guides were friendly and fun. The horses appeared well taken care of and clean. They certainly have some beautiful horses. We highly recommend this experience!

Amazing!! Initially, we went to the wrong meeting location (our fault), and they actually waiting for us for 30 minutes! Our guide, Adrian was amazing, very professional and knowledgable. The views of Arenal were breathtaking. I cannot recommend this tour company enough!

What a fantastic ride! I took a private with Kevin. He was so kind and helpful. I highly recommend this company.

Valeria was an amazing tour guide she was vey informative, friendly, and funny! It was very interesting and the chocolate and coffee was delicious!!! Would definitely recommend for all ages! We also got to try sugarcane and learned a lot about it!

We did a morning tour with Coffee & Chocolate Tour La Fortuna; it took about 2.5 hours and was wonderful ! Our guide was very knowledgeable and took us around the demo areas of coffee, cacao and sugarcane plants and how the beans / canes are processed. The demo areas have plants of a few different sizes bearing the coffee beans or the cacao fruits and we saw examples of harvesting stages, different stages of fermentation or roasting and grinding, and lastly got samples to taste. The coffee tour was very informative about I roasted, light, medium or dark roasted beans, how their aromas and caffeine contents vary and ended with the guide brewing a pot of coffee using a local drip set up. In the chocolate tour we got to taste some pre made chocolates and also made some ourselves by mixing ingredients like processed cacao powder, sugar, milk, additions like peanut butter etc. Lastly, during the sugarcane tour, he showed us how sugarcane stems are pressed to extract juice. Overall it was a very informative and engaging tour, and worth the time. We even saw a sloth hanging out in one of the tall nearby trees.

We did the coffee, chocolate, and sugar cane tour. It was about 2 hours. Our guide johnny was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about all 3 items and got to try some tasty coffee and chocolate that he had made.

I highly recommend this tour! I came with our family of 5, 2 adults and kids ages 11,7 and a 10mo baby. We were also with my dad and uncle who are seniors and we all enjoyed it. It was very informative, we saw and learned a lot about different plants and fruits in the farm and about the process of making coffee and chocolate and even sugar syrup. My sons participated in all the different process and had a great time. The price of the tour is totally reasonable and you can also purchase different wines and chocolates there.

The coffee chocolate and sugar cane tour was all great. Excellent tour by Harold that taught us all about the coffee and chocolate production with so much passion. We had some coffee, tried chocolate and drank the sugar cane.

This was an incredible experience! I was thrilled to witness firsthand the processes of coffee and chocolate production. Having tasted chocolate from various sources, I can confidently say that the fresh, homemade chocolate I enjoyed here surpassed them all. The factory-processed chocolates I've had in the past simply cannot compare. The coffee was equally exceptional. Our knowledgeable guide provided valuable insights throughout the tour, ensuring I learned a great deal. This experience was truly enlightening and a highlight of my trip.

Great informative tour which I would recommend to everyone, even more so if you are a chocolate lover. We booked online and the tour started on time. Step in and the busy road landscape changes to a full cultivation of trees and mixture of coffee, cocoa and cane plantation. Our tour guide Sebastian was the best and humble person with a ton load of information about the 3 items - Coffee, Cocoa and Cane. The set up was modest but Sebastian made it rustic and authentic. We had a blast of time and our favourite part of the tour was eating cocoa seeds raw and then making our own sugarcane juice. Great way to wind down your busy vacation.

Great tour to see alot. Definately get a guide. Cost was 45 usd for 2 of us to have a guided tour. We did not make a reservation and only had to wait about 20 min for a tour to start. Our guide, Dennis, was able to find so many things that we wouldnt have found on our own. Also, the guides have tripod monocular to see better and get photos with your phone. Let the guides take photos for you. They'll get the best shot.

Firstly, William was a fantastic guide. Incredible knowledge and eagle-eyed skills to spot all sorts of animals and critters. Thank you for your insight and kindness. Plainly: You will see many animals and more on this tour. We saw our first sloth within one minute on the trails. There is an interesting history to the property that the guide will share with you. The lush, dense forest is fascinating. We didn't even book ahead, just walked up. Most tours are on the hour, so plan accordingly. Bring water.

It was nice, but felt a little bit like walking around in the zoo. Without a guide, you're not gonna see sloths that aren't moving. We went for a guided tour at 8am and saw a few moving sloths which we spotted ourselves. The telescope by the guide is nice to make higher quality pictures or videos for sure. The guide also spotted some owls and a relatively big brown lizard.

We did a morning sloth walk tour and it was great. Our guide was really knowledgeable and had an amazing eye for spotting animals we never would have seen - he was also great at taking photos of the animals for us. We only saw a few sloths as there was a lot of rain but we also saw a ton of different frogs and some birds.

not just sloths! while we did see four sloths on our walk, there were also plenty of other animals like frogs and birds to see and take photos of. our tour guide William was fabulous. he was really good at taking photos with and without the telescope that each guide carries and had eagle eyes to see the animals. the cold pineapple at the end of the tour was the cherry on top. definitely worth a trip!

We had an incredible visit with a guided tour. Would recommend using a guide, they are extremely knowledgeable and speak great English. You won’t see a lot without their telescopes, and they will help you take videos and photos through their lenses. We saw about 7 sloths, including mothers with babies. Don’t be put off going around midday, the guides will know where to find the sloths from trips earlier in the day

You absolutely need to go with a guide if you want to see anything. My guide, Alex, was wonderful. He obviously cares very deeply for the animals, and he is very knowledgeable about them. He was dedicated to making sure we saw sloths and helped us take great pictures of them.

This tour was super fun and educational, my teens all absolutely were fully engaged throughout the whole chocolate portion of the tour and of course lost some interest when it got to coffee, but Bryan (he was so patient and hospitable!) our Tour guide made it super fun and engaging as well as interactive for them. Making our own chocolate bars from scratch cacao was absolutely a core memory made, indeed! We just did a walk up at the top of the hour, and although they said the next tour was not for close to another hour, they made an exception and started our tour within five minutes and we were just our group until halfway through a second. Group joined us. The gift shop is pricey, but has very high-quality items for purchase and the tours aren’t cheap but it’s an experience well worth it!

Jeremy did a great job leaving the tour and gave us lots of interesting pieces of information. I guess I expected there to be more coffee trees and cocoa trees but we didn't go out into the fields where the actual plantations are so having enough trees around to teach us about them was good. Making the chocolate bar was fun and learning about the different kinds of coffee was also interesting and entertaining. He found some different birds and a sloth for us to see. Overall a very good experience.

We had the best time. Our guide Alex was so informative and really went above and beyond to make sure we got to see all kinds of the nocturnal creatures. He was well versed on the cocoa growing and making process, super knowledgeable about the wildlife and threw in some very cool info on Costa Ricas history. To top it off he was friendly and fun. We made our own Chocolate bars, we saw lots of animals and had zero complaints.

I recommend this tour to anyone visiting Costa Rica, especially if you like coffee and chocolate. Our guide Kairo was very informative. He showed us step by step how coffee and chocolate are made. We got to make our own chocolate bar. We tried the coffee. Loved it!!

A great tour that I highly recommend! It was very informative as well as active as they included their participants in little activities along the way. The guide made it very fun and the group size was also great! The samples we could try were very very delicious. Also transportation from and to hotel was included! I can highly recommend this tour! 😍😊☕️🍫 ps. We even saw a tucan and sloth right on their property.

What an interesting tour! We learned a lot in two hours with a guide who was both professional and had a great sense of humour. The coffee we tasted was delicious and so was the chocolate. The groups were the perfect size. Top experience

Did the night walk and coffee tour with my twin 8 year olds boys and it was awesome. We saw a sloth, made chocolate and had lots of fun. Are guide Alex was great.

We randomly found this place on Google Maps and had a little time to spare. The worker walked us into the butterfly sanctuary let us loose to walk around. We were left alone to explore and enjoy the many different species of butterfly flying around. The worker did pop back in and give a little information but this is more of an enjoy in your own experience. Also on property is a small garden that has a large variety of fruit trees to see. After you are welcome to get a “free” (included in the admission price) smoothie. Definitely worth spending 30 min to an hour here.

Our kids have are sensitive to sensory overload and crowds. Both or 3 and 6 year old had a great time exploring the garden and learning about the life cycle of butterflies. Great 30-60 minute experience of nature and delicious smoothies in a calming environment with friendly staff.

Lovely little place, the butterfly garden is so pretty and there are a lot of different species flying around. There’s also a garden outside with lots of fruit trees. Nazareno was so nice, he explained a little bit about the butterflies and showed us some chrysalis, and then left us on our own for a while to just enjoy. And he made me the most delicious pineapple smoothie 🫶🏼

We just visited and it was amazing! The guy was very nice and informative and gave us a very thorough tour of the butterfly garden and fruit trees. He pointed out the caterpillars and pupas. He showed us the different fruit treees and cut up some fresh fruit right off the tree! He even made us some juice! He was passionate and knowledgeable and very kind! Highly recommend!

Argi was an amazing guide! We just showed up and he took us for a tour. His energy is so contagious you cannot stop laughing at his jokes and faces. This magical fruit garden where you can try and smell everything. Very educative. Butterflies dances are wonderful. Smoothie at the end feels so refreshing!! Would go back anytime

My girlfriend and I found this place randomly after completing some activities earlier in the day. We were greeted by Lola the dog, Carmelo the gray tabby cat and Argi, the worker there who absolutely loves his job. He gave us a drink of our choosing before we started the tour, we chose the pineapple drink and we were not disappointed. Argi then showed us the enclosed garden area where there were so many species of butterflies flying around and he explained which ones there are and what makes them special. Our personal favorite was the one that had the owl eyes and snake head pattern on the outer wing. After we got our fix of butterflies, Argi walked us through the garden where the tropical fruits were. Argi explained which fruits were what and also let us try some right off of the branches, all the while, Carmelo was following us playing as a second tour guide. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience and Argi was a great tour guide and is an amazing asset to the company.

We had such a nice time visiting here. We saw so many different fruit trees and butterflies. The tour guide was very helpful and made us refreshing juice to quench our thirst.

I totally reccomend, we chose rafting and had so much fun with our instructor Andy! It was all so well organized, safe and adventurous at the same time. Thank you for the great experience!

This is as such an amazing tour!! It starts out with a beautiful hike down to the amazing waterfalls. As you walk down the guides are so knowledgeable and taught us about the plants and trees in the souranding area. Once we got to the waterfalls, I am afraid of heights but our wonderful guide Talaman helped me calm down by walking me step by step. Made me feel confident and safe. All the guides are extremely helpful, friendly and of course fun. I had such a great adventure today! I highly recommend this tour for anyone coming to visit Costa Rica!

Excellent experience, in the bus Mario, our bus guide for the ~40 minute ride to the river talked a lot about the surrounding areas. We did a rafting tour and our boat leader Orlando was great too. He really knew about the river, when it's the best time to go and when to wait for the current. He also gave us a lot of tips about la fortuna, surrounding areas and activities. If you wanna go rafting this is the place and I'm sure the other activities are good too!

This canyoning tour gives you so much more then just rappelling down waterfalls. First of all the place is stunning, second of all the staff and guides are very professional and in the same time friendly and fun! There is notthing to worry about, if you will be nervous as I was, the guides will make you feel very safe. I have some small problems with my back, but my guide Warner Talamanca was especially good at explaining it step by step, without feeling hurried - They know that they are doing! It is an amazing felling to rappel down the big cold waterfalls and finish in the HOT river water. Definitely worth the money - YOU will not miss this experience.

The team was AMAZING. Professional, knowledgeable and sooo much fun. It was so much more than rappelling and rafting(which in itself was Fabulous!). Estaban was our main man on rappelling and Warner Tala on rafting. We, my two adult children and I, were so blessed to be with them both all day. Passionate people are the best to try something new with. When they found out it was my 50th birthday they presented me with a cake (above and beyond)!! The food/drinks were delicious, fruit, an amazing organic meal, coffee and a demo on sugar cane extraction then finished off with a tour of the farm. You will not be disappointed booking with this company 💖 I can't thank them enough for all the great memories.

Awesome experience! Warner you rock, HIGHLY recommended if you want the real deal and amazing service!

One of my best experience in Costa Rica.

This places was pretty nice. You can buy tickets at the front desk and for both of us it was 12$. The butterflies were beautiful and the have a hiking trail and they also provide walking sticks if you need/want to use one. It’s a moderate hike there are some low steps when going down and some high steps when going back up but nothing too difficult..

Great activity for our large group with kids. Staff spoke English, were friendly and knowledgeable. Tons of butterfly species that were all beautiful. We didn’t stay for lunch, but the pizza smelled good. View from the outdoor restaurant was very nice.

Lovely place to visit. Beautiful butterflies, and a really knowledgeable guide to show us around. Definitely worth a visit.

This place has changed a lot for the better since the last time I visited. It turned out to be an ideal place to relax. The ambient, the temperature and the sounds of the whole butterfly place were very soothing. They are only missing hammocks to turn the place into a relax and enjoy place. Food was also great, the attention to detail and the positivity in the staff. You are greeted from the first step you take into the place and missed once you leave with a "hope to see you soon". The butterfly enclosure is beautiful and relaxing. It really helped me sooth my mind. We basically were going there for 30 minutes and then to a mall, this turned out to be a 8 hour stayed from morning to almost evening. Note that the place has different looks throughout the day and it looks beautiful at different times.

This was a really cool place to visit! Very peaceful. Lots of different butterflies freely flying all around you. Best time to go is in the morning when they are all up and flying around. I went closer to closing time so most were sleeping but I still was able to get great pictures! The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. They are opening a restaurant on the premises soon. Don’t forget to stop in the gift shop. Lots of cool things to buy 🤗

This was a lovely location for a short visit. The butterfly garden is small, but extremely well-organized. The staff is very friendly, professional and helpful. Despite the small area, it was pleasant to share the space with other visitors. The sweetwater lollipops that they provide for interacting with the butterflies are a great touch. The onsite restaurant is convenient, if not that remarkable.

Lovely, peaceful place with lots of butterflies, pretty flowers and a very loving vibe. In the butterfly enclosure you can see butterfly eggs, chrysalises, caterpillars and lots and lots of flying butterflies. They also have spnges on a stick you can use to feed butterflies (no charge). They have a full restaurant with outdoor seating, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they have a wood fired over, a nice gift shop and swings for the children to play on. One night we were there they had bingo with nice prizes. We really enjoyed this place on our visit and came back a few times with the children to see the butterflies, play on the swings and to eat. And as far as price we thought it was very reasonable.