We spent five nights in La Fortuna with our 11- and 13-year-old daughters on a two-week Costa Rica trip. Here are the experiences we loved, how we would plan the days, and how long I think a family really needs.
La Fortuna was our first proper stop in Costa Rica, and I had a picture in my head of the girls looking up at Arenal Volcano as soon as we arrived. Instead, we got rain. Lots of it. For the first few days the volcano was so completely hidden that we began joking it might be a tourist hoax. We didn’t see it clearly until day five.
And yet, I would absolutely include La Fortuna on a first family trip to Costa Rica. In a few days, we walked through rainforest, crossed hanging bridges, soaked in hot springs, made chocolate, and had the kind of wildlife encounters that made our girls stop and look more closely. We also learned that the best family itinerary here has room to change when the weather does.
If you’re deciding what to do in La Fortuna with kids—or how many nights to book—this is what I’d tell a friend after our July trip.
How many days do you need in La Fortuna with kids?
I would book three or four nights for a first visit. Three nights gives you two full days to choose a few highlights. Four nights makes it easier to add a wildlife experience or an unplanned afternoon without turning every day into a race. We stayed five nights, which suited our slower pace and gave the volcano time to emerge from the clouds.
| Time in La Fortuna | What I would plan |
|---|---|
| Two nights | Choose two priorities, such as Mistico Hanging Bridges and hot springs. Expect a fairly full visit. |
| Three nights | Add Arenal Volcano National Park and a coffee and chocolate tour, with time for the pool. |
| Four nights | Spread those experiences out and leave space for wildlife or a change of plans. |
| Five nights | A lovely option if you enjoy downtime, have a pool, or want extra flexibility in wet weather. |
Those are planning suggestions, rather than a promise that every activity will fit every family. Driving days can take more out of everyone than you expect, and the rain changed several of our plans. If your time in Costa Rica is limited, I would protect at least two full days in La Fortuna before moving on.
Best things to do in La Fortuna with kids
1. Walk the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges
If I could choose one classic La Fortuna experience for a first visit, this would be it. The bridges take you up into the rainforest canopy, while the paths between them give you time to listen, look into the trees, and see how much is happening below them.
We booked a guided walk at Mistico Park. Having a guide helped us slow down and notice things we would otherwise have passed. I would choose an early visit again, particularly if spotting wildlife matters to your family. I would recommend booking in advance. The weather was bad during our first tour so we were offered a full refund or a spot on a later tour.
Take your time, bring water and rain protection, and let the walk be the main event of the morning rather than squeezing it between other bookings.
Our family verdict: Worth making a priority. For children who can happily walk a forest trail, the bridges make the hike feel like an adventure and the animals aren’t guaranteed but definitely make the tour feel like an adventure.
2. Spend an afternoon at Baldi Hot Springs
After muddy trails and rainy mornings, hot springs felt wonderful. At Baldi Hot Springs, our girls enjoyed moving between the pools, and it gave us an easy afternoon with no pressure to spot a particular animal or catch a particular view.
We stayed for lunch, despite having read some poor reviews of the buffet, and our family thought it was great. That is one reason I like including our own experience in these guides: sometimes an activity works better for your family than the reviews lead you to expect.
Baldi is a lively choice for families who want lots of pools. Check the current day-pass options before you go, especially if you’re deciding whether to include a meal. I wouldn’t schedule another big outing for the same afternoon. We spent most of the day here.
Our family verdict: An easy yes, especially after an active morning or a wet day.
3. Take a coffee and chocolate tour
This wasn’t the activity I was most excited about before we left home. It became one of our favorites.
The girls got involved in making chocolate, tried chocolate drinks, and learned more about how coffee goes from plant to cup. It was hands-on enough to keep them interested, and it gave us a different side of Costa Rica after several nature-focused outings. They particularly enjoyed the chocolate making.
We loved that this was an unplanned addition. If your family has a spare half day or the forecast makes a longer hike less appealing, a coffee and chocolate tour is a very good choice. Don Juan offers a combined tour in the La Fortuna area (they also have tours in Monteverde); check the operator and booking details that suit your dates.
Our family verdict: A surprise favorite. I would make space for it again.
4. Explore Arenal Volcano National Park
There is something special about hiking near a volcano, and over lava fields. We enjoyed the green trails and the feeling of being out in the landscape rather than simply looking at Arenal from a distance.
We visited in July, when heavy rain and cloud hid the volcano for most of our stay. It finally appeared on day five. If seeing its famous shape matters to you, keep some flexibility in your schedule rather than making one tightly timed hike your only chance. The park is still an outing in its own right, but it’s way more impressive when you can see the volcano.
Check the official Costa Rican national parks booking site for current entry arrangements before visiting.
Our family verdict: Go for the trails and the experience of being there; treat a clear view as a bonus.
5. Leave time for wildlife and your own pool
It is tempting to fill every available slot with a tour. Some of our happiest moments came from slowing down: watching the greenery and hummingbirds around our Airbnb and letting the girls enjoy the pool. That breathing space helped everyone enjoy the bigger outings more.
Wildlife can be unpredictable, especially in heavy rain. A guide and binoculars improved our chances of seeing what was around us, but we couldn’t order a sloth to appear on cue. I would choose one wildlife-focused experience that genuinely interests your children and leave some room to notice what turns up along the way.
6. Visit Proyecto Asis wildlife rescue center
Proyecto Asis was another highlight of our La Fortuna stay. If your children are interested in animals, it offers something different from a rainforest walk: a chance to learn about wildlife rescue and the animals in the center’s care. We thought it was great, and I would make room for it again.
Proyecto Asis offers a guided wildlife tour and a separate option with a hands-on volunteer element. Check which experience suits your family when booking and give the visit time rather than squeezing it between other tours. They offer private or group tours. We paid for a group tour (as it was cheaper) but ended up being the only people on it. Score!
Our family verdict: One I’d recommend to animal-loving families visiting La Fortuna.
7. Make time for La Fortuna town
Don’t fill every evening with tours. We loved spending time in La Fortuna town and ate there most nights. There were plenty of restaurants to choose from, a lovely park in the central square, and lots of tourist shops to browse. After a day of rainforest walks or hot springs, it was nice to head into town without needing another big plan.
Because we stayed in an Airbnb, we also picked up groceries and everyday supplies at Maxi Palí. Having food at our accommodation for easy breakfasts and snacks gave us more flexibility, while still letting us enjoy dinner out.
A relaxed three-day La Fortuna plan for families
This is how I would arrange the highlights now, not the exact order we did them:
- Day 1: Mistico Hanging Bridges in the morning. Keep the afternoon open for a swim, lunch, or a weather change.
- Day 2: Explore Arenal Volcano National Park, then enjoy a long, unhurried visit to Baldi Hot Springs.
- Day 3: Take a coffee and chocolate tour. Use the rest of the day for a wildlife experience or downtime.
If you have a fourth day, don’t feel obliged to cram in four more attractions. That spare day is valuable when you’re traveling with children, particularly if you want to enjoy your accommodation or wait for a better view of Arenal.
What I would know before visiting La Fortuna with kids
Leave room for the weather. Our July visit brought much more rain than we expected, during the day as well as at night. Cloud hid Arenal until our fifth day, and rain made wildlife harder to spot. That was our trip, not a forecast for yours. Costa Rica’s official weather guide explains how conditions vary by region and season.
Pack for a wet walk even when you hope for sunshine. We used a dry bag constantly. Waterproof protection for phones and spare clothes was useful, and we were glad we’d brought sunscreen and insect repellent from home. Binoculars were excellent for looking for wildlife.
Check current booking details before you travel. If you are planning a Christmas break trip, look at tour availability, national park entry, and any holiday opening changes directly with the operators. We traveled in July, so I wouldn’t use our weather or day-by-day experience as a description of December conditions.
Choose somewhere you will enjoy spending time. Our accommodation’s outdoor space, pool, hummingbirds and location added a lot to our stay. With kids, a comfortable place to come back to matters just as much as the list of tours.
Is La Fortuna worth visiting with kids?
Yes. I would go again for the variety: a rainforest walk one day, hot springs the next, and an unexpectedly brilliant chocolate experience in between. Five nights gave our family time to breathe, but three or four nights is the sweet spot I’d suggest for most first-time visitors.
La Fortuna also taught us something useful at the beginning of our Costa Rica trip: you can make a good plan, and then the rainforest gets a vote. We didn’t get the postcard volcano view on day one. When Arenal finally appeared on day five, we appreciated it all the more.
Planning the rest of your trip? Read our two-week Costa Rica itinerary with kids for how we combined La Fortuna with Monteverde and Manuel Antonio.
One response to “La Fortuna with Kids: Best Things to Do and How Long to Stay”
[…] a closer look at this part of our trip, read our complete guide to visiting La Fortuna with kids, including our favorite activities, practical tips and what we’d do […]