Things to do in Costa Rica
Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna27 optionsLa Fortuna Zipline22 optionsTortuga Island Tours19 optionsNight Tour La Fortuna16 optionsZiplining10 optionsATV Tour La Fortuna6 optionsHiking La Fortuna66 optionsChocolate Tour La Fortuna18 optionsCanyoning La Fortuna56 optionsTamarindo Snorkeling Tour14 optionsHorseback Riding La Fortuna11 optionsTortuguero National Park Tours14 options
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Manuel Antonio Wildlife Tour: Sloths & Monkeys with GuideA guided wildlife tour through Manuel Antonio National Park led by a certified naturalist with 10+ years of experience, using professional telescopes and binoculars to spot sloths, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys and over 180 bird species. The tour runs 2 hours through the park, then ends at a white-sand beach where you can swim, relax or stay until 3 PM. Groups stay under 10 people. Park entrance tickets are purchased separately through the SINAC website and sell out quickly in peak season.Is it for me?Book this if you want a small-group experience with professional spotting equipment and a certified naturalist who knows where the animals are, rather than searching on your own.
Tubing Rio Celeste: Float Through Rapids & BackwatersTubing on Rio Celeste is a two-hour float down the celestial-blue river near La Fortuna, moving through both rapids and backwaters while surrounded by dense vegetation. The tour includes safety gear, transportation from your hotel to the river, towels and fruit; a live guide speaks English or Spanish, and children from age 3 are welcome.Is it for me?Book this if you're staying in La Fortuna without a rental car—the pickup and drop-off mean the whole day, from your room to the river and back, is arranged. The two-hour float works for families with young children and for anyone who wants the river without a full-day commitment or a drive to find the trailhead.
Sarapiquí River Rafting: Class II & III Rapids for FamiliesClass II and III rafting on the Sarapiquí River in Costa Rica, where you paddle through named rapids like Superman and Codo del Diablo, then float through calm jungle stretches to swim and spot wildlife. The experience includes transport to and from the river, an internationally certified guide in English or Spanish, all safety equipment, lunch, and tropical snacks; a minimum of two adults per booking is required, and the 8:30 am departure may shift if river levels change.Is it for me?The 8:30 am departure may shift with river level, so you'll need flexibility on timing. The three-hour paddle suits families and first-timers because the rapids are real but the day balances whitewater with calm jungle floats where you can swim and recover between sections.
Upper Naranjo River White Water Rafting Class 3 RapidsWhite water rafting on the Upper Naranjo River's Chorro section near Quepos puts you on class 3 and 3+ rapids through a pristine mini canyon with jungle waterfalls and calm water sections where you can float in your life vest alone. The tour runs 4 hours, includes hotel pickup 30 minutes from Quepos, a bilingual guide, safety kayaker, all equipment and a fruit snack at the end. It operates December 15 through May 15.Is it for me?Small to medium groups mean you're not paddling with a crowd, which is what keeps the tour personal and the pace manageable for families and first-time rafters. The 30-minute drive from Quepos also means you spend your time on the river, not on the road.
Punta Uva Wildlife Kayaking & Hike: Sloths & River WildlifeThis wildlife kayaking and hiking tour in Punta Uva combines a guided jungle hike and a river paddle to spot sloths, monkeys, iguanas, turtles and birds in their natural habitat. The tour runs 2 to 3 hours with a local guide in English or Spanish, kayaks and life jackets provided. The guide shares stories about shipwrecks, indigenous wisdom and the region's history as you move through beach trails and river viewpoints.Is it for me?The 2- to 3-hour timeframe fits a morning or afternoon slot without eating your whole day, leaving room for other activities in the region before or after. The guide adjusts the pace to your interests and fitness level, so you're not locked into a set speed — you move at what works for your group and stop where the wildlife is.
Manuel Antonio: Wildlife Walk & Beach Time with PhotosYou’ll follow an expert local guide along Manuel Antonio’s trails with optical gear to spot sloths, monkeys, frogs and more — plus get HD photos as souvenirs. Afterward, unwind on white and black sand beaches or hike at your own pace. It’s real Costa Rica: wild sounds, laughter from your group, maybe even new friends.
Tamarindo & Flamingo: Horseback Ride to Conchal Beach with PickupYou’ll ride horseback from Tamarindo or Flamingo through Guanacaste’s forests to reach Conchal Beach’s shell-white shore. Led by a local guide with hotel pickup included, you’ll get gentle instruction before setting out, then have free time to walk barefoot along the water or rest in the shade. It’s relaxed, unhurried — you’ll remember how it felt long after you brush off the sand.
Monteverde Ziplining: 13 cables, hanging bridges & wildlifeZiplining in Monteverde combines a 13-cable canopy tour with a guided hike through Selvatura Park's hanging bridges and three live animal exhibits—butterfly garden, sloth habitat, and reptile and amphibian tour. A professional guide leads the whole day. Children from age 4 are welcome; the full experience runs 5 hours.Is it for me?You operate the zipline yourself—this is not a sightseeing tour where a guide points things out from a platform. If you want to clip in, move across cables, and feel the speed, this works. If you prefer to watch demonstrations or need a slower pace, the hanging bridges and exhibits give you that too, but the canopy tour is the centerpiece and it's hands-on.
La Fortuna Rainforest Night Walk & Costa Rican DinnerYou drive 30 minutes to a regenerating rainforest, walk a trail around mirrored lakes spotting nocturnal frogs, birds, bats and insects with a guide and flashlight, then eat authentic Costa Rican dinner cooked on a wood stove while overlooking the San Carlos valley lights before returning to La Fortuna. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see nocturnal Costa Rican wildlife and eat local food without arranging transport, finding a restaurant, or navigating the forest alone after dark — the fixed schedule and included pickup mean you step out of your hotel and into the rainforest without planning anything else.
Jaco Sunset Cruise Playa Fantasia & Water ActivitiesYou board a catamaran with 25 others maximum, cruise to a wildlife-reserve beach accessible only by water, spend the afternoon swimming and eating lunch prepared on site, and return watching for marine life. The fixed small group size and included chef lunch are what separate this from the crowded Tortuga Island tours that leave from the same area.Is it for me?Book this if you want a beach day without arranging transport, food or activities yourself, and prefer a small group over the larger Tortuga Island tours — the 25-person limit and included chef lunch are what make the difference.
Nauyaca & Portalon Waterfalls: Day Trip with Beach & LunchYou’ll swim beneath two waterfalls—including Nauyaca’s famous twin tiers—taste fresh coconut on an empty beach, explore Dominical’s laid-back surf streets with coffee or smoothies in hand, and share lunch after rainforest hikes. Expect laughter, muddy shoes, and small surprises along this full-day adventure from pickup to drop-off.
Pacuare River Rafting from Turrialba: Class III & IV RapidsYou paddle eighteen miles of class III and IV rapids through a jungle canyon, stopping for lunch and seeing waterfalls from the water. The guide handles the route and timing; you bring swimsuit, shoes with ankle straps, and a change of clothes. Transfer from Turrialba is included, so you don't arrange transport yourself.Is it for me?Pick this if you want real whitewater and don't mind being tired at the end — the continuous rapids and the full-day format are what make it feel like an actual adventure instead of a guided float.
Coffee, Chocolate & Sugarcane Tour La Fortuna: Taste & MakeA coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane tasting and making class in La Fortuna where you participate in the cultivation and production of each crop alongside expert guides. The tour runs 90 minutes, includes private transportation, and covers the planting, harvesting, and processing steps that turn raw plants into the products you sample at the end.Is it for me?Skip the logistics and dive straight into roasting coffee, crafting chocolate, and pressing sugarcane—we handle pickup and timing so you can taste everything fresh in a single morning or afternoon.
La Fortuna: Afternoon White Water Rafting & Volcano ViewsYou’ll paddle through lively Class II & III rapids just outside La Fortuna, guided by locals who know every bend of the river. There’s time to swim beneath volcano views, snack on fresh fruit riverside, and end with hot chocolate as dusk settles over Arenal. If you want adventure without an early start — this is it.Is it for me?Book this one if you want to raft in the afternoon without arranging your own transport or timing—the 2 p.m. departure from La Fortuna and included pickup mean you can spend your morning elsewhere and still catch the volcano views from the water.
La Fortuna: Wildlife Rescue Center Tour & Animal EncountersYou get an introduction to the center's mission, a guided walk through animal enclosures with a naturalist, time to photograph the rescued wildlife, and refreshments included. The guide explains each animal's story and the conservation work happening on-site, so you leave understanding what you saw instead of just having seen it.Is it for me?Good for families and anyone curious about wildlife conservation in Costa Rica — the naturalist guide and included refreshments mean you're not managing logistics or timing yourself, and the educational focus makes it more than just animal viewing.
Arenal Volcano, Hanging Bridges & La Fortuna Waterfall Day TripYou’ll cross rainforest bridges near Arenal Volcano, hike ancient lava fields with a local guide, swim beneath La Fortuna Waterfall’s spray, and unwind in natural hot springs with a cocktail in hand. Expect moments of awe—and maybe laughter over lunch or language slips—that linger long after you leave.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour with Spotting Scope: Quetzals & WildlifeYou’ll walk Monteverde’s cloud forest trails with a local guide, hearing stories and spotting wildlife along the way. Feel the damp mist on your face, listen for rare birds (maybe even glimpse a quetzal), then relax with fresh coffee as hummingbirds zip by just inches away.
Monteverde Cloud Forest: Guided Tour & Endemic WildlifeYou get a private guide through Monteverde Cloud Forest who finds endemic wildlife, explains the ecosystem's vulnerability, and uses an HD telescope to show you birds and animals in the canopy. Transport from your reception to the preserve entrance is included, along with field guides. Book your entry tickets ahead for your chosen time slot.Is it for me?This tour works well if you want to understand what makes Monteverde's ecosystem unique and see the endemic wildlife that lives nowhere else, without having to navigate the preserve or research the species yourself—the guide's knowledge and the telescope are what make the difference between walking through a forest and actually seeing what's in it.
Puerto Viejo: Bribri Chocolate Making & Waterfall Day TripYou’ll join a Bribri family near Puerto Viejo to taste fresh cacao fruit, help make traditional chocolate by hand, and learn about local plants in their permaculture garden. Afterward, cool off with a swim under a Talamanca waterfall before returning home — it’s a day full of new flavors, laughter, and real moments you’ll want to remember.
Chocolate Tour in Costa Rica: Transportation IncludedA chocolate tour in Costa Rica that starts with cacao history and biology, moves through fermentation and grinding, and ends with you tasting chocolate made on-site. The tour includes pickup, an air-conditioned vehicle, a live guide in English or Spanish, water, and visits to a medicinal plants garden and chocolate factory. Two hours total, suitable for all fitness levels.Is it for me?Walk through fermentation tanks, grinding stones, and a working sugar mill to see exactly how chocolate, coffee, and sugar transform from raw materials into finished products.
