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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Monteverde Canopy Tour: Zipline, Rappel & Tarzan SwingYou get picked up from your Monteverde hotel, geared up with all equipment provided, and spend the morning or afternoon ziplining through the cloud forest canopy, rappelling 150 feet down, climbing back up through a hollow tree, and optionally swinging out on a Tarzan rope. Your guide handles safety and explains the forest ecosystem throughout. Hotel drop-off is included at the end.Is it for me?Right for adventurous travelers with moderate fitness who want to see the cloud forest from above without arranging their own transport or equipment—the guide and gear handling means you just show up ready to go. The rappel and tree climb do require some physical effort and comfort with heights, so it's not a passive experience.
Waterfall Rappelling in La Fortuna: 5 Rappels Down to 230 FeetWaterfall rappelling in La Fortuna combines five rappels down cascades between 50 and 230 feet in the Peñas Blancas River Canyon, with certified safety gear, bilingual guides, hotel pickup and a traditional lunch included. The activity runs five hours and starts at a local farm 30 minutes from La Fortuna, where guides outfit you with harness, helmet and gloves before a short hike into dense rainforest. Children from age 7 can join; moderate fitness is required.Is it for me?This tour is built for travelers who want to rappel waterfalls without arranging the logistics themselves — guides handle the ropes, timing and safety checks, so you focus on the descents and the canyon. Moderate fitness and comfort with heights are what make it work; children from age 7 can join if they meet the fitness requirement.
ATV riding in Manuel Antonio: Rainforest and waterfallsATV riding in Manuel Antonio rainforest with a professional guide, covering forests, palm plantations and rural towns before a nature walk through Rainmaker Park to waterfalls. The 3-hour experience includes ATV equipment, a rainforest walk with wildlife viewing, a refreshing dip in a waterfall pool, and a typical Costa Rican lunch at a ranch; hotel pickup is available. You choose between a single ATV, a double ATV for two riders, or a Side by Side vehicle.Is it for me?Choose the single ATV if you want to ride solo and control your own pace through the forest; pick the double ATV or Side by Side if two of you are going together or you prefer a more stable vehicle on the trails.
La Fortuna: Balsa River Rafting Class III & IV with Organic LunchYou’ll plunge into Balsa River’s wildest rapids with expert guides at your side, break for fresh local fruit on a quiet bank, then recharge over an organic Costa Rican lunch at a family farm—plus try sugar cane juice you’ll help press yourself. Expect laughter, soaked shoes, and maybe a new craving for river air.
Rainmaker Park night jungle tour: Bats, frogs & dinnerA night jungle tour of Rainmaker Park in Costa Rica led by a certified naturalist guide, lasting about two to two and a half hours. You walk the forest after dark to see nocturnal wildlife—bats, frogs, spiders, owls and snakes—then return for dinner. Hotel pickup and an air-conditioned vehicle are included.Is it for me?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so choose the language you're comfortable following in the dark—the expertise is the same either way, and the two-hour pace works for anyone who can walk forest trails without strain.
San Jose Walking Nature Tour: Sloths, Birds and TreesThis is a guided walking nature tour through the University of Costa Rica campus, one of the largest forested patches inside San Jose, led by a young biologist in English or Spanish. You'll search for sloths in their natural habitat, spot resident and migratory birds, and explore edible plants and forest flowers across 2.5 hours of walking on mostly shaded trails. Binoculars are provided; the group stays under 10 people. A portion of earnings supports Funga Conservation, a local nonprofit.Is it for me?Choose the public tour if you're comfortable sharing the experience with other nature lovers and want to keep the cost lower; pick the private tour if you'd rather have the guide's full attention and set your own departure time. Either way, this tour works for any fitness level—the pace is set by what the forest offers that day, not by a fixed itinerary.
Tamarindo: Rio Celeste Hike, Sloth Sanctuary & WaterfallYou're picked up from your hotel at 6:30am and driven to Tenorio Volcano National Park for a two-hour hike to the turquoise Rio Celeste waterfall, then taken to an organic farm to see sloths and frogs up close, fed a traditional Costa Rican lunch, and finished at Llanos de Cortés waterfall for a swim before returning to Tamarindo by evening. Hotel pickup, park entry, lunch, and a bilingual guide are all included; you just need to bring your passport photo.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main natural attractions around Tenorio in one day without arranging your own transport, park tickets, or timing—the fixed schedule and included lunch mean you show up at your hotel and the rest is handled.
La Fortuna: Sloth Watching Hike & Wildlife with Local FamilyYou’ll follow local guides through Sloth’s Territory near La Fortuna, spotting wild sloths with telescopes while birds call overhead. Walk muddy trails by La Havana River, hear family stories, and finish with fresh organic fruit grown right on site. It’s quiet, funny at times — and you’ll leave feeling like you’ve been let in on something special.
Snorkeling in Playa Flamingo: Sunset Catamaran with GuideA sunset catamaran and snorkeling tour in Playa Flamingo runs 2pm to 6pm with free hotel pickup from Tamarindo, Flamingo, Conchal and nearby resorts. You sail for an hour to the snorkeling site, then spend 1.5 hours in the water with a guide or on your own, kayaking, paddleboarding or swimming to a white sand beach. Drinks, snacks, snorkeling gear and all water equipment are included. Transportation from some resorts costs extra; if you book within one day of departure, pickup may not be available.Is it for me?The tour is shared and guide-led at the snorkeling site, so you're not navigating on your own—the guide shows you where the fish are and what to look for. If you want to set your own pace in the water or skip snorkeling altogether for kayaking or swimming, you can do that too; the boat gives you the choice instead of locking you into one activity for the whole afternoon.
Manuel Antonio: Wildlife Walk & Beach Swim with Local GuideYou’ll wander Manuel Antonio’s lush trails with a certified local guide who knows every monkey call and hidden sloth spot. Peer through an HD spotting scope at wildlife you’d never catch alone, then relax on soft sand or swim in clear water after your walk. Expect laughter, real stories from locals, and small surprises along the way.
Costa Rica: Chocolate & Coffee Tour with Sugar Cane DemoYou’ll get your hands messy making chocolate from scratch, sip café-chorreado brewed by you, and taste fresh-pressed sugar cane juice while learning from locals who grew up with these traditions. This tour isn’t just about flavors—it’s about stories, laughter, and small surprises you’ll remember long after.
Canyoning and Waterfall Rappelling in La Fortuna: 4 DescentsCanyoning and waterfall rappelling in La Fortuna combines four descents down Arenal River Canyon walls, optional jumps into natural pools, and two canopy lines over tropical forest, with a bilingual guide, all equipment, round-trip transport and lunch. No prior experience required; guides provide full instruction and safety briefing before you start. The activity finishes with a walk along the riverbank and a Costa Rican buffet at La Roca Bistró.Is it for me?You operate the ropes yourself under your guide's watch, so this suits anyone who wants to feel the rappel rather than watch it happen—the guide manages safety and timing, but you're the one descending. Children from age 6 can join if they have moderate fitness; pregnant travelers and anyone with cardiovascular concerns should sit this one out.
La Fortuna: Arenal Zipline & Aerial Tram Sky TrekYou ride the aerial tram through the Arenal rainforest canopy, then zip across seven cables suspended between canyon walls at high speed and height. A professional guide handles all safety checks and equipment; you get views of Arenal Volcano and the lake from the highest points. The course takes a few hours total and includes the tram ride, all certified gear, and a safety briefing before you start.Is it for me?Book this if you want the adrenaline of ziplining through a rainforest canopy without arranging your own transport or safety gear — the guide and certified equipment mean you show up and fly, nothing else to organize.
La Fortuna: Sloth & Wildlife Spotting with Bilingual GuideYou get picked up from your hotel, driven to prime wildlife zones near Arenal Volcano, and spend the morning searching for sloths and other rainforest animals with a bilingual naturalist who uses a spotting scope to help you see them. Hotel drop-off is included, and if you're not on the early slot, you'll have a coffee break. Groups max out at nine.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see La Fortuna's wildlife without arranging your own transport or guide — the small group size and hotel pickup mean you show up ready to search, and the naturalist's knowledge is what makes spotting sloths and other animals possible in a rainforest where they're designed to hide.
Guanacaste: Catamaran Snorkel Cruise & Waterslide LunchYou’ll cruise Guanacaste’s coast by catamaran with a local guide, watch for dolphins and sea turtles, snorkel in warm Pacific water, try the wild Tsunami slide (if you’re brave), then relax with grilled fish lunch and tropical drinks before heading back salty-haired and sun-happy.
Catamaran sailing Tamarindo: Dolphins, snorkeling, sunsetBlue Dolphin Sailing is a public catamaran tour departing from Tamarindo that runs north along the coast for about an hour, moors in a cove near Playa Huevos for water activities including snorkeling and paddleboarding, then returns to shore after sunset. The boat carries a professional, licensed crew and runs on either a 40-foot open catamaran or a larger 50-foot cruising-style vessel. Drinks, a light meal of chicken fajitas with sides, and all snorkeling and water gear are included; book by 11:30 am on the day you want to go, as tours fill up during high season.Is it for me?Choose this if you want a full day on the water with swimming and snorkeling stops—the catamaran departs from Tamarindo beach, so there's no transfer needed, and the crew handles all sailing while you move between the deck and the water.
Llanos de Cortés Waterfall, Sloths & Coffee Tour Costa RicaThis is a guided rainforest tour in Costa Rica led by local guides from Guanacaste, combining wildlife viewing, a waterfall swim, and hands-on coffee and chocolate preparation. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours with lunch, bottled water, an air-conditioned vehicle and all fees included. A family-owned operation, it suits travelers who want to move through several stops without arranging transport or meals separately.Is it for me?The 6 to 8 hour span is long enough to move through the waterfall, wildlife sections and the coffee harvest without rushing any of them, but short enough to leave the rest of your day free—the guide and the vehicle handle all the logistics, so you show up and the stops unfold in sequence.
La Fortuna: Rainforest Chocolate Tour with Arenal Volcano ViewsYou learn the history of cacao as currency in ancient Mesoamerica, then process the beans yourself—harvesting, drying, grinding—and taste the traditional drink and organic chocolate your hands just helped create. The guide handles the knowledge, the rainforest provides the setting with Arenal in view, and two hours gets you through the whole story without rushing. Tastings and guide are included.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to understand where chocolate comes from and how it was used before it became a dessert—the hands-on processing is what makes that history stick. Plan for two hours on your feet moving between stations, which is exactly what lets you do the whole journey from cacao pod to finished chocolate without feeling rushed.
Arenal 12 Zipline Cables: Fly over La Fortuna WaterfallZip across 12 canopy cables strung through rainforest canyons near La Fortuna, with views of the waterfall, Arenal Volcano and Cerro Chato from the treetops. A professional guide leads the half-day experience; helmet, harness and hotel pickup from La Fortuna are included. Children from age 7 can join if accompanied by an adult, and the course suits anyone with moderate fitness.Is it for me?You're zipping the cables yourself—not watching a demonstration—so this suits anyone who wants the adrenaline and the control of their own descent. The guide handles the rigging and safety, which means you can focus on the moment instead of the mechanics, and the fixed schedule with hotel pickup removes the logistics of getting there and back.
Don Olivo Chocolate Tour La Fortuna: Cacao criollo farm & tastingYou walk through rows of cacao trees, watch how chocolate and spices are processed on-site, taste what they make, and pick tropical fruit straight from the farm. The tour includes coffee if you want it, takes around ninety minutes, and works for families and people with mobility needs. Pickup from La Fortuna hotels is available — ask when you book.Is it for me?Right for travelers in La Fortuna who want to see where chocolate actually comes from, not just taste it in a shop. The farm is working and unhurried, so you get the real process without a scripted performance.
