Top Central Valley Outdoor Activities - page 3

Insert some thrills into your Costa Rican vacation. This tubing tour takes you onto the Celeste River (Río Celeste) so that you can experience the wild beauty of Costa Rica's coastline by letting the current carry you along. As you float along the river in a tube, you'll soak up the surrounding tropical nature and spot various wildlife.

From La Fortuna, you'll meet at Tifakara Lodge then walk through a frog sanctuary with red-eyed frogs, and look for all the other species of amphibians and more as you make your way through the jungle at night with your guide. This will take a little over an hour. You'll see lots of surprises along the way.

Visit three Costa Rican highlights in one day on this guided tour from San José. First explore a Starbucks-owned coffee farm, learning all about how your morning brew is grown, harvested, and roasted. Next, visit the Poas Volcano Crater and marvel at its powerful geysers and bubbling lake of aquamarine water. Then, experience La Paz Waterfall Garden–a lush rainforest that boasts spectacular waterfalls and exotic wildlife. Finally, stop by another coffee plantation and enjoy a lunch of traditional Costa Rican fare.

Enjoy a ride across the slopes of Arenal Volcano, following a route that moves from lower pastures to elevated viewpoints. This guided horseback experience includes a professional bilingual guide, helmet and safety gear, and air-conditioned vehicle transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off at selected La Fortuna hotels. The gradual ascent provides wide views of the volcano when weather permits, making it a practical way to experience the landscape beyond roadside lookouts.

Experience Costa Rica’s wild and beautiful rain forest the historic way on a scenic horseback ride to the La Fortuna Waterfall. Travel on private, forested trails away from any roads, at a pace that allows for close observation of jungle life. Dismount for a moderate hike to the famous waterfall, where you can cool off with an optional swim and enjoy more time in nature.

Zipline through Costa Rican rainforest on a canopy tour that goes over the spectacular La Fortuna Waterfall—an exciting opportunity not offered on similar excursions. Between cables, take in views of Arenal Volcano and Cerro Chato and talk to your guides about the La Fortuna area. No experience is needed and almost anyone who is interested in Costa Rica’s biodiversity will enjoy this immersive adventure.

Get off the beaten track around Arenal Volcano on this fun four-wheel-drive UTV tour. Two people can ride in one vehicle and your guide will ensure you’re comfortable after a thorough safety briefing. Gain access to places you wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit, like private farmland. Follow rivers, travel through jungle, and have a laugh as you navigate muddy patches. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience.

As one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park is a must for visitors. This guided tour from San Jose makes visiting on a time crunch a cinch—your guide takes the guesswork out of deciding which trails are worth the effort, plus helps you spot wildlife along the way. This tour includes breakfast and lunch, and is specifically timed to avoid the crowds, helping you have the best possible experience exploring.

Feel like a jungle explorer as you venture into the lush rainforest around Arenal Volcano on a horseback ride from La Fortuna. Mount your horse and follow a guide along a scenic trail that hugs a river canyon, stopping to admire the Pino Blanco and La Fortuna waterfalls. Cool off with an optional swim, and learn about Costa Rica’s indigenous culture at the Maleku Village.

Chocolate lovers flock to this incredible tour from La Fortuna that includes the sweetest rainforest experience and unearths the hidden secretes of local chocolate production. Visit a farm where cocoa is grown, processed and produced. This hands-on experience lets travelers eat as much chocolate as they want while learning about history, culture and traditions of this popular Costa Rican sweet.

Spend a delicious 2 hours learning all about the best type of chocolate in the world, along with coffee, tropical fruit, spices, rum, and sugar cane- all products of Costa Rica, on this tour. Explore the farm holding 1600 cacao trees, where they produce 150 pounds of cacao every week. The best part: sampling the chocolate and the rest of the delicious produce!

Max out the adrenaline (and the fun) during this full-day adventure combining a white-water rafting trip and zipline excursion. Zoom through the rain forest canopy during a series of heart-pounding zipline rides, some on cable spans as long as 3,200 feet (980 meters). Then battle the Class II and III rapids of the Balsa River. Lunch, snacks, and rafting gear are all included.

Take a pause from a busy vacation and schedule in some rest with this full-day pass to La Fortuna’s hot springs. Enjoy access to all of the facility's natural hot spring pools and hot tubs, and rejuvenate in their warm waters. Customize your experience and add-on an optional meal or massage treatment to suit your preferences.

Get out of San Jose on a day tour to the Arenal Volcano region, where you’ll get a glimpse of Costa Rica’s famous biodiversity and natural beauty. Travel through scenic farmland and villages to reach the volcano. Stop at a coffee plantation, waterfall, and look out for wildlife en route. In the shadow of the volcano, soak in natural hot springs for a refreshing experience, before returning to San Jose.

Learn about two of Costa Rica’s biggest (and tastiest) exports on this tour of a coffee and chocolate farm just outside La Fortuna. Admire the beautiful views of Arenal Volcano while learning more about coffee and chocolate production, followed by a taste of the final products. Your guide will share insight into the industries throughout the tour.

Design your own perfect day in La Fortuna on a customizable combo tour. Cross the rainforest canopy on hanging bridges, swim beneath La Fortuna Waterfall, hike in Arenal Volcano National Park, and soak in geothermal hot springs. Take your pick of activities or do them all for a full day of fun and relaxation. Optional lunch add-ons provide a taste of authentic Costa Rican cuisine. Hotel pickup and drop-off are also included from added convenience.

Adventure-seeking travelers will love the opportunity to hike and zipline through the Costa Rican rainforest. After a safety training you’ll hike through the forest to an area with seven ziplines strung between the treetops. Enjoy zooming along these, looking out for wildlife on the way. Some of the ziplines go right past some beautiful waterfalls, for the best views.

Go whitewater rafting even if you're a beginner, with this Class II and III rapids experience on Costa Rica's Balsa River. Well-suited for travelers who like to keep active on vacation but want to ease into this activity, start off with small to medium waves before progressing to an intermediate route. Enjoy the views as you cruise through the rainforest, with opportunities to see monkeys, sloths, and toucans.

A hike to Bridal Veil Falls is made safe and informative when done as part of a guided tour. Your guide helps you spot wildlife as you trek through the rain forest en route to the strikingly blue falls, a vista point for Tenorio Volcano, and thermal hot springs and mud pots. An included Costa Rican fills you up at the end of the day.

Heading deep into Arenal's rainforest typically means renting a car and navigating unfamiliar roads. This small-group tour lets you skip the self-drive stress and takes you to directly to the area's highlights. Walk across the rainforest over a hanging bridge, wander along trails through lava fields for excellent views of Arenal Volcano, and, finally, rejuvenate in a natural hot spring.

Hiking in the Costa Rican rainforest can be a dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Book this La Fortuna Sloths, Coffee, and Chocolate Experience and go with a guide who will keep you safe and well informed. Set out through the rainforest to spot sloth and other wildlife before stopping at a chocolate and coffee farm for tastings.

Fly through the canopy of a Costa Rican rainforest on a zipline adventure that’s ideal for novice adventurers and thrill seekers alike. Enjoy this exciting aerial experience, soaring down galvanized steel cables at up to 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour, and gain a bird's eye view of the lush foliage below—a sight you wouldn’t get any other way.

Experience the best of La Fortuna on a full-day combo tour that blends nature, adventure, and relaxation—the perfect way to check plenty off in one go. Begin with a visit to the stunning La Fortuna Waterfall. Journey down a 500-step jungle trail for a refreshing swim in the fall's crystal-clear pool (weather permitting). Continue to Arenal Volcano for a guided hike through lush trails in the Ecological Park, and gain insight into the region’s unique geology. Finally, tuck into a typical Costa Rican lunch and unwind in the soothing waters of El Choyin hot springs. This all-in-one tour promises incredible landscapes, local flavors, and natural wonders.

RSVP to the biggest party in Monteverde with this nocturnal tour of the area's famed wildlife by moonlight, when nearly 80 percent of Monteverde's mammalian residents come out to play. Join a guide who will help you spot animals such as two-toed sloths, reptiles, and more as they come out after dark.