Top Central Valley Kid-Friendly Tours

The Costa Rican jungle is home to a number of unique species, many of which come out at night. This nighttime jungle tour visits the forests of La Fortuna for a guided walk. Learn about various jungle species from your naturalist guide and get tips for photographing the nocturnal creatures. Animals you may see include frogs, sloths, bats, and reptiles. Note that gratuities are not included.

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.

Safely immerse yourself in Costa Rican nature and wildlife on an 8- to 9-hour tour to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Leave the busy streets of San Jose behind in comfortable air-conditioned transportation from your hotel. Discover more than 100 species at the sanctuary, including titi monkeys, 2-toed sloths, pumas, and toucans. You can even feed hummingbirds by hand. Have your camera ready for the cloud forest, waterfalls, and aviary.

While traveling to La Fortuna in Costa Rica, many people explore the gorgeous and unique landscape using ATVs; however, many tours take you to public areas that are overcrowded. This Arenal Volcano ATV Experience from La Fortuna takes you on an ATV ride through a private trail of the jungle that allows you to experience nature, culture, and adventure all during just a few hours.

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.

Discover the natural beauty of the La Fortuna region on an action-packed full-day tour that is ideal for people who enjoy outdoors activities. Go on hikes through lush rain forest; visit a butterfly garden and Maleku Indian village; take a dip at La Fortuna waterfall; look for wildlife; and view the Arenal Volcano. Top off the day with a cocktail and a relaxing soak in a natural hot water river.

Head to La Fortuna, home to the Arenal Volcano, on this guided all-day tour from San Jose. Sit back and relax as you travel through diverse plantations and cattle ranches on the roughly 3.5-hour drive. After arriving, enjoy lunch with a view of the volcano. Then, take a dip in the area’s thermal waters and indulge in an optional massage or other treatment.

Spend a half day touring the Arenal Volcano with a guide, learning the history of the volcano from its first eruption in 1968. You’ll have a moderate walk of about 1.5k to the viewpoint, where you’ll have views of the Green Lagoon and Lake Arenal. Along the way you’ll see the wildlife of the rainforest, including turkeys, toucans, monkeys, orioles, and snakes!

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.

Experience the thrill of riding an ATV along tracks in the Costa Rican rainforest during this exhilarating half-day activity from La Fortuna. Head to a private farm near Arenal Volcano National Park, and receive instruction on operating the ATV. Follow your guide on a mud-splattered ride over rugged terrain, stopping at a small village to observe local life, with a natural volcanic mud mask experience from the river included.

Learn about Costa Rica’s most remarkable creatures on a 1.5-hour tour of a La Fortuna wildlife rescue center. Explore the center with a naturalist guide, get a glimpse at some of the center’s cutest inhabitants, and see how conservation efforts are saving vulnerable species from development and poaching.

Hiking on Arenal Volcano is the best way to appreciate the volcano’s power and beauty alike. This guided tour takes you down a network of paths ranging from easy to difficult—talk to your guide to choose the path that’s right for you. No matter what you pick, your guide shares stories and information about the volcano throughout the hike and points out features like wildlife and dried lava flows that you might miss on your own.

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.

Arenal Volcano National Park’s massive size and unique natural setting can make it an easy place to get lost in, if you don’t already know the area. This Arenal Volcano National Park Hiking Tour from La Fortuna allows you to explore one of the park’s beautiful trails with a guide who can navigate the steep slopes and volcanic landscape well. Plus, take in views of Lake Arenal, while your guide talks about the volcano’s history and forest formation processes.

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.

At a two hour drive from La Fortuna we visit the Tenorio volcano national park. After some hiking we will get to the Rio Celeste (blue river). The blue color you can see is the result of a chemical reaction between two merging rivers containing different volcanic minerals. (Foto tenideros) It’s a very rare phenomenon which creates a fairytale- like beauty. The hike itself is medium tough and takes about 4 hours. It will take you to a waterfall, a lookout point and the place where the river changes colors. (Foto waterfall)With the help of the guide there is a good possibility of seeing wildlife. After the hike we’ll have lunch and start our drive back to la Fortuna.

You don’t need to venture deep into the rain forest to see Costa Rica’s spectacular wildlife on this guided nature walk in a La Fortuna nature center. On this tour, a guide accompanies you on an easy, kid-friendly walk through the forest, pointing out wildlife like sloths, birds, and tree frogs along the way.

Take a tranquil journey through Costa Rica's amazingly biodiverse rain forest on this half-day safari float down the Peñas Blancas River near La Fortuna. Paddle through the calm waters without a motor so you can appreciate the many sounds of the jungle and observe wildlife like sloths, turtles, birds, and monkeys without disturbing them. Travel with a professional guide, who will point out passing plant and animal species and enhance your appreciation of the incredible ecosystem.

One of the most popular activities in La Fortuna, a guided hanging bridges tour is a fool-proof way to spot wildlife and learn more about the Costa Rican rain forest. This nighttime hanging bridges tour in Mistico Park puts a twist on the classic excursion by introducing you to the forest's nocturnal residents, such as honey bears, barn owls, and over 4,500 species of nocturnal butterflies (twice the number of daytime butterflies!). This tour includes pickup and drop-off from some centrally located La Fortuna hotels.

Explore the wild beauty and rich biodiversity of Costa Rica’s famed Arenal region on this combo hiking and waterfall tour from La Fortuna. Trek along the different levels of hanging bridges in the rain forest at Mistico Park, and later take a short hike to reach the tropical cascade of La Fortuna Waterfall. Replenish your energy with a delicious Costa Rican lunch at a local restaurant.

See how La Fortuna transforms after sunset with this guided walking tour. Your guide will take you and your party into a natural area, where you'll learn about local crepuscular and nocturnal creatures and maybe see some yourself, such as owls, snakes, and colorful frogs—if you’re lucky, you may even spot a red-eyed tree frog.

Explore three of Costa Rica’s natural highlights on an easy small-group day tour from La Fortuna. Nature-loving travelers who are short on time will love walking over the hanging bridges, hiking to Arenal Volcano, and swimming at La Fortuna Waterfall all in one day. Admire impressive views throughout the day and learn more about Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity from your guide.

Combine two of the top outdoor rainforest activities in Costa Rica with this full-day day tour. After pickup from La Fortuna in a minivan, head to the Arenal Hanging Bridges—two miles (3.2 kilometers) of raised walking platforms designed for viewing wildlife in the rainforest canopy and below. After walking the bridges, visit La Fortuna Waterfall, swim in the La Fortuna River, and have a restaurant lunch before returning to La Fortuna.

This full-day, family-friendly combo tour in La Fortuna spans 6 to 7 hours starting at 7:00 AM, blending adrenaline and native Costa Rican culture into a single adventure. The journey begins with a 7-line canopy zipline course featuring an 18-meter tower, a flyover across a 120-meter canyon, and a high-flying pass directly above the La Fortuna Waterfall on Central America's second longest cable. Following the zipline, guests are transported to the base offices to change into dry clothes and enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch. The action continues with a 4x4 truck ride deep into the mountains, setting up an exhilarating canyoning session where participants rappel down rainforest waterfalls. The package wraps up back at the ranch with photo reviews and fresh Costa Rican coffee, with all bilingual guides, round-trip transportation, equipment, lunch, and snacks fully included.