Things to do in La Fortuna

La Fortuna is a district of San Carlos canton, Alajuela province, home to roughly 15,000 people at about 250 metres above sea level, and it works as the base for almost every excursion in this part of Costa Rica rather than a sight in itself.

Most hotels sit along Route 142 towards the volcano or on the roads out towards Lake Arenal, so a rental car or reliable shuttle matters more here than in a walkable town. 5 to 3 hours. From La Fortuna, the waterfall is a 10 to 15 minute drive, the national park entrance about 20 minutes, and Monteverde is 3 to 4 hours by road or roughly 3 hours via the jeep-boat-jeep across Lake Arenal.

The volcano has been quiet since October 2010 — no lava is visible from town or anywhere else.