Is La Fortuna Worth Visiting with Kids? Family Guide to Costa Rica's Adventure Capital

When we were planning our Costa Rica itinerary, La Fortuna was the place everyone seemed to recommend for families. With rainforest, waterfalls, wildlife, hot springs and views of Arenal Volcano, it sounded incredible—but I still wondered whether it would justify moving hotels and spending several days away from the beach.

After visiting with our 7-year-old son Joshua, I can honestly say La Fortuna became the highlight of our entire Costa Rica trip.

Quick Answer: Is La Fortuna Worth Visiting with Kids?

Yes — absolutely.

If your children enjoy animals, swimming, nature and outdoor adventures, La Fortuna is one of the best family destinations in Costa Rica. Within a short drive you can walk through the rainforest canopy at Mistico Hanging Bridges, swim at La Fortuna Waterfall, spot sloths and wildlife, relax in natural hot springs and enjoy spectacular views of Arenal Volcano.

What makes it work so well for families is how easy it is to explore. Most of the major attractions are within 15–30 minutes of each other, making it simple to combine a morning adventure with an afternoon by the pool or in the hot springs.

After spending several days here, La Fortuna became our favourite part of Costa Rica. It offered the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation, and provided many of the experiences that make Costa Rica feel completely different from a typical beach holiday.

In this guide, I'll share what we loved, who La Fortuna is best suited to, how many days you need and whether it's worth including in your Costa Rica itinerary.

Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you book through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend places and experiences we'd genuinely use again as a family.

Why La Fortuna Feels Like the Real Costa Rica

If I had to describe La Fortuna in one sentence, I'd say it feels like the Costa Rica most people imagine before they visit.

This is where you'll find rainforest trails, volcano views, waterfalls, hot springs and wildlife all within a relatively small area. It feels adventurous without being difficult and delivers exactly the sort of experiences many families travel to Costa Rica hoping to find.

What we loved most was the variety. One morning we were crossing the rainforest canopy at Mistico Hanging Bridges, listening to birds and looking for wildlife. That afternoon we were swimming in hot springs overlooking Arenal Volcano.

It's rare to find a destination that can pack so much into a few days without feeling rushed.

The Activities Alone Make La Fortuna Worth Visiting

A lot of family destinations rely on one standout attraction. La Fortuna has dozens.

Mistico Hanging Bridges

This was one of the main reasons we wanted to visit La Fortuna and it completely lived up to expectations.

Walking high above the rainforest canopy, crossing suspension bridges and listening to the sounds of the jungle felt like a real adventure. We booked the first 8am entry slot and practically had the place to ourselves, which made the experience even more special.

For a detailed review of the walk, wildlife spotting and whether it's suitable for children, see Mistico Hanging Bridges with Kids

La Fortuna Waterfall

Another highlight was La Fortuna Waterfall.

The walk down is steep, with around 500 steps, but the reward is one of Costa Rica's most beautiful waterfalls. Joshua loved swimming beside the waterfall and it quickly became one of his favourite memories of the trip.

For everything you need to know about the steps, swimming and safety, see La Fortuna Waterfall with Kids

Hot Springs

If there is one thing every family should experience in La Fortuna, it's the hot springs. After busy mornings exploring waterfalls and rainforest trails, relaxing in naturally heated pools while looking towards Arenal Volcano felt pretty special.

We stayed at Hotel Los Lagos, which had its own hot springs, waterslides and volcano views. In fact, Joshua still talks about the pineapple mocktails and slides today.

For a full overview, see: Hotel Los Lagos La Fortuna Review

Wildlife Experiences

Even if wildlife isn't the sole reason you're visiting Costa Rica, you'll probably end up loving it.

Between sloth tours, rainforest walks and simply keeping your eyes open around hotels, there are endless opportunities to spot animals. We regularly saw birds, frogs and lizards, while monkeys became a common sight later in our trip at the beach.

These were our personal highlights, but they're only scratching the surface of what's available in La Fortuna. From wildlife tours and zip lining to rafting, horse riding and chocolate experiences, there are enough activities here to keep families busy for a week.

For a full breakdown of the attractions we'd recommend and who they're best suited to, see Best Things to Do in La Fortuna with Kids: 12 Family-Friendly Attractions.

When Is the Best Time to Visit La Fortuna?

La Fortuna can be visited year-round, and we travelled during August, which falls within Costa Rica's rainy season. While we experienced some rain, it never stopped us enjoying the hanging bridges, waterfall, hot springs or wildlife. In fact, the rainforest looked incredibly lush and green, and the occasional mist made places like Mistico Hanging Bridges feel even more atmospheric.

If you're travelling during the UK school holidays, I wouldn't let the rainy season put you off. Just plan outdoor activities for the morning and keep afternoons a little more flexible.

How Many Days Do You Need in La Fortuna?

For most families, I'd recommend 2–3 nights.

That's enough time to:

• Visit Mistico Hanging Bridges

• See La Fortuna Waterfall

• Enjoy the hot springs

• Add a wildlife tour or another activity

We stayed for a few days before moving to the beach and felt it was the perfect amount of time.

If you're planning your route, see: 3 Days in La Fortuna with Kids: Family Itinerary

Where Should Families Stay in La Fortuna?

For most families, I'd recommend staying at a hot springs hotel just outside La Fortuna town. You'll still be within a short drive of the main attractions, but you'll also get the pools, volcano views and hot springs that make La Fortuna so special.

We stayed at Hotel Los Lagos, which had hot springs, waterslides and incredible views of Arenal Volcano, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our Costa Rica trip.

If you're comparing areas and hotels, read Where to Stay in La Fortuna with Kids: Best Family Hotels & Areas, where I break down the pros and cons of staying in town, at a hot springs resort or in the surrounding countryside.

What We Loved Most About La Fortuna

More than any individual attraction, it was the overall atmosphere. Everything felt surrounded by nature.

You wake up to volcano views, spend the day exploring rainforest, spot wildlife in unexpected places and end the day soaking in hot springs. It feels very different from a typical family holiday and that's exactly why we enjoyed it so much.

Another huge positive was how easy it was to get around. Once we arrived, most attractions were within a short drive, making it simple to mix activities with downtime. That balance is something Costa Rica does incredibly well.

Are There Any Downsides?

Very few, but there are a couple of things worth knowing.

The first is that there is some driving involved if you're including La Fortuna as part of a wider Costa Rica itinerary. We drove from the coast and it took around three hours, although once you're in La Fortuna most attractions are close together.

The second is the weather. If you're travelling during the UK summer holidays, you'll be visiting during Costa Rica's rainy season. We experienced some rain, particularly around the rainforest areas, but it never stopped us from doing the activities we wanted to do.

In fact, some experiences, like Mistico Hanging Bridges, arguably felt even more atmospheric with the mist and rain.

For more on this, see Costa Rica in August with Kids: Is Rainy Season Worth It for Families?

Who Will Enjoy La Fortuna Most?

La Fortuna is best suited to families who enjoy:

• Wildlife

• Nature

• Swimming

• Outdoor activities

• Exploring somewhere different

I think it works particularly well for children aged 6 and above, as they'll be able to enjoy the walks, waterfall swimming and many of the adventure activities. Joshua was 7 when we visited and, looking back, I think it was the ideal age.

Our Honest Verdict

If you're wondering whether La Fortuna is worth visiting with kids, my answer is simple: Don't skip it.

In fact, if we returned to Costa Rica tomorrow, La Fortuna would be the first place I'd add back into our itinerary.

The hanging bridges, rainforest sounds, waterfall swims, volcano views and hot springs created some of our most memorable family travel moments. While the beach gave us time to relax, La Fortuna gave us the experiences we still talk about today.

For our family, it wasn't just worth visiting—it was the highlight of Costa Rica.

FAQ's: Visiting La Fortuna with Kids

Is La Fortuna the best part of Costa Rica for families?

For many families, yes. Between the rainforest, waterfalls, hot springs, wildlife and volcano views, La Fortuna offers the biggest concentration of family-friendly activities in Costa Rica.

It's also why we built our trip around a La Fortuna and beach combination. If you're planning a similar route, see 10-Day Costa Rica Family Itinerary: Jungle, Volcanoes & Beaches.

Can you visit La Fortuna without doing adventure activities?

Absolutely. While La Fortuna is known for zip lining, rafting and other adventure experiences, we found some of the best activities were much more relaxed. The hanging bridges, hot springs, wildlife spotting and volcano views are all accessible for families who want to avoid high-adrenaline activities.

For more ideas, see Best Things to Do in La Fortuna with Kids: 12 Family-Friendly Attractions, where I cover both adventurous and more relaxed family experiences.

Is La Fortuna better than staying on the beach with kids?

They offer completely different experiences. The beach is ideal for relaxing, while La Fortuna is where you'll find the rainforest, waterfalls, wildlife and volcanoes that make Costa Rica unique. For us, combining both destinations gave us the best family holiday.

What surprised us most about La Fortuna?

How easy it was to explore. Before arriving, I expected long drives and complicated logistics, but most attractions were within a short distance of each other. It meant we could fit in exciting activities without spending the whole holiday travelling between them.

What is the one thing families shouldn't miss in La Fortuna?

For us, it was combining a rainforest activity with a hot springs hotel. Spending the morning at Mistico Hanging Bridges or La Fortuna Waterfall, then returning to the hot springs at Hotel Lagos, perfectly summed up why La Fortuna works so well for families.

plan your TRIP TO costa rica

If you’re planning your family trip to La Fortuna, these guides will help you pull everything together:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.