Long Weekend in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Because sometimes you only have a long weekend—but still want a week’s worth of adventure.

Trip‑at‑a‑Glance

• Duration: Wednesday morning–Monday evening (5 days / 4 nights)
• Base: Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Resort, La Fortuna
• Perfect for: Small groups & couples who like equal parts thrill and chill
• Estimated cost: From ≈ US $1,200 per person + flight (double‑occupancy; details below)
• Best season: December–April for the driest skies; May delivers hot‑springs weather with thinner crowds (our visit was May 14‑19).

Day 1 — Wheels Up & Hot‑Springs Wind‑Down

Afternoon flight into SJO → pick up a rental car → scenic 3‑hour drive to La Fortuna

Check in, drop your bags, and do exactly what the resort’s name promises: sink into pools fed by the Arenal volcano’s geothermal goodness until 9 p.m. Bonus—hotel guests get all‑day hot‑springs access, so keep your wristband handy.

Where we slept: Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Resort (Luxury Room, 2× queen beds). Garden views, rainforest soundtrack, free breakfast—done.

Hot‑Springs Pro Tip: The steamiest water hides in the elevated terraces above the main pool and in the petite tub tucked behind the café. Thirsty? Head down to the lower pool with the swim‑up bar—its cooler temps let you linger over that piña colada. Don’t be shy about pool‑hopping until you find your perfect hot‑cold combo.

Day 2 — Beans, Bars & Brews

Morning: We slept in and enjoyed breakfast on property before driving to the North Fields Café Coffee & Chocolate Tour (10 a.m.).

• Family‑run finca that walks you from bean to cup (and cacao pod to truffle).
• Demonstrates the time‑honored chorreador drip—Costa Rica’s “sock filter” method that embodies the Pura Vidatake‑it‑slow ethos (photo below).
• Tastings of estate coffee, artisanal chocolate, and raw sugarcane juice.

Afternoon: Grab a relaxing lunch at Soda Tita Rosa—a no‑frills soda just down the road from North Fields—then make the short drive (or quick cab) to La Fortuna Waterfall for a refreshing plunge below the 70‑m cascade.

Evening: Head into La Fortuna for an early dinner—this eco‑tourism hub starts winding down around 9 p.m., and most kitchens are dark by 10. Our pick: Chipotle’s Tex‑Mex (50 m south of the Catholic church; open noon–9:30 p.m.). Expect fresh‑pressed tortillas, hefty tacos, and a solid margarita lineup at wallet‑friendly prices.

Day 3 — Sarapiquí Class IV White‑Water Rodeo

Early morning: Sneak in a quick sweat at the resort gym—it’s compact but dialed‑in with free weights and curve treadmills. I shouldered my trek pack and hammered stair repeats for Andes prep while the rest of the crew worked through supersets and running. We still had time to shower, crush a delicious traditional breakfast, and meet our guide and driver in the lobby by 08:20 AM.

08:30  AM– 2:30 PM | Private raft with Jacamar Naturalist Tours — US$180 pp
Helmet on, paddle ready—the Upper Sarapiquí dishes out 45+ back‑to‑back Class III/IV rapids, roughly 2- hours of splash‑adrenaline broken up by a mid‑river swim and fresh‑fruit fuel‑up. Our four‑person raft (plus guide) kept the vibes tight and the paddles synchronous.

• Certified guides plus a safety kayaker scout every rapid and handle rescues
• All gear, hotel pickup, entrance fees, snacks, and a farm‑fresh lunch included
• Wildlife bonus: once the river calms, keep an eye out for toucans, monkeys, sloths, and poison‑dart frogs
• Add‑on: pro photo package (US$30) so you can keep both hands on the paddle—highly recommended. Your guide will let you preview the shots before you buy. We mounted an Insta360 on one of the helmets (they had a few lids with action‑cam mounts) and still snapped up the pro images for extra angles.

What to wear/bring: closed‑toe river shoes, quick‑dry layers, reef‑safe sunscreen, insect repellent, and a full change of clothes for the ride home. They have showers and towels for you at the headquarters.

Lunch stop: Traditional casado at La Finquita—grilled chicken (or veggie option), rice & beans, plantains, salad, local coffee, and fresh juice.

Evening: Back at Paradise Hot Springs by 3‑ish. Melt those paddle‑sore shoulders in the steamy upper pools or cool off at the swim‑up bar with an ice‑cold cerveza. This is a great night to eat on property or head to town. We opted to enjoy appetizers on property before heading to town for dinner. We ended up at Restaurante Fortuneño for small bites and a few drinks. Perfect landing spot before grabbing a well earned dessert at Tayakiry Café.

Day 4 — Waterfall Rappels & Sloth Safari

Morning | 07:20 lobby pick‑up → 08:00‑12:00 canyon run | Pure Trek Canyoning — US$116 pp
Paradise Hot Springs swung the dining room doors open early for us at 06:50 AM so we could wolf down a quick breakfast—pre‑arranged by our travel advisor (Dave)—before meeting the Pure Trek crew in the lobby at 07:20 AM.

Kick off with a rumbling 4×4 ride up a mountain road, gear up at the first ranch house, and drop straight into Pure Trek’s rainforest playground: with a rumbling 4×4 ride up a mountain road, gear up at the first ranch house, and drop straight into Pure Trek’s rainforest playground:

• 5 waterfall rappels ranging 25 – 165 ft (7 – 55 m)
• The grin‑inducing “Monkey Drop” zip line—zip, then free‑rappel 82 ft into the canyon floor
• Short jungle hikes between drops with guides pointing out frogs, orchids, and bromeliads
• Professionally trained bilingual guides + top‑tier climbing gear & waterproof jackets
• Family‑style Costa Rican lunch at base camp—rice, beans, plantains, salad, fresh fruit, and veggies grown in their own organic gardens
• Sustainability cred: visit the Earth Hut compost project, see their rain‑reforest nursery, and peek at the resident honey‑bee refuge.

Add‑on: Digital photo package (pay after you preview). We clipped an Insta360 to the helmet—Pure Trek has lids with action‑cam mounts—but still bought the pro shots for the angles you can’t self‑capture.

What to wear/bring: fast‑dry shorts or leggings, adventure sandals or grippy sneakers, change of clothes & towel, dry bag for your phone.

Afternoon | 14:00‑17:00 — Arenal Sloth Safari -US$113 pp
Trade waterfalls for the laid‑back stars of the rainforest on this small‑group eco‑tour run by family‑owned Faro Travel Costa Rica.

• Pickup at Paradise Hot Springs and a relaxed drive to La Fortuna’s best sloth corridors
• Certified naturalist guide + tripod‑mounted spotting scope—snap crystal‑clear phone photos right through the lens
• Goal: spot both Costa Rican sloth species (Hoffmann’s two‑toed & brown‑throated three‑toed); we bagged four sightings, including a mama with her baby.
• Bonus wildlife: toucans, howler monkeys, blue jean poison‑dart frogs, iguanas, hummingbirds
• Included Costa Rican homemade snack & chilled water
• Easy terrain (short, flat trails); closed‑toe shoes, light rain jacket, and insect repellent recommended

Evening: Back at the hotel by 17:00—plenty of time for a sunset soak or quick spa session before heading back out.

Tonight’s the night to taste La Fortuna’s mellow nightlife. We followed the aroma of pizza to Italianissimo La Fortuna, demolished a piping‑hot flatbread and a pizza, then wandered back toward the car via Tayakiry Café for an espresso‑drowned affogato, punctuating the stroll with a couple of live‑music/sangria stops.

Day 5 — Farewell La Fortuna, Hello San José

Morning | 07:30‑10:00
Fuel up at the Paradise Hot Springs breakfast buffet, check out, and make a last pass through downtown La Fortuna. Our must‑stop: Chocolate Fusion for velvety cappuccinos, candied cacao nibs, and a take‑home bag of their signature Bebida de los Dioses pure‑cacao mix—the baristas and locals agreed it’s the best cup in town. Every time I am in La Fortuna, I close out my trip with a stop here for delicious coffee, wonderful pastries, and a few chocolate bars to go. Can you say Fika time!

Drive | 10:00‑13:00 — La Fortuna → San José (≈ 3 hrs)
Cruise south on Route 702/Route 1; roadside fruit stands are perfect for a guanábana or mango pick‑me‑up.

Check‑in | 14:00 — Delta Hotels by Marriott San José La Sabana
We picked the Delta for two reasons: (1) it’s minutes from the tour meeting point at Morazán Park, and (2) it sits between leafy La Sabana Park and hip Barrio Escalante—ideal for a quick city primer.

Evening | 17:30‑21:30 — San José by Night: Food & Culture (US$79 pp)
Small‑group stroll with Intrepid Urban Adventures that threads colonial plazas, street‑art alleys, and the buzzy gastropubs of Barrio Escalante.

• Meet your local guide at the Temple of Music, Morazán Park
• Snap the Metallic Building & Yellow House en route to Escalante
• Tuck into a chef‑curated tasting menu—think ceviche, chifrijo, patacones—with two craft‑beer or sangria pairings
• 3 km of easy walking; max 12 guests; ends at Aguizotes Gastropub where taxis/Ubers are plentiful

Nightcap: Your guide will suggest live‑music or cocktail spots, we had a really fun group and ended up savoring desert and drinks with our guide at the final stop before he walked us back towards our hotels.

Day 6 — Coffee Treasure Hunt & Take‑Off

Morning — Delta Breakfast & Mercado Central Walkabout
Start with the Delta’s hearty buffet, then take a short stroll to Mercado Central—San José’s 19th‑century indoor market packed with 200+ stalls of coffee, spices, and souvenirs. Pro move: stop for bulk beans at Café Central and snag vanilla pods or local chilero sauce while you’re at it.

Mid‑Morning — Caféoteca Finale (Barrio Escalante)
Check out, load the car, and detour to Caféoteca—ranked in the world’s Top 100 cafés—for one last pour‑over and pastry (fika encore!). Their tasting bar rotates eight region‑specific Costa Rican roasts; easily one of the best mocha’s I ever had. We took some time to check out their collection of beans and left with a prized bag of Honey Geisha coffee to savor back home.

Transfer | Hotel → SJO (≈ 25 min)
Return the rental, breeze through security, and board your late afternoon or early evening flight. Pura Vida—see you next adventure!

Budget Snapshot (per person, double  occ.)

Prices are May 2025 benchmarks with four people, two per a room. Expect slight seasonal variation.

Post‑Trip Tour Vendor Review

Because I traveled with the group, I could gather real‑time feedback on every outfitter. Collectively we rated North Fields Café, Jacamar, Pure Trek, Faro Travel, and Intrepid Urban Adventures between 4.5 and 5 stars for safety, guide expertise, and overall fun. Throughout this guide you’ll see links to each vendor on Viator or Project Expedition (PE). I favor PE—its Virtuoso accreditation and rigorous in‑house vetting consistently surface more reputable operators than the big list sites, and it’s the first platform I consult when mapping new adventures.

Where We Slept & Why We’d Go Back

Paradise Hot Springs Thermal Resort — La Fortuna

• Boutique size, big soak-factor. Paradise keeps things intimate with under 30 colonial-style rooms and suites, so even at full capacity the pool deck never feels packed.
• Eight mineral-rich pools + two cool-down plunges. Water bubbles up at 95-104 °F (35-40 °C) before cascading through eight landscaped pools; the two lower basins hover around 81 °F for an instant reset between steamy soaks.
• Lush jungle gardens, full-service spa & gym. Beautiful plants frame every pool with secluded areas to sit or lounge interwoven; when the shoulders beg for more, book a massage at the on-site spa.
• Rooms built for recovery. Expect strong A/C, fiber Wi-Fi, rainfall showers, mini-fridges, and blackout drapes—simple but spotless.
• Fuel: Azalia Restaurant + Phoenix swim-up bar. Breakfast (à-la-carte) is included; later, Azalia turns out solid casados and ceviche while the Phoenix bar keeps cocktails flowing without ever leaving the water. 
• What you’ll spend. Weeknight rates dipping to ≈ US $199 before tax—rare under-$200 access to private hot springs.

Bottom line: If your La Fortuna agenda is “max adventure by day, geothermal bliss by night,” this is the sweet-spot value play.

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José — Downtown Layover HQ

(the glass-tower landmark on Parque Morazán, formerly Holiday Inn Aurola)

• Walk-to-everything location. Step outside the lobby and you’re already in Parque Morazán—two minutes to the Temple of Music tour meet-up, 10 minutes to the Gold & Jade Museums, and a quick walk to the markets. SJO runs about 30 minutes in light traffic, and we loved having the car tucked in the hotel’s complimentary underground secure lot.
• Elite treatment that over-delivers. Titanium status netted us a room upgrade and full lounge privileges—breakfast buffet in the restaurant, evening snacks, and pantry access—plus the welcome amenity points. Staff cheerfully offered both points and breakfast without making us choose.
• Amenities worth the overnight. The property lists an indoor pool, 24-hr gym, three restaurants, a lobby bar, valet parking, and a small casino—handy on paper if you’re lingering in-house. In practice we only sampled the lounge-level perks: grabbed snacks and drinks from the executive lounge and lobby pantry on arrival, then crashed after our night tour. Next morning we hit the buffet (solid spread) and rolled out. If you plan more hotel time than we did, all those extras should be there, but double-check hours at check-in as some outlets may be dark during the remodel.
• Rooms in mid-refresh. Yes, you’ll spot 1980s bones—carpet, wood trim—but renovated floors are rolling out quarter by quarter. Our room had new paint, plush bedding, strong A/C, and speedy Wi-Fi. Everything we needed for a one night stay before heading home.
• Value play. Standard rooms frequently post around under US $200; paired with free parking and the walkable core setting, the bang-to-buck is hard to beat for a final night in the capital.

Bottom line. If you want to stroll straight into San José’s historic heart, score upgrades, and keep the rental car safe, the Delta by Marriott is an easy “book it” for that last layover before wheels-up at SJO.

Know Before You Go

• Entry: No visa needed for U.S. passport holders; passport must be valid at least one month past arrival. Proof of onward travel can be requested.
• Driving: Costa Rica mandates third‑party liability insurance that your credit‑card CDW won’t cover. Budget about US $12/day. We rented with Sixt, whose upfront quote already included the fee—many companies tack it on at the counter, so read the fine print.
• Weather: Even in “dry” season, expect pop‑up showers. Pack a light rain shell, travel umbrella, and waterproof cover for camera gear/backpacks.
• What to pack: Quick‑dry adventure wear, river shoes, reef‑safe sunscreen, DEET‑free bug spray, and a dry bag for electronics. Forgot water shoes? Super Christian grocery in La Fortuna sells basic pairs for ~US $10.
• Cash vs. Card: Colones and USD are accepted nearly everywhere; cards dominate, but keep small bills for fruit stands and tips.
• Tipping: Restaurants include a 10 % service fee, yet guides and drivers really appreciate an extra US $10–15 for standout service.

Ready to Plan Your Own Escape?

Use this blueprint as‑is or dial the adrenaline up or down to match your crew. Need help tailoring the details? DM me through our website (join here)—my planning assistance is always fee‑free for our travel community members and you’ll gain support and advisor perks.