"Adventure and Relaxation in the Fiery Arenal" Top 5 Page for this destination Arenal by lashr1999

Our main reason for out 3 hour road trip from San Jose to the Arenal/Fortuna area was to see the Arenal volcano. However, there are many other things to see and do in this area.

Arenal hanging bridges

For those who love nature, the Arenal area will not disappoint you. There are many hiking trails to provide you with spectacular views of the forests, lake, volcano, waterfalls, birds and other wildlife. The volcano national park has an excellent view of the volcano. In addition, here you can see a wide variety of flora and fauna. The hanging bridges provide different paths and brides where you can see the volcano and the surrounding forest. We saw a variety of birds and lizards during our walk through. There are many other animals which we were not able to see.

Arenal area zip lining

For those into adventure try an activity like we did such as zip lining through the forest. Repelling down waterfall is another activity I may consider for a future visit. Other activities such as horseback riding, rafting and ATVing are also offered in this area or close to this area.

When you become tired of all the adventure there are places too relax and take a break from it all. There are resorts, spas and hot springs to rejuvenate you. Why not relax under a hot spring as the natural hot spring water massages your back. The town of Fortuna has ATM’s, a few restaurants, shops and internet cafes.

Last but not least the volcano itself will not disappoint you. During the day if you are close by you can hear various rumbling. On a clear night you may see some orange fireworks erupt from the conical dome. Remember not every night is clear and you may only be able to see the show 50% of the time because of the clouds, so plan on staying here a few nights just in case.

• Pros:Relaxation, nature and adventure all in one place.
• Cons:The potholes but they can be fun when AtV'ing
• In a nutshell:Get a rental 4X4 to experience the true Aernall area