Arenal route turned out to be a little different than I had originally envisioned when planning my travels. For some reason, I thought it would be more tropical, as in, the vegetation would be different. I was, at first, surprised. However, I quickly got used to the scenery and grew to love it. The Arenal Volcano area is scenic and charming. It is more spring-like and I can understand why so many ex-pats have chosen this area to retire.

Starting in Ciudad Quesada and winding through to La Fortuna, the Arenal route is named for the Arenal Volcano. This was a farming and ranching region but is slowly becoming a baby boom retirement resort.

Ciudad Quesada is near Arenal and offers internet services, accommodations ATMs and a private thermal hot spring. The springs are located on the outskirts of town.

La Fortuna

A relaxing town with a number of interesting natural wonders and sights of tourist interest, including Volcano Arenal, this is a great sleepy agricultural town to base oneself and explore.

Although an influx of travelers is changing this town, it still has a Tico flavor and a distinct charm. Some of the Arenal-area sights include:

Arenal area sights

• Tabacon Hot Springs is 13-km (8 mi) west of La Fortuna with a lovely orchid and incredibly warm waterfall, this spring is located on a spot where the volcanic eruption passed through in 1975.
• Las Fuentes Termales is a hot bath without the glamour of the above-mentioned springs.
• Baldi Thermae Hot Springs is 5-km (3 mi) west of La Fortuna and has 10 thermal pools but the admission fee is high.
• Eco-Termales is a by-appointment-only hot spring where minimalism is the theme. Only 100 visitors per four-hour slot are admitted (10am, 1pm and 5pm). Call for reservations at 479-8484
• Masajes Serenity day spa specializes in treating weary muscles with a variety of massages and offers facials and other spa treatments. It's located about 50m (165 ft) from the Parque Central.
• Herrera Day Spa offers European atmosphere and homemade products.
• Waterfalls at La Catarata de la Fortuna has a lovely 70m (230 ft) waterfall but is dangerous for diving. There is an entry fee. It's possible to hike to these falls via San Ramon and it's about 7-km (4.5 mi) through pastureland and papaya trees.
• Catarata de la Fortuna waterfalls are also the trailhead for a five-hour climb to Cerro Chato, which is a strenuous trek to a lake-filled volcanic crater.
• Ecocentro Denaus is a well-developed trail system good for birding and sighting sloths, coatis and howler monkeys. The price of admission includes a visit to a butterfly garden and ranarium featuring poison-dart frogs.
• Valle Cocodrilo is a conservation program and tourist attraction where visitors can peer at crocodiles through fences.
• Arenal Rainforest Reserve offers zip lines, aerial trams, hanging bridges and fabulous views of the volcano.

Arenal activities

• Fourtrax Adventures offer atving and is located on the edge of town.
• Canoa Adventura offers canoe trips to Arenal and is mostly geared toward wildlife watching, especially birds. This tour comes highly recommended.
• PureTrek Canyoning takes visitors on guided rappels of four nearby waterfalls; one is 50m in height
• Desafio Adventure Company leads visitors on horseback rides. Located behind the church can take visitors to La Fortuna waterfall or on multi-day trips.
• Laguna de Arenal offers kitesurfing and windsurfing. This is Costa Rica's capital for these sports.
• White-water rafting and kayaking in class I through IV rapids is offered by Desafio Adventure Company.
• Learning Spanish at the Adventure Education Center is combined with courses on wilderness training, such as learning to be a hiking guide.

Arenal festivals & events

• Fiestas de la Fortuna is an annual party held in mid-February and features two weeks of bullfights, colorful carnival rides , craft stands and gambling.

Very near Arenal Volcano, this tiny mountain village — El Castillo — is a wonderful alternative for travelers to use as a base. It offers an alternative to La Fortuna. Offering terrific accommodations, this town also has had some serious ecotourism accomplishments.

Arenal area sights

• Arenal Rainforest Reserve is a new ecocenter featuring an aerial tram and a dead-on view of Arenal Volcano. It also has a canopy tour, hanging bridges and hiking trails.
• El Castillo-Arenal Butterfly Conservatory is a conservation project run by an American ex-pat who has built an magnificent conservatory. There are seven different gardens pertaining to each habitat and a ranarium, an insect museum and a medicinal herb garden.
• Jardi­n Zoologico de Serpientes de Arenal is next door to the butterfly conservatory and has 35 species of snakes, four species of turtles, six species of frogs and lizards and iguanas

Lake Arenal

Located 18-km (11 mi) west of La Fortuna is Laguna de Arenal. Arenal Lake supplies water and hydroelectricity for the region. There are a number of steel windmills which capitalize on the high winds.

The Arenal route is one of the premier road trips in Costa Rica. However, you'll need your own car or bike to get it done. The road is lined with odd and elegant businesses and many are foreign owned. There are scenic views of the lake and volcano which make the road romantic and charming.

Sights near Arenal Volcano

• Dam to Nuevo Arenal is a beautiful stretch of road lined by cloud forest and offers some great accommodation options.
• Hotel Los Heroes is an alpine chalet 14-km (9 mi) west of the dam and has charming accommodation but also a miniature train that brings visitors up a hill to an underground station beneath a restaurant. There's also a hiking trail leading to the restaurant.
• Nuevo Arenal is located 29-km (46.5 mi) west of the dam and is the only good-sized town between La Fortuna and Tilaran.
• Tilaran is located at the southwestern end of Laguna de Arenal and is the regional ranching center. A pit-stop, one can look at the windmills or relax at the local cafe.