Driving to the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica

A visit to Arenal Volcano was the second stop on our Costa Rican road trip. To get there, we decided to drive from San Jose to the district of La Fortuna. I originally reserved a small SUV for our journey, but by the time we arrived to Avis, we were left with a Nissan Versa economy car. I was worried, based on what I read and researched about driving in Costa Rica, but the salesman recommended that we just drive slowly on the unpaved roads. So, with some hesitation and no other option, we took the car. If I had a choice, I would still pick a SUV over the economy car, especially since we were driving in the countryside and in the rainforest, where the unpaved and gravel roads were daunting to drive on. However, suffice it to say, our cautious and careful driving allowed us to come away relatively unscathed.

Before heading to La Fortuna, there was one hotel along the way that I wanted to stay at on Patricia’s List, located within the Costa Rican rainforest. Chachagua Rainforest Eco Lodge is about a 1.5-hour drive north of San Jose on the way to Arenal. To get to the hotel, you’ll need to drive along a 2-mile unpaved road, as well as a small river crossing before you get to the hotel’s parking lot. As we were driving a Versa, we had to drive extra slowly to avoid the potholes and rocks that might puncture the tires.

During high season, they require a two-night minimum. While it makes sense to have bugs in the rainforest, I was surprised at the number of insects that greeted us throughout the night. The entrance doors weren’t secure enough to keep the bugs out, so it ended up being two nights of being eaten alive. I recommend lots of bug spray and a canopy net around the bed! I will say the upside to this experience was the hotel food: our dinner both nights were excellent!

Inside the Arenal Volcano National Park was our next hotel stop, the Arenal Observatory Lodge. When selecting room types, I recommend the volcano view rooms with a balcony. Though the rooms themselves were straightforward, the amenities really made the stay worthwhile. Because this hotel is secluded and remote, your meals will be at the hotel restaurant. The restaurant’s dinner prices were reasonable and delicious, and breakfast was included with our stay. Additionally, I think the bigger draw of the restaurant was the amazing volcano view on its deck. There were a few chairs on the deck facing the volcano, and I loved sitting on the deck overlooking the lake and volcano alongside my morning coffee.

There are several short trails on the property itself that you can hike on. On our first day, we hiked up to the ‘Nest,’ a 92-foot metal observation tower you can climb to observe wildlife in the center of the rain forest. Be forewarned the climb up the tower is not for the faint of heart, with some strong winds actually swaying the tower a little bit back and forth! There is also a free, guided hike that begins at 8:30 a.m. every day that is about 2.5 hours. It starts at the reception office and our guide took us along most of the hiking trails, with a fun tractor ride back to the hotel at the end of it.

The famous hot springs in La Fortuna are heated by the Arenal Volcano. The Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa is on Patricia’s List, so I opted to get a day pass, which includes a buffet meal and costs between $70-$94, depending on the season. I found this experience to be more intimate and less crowded, with lots of little pockets of hot springs you can go and relax as a couple. If you want to add a little more excitement, there’s a small water slide and swim up bar you can enjoy. If you’re cost-conscious, the nearby Baldi Hot Springs, is more affordable, though it seemed much more crowded when we visited.

If Arenal Volcano is too far or difficult of a trip to get to, a great volcano alternative is Poas Volcano, which is a much closer to San Jose. Be sure to make reservations the day before to get access since there are limited reservations available as it’s still an active volcano. Additionally, be sure to go earlier in the day to get a better chance at viewing the volcano. You will also need to wear a helmet and other safety gear when entering.