Updated March 24, 2025 – Costa Rica has so much to offer, which is why it was high on my list. There is jungle, rainforest, fabulous beaches, and a combination of the 2 in some spots. There is so much to do, so you have to pick your spots. I am sharing my top Costa Rica adventures.
1. Horseback Riding in the Costa Rica Jungle
This was an amazing experience, and I highly recommend doing it. It was a great way to see the Costa Rican outback and jungle. For me, this was day one, and I felt safer than treading through the jungle barefoot in an area where there isn’t a lot of tourism, so there are no real trails. This was one of my top Costa Rica adventures, if not at the top of the list. I booked my tour through my hostel, Balbo’s, about 20 km outside of Liberia town.
2. Arenal Volcano Adventure Hike
Volcanoes fascinate me. Hiking Arenal volcano through some pretty rough terrain followed by lava fields was an experience I will never forget. The views, the satisfaction of reaching the top, and learning of past eruptions were awesome. Don’t cheap out and book yourself a tour; it was well worth the $65. I booked this tour through my hostel, Cabinas Las Palmas.
3. Natural Hot Springs in La Fortuna
What better way to relax after an Arenal Volcano hike than kicking back at a free natural hot spring? It was very cool to be in the middle of Costa Rica’s nature in a natural hot spring. The rocks were sharp on my feet, but I did manage to find a comfortable spot. Once I settled in, I didn’t want to leave. As a side note, the owner of the hostel at Cabinas Las Palmas drove us to the hot springs. How’s that for service?
4. Hanging Bridges in Arenal is a Top Adventure in Costa Rica
After seeing the jungle on horseback I wanted more of the rainforest. Taking the 2-hour hanging bridges tour at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park did not disappoint. It’s a great way to take a break from the sun, experience the rain forest and get some epic jungle views from the many hanging bridges you can walk across. Plus, they are super fun. You don’t always feel safe with a few people on the bridges taking selfies as it starts to swing, but I am sure they are, LOL.
5. Add La Fortuna Waterfall To Your Costa Rica Bucket List
Waterfalls are plentiful in Costa Rica and the top of many lists is the La Fortuna Waterfall. So I had to check this one out and it did not disappoint. It’s a bit of a trek but there are stairs that make it easy getting there. Getting back is a bit more of a challenge. But Once you see it it is a breathtaking site. And as you get closer it gets even more impressive. The sounds of the waterfall combined with the surrounding nature is simply amazing and definitely one of my top Costa Rica adventures. I even went for a swim at the base of the waterfall even though it was freezing but hey I experienced it.
6. Tamarindo Beach Sunset – Costa Rica’s Best Sunset
The first day I spent in Tamarindo, before dinner, a group at the hostel I was staying at invited me to a sunset at the beach. So I grabbed a bevy and took a walk to the beach to check it out. Once the sun started to fall, my jaw dropped. I had never seen a beach sunset like this in my life, and overall, I put it in the top 2 with the Masaya Volcano sunset in Nicaragua. If you get to Tamarindo, go take in the sunset every night. This can’t be missed!
7. Ziplining Adventure in Puerto Viejo
A trip to Costa Rica wouldn’t be complete without a zip-line adventure. I chose a zip-line experience in Puerto Viejo, which lived up to the hype. Feeling like I was a kilometre above the jungle floor was a thrill! Even the monkeys joined the fun, watching me zip from post to post. There isn’t a more thrilling way to experience the jungles of Costa Rica than on a zipline tour so this definitely makes my top Costa Rica adventures list. I booked my zip-line experience through Gandoca Tours at a local tourist office in Puerto Viejo.
Read my Costa Rica zip line adventure blog, My Costa Rica Zipline Jungle Experience.
This was just my first two weeks in Costa Rica, and there is so much more to explore. Fabulous beaches, jungles, turtles, canopy tours, wildlife, and so much more are still on the agenda. There will be many more experiences to add to my top Costa Rica adventures.
7 Top Costa Rica Adventures Podcast on Spotify
Read about how I almost stepped on Costa Rica’s most poisonous snake walking through the jungle at night. My Encounter With The Fer-de-lance Poisonous Snake In Costa Rica.
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