Chasing Waterfalls, Watching Sloths, Soaking in Hot Springs—Here’s How Costa Rica Does It All in 10 Days
Costa Rica is seriously an incredible bucket list destination. It has mountains, beaches, rainforests, high adrenaline activities, cloud forests, sloths, adventuring, lots of wildlife, delicous food, flavorful smoothies, friendly people… I mean, the list is never-ending!
While you could extend your Costa Rica trip indefinitely and still find more to do, I think 10 days is a perfect amount of time to experience many of the high points in this gorgeous country. It gives you time for adventuring in the mountains and lounging on the beach, with lots of extras sprinkled throughout.
Here is My Optimal 10 Day Costa Rica Itinerary:
Costa Rica Day 1: San Jose to La Fortuna
Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica, pick up your rental car from the airport, and drive from San Jose to the city of La Fortuna. Alternatively, you can also fly into Liberia, which is a little closer to La Fortuna.
Read More: Driving in Costa Rica (for everything to know about driving conditions in the country!)
Day 2 of Your Costa Rica Itinerary: Adventure Activities
Most people come to La Fortuna to experience nature and adventure activities! I have two options I’d suggest for your first day.
Option 1
If you like the adventure activities and want to start your vacation off with a bang, I’d highly recommend this full day combo adventure tour that includes ziplining, white water rafting, and canyoning (plus a few fun extras like the Superman Zip and Tarzan Swing!). The tour also includes lunch, a snack, and round trip transportation from your hotel in La Fortuna. It’s an incredible value and gets you a lot of experiences in just one day!
Here’s a quick run-down of your day in this tour:
Ziplining + Tarzan Swing
Ziplining through and above the rainforest canopy is a super popular adventure activity in La Fortuna. And with good reason — the platforms where you launch and land are in the trees, but in the middle of the line you are zipping high above the canopy, and the views were incredible.
This particular tour includes the regular ziplining, plus the Superman Zip and the Tarzan swing, which were incredibly fun add-ons as well!
You put on a different harness entirely for the Superman zip so that you are laying flat and face down as you launch – it TOTALLY feels like you are flying and was absolutely exhilarating.
The Tarzan Swing is a fun addition to the zipline tour: At first glance, the swing looked really scary – like I honestly was pretty nervous at first, but it ended up being so fun, I did it twice! The guides took us up to a really high platform in a clearing in the forest and hooked us up to this giant rope tied up to a super high tree. You jump off the platform and then swing far out. (If this is just not your style, you can definitely skip participating)
White Water Rafting
White water rafting is another fun, high adrenaline activity in La Fortuna. The route includes class 2 and class 3 rapids and lasts several hours. The rapids were really fun and very bouncy, but never got super scary, which I appreciated.
Canyoning
Canyoning is another fun adventure, which was essentially rappelling down and through waterfalls. It was fun, but fairly tame rappelling. No experience is needed, and you can go as fast or as slow as you want (the guides are really accommodating!).
Option 2
If you aren’t interested in doing the 3 activity combo tour in Option 1, here is a second option for your first day in La Fortuna:
Morning: Go ATVing to a secret hot spring
On this private ATV tour, you’ll first be outfitted with boots, a helmet, and a bandana and taught how to drive the ATV. Once you’ve mastered driving, you’ll be taken onto private land and trails to explore La Fortuna’s beauty up close!
Driving the ATV itself is a thrilling experience – the rolling hills of La Fortuna make for an exhilarating course. It is not exactly a clean activity and the fantastic guides might take you through a few mud pits along the way. If you’re willing to get a bit dirty, commanding your ATV through the mud and hills is an electrifying experience!
This tour is incredible – it’s a private tour, so it’s just your party and a really friendly, kind, and helpful guide who is ready to customize the tour to your liking. The cherry on top is stopping at a secluded natural hot spring to enjoy at the end!
Afternoon: Go Horseback Riding by the Arenal Volcano
This horsebacking excursion takes you through pastures and the rainforest and up through the hilltops near the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal, giving fantastic views of both.
The horses are very well-trained and gentle, and the guides are playful and friendly, and very committed to the safety of everyone and the care of the horses.
You’ll have the chance to observe any wild animals that may be nearby, and the guides are good at taking plenty of pictures for you. This is a great activity to do in La Fortuna!
Costa Rica Day 3:
Morning
Wake up early to get to the Rio Celeste Waterfall first thing in the morning. It’s a 1.5 hour drive from La Fortuna, and only a certain number of tickets are sold each day, so you don’t want to get there too late!
It takes about 20-25 minutes to hike through the rainforest to the waterfall, and then you descend about 500 stairs to get to the base of the waterfall. It’s well worth it! The water is this gorgeous milky blue color, and the stairs down are adorable. This was maaaaybe my favorite activity in Costa Rica on this 10 day itinerary!
After you see the waterfall, continue on the trail for another ½ hour. You’ll pass by the Blue Lagoon, the bubbling hot pots (you’ll smell it before you see it!), an adorable bridge, and the to Teñideros – the spot where two different colored water streams meet and create a chemical reaction to make that milky blue color! All together, it’s a wonderful hike.
Make sure to only bring water in reusable containers – single use plastic bottles are not allowed in (and they will check!)
Lunch: When you get out of the park, grab lunch from the food stands just outside the entrance – we ate fresh mangoes and kebabs and it was delicious.
Afternoon
Head to the public hot springs in the Tabacon River. There is parking along the side of the street. Make sure you bring good footwear – it’s rocky along the banks and in the water. This river is shallow, slow moving, and warm, and is a popular hangout spot for locals and visitors alike. There is no cost to visit the public hot river, and you can find parking along the sides of the road by the river access.
Alternative Afternoon Option:
If sitting in a river isn’t your thing, you can also visit another hot springs resort this afternoon. Many of the resorts in the area offer day passes, so you can jump around and visit a few different spots.
Baldi Hot Springs is a beautiful resort featuring 25 hot pools surronded by lush vegetation and landscaping. You can book your day pass ahead of time here!
Tabacon resort is THE place to go for the ultimate luxury experience. It is different than the free public river, and has some stunning features. Book your day pass here!
Dinner
I recommend Restaurant Pizza La Cava in La Fortuna- the pizzas were delicious, but the appetizers were my favorite!
Costa Rica Itinerary Day 4:
Morning: La Fortuna Waterfall
The La Fortuna waterfall is only 10 minutes away from downtown and is a beautiful spot to visit. From the parking lot, it’s a 2 minute walk to the top of the staircase and then it’s 500 stairs down to the base of the waterfall, but it’s a pretty walk and worth the effort! You are sometimes allowed to swim in the river just off to the side of the waterfall.
Everything is well-paved – I actually just wore flip flops to this waterfall!
Lunch: Swing by Soda La Hormiga for lunch (they close at 4pm) – the food is yummy and super inexpensive. Eating at a soda is a must-do sometime during your 10 days in Costa Rica – they are ubiquitous and a very “local” experience!
Afterwards, stop by Frutas Y Verduras Hnos Lazo fruit stand that’s right around the corner and get a smoothie (definitely get it with milk). These smoothies are incredible and crazy cheap!
Afternoon
In the afternoon, head over to the El Salto Costa Rica rope swing. This off-the-beaten-path spot features a rope swing over a natural pool area in the local river. Park on the side of the road (don’t forget to tip the parking attendant), and head down on the left side of the river to find the rope swing. It’s a lot of fun!
Optional Extra: Visit the Sloth Watching Trail
At the Sloth Watching Trail,, an expert guide will take you on a walk through the jungle in search of wild sloths. Your guide knows what trees to look in, and oftentimes, will be helped by other guides in the area to spot them. The good thing about sloths is that they don’t move very fast, so a sloth from the morning will likely be in a similar spot.
On top of all of that, your guide will also have a special scope to make it easier to see the sloths up close. Sometimes they are too far away to see with the naked eye, so this special equipment in necessary.
While you may see wild sloths as you’re doing other activities in La Fortuna, it’s definitely dependent on luck as to whether you’ll see them on your own, so going on a tour with a guide is a great way to see and experience the sloths!
Dinner: Grab dinner at the Alfa Venezuelen food truck. You can’t beat the prices, the quality of the food, or the atmosphere at this food truck. Don’t miss the plantain and queso empanada ( it sounds weird, but was really amazing!)
Day 5 in Costa Rica:
Morning: Tour a Chocolate Farm or Coffee Farm
You have two options for a morning activity: A chocolate tour or a coffee plantation tour. We did the chocolate tour and had a blast, but the coffee tour is also a very popular experience. I’ll tell you about both!
>>Chocolate tour with Don Olivio. This family run tour is waaay more than a basic chocolate tour – you get to sample all sorts of interesting tropical fruits as well.
You’ll try cocoa beans in all stages of preparation, and make your own chocolate. You can also sample the homegrown coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. Plus, they point out a big variety of interesting plants, animals, and insects on the farm.
Come hungry because you will get stuffed!
>>North Fields Coffee Farm Tour. Costa Rica is blessed with nutrient rich, volcanic soil that produces some of the most high quality beans in the world: Costa Rica’s Arabica beans. At North Fields, you’ll learn about the history of coffee in Costa Rica and the art of coffee farming and roasting.
You’ll learn from crops to cup exactly how coffee is made and produced, and then how an artisan cup of coffee is prepared. You’ll also get the chance to enjoy lots of samples of the coffee, as well as other crops like chocolate and sugar cane.
Afternoon: Hanging Bridges
Visit Mistico Hanging Bridges for an extremely beautiful walk through the rainforest canopy on 6 different suspension bridges. The hanging bridges were split up throughout the rainforest walk (which took about 2 hours)!
While the suspension bridges were easily the highlight, don’t sleep on the rest of the – more traditional – hike through the rainforest. Most of the trail hugged the side of a ravine, with one side of the trail dropping out and looking over the side of the ravine. I loved it!
The trail takes about 2 hours and the park closes at 4:30pm, so make sure you start by around 2pm.
You do need to buy tickets ahead of time, as timed entry is currently being enforced.
Dinner: La Parada restaurant – everything here was delicious, but the patacones and the smoothies were standouts for us!
Day 6 in Costa Rica: Head to Manuel Antonio
Morning: Take one last quick swim in the resort pools early, then check out of your rooms and hit the road! If you want to get to Manuel Antonio before it gets dark, I would recommend leaving first thing in the morning. Stop at the Frutas Y Verduras Hnos Lazo fruit stand on your way out to grab a smoothie for the road!
It takes about 5 hours to drive from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio, not counting any stops, so settle in for a drive.
Afternoon: On your way down to Manuel Antonio, it is totally worth stopping at the Crocodile Bridge. You can grab lunch here if you want, but the main attraction is walking across the bridge that spans the Tarcoles River.
We saw between 15-20 crocodiles laying out and swimming on the sand and in the water beneath! This is a quick stop – if you don’t stop for food, 20 minutes is plenty of time here.
This bridge is free to visit.
Arrive: Manuel Antonio beach, check into your resort and hit the pools or beach!
The Costa Verde Resort has 3 beautiful pool areas (the adult-only pool overlooks the ocean!), lots of jungle areas, and monkeys everywhere! It’s a great base camp spot for exploring Manuel Antonio – we loved it!
Dinner: Hit up Falafel Bar for dinner. Their seating arrangement is super chill, cozy, and intimate, and the food is incredibly fresh and flavorful!
Costa Rica Itinerary Day 7:
Day: Beach and pool day! Espadilla Beach is super close and is very beautiful. You can walk down from the hotel, or you can drive and park – do note there is a parking fee at some access points though!
This is also the perfect day for a snorkeling cruise tour! A snorkeling tour is a fun option because you can watch the scenery and look for marine wildlife as you sail along, eat a freshly cooked hot lunch, and then cool off by snorkeling, or even just going down the slide off the boat!
Day 8:
Daytime: Today is the day to hit up Manuel Antonio National Park. I would for sure get to the entrance first thing in the morning, and you must buy your tickets online in advance.
Once in the park, you can wander around looking for wildlife, such as frogs, butterflies, crabs, coati, monkeys, and sloths. After you’ve explored for a while, head to the beaches only accessible in the National Park.
Most people go to Manuel Antonio beach, but if you continue on the trail past the beach and take a right, you’ll end up on Espadilla Sur beach. This beach is just as beautiful and much less crowded!
Lunch: Currently, no food is allowed to be brought into Manuel Antonio, but there is a a little café in the middle of the park you can get food from.
On your way out, head through the mangroves for a different variety of trail – I loved the boardwalk through the mangroves and thought they were super peaceful and interesting.
The park closes at 4pm, so you still have some time to swim or relax before dinner.
Read more details about what to know about Manuel Antonio National Park here!
Dinner: Go to Emilio’s Cafe for delicious entrée offerings, such as tender, succulent fish, or flavorful, fresh salads, but you absolutely need to save room for dessert!
Their cakes, cheesecakes, and brownies were to die for. We bought a bunch to share at the table, and loved everything so much we got several more slices to go. Our favorites were the almond cheesecake and the passionfruit cheesecake!
Note: Both Emilio’s Café and Manuel Antonio National Park are closed on Tuesdays, so if your Day 8 is a Tuesday, you’ll want to switch this day with another.
Day 9:
Breakfast: La Baguette for coffee and pastries (both sweet and savory)
Daytime: Another day spent on Espadilla Beach!
This is also a great day to do some type of fun experience, be it parasailing, learning to surf, or going on a snorkeling cruise.
Parasailing at this particular beach is fun because you do a running beach launch to start parasailing. You get hooked up to the parasail right on the beach with the ropes running out to the boat in the water, and then you start running into the water as the boat pulls you up in the air!
Surfing lessons are a great way to get a handle on the basics of surfing if you’ve never done it before! Lessons take place right on the beach and you get hands-on instruction on what to do.
Dinner: El Avion restaurant – it’s right next to La Baguette and is the coolest restaurant. The dining room is built around an old airplane and the tables have views right over the ocean – perfect for enjoying the sunset.
The food is absolutely delicious here, too. I got the mahi mahi, which was delicious, and the virgin pina colada was insane. I had already ordered another drink, but I took one sip of the pina colada my brother ordered and immediately got one for myself as well.
Of all the places we ate in our 10 day Costa Rica itinerary, this was probably my favorite! (You can’t beat the combination of cool dining room, beautiful views, delicious food, and incredible smoothies!)
Costa Rica Itinerary Day 10:
Morning: Spend the morning at the resort pools or at the beach soaking in that Costa Rican vibe before you have to leave for the airport. It takes 3 hours to get from Manuel Antonio back to the San Jose airport, so make sure you leave with plenty of time to spare!
Final Thoughts on Costa Rica
Costa Rica is the most beautiful country, with delicious food, friendly locals, cool wildlife, and no end to fun activities. This 10 day Costa Rica itinerary is the perfect marriage of relaxing and playing, and I’m sure you will love your time here.
My final tip for Costa Rica – drink as many smoothies as you can—they are next level delicious!
