Arenal and La Fortuna, Costa Rica (August 2023)

It's a certain thing, deciding to book through a travel agent. I love staying in different towns and am happy to be slightly out of the fold but where we end up staying in La Fortuna is basically a a gated community and the flashbacks to every weird family stateside vacation I never quite understood. Why do people stay on compounds? Why do they only want what is familiar? What is the point of going someplace new? Why does anyone ever need a swim up bar? Are we really THAT lost as a people? 

La Fortuna itself has a laid back vibe that I wanted to delve into more, but it simply wasn't feasible. We only had 1 free day and that was spent mostly with the kids swimming. I did book a massage because it surprises no one to know that I am still wound tighter than a coockoo clock. 

In the Arenal region, the volcanic mountain range in Arenal is covered daily in a rolling mist, the thermal springs a comfort. Apparently, every hotel has their own array of Springs, ranging in temperature to 34C to 93F but there are free springs along the road around Arenal, open to the public. 

The views across the lake are breathtaking but also give me pause on the juxtaposition of progress and industrialization. Lake Arenal is the largest in Costa Rica and grew significantly in sie when the Arenal Dam opened in 1979. The kids and I ziplined (I am not saying I would not do it again, but I am definitely more of a hiker/climber than a zip-liner). 

Our one major mooch around La Fortuna was a trip into town so I could go to the ATM. We had dinner at a place called La Garra Pata

Our guide from Laguna Lodge in Tortuguero recommended and I would go again. The meat was gorgeous and it has a family run feel I love.