Guide to Tamarindo » Arenal and Monteverde With Kids

Two months into our very first stay in Tamarindo, we did something we hadn’t done since we landed: we put on long pants. In February 2012 we loaded the kids into a van and headed up into the mountains for a week in La Fortuna and Monteverde, and it showed us a completely different Costa Rica from the beach town we were falling in love with. Cold mornings. Green everywhere. Jackets!

It’s an easy trip to recommend to families staying on the Guanacaste coast who want to see more of the country. Here’s what we did with our three kids, what’s changed since then, and what it all costs in 2026.

Getting There From Tamarindo

Back in 2012 the drive from Tamarindo to La Fortuna took us about 5 hours in a hired van. The roads are better now, but plan on about 4 hours and a stop or two. These are the times we’d plan around today:

Route	By car	Notes
Tamarindo to La Fortuna	About 4 hours	Shared shuttles take 4.5 to 5.5 hours
Tamarindo to Monteverde	3 to 4 hours	The Guacimal road (Route 606) is paved now
La Fortuna to Monteverde	About 3.5 hours around the lake	Or the Jeep-Boat-Jeep across it (below)
Liberia airport (LIR) to La Fortuna	2.5 to 3 hours	Handy if you’re flying in and starting here

Drive times checked October 2026 (road guide). A bridge on Route 606 between Monteverde and Sardinal collapsed in September 2025, so check the route before you go if you’re coming from that side.

One thing to know if you rent a car: the Jeep-Boat-Jeep and a rental don’t mix, because your car ends up on the wrong side of the lake. Families driving themselves take the road around Lake Arenal instead. The lake road via Tilarán has a long gravel stretch, so we’d want a 4×4 in the rainy season (May to November).

Arenal and La Fortuna With Kids

La Fortuna surprised us. It was much more “grown up” than Tamarindo was back then. It had paved roads and sidewalks, and the cars actually stopped for pedestrians. We spent our first afternoon hiking in Arenal Volcano National Park, and the next day turned out to be our favorite day of the whole trip.

Rappelling down waterfalls (our favorite day)

All five of us rappelled down five waterfalls in one morning. The tallest was almost 200 feet. Our youngest was in first grade, and it was the whole family’s favorite day of the trip. The kids loved it, and Abby volunteered to go first. (She did the same thing on the zip lines at Rincón de la Vieja. That’s just Abby.)

Today, the tour that matches what we did is Desafío’s Lost Canyon, which has the signature 200-foot rappel. It’s for ages 8 and up, runs about 5 hours with lunch and hotel pickup, and costs $119 for adults and $97 for kids 8 to 12 (Desafío, October 2026). If your kids are younger, Pure Trek takes kids from age 5, at $117 per person (Pure Trek).

Tabacón Hot Springs

Close your eyes and imagine Disney World design, plus luxury and water and nature. Now triple it. That’s Tabacón. They took a river heated by the volcano and turned it into dozens of natural pools and waterfalls, with hidden paths and bridges. And a water slide. Abby went down that slide roughly 700 times. The kids loved all of it: the pools, the slides and the waterfalls.

It isn’t cheap. A day pass runs about $115 per adult and $55 per child (ages 6 to 11) on an ordinary day in November, and up to $175 and $75 over New Year’s. Kids under 6 are free, and kids under 16 have to stay with an adult (Tabacón, prices checked October 2026). Day passes are limited, so book ahead.

If that’s more than you want to spend, two family-friendly options cost about half:

• Ecotermales Fortuna: $49 per adult and $29 per child (5 to 11), with timed sessions you reserve ahead (Ecotermales).
• Baldi Hot Springs: $51 per adult and $38 per child, with lots of pools and water slides. No reservation needed.

Arenal Volcano National Park

We hiked in the park on our first afternoon. The easy family trail is Las Coladas, a flat 1.7 km walk out to an old lava flow with views of the volcano and the lake. Entry is about $17 for adults and about $6 for kids 2 to 12, and the park is open 8 AM to 4 PM (SINAC).

A heads up so nobody’s disappointed: you won’t see lava. Arenal has been in a resting phase since late 2010. It’s still considered an active volcano, but these days it mostly just looks spectacular.

La Fortuna Waterfall

We didn’t do this one in 2012, but it’s the stop most families add now. It’s a 70-meter waterfall at the bottom of about 500 steps, and you can swim in the river below. Entry is $20 for anyone 9 and older, and kids 8 and under get in free (Catarata La Fortuna). The climb back up is the real workout.

Where to stay in La Fortuna

We’re going to skip the name of the hotel we stayed in, because we wouldn’t send you there. La Fortuna is fine, but honestly, it’s nothing to write about until you get up into the hills. If we did it again, we’d book a hot springs resort with a spa up on the slopes of the volcano and make the hotel part of the trip. Tabacón has its own resort right next to the springs, and there are several others in the hills with views of the volcano. One tip: check the age policy before you fall in love with a place, because a few of the fancy ones are adults only.

The Jeep-Boat-Jeep: Crossing Lake Arenal

It sounds cooler than it is (it could just as easily be called the Shuttle-Boat-Van), but it’s a genuinely good way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde without driving all the way around the lake. A van takes you to the lake, a boat takes you across, and another van takes you up the mountain. The lake itself is beautiful and almost undeveloped. On our crossing a camera crew was filming a commercial for the service, so somewhere in Costa Rica there may be a TV ad with our faces in it.

In 2026 the whole trip takes about 3.5 to 4 hours door to door. Shared seats run about $25 to $50 per person depending on the company, and a private version for your family is about $320 to $380 (example operator). In the dry season there are morning and afternoon departures, but only mornings from May to November. You carry your own bags down a ramp and up a sometimes slippery path on the other side, so pack light. If you need a car seat, ask before you book, because most operators don’t say.

Monteverde With Kids

The first thing we noticed when we got to Monteverde was the temperature. It was actually cold, which felt amazing after two months on the dry, hot Guanacaste coast. The second thing was the green. Everything up there is covered in it. Monteverde reminded us of a Colorado mountain town, small and clean and focused on community and the environment.

Pack layers. In December through February, highs are around 70 to 73°F and nights drop to about 60°F, and it’s windy from late December through March. The reserve doesn’t allow umbrellas, so bring a rain jacket.

Selvatura Park: the hanging bridges and the butterfly garden

Our second day in Monteverde was all Selvatura. The hanging bridges are like mini Golden Gate bridges that take you across the top of the cloud forest canopy. Our guide was so passionate that when he spotted a bird he was excited about, we waited on one bridge for at least 30 minutes for it to come back. For the first 10 minutes we shared his enthusiasm. The kids did not share it for the next 20. The bird never came back.

The butterfly garden was incredible. We watched a butterfly actually hatch out of its chrysalis, and the blue morphos were everyone’s favorite.

Today the Wood Pack (bridges plus the butterfly garden) costs $66.60 for adults, $59.94 for students 12 to 18 and $46.62 for kids 4 to 11, plus tax. The bridges are fine for all ages, and the zipline takes kids from age 4 with an adult. Selvatura picks up from most hotels in town (Selvatura, October 2026).

Back then, Selvatura also had a hummingbird garden full of feeders and an insect museum, which Erin was very happy to leave. The hummingbird garden is gone now, because feeders aren’t permitted under Costa Rica’s conservation rules, and the insect museum is no longer listed.

The cloud forest train (sadly, gone now)

Our first stop in Monteverde was a little train that wound a few miles into the cloud forest. At the end of the line there was hot chocolate and a lookout with views back to Arenal and the lake, all the way to the Pacific. It was made for kids, and ours loved it. As far as we can tell it has closed (its website no longer exists), so don’t plan around it.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

The main reserve now uses timed entry. You park at a visitor center below the reserve and take a free shuttle up, and private cars can’t drive to the entrance (how it works). Some trails are suitable for all ages. Check the current entry fee when you book, because it isn’t posted outside the booking system.

A night walk

We didn’t do one on our trip. If your kids can stay up, it’s worth a look, because the cloud forest comes alive after dark. Bajo del Tigre (the Children’s Eternal Rainforest) runs guided night walks for $30 per adult and $22.80 per child (6 to 12), plus tax, and kids 5 and under are free (official rates).

Where we stayed

We stayed at the Hotel Poco a Poco, and it was wonderful. The staff was great and the kids lived in the pool. It’s still open as Poco a Poco Hotel & Spa, and booking sites say it was fully renovated in December 2025 (Poco a Poco).

A word about the roads

The roads up to Monteverde are winding, and Abby threw up on the way home. If anyone in your family gets carsick, plan for it.

How Many Nights?

You could rush it, but we wouldn’t. The full loop from Tamarindo to La Fortuna to Monteverde and back is roughly 11 hours of driving. Our advice is at least 2 nights in each place, so you get one full day in each town instead of spending the whole trip in the car. Go in January through March if you can, when the volcano is most likely to be out of the clouds.

FAQ

Is Arenal good for kids?

Yes. Rappelling down waterfalls in the morning and Tabacón Hot Springs in the evening made it our favorite day of the whole trip. Rappelling tours take kids from age 5 or 8 depending on the company, and the hot springs are free for kids under 5 or 6.

How far is Arenal from Tamarindo?

About 4 hours by car to La Fortuna. Monteverde is 3 to 4 hours from Tamarindo, and about 3.5 hours from La Fortuna by road.

Can you see lava at Arenal Volcano?

No. Arenal has been in a resting phase since late 2010, with no lava flows or glow. It’s still considered an active volcano.

Is the Jeep-Boat-Jeep worth it with kids?

If you’re not driving a rental car, yes. It takes about the same time as driving around the lake, the boat ride is beautiful, and kids like it. Pack light, because you carry your own bags on and off the boat.

How cold is Monteverde?

Cold by Costa Rica standards. From December through February, highs are around 70 to 73°F and nights drop to about 60°F, and it’s windy. Bring a fleece and a rain jacket.

Should we do Arenal or Monteverde if we only have time for one?

For our family, Arenal had the biggest wow moments (the rappelling and the hot springs). Monteverde is the one for kids who love animals and bugs and being up in the trees. If you can, do both.

Our trip was in February 2012. Prices, hours and drive times were last checked October 2026. Things change fast in Costa Rica, so confirm with each operator before you book.