🦥 Costa Rica · printable plan
Manuel Antonio and Arenal in a week
By TopVacay @topvacay. Inspired by Earth Trekkers. Prices last checked 2026-10-27. Totals are estimates: $3,050 for 2 travelers.
Recomputed from the price lines stored on each trip. No live hotel, ticket, or airfare feed is connected.
Day by day
Day 1
Pick up the car and drive to the coast. Stop before dark.
- Morning · Compact rental car
- Overnight · Manuel Antonio lodge
Day 2
The park at opening.
- Morning · Manuel Antonio National Park ticket
- Overnight · Manuel Antonio lodge
Day 3
A boat or a beach. Pick the boat if you want a booking.
- Morning · Mangrove kayak tour
- Afternoon · Beach afternoon
- Overnight · Manuel Antonio lodge
Day 4
Drive to the volcano. The road is the day.
- Morning · Drive to La Fortuna
- Overnight · La Fortuna lodge
Day 5
Hanging bridges, then the springs.
- Morning · Arenal hanging-bridges walk
- Afternoon · Hot springs entry
- Overnight · La Fortuna lodge
Day 6
Waterfall, then start back toward the airport.
- Morning · La Fortuna waterfall ticket
- Overnight · Airport hotel
Day 7
Fly home.
- Morning · Airport-town breakfast
Packing
- Comfortable walking shoesThe plan is on foot more than in a car.
- Day bagA small bag holds the water, the layer, and the tickets.
- Light layerMuseums and evenings run cooler than the street.
- Compact umbrellaA short rain should not cancel the afternoon.
Reserve ahead
- American 1131day 1 once you set dates · Hold the seats before the fare you estimated moves.
- American 1215day 7 once you set dates · Hold the seats before the fare you estimated moves.
- Manuel Antonio lodgeday 1 once you set dates · This is the room for that night. Reserve it before you count on the rate.
- Manuel Antonio National Park ticketday 2 once you set dates · Buy the ticket for this day so the morning is not spent in a ticket line.
- Manuel Antonio lodgeday 2 once you set dates · This is the room for that night. Reserve it before you count on the rate.
- Manuel Antonio lodgeday 3 once you set dates · This is the room for that night. Reserve it before you count on the rate.
- La Fortuna lodgeday 4 once you set dates · This is the room for that night. Reserve it before you count on the rate.
- La Fortuna lodgeday 5 once you set dates · This is the room for that night. Reserve it before you count on the rate.
- La Fortuna waterfall ticketday 6 once you set dates · Buy the ticket for this day so the morning is not spent in a ticket line.
- Airport hotelday 6 once you set dates · This is the room for that night. Reserve it before you count on the rate.
- Airport-town breakfastday 7 once you set dates · Popular tables go early. Book the seating, then build the rest of the day around it.