One more question. Does the lodge provided nature or birding walks for $$ for smaller groups?

alisa, it seemed to depend on who was driving, but average about 20 minutes, sometimes 30. I didn't check on the availability of smaller tours, but they gave us a big list of tours available, and I think you could hire your own guide. I remember they had a birding tour that we considered doing, but we ended up seeing so much on our own that we didn't do it. I might still have the list; I'll take a look when I get home and see if I can find it. They also said they offered a volcano hike where you could see additional wildlife. I also emailed Desafio, and they said they could provide a guide for us, but I thought the price was a little too expensive.

Michelle, I remember your saying it was cold when you were there. That is really atypical. We've been there several times, and it's never been cold for us. On that beautiful sunny day it was 80 degrees. I wish you had had better weather too!

M, when I emailed to ask them about Smithsonian rooms, they told me that all of them had a patio, so that is weird. I really wanted to be able to sit outside. Ours was almost like its own little unit of four rooms, not part of a cinder block building. Two rooms on top and two on the bottom. Since it was just 4 units, we had big windows on the side and on the front. The patio was slightly elevated and enclosed, with a small round table and two chairs where we could sit and watch the volcano. I asked if they could put us as close to the wildlife as possible, and I think they did a really great job. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it nearly as much if we didn't have our daily parade of wildlife.

After sunset, we go to dinner at the lodge. I have a fruity drink called an "Arenal Sunrise" and really like it. For dinner, I order the grilled pork chop with tropical fruit. In my head, I'm imagining it to be topped with chopped fresh mango, pineapple, etc. but when it arrives, I've been duped, it's a sauce! Nooooooo!

Not bad, but it's kind of syrupy, and if I had realized what it would be, I probably would have ordered something different. Lying next to the pork chop is the usual - one carrot, one broccoli stem, and the teeny corn wheel. We ask our waiter if we can get two breakfasts to go for the next morning because we'll be doing the Rio Celeste hike. We ask about a gluten free option because PB&J, cookies, and crackers all kind of go to waste on my husband. He checks and comes back to tell us that the choices are PB&J or a ham and cheese sandwich and that we can pick it up in the morning. Looks like the fruit will have to do for DH.

When we get back from dinner, I go out to inspect the trap and the big metal door is still up. There are rotting bananas hanging inside on a string. I'm team coati, so glad that the plan to catch them has been foiled. We call it a night because we have a 6:20 a.m. pickup for the Rio Celeste, a beautiful blue river and waterfall located in Tenorio Volcano National Park.

Promptly at 6:20 the next morning, our driver arrives to pick us up. We grab our breakfast in a bag on the way to meet him. We get the same thing that we had the day before - team PB&J. We pick up another couple at Arenal Paraiso - they're from New York and very friendly. We stop at Arenal Manoa and pick up an Italian couple, and finally we're joined by a Costa Rican couple, quite the international group! We drive for about 2 hours, the last portion of which is very, very bumpy. Our guide points out interesting things along the way, describing all the crops in the fields, everything from oranges to sugar cane to pineapples. And he tells us about the native tribes that used to live in this area - this part is interesting because you don't hear much about history in Costa Rica like you do when you visit other Latin American countries. The tribes now number only in the 100s, but they've made a concerted effort to maintain their identities and native languages.

We reach Tenorio national park and are happy to see that there are restroom facilities at the entrance. The Italian guy and the man from New York take the opportunity to smoke. Once we're all ready to go, we begin our hike. It's been raining but has stopped now, so we're not sure if we'll get to see the beautiful blue color of the falls. Our guide tells us that the color is caused by the refraction of light through volcanic minerals and that if it rains the water can appear brown and muddy rather than the bright blue gorgeous color it's known for. I ask the guide what "Celeste" means in Spanish. I think it must mean heaven, as in celestial, and he tells me, "No, it's a shade of blue, just like your husband's eyes." Awww, my husband does have pretty eyes.

The trail changes quite a bit as we go. At first it's paved, and we're hiking on cement which is pretty easy. We see capuchin monkeys as we go. The guide tells us that poaching is a big problem in Costa Rican, and that unscrupulous people will shoot a mother with a baby on her back, just to get the baby so they can sell it on the black market. :( Hard to imagine, but he says it's very common and that he's seen it happen. After the paved portion, we start hiking on gravel. We have to cross a small stream and perch on top of the rocks to avoid getting our feet wet. I make a misstep and plunk my foot into the water. "Stay on top of the rocks, everyone," he says. Eventually the gravel gives way to mud and roots. I feel like we're on a real mission to get to the waterfall. Personally, I like to dawdle around, look at things, and take a lot of photos, but we have to plod on so we don't hold up the group. In retrospect, I think I would have enjoyed doing the tour on our own, so we could go at our own pace. Everyone in the group is great though. After hiking about one and a half miles, we come to a set of stairs leading downward that seems to go on forever. It's packed with people, so it's slow going, and every person has their camera out and is taking photos. As we step down, we can see the top of the waterfall through a break in the trees. The water on top is churning and white, and it gives way to the most gorgeous waterfall I've ever seen. It plunges into a pool of electric blue water - really stunning. The guide tells us that the steps are fairly new, and when he first started leading these tours, the steps weren't even there. I really can't imagine. It's hot and sweaty, and I'm grateful for the stairs and thrilled that we get to see the pretty blue color that Rio Celeste is famous for. They used to allow swimming here amongst the moss covered boulders, but now it's become so popular that they've made it a protected area. Our guide tells us the story of how the river came to be blue. There was a blue blooded princess that wanted to marry a commoner, but the gods forbade it, so she committed suicide by throwing herself into the river and plunging over the waterfall to her death, where the river became blue from her blood. We look at him and all roll our eyes, and he tells us, "I swear this story is at least 5% accurate." I remember a previous guide telling us that when they're trained they're told that Americans really like it when you joke around with them; it seems like most of the guides in CR like to utilize that strategy! As we get to the bottom and all take photos, it begins pouring rain, and we realize how lucky we are to make it just in the nick of time before the water turns muddy and brown.

Do you recommend the Penas Blancas river float? How far is the drive from La Fortuna to where the river starts?

Yes, we love the Penas Blancas river float. It's only about 25 minutes to get to the put in spot. The Cano Negro tour is also great; it's in a big motorized boat vs. the rubber raft that you do the Penas Blancas in. It takes a couple of hours to get to Cano Negro so it's an all day tour. I think you see more wildlife at Cano Negro, and the motorized boat makes it very easy to get up next to the wildlife. Both are good; it just depends on what your preference is.

The Arenal area has nice hiking as well - at the waterfall, the volcano, and the Hanging Bridges and lots of adventure activities like ziplining at Sky Trek, waterfall rappelling, tubing, etc. We also like visiting the Proyecto Asis animal rescue center and going to the natural hot springs at Tabacon and Eco Termales.

Hey, what time would you say your Rio Celeste hike started--9:00ish?

The one we're going on through our lodge starts at 8:00 so we're hoping to beat some of the crowds.

Thank you. Yes, Eco Termales is on my list. The Cano Negro tour sounds wonderful but I am afraid it will be too much driving around. Great that Penas Blancas is so close. Then I will put it on my list as well!

How long do usually hotel pick ups last? Did you usually stop at several hotels?

RAC, yes, I think about 9:00 a.m. It was already very crowded when we got there. Not sure what time the park opens, but I'd go as early as possible. Ironically as we were leaving, it had cleared out a lot so I think a lot of people go in the morning.

alisa, I'd recommend Desafio to do Penas Blancas; they have really good guides. Hotel pickups just depend on how many people are doing the tour. The Rio Celeste tour we originally looked at had 16 people in the group, way too many in my opinion. We've had other tours where we're the only people on it. It just depends on how many people sign up. They start at the hotel furthest out and work their way in, so if you stay somewhere like AOL, you're the first to be picked up and the last to be dropped off. They also charge extra to come to AOL. I think it was $20 extra per person. When we've stayed at the Lost Iguana, it was the same scenario since those hotels are out on the edge of town. If you have your own car, you can drive yourself right to the Desafio office and leave on the tour from there if you want to. Also you can arrange to be dropped off back in town instead of at your hotel if you want to - then you can go for lunch or dinner and take a shuttle or taxi back. AOL has a shuttle that I think is $6 per person. We didn't get a chance to use it though.

The rain makes things even more steamy. My husband pulls out our rain ponchos and offers me mine, but honestly I'd rather get wet than put on a big piece of plastic when it's so warm outside. Our guide says it's time to head back up, and I wish we had more time here - it's one of the loveliest places I've ever seen, magical, so gorgeous that it almost doesn't seem real. You almost expect tiny fairies to start flying over the river rocks. There are a lot of steps back up - seems like more than when we came down. The Italian smoker sprints past me - ironic. I take out my water and down the entire bottle, and that gives me the oomph I need to make it up the last few steps. I'd definitely recommend bringing bottled water with you when you hike. At the top, we see a lot of people pausing to take a breath. We all sit down for a second, and our guide offers us each a small package of cookies to give us a little energy. As we're sitting there, I see a sloth in the tree over his head - we haven't seen many this trip, so it's fun to watch. Then I feel it, a really sharp pinch on my leg. I look down to see a big winged bug taking a bite out of me, then another one, then another one. I start slapping them and blood (my blood I think!) spurts out. They really hurt. "Horse flies," says our guide. We don't have horse flies where we live, but I can already tell that I don't like them. I've never seen them before in CR, and they're not stopping. Not sure if mosquito repellent is effective against them, but next time I would definitely wear some. My husband doesn't get a single bite. He tells me it's because I'm so sweet which makes me laugh. At this point our guide says there are a few more things for him to show us - a lookout point and some boiling pools but that the trail is going to get much more difficult. In the past, they used to bring eggs with them and cook them in the boiling pools, but the park no longer allows it. That would have been cool to see. Having stairs comes with some tradeoffs! We opt not to go, wanting to spend more time at the falls and to get some photos of the sloth. Part of our group goes, and when they return the girl from NY whispers to me, "You didn't miss anything." The rain has obscured the view, and I guess the thermal pools weren't all that interesting. She shows me a photo of some water with bubbles in it, and I think we've made the right choice. Reunited, we all begin the one and a half mile hike back out, and since a lot of the people have cleared out by now, it goes relatively fast and easy. This time I tiptoe across the top of the river rocks and make it across without soggy feet. We're walking at a really brisk pace, and it seems like everyone is ready to get to lunch. Even though the weather isn't great, and I'm covered in bug bites, this beautiful river and waterfall was one of the coolest things we've ever seen, and I would definitely recommend it.

After our hike, our driver stops the van at a little hotel named Catarata Rio Celeste Hotel - catarata means waterfall in Spanish. The place is charming, just a little spot, but it has an outdoor restaurant set with linen tablecloths and bright green napkins. There are men playing fun music on some marimbas. There's a little garden area full of birds. We pull our ripe bananas out of our breakfast bags and give them to the birds in the garden. The wait staff doesn't speak English, so our guide translates for us and tells us our options. Both my husband and I opt for the chicken casado and the fruit punch. We've found chicken to be a better bet than either beef or pork in CR because the latter two can sometimes be tough and chewy. The food is really good, and the company is great, but the sky keeps getting darker and darker. The little rain begins looking more and more ominous. "This will be bad," our guide tells us. Then the skies turn black, and the wind starts whipping around; the napkins blow off the table. We're under a covered roof so we just continue to eat and enjoy the show, but it makes you realize how quickly the weather can change here. We're all glad we're not stuck out on the trail in this.

That night we go to dinner, and I get the grilled tilapia with rice and veggies. It has a nice garlic flavor to it and is really tasty. My husband gets chicken, and for dessert I get the tres leches which is also really good. We call it a night and are happy to see that our trap is still coati free. Tomorrow will be our last night here before we head back to San Jose.

For our last morning at AOL, we plan on just enjoying the observation deck, doing a little hiking, and relaxing on our patio. We get to sleep in a little bit which doesn't happen often on these Costa Rica trips. When we wake up, we see 2 toucans from our patio and lots of oropendolas at the feeder. I see some coatis and decide to head down the steps to take photos. I plop myself down on the bottom step and am instantly surrounded by a huge coati family with more little babies than I can count. They are so cute! Somehow they've gotten a banana from the bird feeder, and they look pretty excited about it. One comes right up to me as I sit there; we're toe to toe, and he's looking up at me. I think he just wants to check me out! Soon more come up, and it's like being surrounded by a pile of wiggling puppies. Then here come the curassows again. The male is making that crazy call that seems like some kind of alert, but he just keeps circling around and doesn't bother me at all. This is the best part of this lodge, such easy access to the wildlife.

We head to breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and hit the buffet which has some nice choices today - papaya, pineapple, carambola, watermelon, scrambled eggs, yucca, pancakes, and little barbecue sausages with orange or passion fruit juice to drink. There's a fantastic view from the restaurant; big windows look right out on the volcano that's only 2 miles away. We spot several more toucans, and see everyone stopping to take photos of them. Even though the volcano does not currently have visible lava flow, we can see wisps of steam escaping from the top. When we first started doing these trips, you could see hot orange lava pouring down the sides of Arenal, but that hasn't happened for the last few years. Hopefully someday soon because this would be an amazing place to watch it.

After breakfast we go back to our room and watch the coatis tumbling around in front of our patio, they wiggle around excitedly after their mom and run down to the jungle and back. I see some getting close to the trap and run outside to prevent them from going in, but just as I get there the door slams shut, and I know a little baby is stuck inside. Momma is not happy! She stands on her hind legs and claws at the outside of the trap. She stands on top of it, sniffs it, and looks perplexed as to how to rescue her baby. We can hear whining coming from inside. They've told us that they take any coatis they catch seven miles away and drop them off, but these babies are still nursing and that just seems too young to be separated.

My husband goes to the front desk to tell them that a baby coati is inside the trap, but no one comes right away to check it out. It's a busy place, and they have a lot going on. The mother coati walks up to me, and sits right in front of me and looks at me with her huge eyes. Okay, she's convinced me; I've pretty much decided to open the trap myself when a maintenance worker walks up. I ask him if he can open the trap and let the coati out, and he says no. I tell him it's a baby inside, but I'm not sure he understands. "Pequena," I say, "Bambino?" I think I'm speaking Italian at this point. "Bebe," and again I point to the trap. "Por favor?" "Necessita mama." Then he nods his head like he understands me, and reluctantly says, "Okay, si, si." He lifts the heavy door, and not one but four tiny coatis come running out. Momma looks pretty happy, and they all go running off into the jungle together.

Enjoying your report, vg. Here's hoping that James and Anthony from L.A. make a return trip to CR when I'm here in late January. They sound hot! :)

So my apologies--did you report earlier that you visited Eco Termales? I searched quickly but didn't see it. That is on my list of tours to do while at AOL, along with zip lining, hanging bridges, a volcano hike and a coffee plantation tour, although AOL said they didn't offer one.

Glad to hear your patio was elevated and enclosed. Sounds like it was in the main building, while I'm in what looks like a one level building annex with perhaps 4 Smithsonian rooms. Here's hoping for elevated and enclosed patios

Minn, they were! It was pretty nice to have them paddling me around! :) Our room was just to the right side of the observation deck if that helps. Are you on tripadvisor at all? I have some photos up if you want to see what it looks like.

Yes, we have been to Eco Termales on a different trip. We really liked it a lot. There are tons of hot spring choices now. Tabacon is the biggest and fanciest, and it's really elaborate. It was crowded when we went though and pretty pricey. They charged $70 per person, and my husband thought they said $17 which seemed more reasonable, but no. Eco Termales is locally owned, and I'd recommend making a reservation because they sell out. We've met several people that tried to get in and couldn't. We had a good chicken dinner there, and they did their drinks on the honor system, just asked you at the end what you had. I like that they aren't owned by some big corporation. Their pools are nice too. We thought it was charming. If you get the chance, do the Fortuna waterfall hike too; it's beautiful. Maybe James and Anthony will return to fan you with palm fronds. :)

We did the Doka Coffee Estate tour and really liked it, but we did it from the Poas area, not La Fortuna, if you happen to go to that area too.