The sleepy village of La Fortuna is just minutes away, providing all the comforts of home. Restaurants, medical facilities, a Farmer's Market, churches, post office, and Internet cafes are among the shops and services available. Click here for a short video of La Fortuna, its people, and its pleasures (Windows Media Player required. Click here for the Windows Media Player 9 for Mac OS X.)

Arenal Conservation Area is known for its wide variety of wildlife, with more than 25 species of fish and about 500 species of plants. The major attraction in the area is the Arenal Volcano, which lies across the lake from The Preserve. This is a magnificent natural piece of art, located at the northern end of the Tilaran Mountain Range. The park is also important because its waters drain into the Lake, which is used in a variety of ways. Arenal Volcano, which rises nearly 4,900 feet above sea level, is a perfect cone and the most active volcano in Costa Rica, as well as one of the most active in the world. Arenal was sacred to pre-Columbian Indians.The ever green Lake Arenal appeared about 2 or 3 million years ago when tectonic movements created a depression that filled up with water.