Monteverde Orchid Garden

The Frog Pond, despite the name, does not have a pond. But it has a large room with many terrariums containing live frogs (and one toad!) representing various species that are native to Costa Rica. There's a second room with preserved insects on display, featuring species from all over the world. Your ticket lets you in to both rooms, twice in three days (once during daytime and once at night), and includes a guided tour through the frog room during one (not both) of the visits. Guided tours typically start at the top of each hour. Pro tip: take the tour during your daytime visit, when more of the frogs are asleep and harder to spot - the guides are great at finding them, in addition to providing a wealth of knowledge.

Ficus La Raiz is a natural oddity. A Ficus tree fell down across an opening above a stream, and didn't die but continued growing. Now the roots form a natural bridge as they cross the stream and reach down towards the water below. It's cute, it's quirky, it's cheap - worth stopping by if you have spare time in your day. Bring exact change - money is collected in an honor-system donation box where the trail starts in the parking lot. This is on private property, so please be respectful of the space and the people who live there.

This viewpoint is literally on the side of the road, on the right just past Ona's Cafe (if you're heading out of town). Four benches, easy to miss if you're not looking for it. Great view out across the valley, facing west which makes it perfect for sunset viewing (but worth a quick stop any time of day).

Free hike just east of town. Starts behind the gas station. Steep hike with a nice view at the top, weather permitting.