Our first experience to Aruba was amazing and I cannot wait to go back! The people were so nice, the water and weather were to die for! I want to share a travel guide if you are thinking about visiting. Also, I have post on the Swimsuits I wore In Aruba if you want too know where I got anything!

 

Where to Stay In Aruba

 

Rent a Condo: We rented a condo from Airbnb that was right on Eagle Beach (named one of the best beaches in the world). It was a very short walk to the beach and gave us a lot of space. We travelled with Jon’s parents, so there was 4 adults total and we had plenty of space in a 2 bedroom.

Hotel Chain: You can also stay in the Hotel Zone on Palm Beach which has a lot of restaurants and activities within walking distance. This is a great option if you don’t want to rent a car, or would like to stay all-Inclusive. Hotels such as Hilton, Riu, and Marriott are all in this location. From where we stayed, it was about an 8 minute to the Hotel Zone  if we wanted to explore or grab food.

Where to Eat in Aruba

Chalet Suisse– I died here. Literally has the best dessert of my life at Chalet Suisse called the Chocolate Marquise. I loved it so much, I made Jon take me back two nights later and we sat at the bar and had this dessert. Food was also really good here and its a busy place. If you are going at peak times (730-9pm), I would make a reservation. I think we went around  6:30pm and they sat us right away.

Screaming Eagle– My friend Luisa recommended this place because you can sit in a lounge bed and have dinner!! I love my bed- so if I could sit in a bed while I eat, I was in!! We ended up running out of time to have a full dinner, but we had a couple desserts in bed and it was magical- plus the lava cake dessert I had was to die for! I definitely recommend eating here- but make a reservation if you want a lounge bed (they also have normal tables).

MooMBa– We had lunch here and it was really good and flavorful! It’s right on the beach in the hotel zone. We also went here at night for drinks and it is a popular late-night spot!

Pelican Nest– Had lunch here one day and the setting is gorgeous. It is right over the beautiful teal water (pic above) and you can watch the boats come and go. Food was decent and normal, nothing that special, but your basic American lunch menu.

Pizza Bobs– We were feeling like pizza one night and walked to this little pizza joint. It’s outside (covered), and they had really good pizza! I definitely recommend if you have a pizza craving!

Ricardos– Our experience was just average here. They weren’t very busy and our waiter did not seem impressed to be there, so it felt like we were more of an inconvenience. The location was amazing and right on the beach, but food was ok. I hear the nightlife is cool though!

What to Do In Aruba

Beaches– Obviously the beaches are one of the main things to do here and the sand is so white and gorgeous! We spend a lot of time on Eagle beach since it was right outside our condo. Palm Beach is also popular and that is where the Hotel Zone is located. If you have a car, check out Baby Beach as well!

Sailing Tour with Pelican Tours– We did a Catamaran Champagne Brunch tour with Pelican Tours and it was awesome! They provide you with breakfast, lunch, and open bar the whole time! They bring you to 3 different locations and you can snorkel, swim, or just soak up some rays on the boat! I think it was $70 a person and worth it! They provide you with all your snorkel gear as well!

UTV Tour with DePalm– This was a great adventurous tour and it was so fun driving the UTV. They seat 2 people and you are able to switch off driving throughout the tour! Just be warned that you will get dusty! They do provide a face mask. You stop at the Natural Pools, Natural Bridge, Old Gold Mill, and a historic church.

Casinos– There are actually a lot of casinos in Aruba and if you are a gambler, it’s a great way to pass the time at night!

Rent a Jeep– There are so many things to explore in Aruba, but a lot require off-road capabilities! This can almost be cheaper than a UTV tour and you will have the jeep for multiple days! Next time we would definitely rent a jeep and not just an SUV so we could go off-roading a lot easier.

 

What to See

Natural Bridge– There used to be two bridges here, but one collapsed in 2003. This is the second one that still stands and creates a cool photo app! There is a little tourist shop here with food and souvenirs. They also have a clean restroom but they charge $1 to use it.

 

Divi Trees– There are two of these Divi trees located at the end of Eagle beach for a great photo opp. People like to set up under the shade of the trees, so it can be hard to get a picture with no one in the background.

Gold Mill Ruins– we stopped here on our UTV tour and it was cool to see and was through the ruins!

Off Roading– We did a little off roading wit out little SUV (we would have been able to do more if we rented a jeep), but came across this cool rock formation.

Mangel Halto Beach– There is a couple cool stairs into the water here and there was some cool photo ops.

 

What to bring, other than Beach Wear

Hat (Tight fitting or ties)– it is very windy in Aruba, so you will probably loose a hat if it is not tight or secure on your head!

Hair Band– since it is so windy, I would put my hair up and then wear a hair band/bandana to keep the flyaway’s down.

Reusable Water bottle– The tap water in Aruba is extremely pure and filtered! There is no need to buy water- just fill it up from the tap! Here is a great insulated bottle!

Reusable shopping bags– Aruba has banned plastic bags- so if you go to the grocery store, you will need a reusable bag. You can buy them there as well. And when you get off the plane, they hand out reusable bags as well. I also used my beach bag that was super compact.

Cash (USD)– Aruba has its own currency, but USD are pretty much accepted everywhere. We never ran into an issue where our USD didn’t work. Most places do accept credit cards as well.

 

Let me know if you have any questions! Have a great trip!