I have travelled all throughout the Caribbean but there is something about Aruba that keeps me going back.  Unlike many other islands that are either extremely touristy with a spring break feel to them or ultra-high end where you don’t want to go out without your luxury designer cover up, Aruba has more of a relaxed hype-free vibe.  From the great beach front restaurants where you can curl your toes up in the powdery sand while enjoying a fine dinner to the duty-free shopping areas in Oranjestad there is something on the island of Aruba for everyone.

Aruba is just under a 5 hour direct flight from New York – one of the longer flights to any of the popular Caribbean islands as it is just off the coast of Venezuela.  Upon arriving in Aruba I highly recommend renting a car as the roads are quite good here and driving around is an easy way to get to the out of the way beaches and great restaurants.   My favorite hotels when I visit Aruba are the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts and Amsterdam Manor.  Bucuti  & Tara is a beautiful resort with everything one could desire.  Amsterdam Manor is a more casual hotel but its key selling point is the proximity to one of Aruba most beautiful beaches, Eagle Beach.  Another favorite option of mine if I am traveling with friends is to rent a villa.  The challenge here is finding a villa close to the beach, but that’s where great planning and access to the villa rental agencies comes in.

Aruba is close to the equator so be prepared for the strong sun.  The temperature and sun strength in Aruba can be deceptive though, there is a constant cool ocean breeze that makes it feel cooler than it really is – sunburn warning – make sure to keep plenty of strong sunblock on hand.  While many of the Caribbean islands can get a bit cool in the dead of the northeast winter (Dec-Feb) Aruba has a great temperature for those of you who love the sun and great beaches.  

Aruba is full of beautiful beaches though some are quite busier than others.  The most popular beaches are Eagle Beach and Palm Beach but they never seem to get as crowded as the beaches in St. Martin or the USVI.  Both Eagle Beach and Palm Beach have plenty of chair and umbrella rentals and long stretches of clear water and white sand beaches to truly enjoy the beautiful Aruba weather.  Another great beach is Baby Beach.  It is a bit of a ride from Oranjestad but it is well worth it.  In my opinion Baby Beach has the clearest water and the water is shallow and walkable for quite a ways out – hence the name Baby Beach.  All of the beaches I have been to on Aruba beautiful and great places to go but if you have limited time Eagle, Palm and Baby beaches are the must visits.

Aruba has a lot of restaurants to chose from ranging from typical bar and grills to fine dining on the beach.  Some of my absolute favorites are Yemaja Woodfired Grill, Passions on the Beach, Barefoot Restaurant and Pinchos Grill and Bar.  RESTAURANT INFO One important thing to note when dining out in Aruba – all restaurants include a service charge on your bill (some are more clearly noted than others.)  You do not need to leave an additional tip unless you feel that the service was exceptional.

When you are not dining out or relaxing on the beach there are other activities to keep yourself busy in Aruba.  A favorite of mine is shopping in Oranjestad.  Aruba is a duty free island so plan on great deals for jewelry and other luxury goods.  Another day trip that is certainly worthwhile is a helicopter ride to and from Caracas Venzuela.  The ride is short and Caracas is a beautiful destination for a day trip with plenty of sights to visit and great restaurants a short walk away.  Nightlife is not the most exciting in Aruba as it is one of the more relaxing of the Caribbean islands.  A popular destination is the Stellaris Casino at the Marriott Beach and Ocean Club.  While not up to Las Vegas or even Atlantic City standards, the casino can be a fun place to while away the night and of course some hard earned money.