I ❤️ Aruba.

Hi friends! It has been a long time! I am sorry I fell off the wagon but am ready to jump back on this crazy train and keep you up to date with my shenanigans! I can’t tell you where I have been entirely, because my mommy brain does NOT go that far back, but I can tell you that I just got back from beautiful Aruba and if you don’t have it on your bucket list- put it on there!

This Dutch islands motto is “One Happy Island” and everyone that lives there, lives true to the saying. Everyone is so friendly and helpful and kind! The island is small and it only takes about 30 minutes to get from one side to the other and a tour around the island is around 4 hours with stops along the way. Basically everyone knows/speaks English and they take American currency as well as credit cards so that makes things easy as well as the fact that eating out prices are around the same as this Southern Californian girl is used to. Grocery store prices are more, but that’s because everything is shipped in since it’s an island. The food is delicious, service is phenomenal and the water is that crystal blue you dream about! The water is warm and shallow along the reefs so there’s lots of small fish. I was told by multiple locals that there are no sharks because they live deeper where the water is cooler and the fish are bigger. Also, it is outside of the hurricane zone so they don’t have any natural disasters! It’s like the perfect place!

So below I have a list of the top 10 things to do, recommended by yours truly to enjoy this “One Happy Island” the best you can! I did lots of research and booked excursions and reservations before we left so our vacation was balanced between relaxing by the pool and touring the sites! Enjoy!

1. ATV Tour around the Island! We used ABC Tours on Viator and had a great time! There was one other family and our tour guide so 3 ATV’s all together and it was perfect! Some of the other tours we passed had 10 or more and it seemed like a lot to maneuver the streets and roundabouts as there are many on the island, no stop lights and very few stop signs. It was a 4 hour tour and our first stop, we stopped at the Blackstone Beach, which is a beautiful black sand & rounded blackstone beach. Next to the Blackstone Beach is also the 3 Sister Bridges, its 3 arch form bridges all attached to each other in a beautiful triangle form. There you will get some unforgettable pictures! Next we passed Andicuri Beach with big waves and white sand and continued to the Natural Cave Pool for some cliff jumping, which happened to be right next door to the Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins where we got to hike through and learn the history of by our guide. We then continued on to the other side of the island where we saw the California Lighthouse and got to snorkel Arashi Reef! The tour allows you to see the island without spending days driving around trying to find stuff as well as learn the history of the island from a native! I highly recommend one!

2. Submarine Tour to see the Antilla. Not to be confused with the Antilles Islands, the Antilla is a German WW2 sunken ship along the Arashi Reef in Aruba. It’s absolutely amazing! The water is so clear that you can snorkel or view from inside the submarine and see every bit of the ship that has been down there for 85 years! There’s lots of marine life too! We saw every different fish you could think of, stingrays, turtles and eels!

3. Flamingo Beach! There are 2 depending on what fits your style. If you are looking for an adult, relaxing environment then book through the Renaissance Resort, I heard it’s very romantic and quiet. We did the other option and it’s perfect for families with kids! It’s called De Palm Island. You take a short ferry ride to the island where they have banana boat rides, snorkeling, snubas, water slides, a kid water park, restaurants and bars, massages and lounge chairs under palapas laid out all over the beach to relax. The beach part is a cove that is very small and rocky so bring water shoes or just plan on doing the other fun stuff. The flamingoes there are separated from the guests but you can view them and take pictures of them but I heard that the Renaissance Island they hang out on the beach with you.

4. Pirate Ship Cruise. This is on my bucket list for next time as we didn’t get a chance to do it this time but it looked so cool from our boat! We booked a luxury lagoon cruise with kayaking and snorkeling and a rope swing and open bar and lunch but they cancelled it the morning of because there wasn’t enough people that signed up. By then the pirate ship was full so we missed that window- I won’t make that mistake next time and I’ll book it in advance before our trip! People were swinging off the rope swing of a pirate ship and it looked like such a blast! They also have open bar and food provided.

5. Baby Beach is the best beach for families on the island! But not just for families! As a couple, bring your pool floats and drinks and relax in the super shallow beach! I’m not kidding- it doesn’t go further than thigh deep for 150 feet! You can literally kneel 50 feet out and just relax and talk or take in the beauty of the water and the island. Some people brought snorkel gear and they also have cabanas you can rent along the beach and a bar and grill. It’s beautiful! Absolute perfection!

6. Eagle Beach is the best beach on the island for water sports and restaurants, bars and shopping. People were wakeboarding, three person tubing, jet skis, parasailing, snorkeling, you name it- they got it! There’s so much life on this beach and it’s happy and it’s beautiful!

7. Gianni’s Italian Restaurant is THE BEST Italian food I’ve ever tasted and the ambiance is amazing! It’s in the cutest little restaurant zone with a double decker gelato bus and a beautiful water fountain and these elegant tables and chairs inside and outside the restaurant along with live music and an incredible menu!

8. Passions on the Beach is a super romantic restaurant with each table being on the beach with a tiki torch and a beautiful sunset! There was also large families there with adults at one table and kids at the other so it’s not just for couples! The food was delicious, service was great, a nice surprise at the end for any anniversaries or birthdays and live music to enjoy during your meal. It’s rated the #2 best restaurant in Aruba and I believe stands true to that!

9. The BEST restaurant on the Island is Flying Fishbone! It’s VERY romantic when you book 6 MONTHS IN ADVANCE for the “Feet in the Water” 4 pm dinner reservation. You take your shoes off and place them in cubbies before you go to your table. The tables are at the shoreline and high tide will bring the water right up to your ankles. In August, high tide is so high that the water reaches mid shin and fish and small eels swim around you. It’s amazing! There are also tables higher up in the sand where the water doesn’t reach and they also have a deck (no sand) with plenty of tables too. They also have a fountain for you to wash your feet off before you leave! It’s the perfect idea of an island restaurant! Hubby had lobster casserole with CHUNKS of lobster and I had scallops over penne and it was delicious! Definitely pricey but worth every penny!

10. My last recommendation for Aruba is to make sure to enjoy some down time! Happy hours are everywhere the pools are gorgeous! The beaches are relaxing! I make it a point not book anything the first entire day we are there, one day in the middle and the last whole day we are there so that we can do whatever we feel like doing that day! We made friends with Enrique, our bartender at the swim up bar alongside the infinity edge overlooking the beach and it was perfect to just relax and soak in the vitamin D. We made an impromptu decision to try out Linda’s (Dutch) Pancakes and was the best random place to go! The pancakes are the size of your plate and you can choose any toppings you want! It’s ALWAYS a long wait so plan that, but SOOO worth it! Also, every morning, I walked across the street to this quiet beach and laid in a palapa and read with my coffee before anyone was up, besides a few tourists going for morning walks. The beach bars have fun happy hour and murals and sunsets to die for! There’s a cute butterfly farm you can visit and allow butterflies to land all over you! There’s a donkey sanctuary where you can feed and brush and pet donkeys. Every inch of the island has something to enjoy! But most importantly, remember that vacations are meant to be relaxing and a break from the crazy. Don’t leave your vacation feeling like you need another just to relax- leave feeling like you need another NEXT year to enjoy all over again! 🙂

Sincerely, Audra