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A girlfriend of mine, both in our mid-40s, have a week-long trip to Aruba in June and are just looking for tips on local places to eat (not expensive touristy restaurants), not-to-be-missed sights, fun things to do, etc. We will be staying at Aruba Beach Club on Punta Brabo Beach and we will have a rental car. We are both well-traveled around the world but neither of us has been to Aruba...we like everything...sun/sea/food/drinks/activity/laziness with some shopping thrown in for good measure. Both of us are definitely "people people", too, so meeting others is a favorite.
I'm a diver so any suggestions on dive shops that will be tolerant with a relatively new diver are also appreciated.
We've done the Middle East and the Dominican Republic together, and we're doing China and Thailand together along with my husband and another friend later in the year, so hopefully we'll add a positive experience in Aruba to our list!
Friends of mine own a condo in Aruba and love the island and its people. They really liked renting wave runners and also did an ATV tour of the island.
i wish I could give you some good Advise, but we haven't stayed on the island for over 15 years. Prior to that we stayed in Aruba about 3 or 4 times. As for things to do, there really isn't much, but snorkeling is good, so I am assuming diving is as well. Food is not inexpensive by any means.
I will add, the water and sand iare as beautiful as any I have ever seen. We have cruised with as stop in Aruba a few times in the past few years. the island has changed and is no longer just a sleepy little island near So. America. This has been a little disappointing to us. I think that has something to do with how we remember the island 20, 30 or more years ago when it was barely turning into a tourist place.
The positive, along with the beaches and water:crime is low and the people, for the most part are very frinedly. I hope you enjoy your time there. it is very different, when I hear the term: desert Island, I think of Aruba. That is what makes it so very different and charming in its own way.
When there on a port stop many years ago we rented a car and drove to Baby Beach at the southeastern end of the island. We would go back there if we every visited again. Hopefully it's not too developed out that way. Beautiful beach.
Go to your library and check out some guidebooks...that will tell you ALL you need to know about Aruba (or anyplace else!)
Aruba is a desert island...it's not "lush" like most of the Caribbean Islands.....little to no rain.
Yep, all those lush Palms by the resorts are about the only palms you will see.
The wind on the beach will sand blast your skin.
I found Aruba boring and way over rated, in addition to being expensive. Like another poster said, there really isn't much to do in Aruba. You said you have a rental car? You can see the entire island in less than a day.
If you like to lay on beach or by the pool, gamble you will be fine.
Go to your library and check out some guidebooks...that will tell you ALL you need to know about Aruba (or anyplace else!)
Aruba is a desert island...it's not "lush" like most of the Caribbean Islands.....little to no rain.
Yes, I know how to read guidebooks....I do it for trips, literally, all over the world. But what guidebooks don't tell you are the hidden gems....the food shacks on the beach....the restaurants in neighborhoods...the locals selling shells they just harvested a few hours earlier. I have absolutely no interest into visiting the newest Bubba Gump or HardRock anywhere in the world, and that's what most guidebooks direct you to.
I like MyTarge13's suggestion of Wave Runners and an ATV tour. I've heard the wind is worse than in other Caribbean islands, and that's okay -- free exfoliation.
Having a rental car is the best part of any vacation.....in the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, DR, wherever, a rental car allows you to explore and see places and things that the usual visitor to Seven Mile Beach, Bavaro Beach, etc never gets to see. (I mean, really....how many visitors to Dominican Republic ever get to see Higuey??? It was fascinating!!!) I look forward to exploring Aruba in the same manner.
I am not a fan of the Caribbean in general, but I loved Aruba on our recent visit. Check out The Old Cunucu House for authentic Aruban cuisine away from the waterfront Palm Beach hotel restaurants, some of which have outstanding food by the way. Visit the ayo and casibari rock formations, and check out Arikok National Park. I think renting a car and exploring the Aruban outback is a lot of fun, and being a small island there is only so lost you can get. Enjoy!
Aruba is a bit of a juxtaposition: Nice Caribbean flavor, but VERY touristy because the big planes can get in there and bring hordes of tourists who struggle to get off the beaten path.
The beach, hotels, and casinos on the upper end of the island are pretty much what you see. Town is small, Orangestead can occupy you for a couple of hours; drive past the oil refinery just for grins; have a driver take you over to the windward side of the island to see the stone bridge (don't drive it yourself--there are no roads, really); light house; golf course; catamaran sail; snorkeling.
Aruba is 99% tourist based. Go with it. You won't find much that is "off the beaten trail" due to the large numbers of people who roll in here for a week at a time.
We just returned from our third trip to Aruba a few weeks back (we go every other year).
As someone else posted above, there is not a lot of sightseeing to do; given the size of the island, you can see the entire place in about a day with a car. I'll be honest, our trips there usually involve mostly sitting on a beach and relaxing all day.
As for local restaurants, Taste Of Belgium, Screaming Eagle and Bavaria are at the top of our list. Quinta Del Carmen just opened about 4-6 months ago, and we thoroughly enjoyed our first dinner there this year.
There are some dining-on-the-beach type restaurants (Barefoot, Passions On The Beach) where you sit at a table with your toes in the sand; the ambience is cool, but the food at most of these places tends to be about average. Definitely a touristy thing but it can be fun to do once, just because.
Cafe 080 is a little pub a bit off the beaten path and is mostly locals, but the people there are fun to hang out with - although they may forget they actually have tourists inside and start speaking to you in Dutch before correcting themselves. Moomba Beach is a small beach bar in the high-rise district, and a good place to go people-watch and have a drink in the evening (but skip the food).
Then there is Carte Blanche (Carte Blanche Restaurant Aruba). We go on every trip - one seating, 14 people seated around the kitchen, 5 courses, no set menu - the chef, Dennis, makes up a menu every night based on what ingrediants he was able to get fresh that day. Amazing food, and he and his sommelier, Glen, are a lot of fun. Although it may be too late to get a reservation in June, but you can always ask to be put on the list for cancellations.
One travel tip about Aruba - they will tell you, when flying back home, to get to the airport 3 hours early. They aren't kidding. Its taken us anywhere from 1.5 -2.5 hours from check-in to get to our gate. You have to go through Aruba immigration, Aruba security, U.S. customs and then U.S. security. No preferred security lines and the U.S. customs agents don't care if you may be late for your flight (which, frankly, is fine - if one can't show up on time, then that is their problem). If you do have airline status or are flying in FC, then you can usually shave 20-30 minutes off at check-in.
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