The Top 9 Things To Do In Aruba

7/28/2023 5:19:21 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Welcome to the ‘A’ of the ABC Islands, located just miles off the coast of South America. Aruba boasts warm Caribbean waters that kiss white sand beaches. Cruise the Island by land or take on the adventure by sea.

The only thing easier than navigating our happy island is letting a local show you around Aruba they know and love.

1. Let your inner kid out with an adventurous guided tour of the island.

A tour of the island with a local tour guide is the easiest way to fit Aruba’s sights in a small time frame. The most popular is the jeep tour, which will get you to the island’s most secluded and unique sight: Conchi, Aruba’s Natural Pool! Jeep tours will also take you to other incredible spots on the island, such as the California Lighthouse, Bushiribana ruins, Mysterious caves, Baby beach, Alto Vista Chapel, and much more. Picture it! Aruba’s desert-like outback, with the beautiful blue ocean backdrop. It’s a sight to see! With so many Instagram-worthy photo opportunities, it’s perfect for making and capturing memories. If you are more of an active type, you can also go the bike tour route. Aruba has so many adventure tours to choose from!

If off-road adventures are not your thing, many tour companies also offer air-conditioned tours of the island filled with history and culture. These tours also stop at some of Aruba’s must-see sights. However, they are limited to staying on the main roads. You’ll see our Butterfly Farm, the California Lighthouse, Casibari Rock Formations, and more! Aside from historical sights, you may also want to see the beautiful murals in San Nicolas! View mural guided tours here. You won't feel FOMO for choosing the more laid-back version of Aruba’s island tour.

2. DIY Tour: Explore Aruba by car, bike, or electric scooter

Aruba is relatively easy to navigate on your own as is. With the myAruba app, it’s even more accessible. You can easily create a custom itinerary by saving your must-visit places and activities. These include places to explore, eat, stay, play, relax, and more. When you view your planned-out itinerary, myAruba will show you how to navigate your trip by foot or by (motorized) vehicle. If the sights you want to visit are not within walking distance of the port, we suggest you rent a car, bike, or electric scooter for your short visit. What’s great about using the myAruba app is that you can keep track of the time you have left before heading back to the cruise terminal and still try to fit an extra stop in if possible. You can, of course, create your own.

3. The most insta-worthy spots to visit

What’s the best part of any trip? Of course, getting to experience new things, relax, and spend time with your loved ones! But what’s the 2nd best part? Getting to show off your adventures on your social media! Aruba is the perfect place to beautify your grid and make your followers just a little bit jealous. Take the perfect shot in front of the many murals in San Nicolas or the iconic stairs at Rodger’s Beach. This blog will help you choose the best Instagram spots on the island:

Do it for the gram: 12 Instagrammable spots in Aruba.

4. Beach hopping some of the Caribbean’s best beaches

One of the perks of visiting different islands by cruise is the ability to explore all the various beaches in a short period. In just a few days, you can say you’ve been to many beautiful locations that others only see on social media and dream about. Let’s stop for a second and feel how lucky we are. Ahhh…mazing! You are not dreaming! Let’s start the beach hopping, shall we? You can easily take a bus (L10A) near the cruise terminal for the beaches mentioned on the North Coast. However, it can be a little tricky for the South side. You must take a taxi or rental car to visit those beaches. Remember that you can’t get on a bus or taxi if you are wet. Make sure you are completely dried off before stepping in.

North Coast beaches in Aruba

Eagle beach

TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award Winner for #1 Best Beach in the Caribbean and 2 best worldwide! Eagle beach must be on your beach-hopping list! It is the widest and longest white sandy beach in Aruba. You can stop by “Truck di Mama” for lunch if you're feeling snacky while there.

Tres trapi Beach

Some places take your breath away. Tres Trapi beach is one of those places. A small cove with a rustic set of stairs leading to the cutest little beach. The clear blue waters beg you to come in for a swim. You might even see turtles!

Arashi Beach

Arashi beach is popular among locals and visitors alike. Beautiful white beach on the way to the California Lighthouse. It’s great for swimming and families. If you want to do some snorkeling, this is the spot you need to be on the North Coast.

South Side Beaches in Aruba

Mangel Halto

Speaking of snorkeling, Mangel Halto’s clear water is really something to write home about. Known for its calm, shallow waters, rich in sea life. You can also go kayaking, surrounded by mangroves. It is a magical place.

Rodger’s Beach

With its iconic stairs and beautiful blue ocean backdrop, Rodger’s Beach is a must-stop on your list. Just ignore the oil refinery in the back, okay?

Baby Beach

One of the most popular beaches on the island, Baby Beach is truly a unique experience. Also known as “Little Lagoon,” Baby Beach has shallow water throughout the lagoon, making it fun for kids! Don’t let the shallowness fool you, though! Strong currents may pull you out if you go out too far. This may be dangerous to inexperienced swimmers.

5. Take a kite surfing lesson.

Kiteboarding is a watersport that uses wind power with a large kite to pull a rider across water, land, or snow. You can imagine the sport as windsurfing meets snowboarding. ????The sport is gaining popularity worldwide, with over 1.5 million kite surfers practicing the sport today. Many visitors even travel to Aruba solely to do so! First, you don’t need to be a strong man or woman, boy or girl, to start your kiteboarding journey. You can start as young as ten years old and up to 75 years young, depending on your weight, mobility, focus, and, most importantly, with the right equipment choice by your instructor. With the right kite and instructor, nearly everyone can learn to kitesurf. Basic swimming skills are, of course, necessary to practice any watersport. Learn more about kite surfing in Aruba:

Watersport? Yes, but make it extreme. Let's go kiteboarding in Aruba!

6. Eat, Drink & Chill on Aruba

Let’s be honest. Sometimes you just want to eat and chill. That’s part of what a cruise is about. Heck, that’s even part of what Aruba’s about. For me, at least. But let’s change it up! We’re going to get our lazy booties off the boat to eat and chill on the island. Aruba has plenty of good food to go around.

Let’s start with an Aruban classic: The Pastechi. You can find pastechis all around the island, including near the cruise terminal. You'll get many different answers if you ask a local where to eat the best pastechi. Everyone has a favorite!

Next up, you’ll have to get a taxi or rental car. Get ready to chill with fresh fish, seafood, drinks, and a view of Zeerovers. If you’re not in a seafood mood, let’s continue towards Seroe Colorado to Kamini’s Kitchen for some delicious curries and other Caribbean cuisines. The flavors and spices will blow your (metaphorical) socks off! Next stop, Rum Reef, for some refreshing island cocktails overlooking Baby Beach. Because, hey, it’s been an active day, and you deserve a break.

Stop at The Dutch Pancakehouse at The Marketplace for a sweet treat. Have you ever had poffertjes? The mini pancakes served with powdered sugar are the best way to end your eat & chill day on the island.

7. Snorkeling & Scuba Diving

If exploring the island on land is not your thing, why not explore Aruba underwater? Aruba snorkeling is an experience that is easy to do yet enriches you with memories for a lifetime. Lucky ones can even meet with one of the island’s four sea turtle species slowly swimming by. Check out the best beaches for snorkeling in Aruba.

8. Visit Arikok National Park

In the Fontein cave situated in the Arikok National Park and at the Ayo Rock Formation you can also see their Arawak drawings and carvings. These paintings suggest that the Caquetios Indians may have come to the island after fleeing attacks from the Caribs, also known as the Kalian people, who are indigenous to the northern part of South America. The Caquetios Indians were still on the island when it was discovered by Spanish explorers.

Indian cave drawings in Fontein Cave

9. Oranjestad Aruba | The Capital of Aruba

Oranjestad is a unique blend of old and new that lends a distinctive charm to Aruba’s capital.

A bustling harbor city, Oranjestad’s streets and malls are dotted with international luxury retailers, diverse boutiques, and dazzling jewelry stores. Fascinating restored landmark buildings are found along the way, such as the green “stadhuis” housing the City Hall where legal marriages are performed.

A scenic linear park lines the coast from Oranjestad to the airport. A new state-of-the-art tram begins at the cruise terminal, meandering through town, all along the sparkling new landscaped Main Street. Oranjestad is also a jumping nightlife mecca, filled with restaurants, cafes, clubs, lounges, bars and casinos.

Fort Zoutman, Aruba’s oldest building dating back to 1798, was built to protect the city from pirates. The Willem III Tower was built in 1868, once a lighthouse and public clock tower. The Historical Museum, positioned between the two buildings, houses a permanent exhibition outlining the main events in Aruban history and changing themed exhibitions. Stay in town for the Bon Bini Festival on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm in the outdoor courtyard. Enjoy the island’s history, traditionally-costumed folkloric dancers, local music, culinary specialties and local art.

The historic Ecury family home in downtown Oranjestad has been transformed to house the Archeological Museum, an impressive modern museum that strikingly presents Aruba’s Amerindian cultural heritage and archeological finds.

Inspiring monuments honoring political leaders Jan Hendrik Albert (Henny) Eman, Cornelis Albert (Shon A. Eman, and Betico Croes) are found near the Parliament building. The statue of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands resides in a park carrying her name. World War II heroes Boy Ecury, and the National Guard and volunteers, are also honored.

The Cas di Cultura is Aruba’s national theatre, where local and international artists perform throughout the year.

Aruba’s economy was once dependent upon aloe. The Aloe Museum and Factory, located at the Hato Plantation outside of town that dates back to 1890, tells the fascinating story.

Getting around downtown Oranjestad has never been easier or more fun with the addition of a state-of-the-art tram, inaugurated in 2012. Connecting the cruise ship terminal with the center of town, the tram passes through the Main Street, now totally remodeled and an attractive pedestrian mall. The tram makes six stops, at monuments and museums along the way, as well as at key shopping areas. In 2015 Oranjestad has welcomed the new cultural/historical project Paardenbaai Aruba, which features 8 blue horses showcased around the downtown area.

Our capital of Oranjestad Aruba, holds historical evidence of our resilient past and is developing rapidly towards a prosperous future.

There are so many things to do in Oranjestad, from cultural activities to shopping and dining. Feel free to explore the city center by trolley to get to know the shopping areas.

You will find some great Oranjestad restaurants near the trolley’s path too. If you’re staying at one of the Oranjestad Resorts, you are in a perfect location to enjoy everything Aruba has to offer.

From beautiful beaches to exciting cuisine and fun activities for the entire family! Staying at one of the Oranjestad hotels or vacation rentals is a great idea!