Aruba

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Travel Guide · April 2026

🦜

Family Travel Guide

Aruba

Dutch Territory · Caribbean

Sunny 365 days a year, outside the hurricane belt, and the best beach bar scene in the Caribbean

Year-round Ages 3–16 4.5 hr drive

🚗 4.5 hr direct flight from JFK or EWR · Passport required

GrandkidsGuide Aruba, Dutch Territory

Overview

Aruba sits below the hurricane belt and gets less than 20 inches of rain per year — it is genuinely sunny almost every single day. The constant trade winds keep temperatures at a comfortable 82°F year-round. Eagle Beach is routinely ranked the best beach in the Caribbean for families: wide, uncrowded, with calm water and plenty of shade from the famous divi-divi trees. Aruba is low-hassle, safe, and exceptionally well-set-up for visitors.

Why Grandparents Love It

✓ It is sunny every single day — no weather anxiety, no checking forecasts, no rained-out plans

✓ Eagle Beach has a wide, flat, hard-packed sand walk at the waterline — genuinely accessible for mobility concerns

✓ The trade winds make 82°F feel like 72°F — you will not overheat even in midsummer

Highlights

 → Eagle Beach: wider, less crowded than Palm Beach, with calm water, divi-divi trees, and brilliant white sand 

 → Arikok National Park covers 20% of the island — caves with petroglyphs, rugged coastline, natural pool in the rocks 

 → The ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) have world-class snorkeling and diving with 100-foot visibility 

 → Oranjestad capital: Dutch colonial architecture, open-air market, and excellent waterfront dining 

Top Free Pick

🌟 Start Here

Eagle Beach

The widest beach in the Caribbean, with brilliant white sand, calm water, divi-divi trees for shade, and far fewer crowds than the Palm Beach hotel strip. Free public beach access from multiple points. The beach bar at Manchebo Beach Resort serves drinks at the waterline.

Free · Parking free at public access points · All ages

GrandkidsGuide Aruba · Activities

Top Activities

Arikok National Park

Twenty percent of Aruba is protected national park — dramatic desert landscape with cacti, donkeys, natural pools, caves with Arawak petroglyphs, and a rugged northern coastline with blowhole rock formations. The Conchi Natural Pool is a calm seawater pool inside rocks at the park's north tip.

$15/adult day pass · Under 12 free ⏱ Half to full day All ages (Conchi pool requires 4WD or guided tour)

Grandparent note: Rent a 4WD and drive yourself, or book a UTV/4WD tour. The road to Conchi Natural Pool is unpaved and rough — the guided Jeep tours are genuinely fun. Caves are easy to enter and cool.

Snorkel & Sea Turtle Tour

Aruba's west coast has calm, clear water with healthy coral and sea turtles that are reliably visible at several snorkel sites. Pelican Adventures and De Palm Island both run excellent half-day tours. The visibility is typically 60–80 feet.

$45–70/person for guided half-day ⏱ 3–4 hours Ages 6+ (confident swimmers)

Grandparent note: The west coast snorkel sites are much calmer than the wild north coast. Sea turtles at Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach are common sightings. Glass-bottom boat options available for non-swimmers.

GrandkidsGuide Aruba · Activities, cont.

More Activities

Oranjestad Walking Tour

Aruba's small capital has Dutch colonial architecture, a compact waterfront lined with colorful buildings, an excellent Archaeological Museum (free), and a fresh market on the waterfront. Easy flat walking — the whole downtown is five blocks.

Free to walk · Museum free ⏱ 1.5–2 hours All ages

Grandparent note: The free Archaeological Museum on J.E. Irausquin Blvd is surprisingly excellent — displays on the Arawak people who lived here for 2,500 years before Europeans. Completely flat and air-conditioned.

Baby Beach

A circular, completely sheltered bay on the far east end of the island with warm, flat, chest-deep water — like a natural swimming pool. Almost no wave action. The Caribbean's most perfect beach for young children who are nervous in the ocean.

Free · Basic snack shack on-site ⏱ 2–3 hours All ages (perfect for ages 2–8)

Grandparent note: The 30-minute drive from Eagle Beach is worth it for families with young grandkids. The water is genuinely still and warm. Bring your own snacks and shade.

Where to Stay

Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort (Eagle Beach)

Boutique Resort · $450–750/night

Adults-only but connects to family section — on Eagle Beach, the best beach location on the island

Divi Aruba All Inclusive (Eagle Beach)

All-Inclusive · $350–550/night all-inclusive

Best value all-inclusive on Eagle Beach — direct beach access, multiple pools, solid food

Marriott Aruba Resort (Palm Beach)

Large Resort · $400–650/night

Full resort amenities on Palm Beach, large pool complex, best for families wanting maximum on-site activity

Where to Eat

Zeerovers Fish Shack (Savaneta)

Local Seafood · $

Where locals eat — plastic tables, fresh fried fish by the pound, ice-cold Balashi beer, the most authentic lunch in Aruba

Flying Fishbone

Seafood · $$$$

Tables literally in the water on the south coast — fish dinners with waves lapping at your feet

Screaming Eagle

Eclectic · $$$

Best atmosphere in Aruba — bed-seat tables, theatrical, the Instagram dinner everyone does

GrandkidsGuide Aruba · Tips & Itinerary

Grandparent Tips

Aruba has no hurricane season risk — safe to book any time of year without weather insurance

Flamingos at Renaissance Island are on a private beach for hotel guests — worth asking at the Renaissance front desk

Rent a car — the island is small and easy to drive; a car unlocks Arikok Park and Baby Beach

The trade winds are strongest on the northeast coast — stick to Eagle Beach and west coast beaches for calm swimming

Bring light layers for air-conditioned restaurants — the trade winds also make evenings cooler than you expect

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival & Eagle Beach

• Arrive, check in, walk Eagle Beach

• Afternoon: swim and settle

• Evening: dinner in Oranjestad waterfront

Day 2 — Arikok & Natural Pool

• Morning: Arikok National Park Jeep tour (book ahead)

• Afternoon: Conchi Natural Pool swim

• Evening: Flying Fishbone for sunset dinner

Day 3 — Snorkel & Baby Beach

• Morning: Sea turtle snorkel tour (west coast)

• Afternoon: Baby Beach for younger grandkids

• Evening: Zeerovers Fish Shack for the local experience

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