What to Do in Aruba: 30 Things, Sorted by a Host

What to do in Aruba is the question we get the week before every arrival, usually with “we have five days.” Ghislaine lives in Noord and has done all of this, most of it several times, with kids, parents and friends who do not swim. Here are 30 things sorted into half days, with a rough price and who each one suits, so you can build the week rather than tick a list.

What to do in Aruba: the beach half days

1. Eagle Beach morning. Go at 7 am before the chairs come out, swim the glassy water, photograph the fofoti trees. Free. Everyone. Our Eagle Beach guide has parking and shade.
2. Arashi snorkel. Reef on the left side, palapas, lifeguard. Free with your own gear. Confident swimmers, kids over 8.
3. Boca Catalina and Malmok. Rockier entries, more fish. Free. Go early, leave before the boats arrive at noon.
4. Mangel Halto. The best shore snorkel on the island once you swim past the mangroves. Free. Strong swimmers only; there is a current at the gap. Our snorkeling guide explains the entry points.
5. Baby Beach. The waist deep lagoon at the southeast tip. Chair rental roughly $10 to $20. Toddlers and anyone who wants a float. See Baby Beach and the south.
6. Palm Beach day. Jet skis, parasails, paddleboards, pier bars. Expect to pay strip prices. Teens and people who like a scene.
7. Surfside Beach. The town beach under the flight path, a stop rather than a destination. Free.

Water half days

8. Catamaran snorkel sail. Two or three stops along the northwest coast, the Antilla wreck included, with open bar. Around $60 to $90 per person depending on the boat; check before you book. First timers and anyone who wants the wreck without a dive.
9. Antilla wreck dive. A 400 foot German freighter from 1940 in shallow water. Two tank dives run about $100 to $130 with a dive shop. Certified divers.
10. Sunset sail. Leaves Palm Beach around 5 pm, back after dark. Roughly $50 to $80. Couples, and anyone’s first night.
11. De Palm Island. All inclusive private island with slides, shallow snorkeling and lunch, from about $148 per adult. Families with kids aged 4 to 12; snorkel purists will find it tame.
12. Flamingo Beach. Day pass to Renaissance Island, not sold in advance and around $125 when available. For the photo, honestly. Our Flamingo Beach guide has the alternatives.
13. Kitesurf or windsurf lesson at Hadicurari. The fishermen’s huts at the top of Palm Beach are the island’s wind sports base; a beginner lesson runs a couple of hours. Teens and active adults.
14. Kayak the Spanish Lagoon. A guided paddle through the mangroves on the south coast. Quiet, shady, good for non swimmers.

Arikok and the north coast

15. Arikok National Park by jeep. The Natural Pool, the caves, Dos Playa and Boca Prins. Guided tours around $85 to $110 per person with pickup, usually including the $22 park fee. Everyone who can handle a bumpy ride. Our Arikok guide covers doing it yourself.
16. Hike to the Natural Pool. Park at the visitor center and walk roughly two hours each way in the morning. Park fee only. Fit, early risers with water and a hat.
17. Fontein and Quadirikiri caves. Petroglyphs and a cave with skylights. Included in the park fee.
18. California Lighthouse at sunset. Climb the tower for a small fee or sit on the wall for free. The dunes walk from here to the north coast is the best half hour on the island. Everyone.
19. Alto Vista Chapel. The small yellow chapel above Noord, on the site of the island’s first church from 1750, with the stations of the cross along the road. Free. Quiet people.
20. Bushiribana gold mill ruins and the Ayo and Casibari rocks. Three stops in one loop on the north coast road. Free. Families with a car.
21. Andicuri Beach. Black pebble cove under cliffs; look, do not swim. Free. Photographers.

Town, culture and food

22. San Nicolas street art. The old refinery town in the south has the best murals in the Caribbean, painted over a decade of the Aruba Art Fair. Free. Go by day. Our San Nicolas guide has a walking route.
23. Oranjestad on foot. The pastel Dutch buildings, the free tram, Fort Zoutman, the Renaissance marketplace. Half a morning. Free.
24. Bon Bini Festival. Tuesday evenings at Fort Zoutman, folk dance and local food, a small entry fee. Families and first timers.
25. Cunucu house dinner. The old country houses turned restaurants around Noord and Santa Cruz are where locals celebrate. Budget $40 to $70 a head. See where locals eat.
26. Zeerovers in Savaneta. Fried fish by the pound on a pier, cash only, no reservations. Lunch for two under $40. Everyone.
27. Pastechi for breakfast. The fried pastry sold at every snack truck and at Pastechi House in Noord for a couple of dollars. Eat one every morning.

Small animals and slow mornings

28. Butterfly Farm on Palm Beach. One ticket is valid for repeat visits during your stay; go first thing when the butterflies are active. Check current prices. Toddlers and grandparents.
29. Donkey Sanctuary in Santa Cruz. Free, donation welcome, open mornings. Kids.
30. Aruba Aloe factory and museum in Hato. A short free tour and a shop. A rainy hour, if you ever get one.

How to build a week from this list

Five night stay: two beach mornings, one Arikok day, one south coast day with Mangel Halto, Zeerovers and San Nicolas, one sunset sail. Seven nights: add a second snorkel morning at Arashi and a lazy day at the home. Our itineraries, Slow It Down for couples and Happy Kids for families, lay out the days.

Book ahead: the sunset sail, any restaurant on the sand, Arikok jeep tours in high season. Do not book ahead: beaches, the lighthouse, San Nicolas, the chapel, Zeerovers.

Stay nearby

Ocean View 2BR on the Palm Beach strip puts the piers, sails and restaurants on foot. Oasis Hideaway in Gold Coast is five minutes from Arashi, the lighthouse and Alto Vista. Hideout Dream Big Suite and Hideout Happiness Suite near Eagle Beach are adults only and the right base for the slow version of this list. See them at /stays/.

Questions people ask

What is there to do in Aruba besides the beach?

Arikok National Park and the Natural Pool, the California Lighthouse and the dunes, San Nicolas street art, the Alto Vista chapel, the Butterfly Farm, the Donkey Sanctuary, Carnival in February, and a cunucu restaurant dinner. A week fills itself.

How many days do you need in Aruba?

Five nights covers the west coast beaches, one Arikok day and one south coast day. Seven lets you slow down and repeat the beach you liked best. Our guests who stay seven usually book nine the next time.

Is Aruba good for families?

Yes. Calm water on the west coast, Baby Beach for toddlers, the Butterfly Farm, De Palm Island and short drives everywhere. See our Happy Kids itinerary for a full week.

What can you do in Aruba for free?

Every beach, the sunset, the California Lighthouse grounds, Alto Vista chapel, the Bushiribana gold mill ruins, the San Nicolas murals, Hooiberg hill, and the Ayo and Casibari rock formations. The free list is most of the list.