This is my itinerary in a nutshell but feel free to continue reading for the details and pictures! click here
Did you know Aruba’s slogan is “One Happy Island”? And after a week here, I can confirm that this Caribbean island more than lives up to that name. And the best part? There is literally a never bad time to choose to come to Aruba. The weather is pretty consistent all year round and it sits south of the hurricane belt, making hurricanes here very rare. We came for our annual new years trip and it was sunny and hot in the 80’s!
The locals are extremely nice and it is probably the safest I have felt traveling anywhere with 2 babies. Thinking about coming for new years? I promise you won’t regret it. The ENTIRE island lights up with fireworks for at least 30-40 minutes. I am not exaggerating when I say this. Although the best spot would be on the beach, you can literally see fireworks from anywhere. Check out my Aruba highlight for a cool video of the fireworks.
Aruba is a pretty small island. It takes just an hour to get from one end to the other. Which is one reason we chose this island. I’m the type of person that needs to see and do everything when I travel somewhere. So when I knew there wasn’t a ton to do, I knew we could have a relaxing vacation with the kids!
Where to stay
There are so many hotel options depending on what vibe you’re going for. Locals call the north part of the island, the high rise are and the west part the low rise area.
The high rise area is Aruba’s most popular tourist destination, Palm Beach area. There are many hotels, restaurants, and bars here. It is definitely more lively and everything is in walking distance.
The low rise area is less crowded and more quiet. The eagle beach area is perfect for those wanting to stay away from the crowd.
We stood the first half of the week in an Airbnb near palm beach because we wanted a private pool and a place to hire a private chef for new years dinner. We rented a car so driving to palm beach to eat wasn’t an issue. The second half of the week we stood at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort. Best resort ever!! And I’ll talk more about that. Note that there is an adults only hotel which is right across the street. The family friendly one is right in front of the ocean.
The rooms are very spacious. We had a 1 bedroom and it had a microwave which was perfect for warming up my breastmilk. There are actual cribs available (not pack and play) and I was pretty impressed with that. They offer sheets, but I always pack my own.
If you come before your room is ready, you can enjoy all the amenities while you wait! They will also hold your bags for you and bring it to your room when it is ready. They have a pool with a swim up bar so that’s where we hung out until our room was ready.
THE PRIVATE ISLAND
Ok. The fun part about this resort. A private island owned by Marriott? Sign me up. We paid for our entire Marriott stay with points so this was an even bigger bonus! The private island exclusive for guests. However there are a couple ways to visit if you are not a guest. You can book a spa and get a massage on the private island or you can try to snag a day pass early in the morning. It’s limited availability and you need to call the morning of.
The island is split into two sections: iguana beach and flamingo beach. Iguana beach is for families with small children and flamingo beach is adults only. You can walk over with the kids to see and feed the flamingos though. You must rent the cabanas ahead of time. We booked the cabana closest to the beach so my kids can play by the beach and still be close to our stuff. You will have a waiter to bring you food and drinks as needed.
We also booked massages and I highly recommend it. It is right on the island in a private hut. A relaxing massage with the breeze and sounds of the ocean was the perfect way to unwind and relax. These also need to be booked in advance as these book up quickly. There is only one hut so they can only take so many people in a day.
9-Day Itinerary
Day 1
We landed at the airport and went straight to the duty free store to purchase alcohol. This will be your cheapest option if you need to stock up on some.
We rented from Real Deal Car Rental. They picked us up from the airport and took us to their office to sign paperwork. We made a payment ahead of time to ensure we had the vehicle we want. The reserve now and pay later option will not guarantee you a car. And my best advice if you are traveling during a busy holiday season is to prepay for the car! I have heard endless stories from other people who landed and were without a car for their trip.
Also another note: There are no traffic lights in Aruba! The roads are operated by round a bouts. It was scary at first but you get the hang of it really quick.
We then headed to the store to stock up on everything we will need while we’re staying at the Airbnb.
Day 2
You can’t come to a Dutch island and not eat Dutch pancakes. Right? At some point along your trip I highly recommend coming to Linda’s Dutch Pancake. This place was highly recommended to me and for a good reason! Everything was delicious and look how huge this pancake is next to my daughter.
It was new years eve for us this day so we spent a few hours at the beach. We went to palm beach and parked at the parking lot next to the Hilton hotel. The water was so blue and warm!
We headed back to our place and got ready for NYE! We decided to party it up at the Airbnb because we didn’t want to stay out too late with the girls. I found a private chef that came out for an early dinner (so they can enjoy new years too). The Real Aruba Private Services offers more than just privates catering. They also offer tours and private transportation. They made us Dutch balls, calamari, and a steak & rice entree, plus dessert. It was delicious! And to prepare for the festivities, we went down the street to a firework stand and purchased some fireworks. Aruba does not have any restrictions on fireworks, so keep that in mind when you’re thinking how crazy the fireworks can really be on NYE.
Get these soundproof ear muffs because the fireworks can get really loud for babies! I think a cool tradition most businesses do is that they all close early so everyone can celebrate but right at closing they roll out a long strip of firecrackers in the middle of the street and light them up! Getting to travel and experience different ways of celebrating and living is truly a blessing I never take for granted. And this was one of my reminders.
Day 3
Since just about EVERYTHING is closed on new years (except Chinese markets), we took this opportunity to head to downtown Oranjestad to take some pictures! There are so many photo ops but these were a few of my favorite. There are cute alleys to explore. Come early if it’s not new years before businesses open to get pictures without the crowd!
Then we made a day trip to baby beach. Come early! There are palapas you can use and a company that rents out beach chairs. We didn’t come early but we got very lucky to find a palapa. Baby beach was my favorite beach for kids because its super shallow. You can walk out pretty far and still be knee deep. Stop by Zeerovers for a bite to eat on your way back
Day 4
We booked a private boat cruise so we opted to make breakfast at the house. Again, check my IG Aruba highlight reel for my drone videos. The water was so clear and beautiful! They took us to a spot where we can snorkel, and provided lunch and there was an open bar. The boat we booked had a net and it made for amazing photos!!
When we got back, we went to one of the restaurants on the strip in Palm Beach and ate some pizza.
Day 5
We booked a private horseback riding tour that started at 7am. It was so much fun! We got to watch sun rise and because we were a private group, we had a little more freedom and our guide let us trot on them.
We had a pool day and then headed over to Passions for dinner ON the beach! Make reservations ahead of time if you want the tables closest to the waters.
Day 6
The boys headed to downtown and went Deepsea fishing while the girls went to grab some brunch! They went fishing with Driftwood. They also own a restaurant, so whatever you catch, they will cook it for you for dinner. They cooked the fished a few different ways and served it with rice. It was delicious!
Day 7
We checked out of the Airbnb and headed to Marriott! There is a casino right outside of the resort. And it’s walking distance to the downtown area for more shopping and eateries. We hung out at the pool and walked over to a sushi restaurant right by the casino for dinner.
Day 8
We spent today at the private island. The best way to end your trip before heading back home the next day.
Day 9: Departure
AIRPORT SERVICE
If there is one downfall to Aruba… its the dreadful airport going home. If you’re night flying home early in the morning or really late at night, then expect to be at the airport 3-4 hours before your flight. You have to go through US customs in Aruba, so I highly recommend you get global entry. The lines will get very long very quick even to check in your bags can take over an hour.
Want to skip the lines? Book FIRST CLASS ARUBA. It was a game changer especially with 2 little kids who probably won’t do well in long lines. You can also purchase lounge access.
You come just 2 hours before your departure and someone will be there waiting for you. They will fast track you through everything except US customs. So this is where global entry will help you. They will take you all the way to the lounge and even cut the line for you. There was a line of people waiting when we went and they had reserved tables for us when we got there. It was 100% worth every penny.
Aruba pack list
Here are my top must haves for this trip. Remember, everything on the island will generally be more expensive because of the shipping fees to import it to the island. So its cheaper to pack what you can. The good thing is that you can pack light! You really only need swimsuits, sandals, a sundress or 2, shorts, tanks, and comfy walking shoes!
- airplane bed so the kids can sleep comfy (we flew delta and its approved. always check with your airline!)
- car seat bag with WHEELS. we rented a car so bringing our car seats was a must. The wheels made it easier to get through the airport. I also loved that you can fill it with extra diapers and clothes ect.
- sunblock safe for babies
- infant floats
- bug spray! the mosquitos here are REAL!
- Tylenol or advil
- stroller fans! we love this one
- sun hat for babies
- rash guards! the sun can be pretty harsh especially on kids skin!
Taylor Tots Travel 