Do's and Don'ts while in Aruba

Hello. We are staying at the Aruba Beach Club in March (rental through RCI). We have never been to the island. Could some of you regulars give us the lowdown on what to do & see i.e. recommend tours, restaurants, etc. and advise us of anything to watch out for. Thanks. Andrea

Take the Jeep safari tour. -the whole day package.

El Gaucho for diner is fun. Need reservations, take a taxi even though it is downtown.

Also take a walk on the beach side during the day on the high rise. High rise has outside dining fun.

Go into town the evening the ships come in and watch from Iguana Joe's.

andrea468 wrote:

Hello. We are staying at the Aruba Beach Club in March (rental through RCI). We have never been to the island. Could some of you regulars give us the lowdown on what to do & see i.e. recommend tours, restaurants, etc. and advise us of anything to watch out for. Thanks. Andrea

Andrea,

I'll be staying at the Aruba Beach Club in July, so please tell me all about your vacation when you return.

Have a grand time!

Pamela

Don't take the jeep tour- RENT an open air jeep and tour the island like we did, 2 adults, 2 kids. The island is not big so you can drive on the cliffs, see all the piled up rocks, old churches, lighthouse and do it all in one day, it's great!

Depending on budget and how many will be traveling with your group, you will want to take a tour over to the Natural Pools. Also Baby beach if you enjoy snorkeling. I have traveled to Aruba now for over 20 years and if your renting a vehicle, please be sure to invest in the extra insurance, trust me it will be worth every penny of it if a accident occures. also we enjoy having dinner at Terra Del Sol. The island people are the most beautful people in the world. Also ARUBA IS SAFE, I travel either alone or with my girlfriends. Have a wonderful vacation.

We stayed at the Tamarijn all inclusive and we loved it especially my kids! We rented an open air jeep for about $80 and drove the island ourselves since it is so small, we saw the bridge that I think is no longer, the old chapel, the lighthouses, soccer in the sand , baby beach and all the cliffs where people pile rocks for good luck!

We're thinking of going to Aruba in June. We own in Maui so are either looking at staying at Marriot Ocean Club or Surf Club. Wondering which is nicer? It sounds like Surf Club is crowded. Also, we heard it was windy - how windy? Can you still lay on the beach without being sandblasted? We are two families with children ranging from 6 - 10. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi, I have been to Aruba in June and found it a delightful time to visit. The wind is a plus in Aruba because of the high temperature (80-90 degrees is normal). Without that constant breeze it would just be too hot. My wife is wind sensitive and she finds the breeze delightful. There are lots of fun things to do in Aruba. Kids and active adults will enjoy the water sports you can do right off the beach near La Cabana or the Marriott, a short ride from the ABC. There's water tubing, jet skis, etcetera. Snorkeling trips, sunset cruises, fishing trips are all available. And the beach is great. Usually it is calm but occassionally gets a little wavy. Rarely is it rough but always is it clean and tourquise blue. In June you will find that the beach is never crowded as it is after the winter crowds have left. Restaurants are abundant. The fish is always excellent, especially the grouper, in my opinion. Don't miss the Lighthouse for sunset and the Tierra del Sol anytime. Madame Jenette's is very consistent and the Flying Fishbone is dramatic. And there are plenty more. Finding them is half the fun. Don't forget to explore the other side of the island either, by horseback or jeep. Don't bother with a map though, just explore. It's a small island and you can't really get too lost for too long. Just start out with a full tank of has and look for signs for the Ayo Rock formation, Casibari rock formation, Donkey Sanctuary, Ostrich Farm and the religious Grotto. Have fun!

Thanks for the great info.

Our first visit to Aruba was on June 4, 2005, a couple days after Natalie went missing. Even with that going on, I was hooked. It was hot, but almost always a nice breeze. You will look forward to the breeze. After we got our bearings, we rented a car (they gave a nice discount in June, as it is the "off" season). I felt very comfortable driving around the island. When I say we were hooked, we ended up buying two weeks in October, so I have been 4 times now. Don't miss Smoky Joe's for the ribs, Chalet Swiss (we thought this was too expensive, but they had an early bird that was very reasonable and included your beverage). El Gaucho is another great choice downtown. Great steaks!

Enjoy!

Thanks. Which Marriott would you recommend?

Both of the Marriott resorts are in the "High Rise" location in Aruba. This generally means that these area's are more crowded, as they have less beach and more people. I believe the Surf Club is the newer of the two, so maybe this would be the better choice. As I recall, they are next to each other, so I don't think it would really matter. We stay in the "Low Rise" area, where it is less crowded, and the beach and ocean (Eagle Beach) is one of the best on Aruba. Unfortunately, there is not a Marriott in this area. I'm sorry I couln't be of more help.

Hi, We have been to the Ocean Club several times and own there. The Surf Club is the newer of the two, but it is definitely more crowded there as the complex is huge. The Ocean Club is the better choice, in my opinion, but either way you really can't go wrong.

Thanks. Its good to hear from a fellow Marriott Owner. Questions is, does one have a better beach than the other?

To the best of my recollection the Ocean Club's beach is larger and less crowded but I would like to hear other owners opinions about this as it is a very good question.

The Surf Club is much quieter, Ocean Club is bigger and busier. The Island always has some wind but it is beautiful and very comfortable to lie on the beach. It would be very hot without the wind. A great island for kids. Enjoy!

If anyone has any questions about Aruba or ABC, we own several weeks there....

Thanks for all the great info! It will be my first time to Aruba in April for my sons wedding!

My husband and I were there two years ago in April for our anniversary and stay at the Surf Club. LOVED IT!! The Lazy River is the best. My husband loved it so much we're going again this April for our 25th Anniversay. It's NOT that windy that you'll be eating sand. I hope this was helpful

meganw28 wrote:

We're thinking of going to Aruba in June. We own in Maui so are either looking at staying at Marriot Ocean Club or Surf Club. Wondering which is nicer? It sounds like Surf Club is crowded. Also, we heard it was windy - how windy? Can you still lay on the beach without being sandblasted? We are two families with children ranging from 6 - 10. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The Surf Club is AMAZING!!! Great water slide and lazy river. The kids will love it!! We are planning on going in June as well if we do not rent our timeshare. We have been going every year in June and the weather is amazing. There's a breeze during the day and a bit windy in the evening. Perfect weather! Enjoy:)