One Happy Island is the motto that Dutch Carribbean Island; moreover the title fits very well with its upbeat atmosphere. I like taking short breaks during the winter to get away to nice weather like my recent trip to Costa Rica. https://travelswithsteve.com/costa-rica-on-its-pacific-coast/ This neat little island, with its great weather, gentle sea, and lively nightlife, hits the spot. The weather here is sensational, with a constant high of 87 and a low of 78. You have clear skies and a light breeze blowing in from the sea. One of the unique features of Aruba is its dry climate with an arid desert-like landscape which is in contrast to the usual tropical climate of much of the Caribbean. Yes, it is one happy island.
American Airlines and the flight down
Fortunately, my home in Philadelphia is only a 4-hour and 20-minute non-stop flight via American Airlines. I had enough time for lunch and a movie (Oppenheimer). For a cheap airfare to get from here to there, of course please click on the below banner from my friends at cheapOair.
Marriott, Places to Stay
As usual, I checked into a Marriott property ( Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino) for 6 nights.https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/auaar-aruba-marriott-resort-and-stellaris-casino/overview/ This first-class resort has a beautiful Caribbean beach, many wonderful restaurants, a busy casino, an outstanding health club, and a lively happy-hour pool scene. For other suggestions, please check with my friends at Booking.com.
Rockabeach Tour: Aruba Highlights
This is quite a way to see the highlights of Aruba, surprisingly, in a colorfully painted converted school bus. We booked this through our friends at Viator. Our driver was a pretty talkative guide named Hugo, who certainly had many interesting stories about living in an unusual place like Aruba. The many beautiful attractions we visited were the Casitbari Rock formations, the Natural Bridge, the Bushirbana Gold Mill ruins, the Cave Pool, the Alto Vista Chapel, and the 100-year-old California lighthouse with its commanding view of the Caribbean. Finally, there is some time to hang out at the nearby Arashi Beach.
Aruba Happy Hour Sunset Cruise with Open Bar: Aruba Highlights
I booked this trip as well through Viator. We were picked up at our hotel and taken to a sleek 40-foot catamaran docked in Aruba Harbor. We were treated to an open bar, and tasty appetizers together with our ship’s speakers played catchy Caribbean melodies. Our friendly crew to be sure made for a lively, one-happy island vibe. Of course, we finished with a beautiful Caribbean sunset. Nothing could beat that experience.
Aruba Dining Experiences:
I found that Aruba has some world-class restaurants with, of course, an emphasis on seafood.
Atardi: At Aruba Marriott and Stellaris Casino
This outstanding restaurant features excellent seafood and is uniquely right on the beach, which makes for a memorable dining experience. You feel the sand underneath your toes—another great place to see a beautiful sunset.
The Lobby Bar: At Aruba Marriott and Stellaris Casino
You can choose from a great selection of sushi and sashimi as well as enjoy live entertainment. This is an excellent place to cool down after a busy day in the sun. I recommend the Lobster Sandwich.
Other Locations (Non-Marriott)
The Vue Rooftop: https://thevuerooftoparuba.com/?v=1e5342b2de8f
They say you can have drinks, good food, as well as an incredible view from the top of an Aruban building. They are not joking. I had the Coconut Shrimp, which of course is one of my favorites.
Haricurari Restaurant: https://www.hadicurari.com/
This is another excellent restaurant in Aruba. You have two options: dining on the beach with your toes in the sand as well as the open-air covered porch with a fantastic ocean view. We took the beach option and, moreover, had lobster entrees.
Queen Beatrix International Airport
When you return to the States, please allow plenty of time, as this airport is very slow and has many passengers checking in. It took us slightly over one hour to check in at American Airlines in order to reach the boarding area. We have priority check-in, which would have made this process longer if we did not have this status. Some of this time consumption was due to going through US Customs at this airport rather than back in the US. This means that we had to do some tasks twice, which, to be sure, was not fun.
- I checked my bags at the American Airlines Check-In Counter.
- Go through Passport Control.
- Screening of carry-on luggage.
- US Departure: I picked up my luggage, which had already been checked in.
- See US Customs officials.
- I placed my checked-in luggage on a conveyor belt to be loaded on the plane (a second time).
- Go for a second screening of your carry-on luggage.
- Now, you are ready to board your plane.
A Word from Steve:
Aside from the terrible airport, Aruba is an island where my readers will have a great time with the sun, weather, and activities. They say, one happy island. I noticed a sign at the airport indicating modernization plans for the airport by 2030 which in other words , things are looking up.
