Walking Routes on Aruba Aruba is hot, dry and shadeless, so the best walks are short, early or late in the day. Carry water, wear a hat and keep to marked paths. Prices are in US dollars. Oranjestad Heritage Walk Start near the cruise terminal and work along Main Street. Fort Zoutman dates to 1796, and the Willem III Tower beside it was added in 1868. The fort houses the Historical Museum of Aruba.

Planning Your Days on Aruba Aruba is a flat, dry island about 32 km long and 10 km wide, so nothing is more than an hour’s drive from your hotel. The south and west coasts have calm turquoise water and white sand. The north and east coasts face the open Atlantic and are for looking at, not swimming. Prices below are in US dollars, which are accepted everywhere; the local currency is the Aruban florin (AWG), pegged at 1.

Paid and Free Attractions on Aruba Most of Aruba’s visitor attractions are small places within a short drive of Oranjestad or the Palm Beach hotel strip. This page lists what each costs and how it works. Prices are in US dollars. Opening hours change, so confirm on the day you plan to go. Atlantis Submarine The Atlantis submarine tour leaves from the Atlantis store at Renaissance Marina in downtown Oranjestad. Guests check in at the pier, and there is no hotel pickup.

Day Trips on a Small Island Aruba measures about 32 km by 10 km, so a day trip here means a full day built around one area, not a long journey. There is no passenger ferry to Curacao or Bonaire; those islands are reached by plane only. The options that work well are the two resort islands off the coast, Arikok National Park, and a loop through the south. Prices are in US dollars.

Why Aruba Has No Multi-Day Trips Aruba is about 32 km long and 10 km wide, and you can drive from one end to the other in under an hour. That means there are no overnight circuits, no stage-by-stage road routes and no reason to pack and move hotels each night. The better plan is a single base with a different theme each day. Camping inside Arikok National Park is not permitted, so every night is spent in a hotel or rental.

Sights Worth a Drive on Aruba The island is small enough to see its main sights in two or three days by car, taxi or bus. Prices are in US dollars. Most outdoor sights have little shade, so go early or late in the day and carry water. California Lighthouse At Hudishibana in Noord, the lighthouse was built between 1914 and 1916 and named for the S.S. California, a ship wrecked offshore.

Planning Aruba With Children Aruba is flat, sunny and compact, and its calm south and west beaches suit young swimmers. The attractions below are the ones families use most, with costs and age rules. Prices are in US dollars, and cash helps at small venues. Baby Beach Baby Beach sits at the island’s southeast tip in Seroe Colorado, outside Arikok National Park. Its sheltered lagoon is shallow and calm, which makes it a good first beach for small children.

A Romantic Few Days on Aruba Aruba gives couples calm water, steady breezes and long sunsets over the west coast. The ideas below cover dinner, a sail, a quiet beach and a few places that look best at the edge of the day. Prices are in US dollars, and sunset times shift through the year, so check them when you plan. Dinner With Your Feet in the Water The Flying Fishbone, at Savaneta 344, sets tables in shallow water on the beach, at sea level rather than on a cliff.