Travel Diary: Aruba

Aruba is a beautiful island in the southern Caribbean, 15 miles north of Venezuela. Although it’s only 19.6 miles wide and 6 miles across, the near-perfect weather and gorgeous white sand beaches make Aruba a popular travel destination for vacationers from around the world. A lot of cruises stop there, and I actually got “stuck” in Aruba for a few days as a teenager when our cruise ended and there was snow back home. #firstworldproblems, I know!

The island is Dutch, and you can see that influence in place names and the many colorful buildings and houses, but the population today represents more than 90 nationalities. Aruba is known as “One Happy Island,” and its dry climate definitely contributes to those positive vibes. We just got back from ten blissful days of rest and relaxation, with only ten minutes of rain.

When we decided to plan a winter getaway, I started researching destinations. We ended up getting a great deal on CheapCaribbean.com and stayed at the Riu Palace Antillas, an adults-only high-rise resort on Palm Beach. There were five restaurants and a number of bars, plus a casino, a spa and a gym. Although our room was on the smaller side, we were on the second-highest floor and had an absolutely breathtaking view from our balcony.

Much of our time was spent between the pool and beach. I’m definitely a beach girl, and I love few things more than listening to the waves crashing on the shore. The water in Aruba is an amazing ombre of blues, and it’s the perfect temperature for a quick dip. The white sand is soft under your feet, but be warned that the beach gets windy and on the windiest days, you’ll end up covered in that soft sand. That said, it’s worth staying out late and watching the sunset.

When we needed a break from the sun, we headed into downtown Oranjestad (the capital). I fell in love with the rainbow of buildings and did a little retail therapy too.

We also visited The Butterfly Farm, which happened to be down the street from our resort. If you visit, I highly recommend taking the tour. You’ll learn a lot about these beautiful little creatures in a short period of time, and it’s always great to support local businesses. They have a location on St. Martin too that I’ve heard is just as amazing!

One of our most memorable days was when we took an off-road tour through Aruba’s Arikok National Park. It was a bumpy ride, but we got to see and experience so much that we wouldn’t have otherwise. We drove across the island and along the coast, visiting the Natural Pool, Natural Bridge, Alto Vista Chapel and California Lighthouse. I can’t pick a favorite because I loved every minute of it!

It was a fabulous trip, and more than anything, it was just nice to get away and spend time together. I’ll be sharing more from our trip, including an Instagram outfit round-up and my favorite beach reads. I tried not to make this post too long, and I definitely didn’t include all of my pictures, so let me know if you have any questions or need recommendations!