Vacation Inspiration

Aruba, also known as “One Happy Island”, is where I went for my honeymoon and we loved every minute of it. The food was amazing, the weather was great and the excursions were unforgettable. The size of the island is 79 sq miles. Great for anyone who wants to do everything in a short amount of time. We managed to do four excursions, two nights on the town, so many shopping trips and still had plenty of time to relax on the beach and eat the amazing foods they have to offer.

The people are so wonderful anywhere you go. There was never a moment where we felt unsafe. Aruba also has the second cleanest water supply in the world. Personally, we didn’t get bit by any bugs or mosquitos. Their food and drink standards are very high. Transportation was easy and accessible (and not too costly either) but walking to most places is also doable.

Funny story: the moment we landed, all I saw was wet ground and rain on the plane window and thought “great, of course it’ll rain while we’re here”. It cleared up on our ride from the airport to the hotel, but once we got to the hotel and started exploring, it started raining really hard. I even heard a staff member make a comment on how they’ve never seen so much rain. Awesome start to our honeymoon, right? We get to our room and suddenly the weather clears up, so we decide to head to the beach. While on the beach, it rains, again! We noticed no one was rushing to get out of the rain, so we stayed put under our tree until it passed. This is when we learned what they meant by “rainy season”. Short bursts of rain that dry up almost instantly once it’s over because of the sun. I don’t think it rained anymore after that day, and even if it did, their rainfalls last such a short amount of time that I don’t even remember.

The food in Aruba is delicious. While the resort had many places to dine, we were encouraged to explore off the resort and we’re so glad we did. We had an amazing Argentinian dinner one night at El Gaucho. We even had a delicious lunch during a tour at their local brewery Balashi.

Its location makes for a windy island. I’ll admit that it took a day or two to get used to, but with average temperatures in the 30’s C (or 85 F) you’ll appreciate that breeze soon enough. You’ll see quite a few clouds in the sky, but again, with that breeze, they pass right over.

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Excursions made our honeymoon so memorable. We booked them once we got there so we could take a look at everything they had to offer. We started with a package that explored most of the island by tour bus with many stops along the way. This was a great excursion to start with because it took us to all the beautiful places in Aruba while our tour guide gave us lots of information which helped us plan out the rest of our trip. Our second was a “Made in Aruba” excursion, which took us to places like their Aloe factory (amazing skin care by the way, which I still use till this day), Balashi brewery, a glassblowing studio, a cigar factory and a local run tasting place. Our third excursion was deep sea fishing where my husband caught a barracuda. Our final and probably most fun excursion was a guided tour driving a UTV around the island. My husband had the best time driving that UTV on road (it’s allowed) and off road. It was great because we were able to get to places vehicles couldn’t and explore the island in a unique way. We were a muddy mess when we got back to the resort, but it was so worth it!

There’s something for everyone when it comes to shopping in Aruba. Here you’ll find everything from touristy souvenirs, to high end luxurious items. Wherever we travel, we purchase a hand painted piece of art from a local artisan. Aruba is actually where we first started this tradition. It’s also a really good place to buy swimwear and skincare (Aruba Aloe). What Aruba is really known for is its wide selection of jewelry. If you like high end fashion, you’ll find no shortage of selection here. Whatever your price point may be, there will be something for you!

Aruba is a wonderful place to go whether you’re looking for all inclusive or a customized dream vacation. The beaches are public, so whether you’re staying at a resort or renting a place to stay, you have access to all the beautiful beaches the island has to offer. Everything you need or want is easily accessible if you prefer your travelling to be more spontaneous.

This island has something to offer everyone, from laidback to adventurous and everything in between. It truly is paradise on earth!