• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Caribbean, Travel
/
July 17, 2013

Happy Days at The One Happy Island of Aruba

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

Before I made it out to Aruba, I had heard so many great things from those who have visited often. As a matter of fact, it seems that those who spoke about their visits always returned. Since my first visit, I have been planning my return to the one happy island with its clear skies, turquoise beaches, friendly people, and white sands.

If you haven’t been to Aruba yet, there are so many reasons to consider and a list of must-do’s.

Mingle with The Locals

The Carubbian Festival takes place every Thursday night in the neighborhood of San Nicolas. With a few purchased tickets you can enjoy some local street food and cold beverages, as well as access to entertainment featuring a parade where entertainers and artists display their elaborate festival wear which often serve to symbolize a community, a people, or a local belief or custom. A fun evening and beautiful sight as well as a wonderful way to mingle with the locals. I did this on my first night in Aruba and it served to quickly warm my heart to the people and the traditions. It was hard to keep my dancing feet from moving to the beating of the drums in the parade.

Go on a Tour

De Palm Tours is one of the leading tour services on the island and the party starts as soon as you get on the boat. They offer everything from island tours to sailing, snorkeling, and SNUBA excursions. If you have never done SNUBA, it is a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving. When I first tried it I was super nervous, but since then and because of how close I was able to get to the sea ground and marine life, I am forever addicted. However, if SNUBA isn’t for you, a snorkeling tour will offer a lot of fun and exploration as well. Taking a tour is the best way to see the island and they are a fun group to help guide you through. Taking an ATV tour is also a fun way to explore the island, especially if you don’t mind getting dirty.

The benefit of touring Aruba is not just the freedom to get wet, or get dirty, though they are definitely highlights for me, but also the access to sites that you would probably miss otherwise, such as the opportunity to explore the caves in Arikok National Park, or the chance to swim at Conchi. The island is small, but there is a lot to cover. These tours make it possible to get the most out of your visit.

Go To The Beach

Seems logical, especially considering that the beaches in Aruba are some of the most beautiful in the world, but I wanted to highlight some really special ones.

Moomba Beach is a kind of party, fun, play zone with sand. The swimming is fantastic, but so is the food, bar, beach tennis lessons, and nearby windsurfing lessons. The evening club feel is also fun to check out and busy with both locals and tourists, just be ready to dance the night away.

Palm Beach, right off the Westin Aruba, is a tranquil place. Quiet and mellow, the clear blue waters and serene surrounding make it easy to relax.

Baby Beach is a local favorite as it is secluded from most tourist spots and you have to travel a bit to get to it. It’s a half-moon beach, nestled within the walls of a coral reef. The beach is shallow making it perfect for those with small children to play in.

Enjoy the Culinary Scene

A drive into the neighborhood of Savaneta leads you to the very romantic Old Man & The Sea. Just steps away from the sand and water, guests are surrounded by the lovely music and sounds of the beach. Sitting for dinner while enjoying the sunset makes this an unforgettable dining experience.

e..

Queens Restaurant serves the Caribbean flavors of Aruba. What I most enjoyed from this restaurant was how authentic the food experience is. This is the place to be if you want to try things like chicken keshi yena, goat stew (yum!), pan bati, and funchi! The staff is friendly and happy to guide you through the menu items and encourage you to taste Aruban favorites.

Screaming Eagle is an upscale eatery which brings a little South Beach feel to Eagle Beach, Aruba. They not only offer indoor and outdoor terraces for dining, but also the opportunity to dine in one of their in-restaurant beds, perfect for those looking for a bit more of a romantic experience.

All in all, Aruba turned out to be one of my absolute favorite Caribbean islands, totally deserving of its “One Happy Island” title. I was blown away and inspired. There is a lot to love about Aruba travel as well, such as the easy flight there and the stress-free immigration process getting to and from the island.  I am left missing the colors, the beach, the good food and the warmth of its people. I can’t wait to return to Aruba and get my happy on!

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008
1 Comment
  • Aruba Vacation Ideas | Travel Trailer Blog
    August 1, 2013

    […] Happy Days at The Happy Island of Aruba […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
A Sunny Day in Portland, OR
Next Post
Loving Olympic National Park

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe54 Post(s)
  • North America318 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

Copyright © 2025 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice