Aruba, On A Day's Notice
Last week, I was forced to cancel a much-anticipated trip to Belize with my boyfriend when he realized (the day before we were meant to leave) that he would not get cellular service in the jungle, and that would be a problem with work. After a few hours of searching Kayak for last minute deals, we decided on Aruba, one of the few Caribbean islands not yet afflicted by Chikangua, a nasty looking disease carried by Mosquitoes, that Lindsay Lohan recently contracted in St. Barts.
I was a bit skeptical of Aruba at first, but as soon as I got there I realized that Aruba is more than than it's party-girl exterior. Almost every person we came into contact with was delightful, and each meal surprisingly delicious (even those at the hotel). We stayed at the Ritz Carlton, and while I usually prefer to stay at more unique, off-brand hotels, the Ritz had availability last minute and did a great job at being what it was: a full-service family beach resort. In fact, Conde Nast recently named the Ritz one of the Best New Family Friendly Hotels of 2014.
For those of you who, like me, are ADD travelers incapable of just relaxing, the mornings in Aruba are cool and the ideal time for some off-beach adventuring. On Saturday, we went horseback riding through the cactus-covered interior and over to the rugged east coast, where we tied up our horses on the beach and explored the historic Gold Mine ruins. Sunday morning, we played golf at Tierra del Sol, a beautiful (but windy!) course along the water on the northern part of the island, which views of the California Lighthouse.
We spent both afternoons at the beach in front of our hotel, sipping pina coladas and cooling off in the shallow, waveless water. A fleet of staff on Segways distributes complimentary sunscreen, cold towels, popsicles and fruit.
Not having time to do much research, we ate at two restaurants recommended by our taxi driver on the ride from the airport and were impressed with both. Driftwood has a casual beachy vibe and serves coconut shrimp and fresh local catch of the day, prepared the "Aruban" way. Papiamento is a romantic, family-run restaurant set in the garden of a 126-year-old Aruban home. We heard a lot of good things about Flying Fishbone, and had we had another night, we would have eaten there as well.
While Aruba might not be my first pick for a young couple looking for something truly secluded and romantic, it's is a family-friendly destination that's easy on the wallet and perfect for a last minute beach vacation.
Stay: Ritz Carlton, Bucuti.
Eat: Driftwood, Papiamento, Flying Fishbone, Passions.
Do: Palm Beach (Where the Ritz Carlton is), Eagle Beach, Baby Beach (where the locals go), horseback riding, golf, snorkeling, kite surfing, parasailing, paddleboarding.
