Ultimate One Week Aruba Itinerary

Aruba is a beautiful island located in the southern Caribbean Sea, just 15 miles from the coast of Venezuela.

The island is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is famous for its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and year-round warm weather.

Just a short three hour direct flight Miami or less than five hours from New York. Aruba feels like an entirely different world, yet has a lot of comforts of home.

Aruba is a popular tourist destination with visitors from all over the world flocking to its shores to soak up the sun, enjoy water sports, and explore its natural wonders.

One of the best parts about visiting Aruba (other than the stunning beaches) is that the island sits below the hurricane belt, giving the island pretty good weather year round. It is very rare to have a hurricane in Aruba.

I have a post that is full of Aruba travel tips you can check out with more information about this island.

If you have not figured out where to stay, my personal favorite is The Ritz-Carlton Aruba. I love this resort so much and it is perfectly situated on Palm Beach.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a more boutique style property, I really enjoyed my stay at Boardwalk Aruba.

Here are the three things I 100 percent think you have to pack for Aruba:

Reef safe sunscreen – please help protect the coral and marine life
Insect repellent wipes – they come and go but when they are there, it can be very aggressive
Beach towel clips – it is windy in Aruba. Every time I have been at various times throughout the year, the wind has been pretty strong. These will keep your towel or whatever you clasp to it, in place on the chair.

Below is a weeklong itinerary. If you are not staying for a week, you can easily move things around to make them fit your schedule. Pick the things you most want to do.

Often times, I am not in Aruba for a full week. However, I pack my days with the things I most want to see and do and I am always happy with those decisions.

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Ultimate Aruba Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Relaxation Arrive at Queen Beatrix International Airport

Check into your hotel or resort and enjoy a leisurely day at the beach, soaking up the sun and taking a dip in the crystal-clear waters.

Pro tip: if you don’t want to fickle with taxis or finding a ride, you can book a cheap round trip transfer before your arrival. You can use US Dollars for taxis. I paid $40-50 one way.

If you are not on a tight schedule, take your first day to relax, especially if you get in on the later side. If you are visiting with no time to waste, get to the beaches immediately. I would argue they are the top reason people visit the island.

The beaches in Aruba are fantastic. My personal favorite is Palm Beach! The water is so crystal clear and stunning.

Dinner recommendation: Casa Nonna! One of my favorite restaurants in all of Aruba – they make handmade pasta and the food is incredible.

Day 2: Explore the Capital, Oranjestad and afternoon sailing/snorkeling

Head to the capital city, Oranjestad, and take a stroll around its colorful streets, admiring the Dutch colonial architecture and colorful buildings.

Visit the Archaeological Museum of Aruba to learn about the island’s history and culture. Don’t forget to stop by the Willem III Tower to take in panoramic views of the city.

This is also a great area to go shopping if you are looking for anything for yourself or for souvenirs.

In the afternoon, take a sailing and snorkeling trip on Aruba’s incredible waters.

Alternatively, you could do an island tour and try to see as much as possible. I prefer to do this when I don’t have a lot of time in a destination.

Recommended tours:

Dinner recommendation: Yemanja! Get the potato soup with truffle and thank me later.

Day 3: Beach Day and Snorkeling

Spend the day at one of Aruba’s most famous beaches, Eagle Beach, which boasts soft white sands and clear turquoise waters.

You can rent snorkeling gear and explore the coral reefs and colorful marine life just off the shore. If you are an avid snorkeler or diver, bring your own and save on the rental costs.

There are also some amazing snorkeling and boat tours on these stunning waters! Highly recommend.

Snorkeling tours you can take:

I highly recommend if you are going to be in the ocean around coral and marine life, to use reef safe sunscreen. This helps protect that environment. A lot of sunscreens are packed with stuff that damage the coral.

Don’t forget to end the day on the beach with a sunset!

Day 4: Natural Wonders

Take a guided tour of Arikok National Park to see the island’s natural wonders, including the Natural Pool, Ayo Rock Formation, and the Guadirikiri Caves.

In the afternoon, visit Baby Beach, a secluded lagoon that’s perfect for swimming and sunbathing.

Tours:

Alternatively, opt for a full day island safari tour where you can see the best of Aruba, including Arikok National Park, Baby Beach, Natural Pool, and so much more.

Dinner recommendation: BLT Steak. This is a small chain restaurant with nine locations globally. However, I eat here every time I visit Aruba for two specific things: the popovers and the passionfruit soufflé pancakes dessert. This is dessert is one of those things that you travel just to eat.

Day 5: Flamingo Beach, sunset sail and dinner

Have you ever wanted to see the flamingos on the beach in Aruba? This activity is absolutely one of the coolest things to do in Aruba.

If you are not a guest of the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort, you need to get in touch with the resort about day passes to the beach. You can’t just walk to the beach, you need to take the boat shuttle from the hotel, but it requires an access ticket.

When I went in 2018, before the property changed names, we were able to get tickets the day before. The tickets were good for the entire day, but I highly recommend being on the first boat over so that you can get your photos with the flamingos and enjoy the area before it gets too busy.

When the boat arrives to Renaissance Island, you will get off and turn right for Flamingo Beach.

In the evening, take a sunset sail to see the island’s stunning coastline and watch the sun dip below the horizon. I fully believe the sunsets in Aruba are next level! Every time I visit the sunset is so vibrant.

Enjoy a delicious Caribbean rock lobster at the iconic Wilhelmina for dinner.

Sunset sail cruises:

You could also do a four course dinner cruise!

Day 6: Watersports and Adventure

Today is the day to get out on the water and do all the things. Try your hand at watersports like windsurfing or parasailing at Palm Beach.

Visit De Palm Island, where you can go zip-lining, banana boating, or ride on a jet ski.

The sky is the limit! Do multiple things if you want – just make the most of your day in the sun.

Popular ocean activities:

For dinner, check out Divi Sushi Bar! Order the Ritz-Carlton Roll and trust me on this. Best sushi roll I have ever had.

Day 7: Departure Day

Spend your last day relaxing on the beach or doing some last-minute souvenir shopping.

Depart from Queen Beatrix International Airport and head back home.

Of course, this itinerary is just a suggestion, and you can customize it to suit your interests and schedule. Have a great trip to Aruba!

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