# Aruba Beach Front



## gnipgnop (Mar 5, 2012)

Our family will be traveling to Aruba in August.  We would like to stay in the High Rise area since we are going with 3 teen-agers.  Seems like there is more activity in that area.  My question is:   which resort has the best beach front for swimming and beach activies?  Our kids are crazy about swimming in the Ocean and we, their parents, love to sit on the beach.  Thanks for any suggestions.


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## siesta (Mar 5, 2012)

*Its the same beach, with same activities*

Hello, the high rise area, or Palm Beach, is indeed where alot of action is. Glitzy hotels, alot of people, water sports, and of course this all makes it more crowded than Eagle Beach. Not to mention, it is not as wide as Eagle Beach. 

You didnt mention if your tied to II or RCI, but most hotels on Palm Beach will have great beach accessibility, and since your kids are teenagers its not like you need a front row palapa to keep an eye on them the whole tme. They will probably be all over the beach. So with that in mind, stay at any hotel with a good reputation, thats available, and have a great time.


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## gnipgnop (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks Siesta ~ I am a member of both RCI & II.  (weeks).  I am interested in the Occidental Grand Resort - All Inclusive.  Are you familiar with it?   I know it's expensive but for the first trip to Aruba for my family they feel it would be best.   I'm not particularly in favor of all inclusive but they like to travel this way.


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## Pappy Mentos (Mar 5, 2012)

The "high-rise" area in Aruba runs from the Divi Phoenix at one end to the Marriott at the other. The beach by the Marriott is very crowded with "chickees"(the umbrella/huts built into the sand) and lounge chairs and the water is very calm with few rocks/shells. There are several piers in that area where you can pay for water activities such as parasailing, jet skis, etc. If they are looking to snorkel, then you will need to go to some of the other beaches such as Malmok/Arashi which is further up the coast.
As you travel away from the Marriott, the beach becomes more open and the water is IMO much nicer. After the Marriott is the Holiday Inn, then Playa Linda,  the Hyatt, the Occidental,the Radisson, RIU, the Westin and then last, the Divi Phoenix. There is an activities pier between the Radisson and the RIU. For soft sand (both in and out of the water), a wide beach, and less crowds, the best bet is in the area around the Westin/RIU/Radisson. However, as Siesta mentioned above, the best beach by far is Eagle Beach, which is below the Divi Phoenix between the high-rise and low-rise areas.


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## ilene13 (Mar 5, 2012)

gnipgnop said:


> Thanks Siesta ~ I am a member of both RCI & II.  (weeks).  I am interested in the Occidental Grand Resort - All Inclusive.  Are you familiar with it?   I know it's expensive but for the first trip to Aruba for my family they feel it would be best.   I'm not particularly in favor of all inclusive but they like to travel this way.



I would try to talk your family out of an all inclusive.  Aruba has spectacular restaurants and it would be a shame to miss them.


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## siesta (Mar 5, 2012)

gnipgnop said:


> Thanks Siesta ~ I am a member of both RCI & II.  (weeks).  I am interested in the Occidental Grand Resort - All Inclusive.  Are you familiar with it?   I know it's expensive but for the first trip to Aruba for my family they feel it would be best.   I'm not particularly in favor of all inclusive but they like to travel this way.


 I haven't stayed there but it looks very nice. I personally wouldnt recommend an all inclusive in Aruba unless you plan on doing a lot of drinking. Because there is plenty of good food in tbe area, walking distance or a short cab ride away.

I would recommend Frommers Portable Aruba book. You can get it for around $10, great maps, hotel and restaraunt reviews, activities advice. Of course this information is also free on the website if you don't want the hard copy. 

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/aruba/


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## m61376 (Mar 5, 2012)

ilene13 said:


> I would try to talk your family out of an all inclusive.  Aruba has spectacular restaurants and it would be a shame to miss them.



As Ilene posted, if you go to an all inclusive you will miss out on the many wonderful restaurants which is one of the reasons many people love going back.


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## gnipgnop (Mar 6, 2012)

Well, the reason we're thinking all-inclusive is that the teenagers can eat plenty and if we do the AI it will keep the cost down.  Don't you think going to restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, (5 people) would be very expensive in Aruba?  My daughter and I are light eaters but the other three can really put it away!  :ignore:


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## lvhmbh (Mar 6, 2012)

If you are in a timeshare you will have a kitchen.  We go out to b-fast maybe once a trip (we usually stay more than a week) but usually eat in our unit.  Lunch as well.  If they love the ocean all they have to do is go upstairs and make a sandwich or something.  Dinner out can be reasonable OR expensive - your choice.  Aruba has high end restaurant and lower end with large portions.  AI would NOT be my choice and I usually have at least two 15 year old hockey players with me - now THEY can eat!!!!


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## TravelMamma (Mar 6, 2012)

gnipgnop said:


> Well, the reason we're thinking all-inclusive is that the teenagers can eat plenty and if we do the AI it will keep the cost down.  Don't you think going to restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner, (5 people) would be very expensive in Aruba?  My daughter and I are light eaters but the other three can really put it away!  :ignore:[/QUOTE
> 
> It still might be more cost effective without an all inclusive.  I say this because my sister and I both planned trips to Aruba one year by coincidence with travel dates within a couple days of each other.  She did the all inclusive route with her hubby, had no car rental, stayed only 1 week and stayed at a place that wasn't as nice (we went to visit them and check it out, basic 2 dbl. hotel room, that was outdated too), plus they had indirect flights.  They paid the same as we did, within a hundred dollars and we were there 2 weeks (1 week used exchange, 2nd week paid $1000 for getaway week), had a car rental for 2 weeks, had 4 people vs. 2, had direct flights out of the same airport as her and we had a 2bdrm modern condo (stayed 1 week each at Marriott's Surf Club and Ocean Club).  We also didn't skimp on eating out or ordering drinks, we had dinner out each night, ordered lunches by the pool or on the beach each day and had drinks ordered whenever we desired,  our costs also included groceries we got for snacks, drinks and some breakfasts to have in our unit).  I don't know where you are from, but for us, everything cost double there....if you go out to dinner here and your steak dinner is $20 it would be $40 there, a cocktail $6, $12 there, etc.... that might help if you figure the costs.  If you decide to not go the all inclusive route, it sounds like your family would enjoy the Marriott's Surf Club, it has awesome pools (including a lazy river), it's has water sports tents right out front and close enough to walk to shopping, restaurants, movies, clubs, etc...  Have fun!


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