# aruba advice - restaurants and things to do



## krmlaw (Sep 14, 2012)

Want to hit baby beach and the donkey sanctuary. Other than that know nothing about aruba! And going in less than a month! Yikes!!

Looking for restaurant reccs and snorkel reccs and grocery reccs

staying at surf club.


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## ilene13 (Sep 14, 2012)

krmlaw said:


> Want to hit baby beach and the donkey sanctuary. Other than that know nothing about aruba! And going in less than a month! Yikes!!
> 
> Looking for restaurant reccs and snorkel reccs and grocery reccs
> 
> staying at surf club.



There have been two drownings at Baby Beach recently------ be careful!!  Also if Jackson is going go to Philip's Animal Garden and the Butterfly Sanctuary.
Grocery shop at Ling and Sons.

All restaurants are child friendly.  Our favorites are:
Madame Janette
Screaming Eagle
Yemanja Grill
Smokey Joe's
Chalet Suisse
Blossoms
Carte Blanche which is a dining experience--- no children allowed
JH Yees
Pappillion
Taste of Belgium

Have a great time.  Send me a PM with specific questions.

Ilene


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## krmlaw (Sep 14, 2012)

Ilene this is awesome! What about Moomba?


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## ilene13 (Sep 14, 2012)

krmlaw said:


> Ilene this is awesome! What about Moomba?



We have eaten lunch at Moomba--it is ok, nothing great!!


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## ajlm33 (Sep 14, 2012)

+1 for Smokey Joe's. Be sure to try their ribs and shark bites.


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## ilene13 (Sep 14, 2012)

I forgot El Gaucho---excellent steak


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## Pappy Mentos (Sep 14, 2012)

Since it's your first time to Aruba, you'll be happy to know it is probably the most tourist-friendly island we've visited, especially for Americans as 95% of the tourists to Aruba are Americans. They have made things so accomodating that they have US Customs at the Aruba airport so when you leave, you will pass through US Customs in Aruba and will not need to do so again in the US. Most of the restaurants, grocery stores and activities are in the area of the resorts, so you will not need to venture too far or through local neighborhoods except to go to the Baby Beach, Natural Bridge, etc. They usually hand out Little Switzerland bags outside of the baggage claim area where you will get a bagful of coupons, brochures, maps, etc.

When you arrive, the road in front of the airport is LG Smith Boulevard. Make a left out of the airport and it leads straight through Oranjestead and the hotel area right to the front of the Marriott. There are a few roundabouts, but just keep the water on your left as you drive. There was news of recent construction in Oranjestaed due to a major revitalization project, so there may be a slight detour depending on the day you arrive. 

Once you go through Oranjestead, after a Valero gas station, you will notice you are on a straight stretch of road with shipping containers on your left and a strip of stores on the right. At the end of that stretch you will see several grocery stores(Super Foods, Kong Hing, etc.) This is probably the best area for grocery shopping as there are 3 stores in the strip of stores and a fourth, Ling and Sons, on behind the strip. Ling and Sons is part of the IGA chain and is the most "Americanized" grocery store of the bunch. You should be able to find anything you need among the four stores. It is also at this point you'll come to a traffic light. A left at that light would put you on J.E. Irausquin Blvd, which is the road that runs along all of the resorts from the low rise area, through Eagle Beach, all the way to the Holiday Inn in the high rise area before it bends back to meet L.G. Smith Blvd before the Marriott. Many of the restaurants are on this road like Smokey Joe's, Hard Rock Cafe and Gianni's in the high rise area, and Chalet Suisse by the low rise resorts.
As for restaurants, you will get many recommendations as there are many good restauarnts in Aruba. Many are pricey, especially places like Texas de Brazil and Amazonia, which are all-you-can-eat. Most are not too "kid-friendly" either, so bring along crayons, toys or electronics, especially as service is in "caribbean time." We learned that lesson on our first visit when our 18-month old granddaughter used the dinner plate as a Frisbee at Aqua Grill during the 40+ minute wait for our entrees to be served. To keep costs down, we generally stay away from the resort restaurants, especially those at the Mariott and go to smaller, local places like Wacky Wahoo which is a few blocks in from LG Smith Blvd. One nice place we visited for lunch on our last trip was Cafe Rembrandt, where they gave the children a token with their meal that they could exchange for a toy from the "Pirate's Chest" if they finished their meal. We also like Matthew's in the low-rise area, especially on Tuesdays for all-you-can-eat ribs. It's a nice open air restaurant right on the water, located in the Casa Del Mar resort behind the Alhambra Casino on J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 

Activities like scuba, parasailing, water skiing, can be scheduled at piers along the water, or through companies like De Palm, Red Sail, etc., who will all have brochures in your Little Switzerland bag. If you are looking to snorkel on your own, the best place is probably Malmok beach above the hotel area. Just make a left out of the Marriott on L.G. Smith Blvd and follow the road along the water. The same road will also take you to the lighthouse. Since it's a more remote area, don't leave anything valuable behind in your car, which is probably a general rule on most islands.


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## krmlaw (Sep 14, 2012)

This is all so helpful thanks!!


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## classiclincoln (Sep 14, 2012)

Check out visitaruba.com.  Great information & a restaurant section too.


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## m61376 (Sep 15, 2012)

Check out this thread as well. 

Malmok and Arashi beaches (Arashi is a little N of Malmok) are great for off shore snorkeling. Although the boats take you to the Arashi beach area, last trip my DH found the snorkeling at Malmok to be better. Baby Beach also has some nice snorkeling and is a gorgeous beach, but you have to be careful not to venture past the rocks, which is where the drownings have occurred.

As posted, Lings is great for grocery shopping. There are grills at the SC if you want to cook in a few nights, and you can bring stuff down in a cooler if you want to. As much as we love the restaurants there, we like to take a break from eating out every night.

Don't forget to pack your floats for the Lazy River and the beach. Also- this trip I bought a Pacsafe and it was great. Allowed me to leave stuff unattended and I didn't have to worry about watching the electronic gadgets we all like to bring to the beach. The medium sized one is plenty big, btw- bigger than I expected. I can see getting a lot of use out of it ver the years.

A couple of other really good restaurants not mentioned above are Flying Fishbone, Passions and Barefoot, all on the beach restaurants. You can walk to Azurros for Italian, on a deck overlooking the water at the Playa Linda.

Have a great trip!!


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## Vacationtime101 (Sep 16, 2012)

*Pac Safe*

What's a Pac Safe--- and where do you get them?


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## fillde (Sep 16, 2012)

Great tips. Thanks. Anyone have recommendations for purchasing alcohol? Purchase duty free in US? Purchase in Aruba?


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## Lee55 (Sep 16, 2012)

fillde said:


> Great tips. Thanks. Anyone have recommendations for purchasing alcohol? Purchase duty free in US? Purchase in Aruba?



We purchase in Aruba at the airport. Located in baggage claim area is duty free, front right corner. It's not a great selection, but they have what we like.


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## m61376 (Sep 19, 2012)

Vacationtime101 said:


> What's a Pac Safe--- and where do you get them?



Ebags is out of the size i bought but here it is at Amazon
It is a bag with a wire mesh making it very hard to cut, so you can secure valuables in it and secure it to a stationary object. It is great for leaving electronics and a little cash, etc., on the beach/at the pool while in the water or out for a walk. Some people use it in rooms where there is no safe or the safe isn't large enough for laptops, etc..

I know today with various electronics- e-readers, cell phones, cameras- a family can easily have $1000 or more in electronic equipment and simply leaving it in a beach bag is inviting trouble. Much easier to carry a key on a wrist strap and not have to worry about your unattended belongings.


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## krmlaw (Oct 4, 2012)

*doing final planning!*

Got our car from Budget - im assuming they are right at airport?  only 200 for the week for compact. 

how long will it take us to drive from Airport to Marriott? Is there "rush" hour traffic? We are landing at 415 pm.


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## fillde (Oct 4, 2012)

Rental cars are across the street, walkable, from the airport. There is no real rush hour on Aruba, it's too small. It will take about 15-20 minutes to the Marriott. 

I believe you will save money if you click on this link.    https://www.alamo.com/index.do?action=/hotDealsTemplate&msg=alamo-costco-may-campaign-30off

2 other tips. The surf club has a compressor to fill up your tubes or floats. Secondly, on the day you leave give yourself 2-30 to 3 hours to get through customs. Don't be late.


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## krmlaw (Oct 4, 2012)

in st thomas if we paid or porter we went through a special customs line with no wait .. do they do this in aruba? it was the best $20 spent of the trip.


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## krmlaw (Oct 4, 2012)

fillde said:


> Rental cars are across the street, walkable, from the airport. There is no real rush hour on Aruba, it's too small. It will take about 15-20 minutes to the Marriott.
> 
> I believe you will save money if you click on this link.    https://www.alamo.com/index.do?action=/hotDealsTemplate&msg=alamo-costco-may-campaign-30off
> 
> 2 other tips. The surf club has a compressor to fill up your tubes or floats. Secondly, on the day you leave give yourself 2-30 to 3 hours to get through customs. Don't be late.



This link and codes just saved me $50!!! THANK YOU!!


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## m61376 (Oct 4, 2012)

krmlaw said:


> in st thomas if we paid or porter we went through a special customs line with no wait .. do they do this in aruba? it was the best $20 spent of the trip.



The hold up is that you actually go through US customs while in Aruba. So- at the airport- you check in, go through Aruba security, go through Aruba customs, go to baggage pick up area and reclaim your bags, then go through US customs, put your bags on the proper airline conveyor belt, then go through US airport security (so basically your carry on luggage is screened twice). It can get busy at US customs at times, We've done the whole thing in half an hour, and it's taken almost 2 hours. They rec. leaving 3 hours and sometimes people have needed the time.

But the good news is when you land at home you don't have to do anything.


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## ilene13 (Oct 5, 2012)

I know that there is construction in Orangestad, so it may take a bit more than 30 minutes to get to the Marriott.  On your return home although it takes time in Aruba it is a pleasure to not have to go through customs and immigration when we first arrive in the states.  Last year I had foot surgery and needed a wheelchair, I was passed through the lines by a porter.
Have a great trip.


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## krmlaw (Oct 5, 2012)

*Here is my list ... need to take some off!*

Again, must be child friendly, staying at Marriott Surf Club

First, we are a family of 3, have a 3 year old with us. So everything has to be kid friendly. 

Moomba - walk from resort
Matthews - at Casa del Mar Resort
Madame Janette - drive
Smokey Joe's – can walk from resort 
Passions – across from Amsterdam Beach Resort
Flying Fishbone – At Marriott
Pelican Nest - at the Holiday Inn on the Pelican Pier 
Sole Mare – drive close to resort
Giorgios  – at Manchebo Beach Resort
Mango’s  – at Amsterdam Manor
Marina Pirata  – a drive away but on water nice views
Ventanas del Mar – at Tierra del Sol

Which ones would you def keep and take off?


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## ilene13 (Oct 5, 2012)

krmlaw said:


> Again, must be child friendly, staying at Marriott Surf Club
> 
> First, we are a family of 3, have a 3 year old with us. So everything has to be kid friendly.
> 
> ...



I would take off:  
Passions
Ventanas del Mar
Sole Mare
Mangos
Flying Fishbones which is not at the Marriott.  It is about a 45 minute drive. Although it is wonderful it really isn't for a young child.

I would add El Gaucho , Yemanja Grill, and Screaming Eagle which is owned by FF, it is a short drive from the OC and the food is wonderful.

I would keep Madame Janette and Smokey Joe's.  We have not gone to any of the others so I can't tell you.  We have taken our 4 year old grandson to all of the ones I have listed now and in a previous post----all were child friendly.


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## lvhmbh (Oct 7, 2012)

Our new restaurant - Waters Edge at Costa Linda - is getting great reviews.  Try it for lunch if not dinner.  Beach is the best on the island


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