By Megan Tucker of Tucker Family Travels
Hotels
We stayed at Oceania Condominiums. It’s walkable to a ton but gives flexibility of being self catering/having a full apartment (and ours had a hot tub on the deck!).
Tips for Traveling with Kids
The line to get back home, through customs since you do so in Aruba not the US, is no joke. It literally took hours and we had Global Entry. Be prepared with snacks and have the ability to wander with the kid(s) while someone waits in the slow moving line.
Things to Do
Philip’s Animal Garden was a lot of fun. De Palm Island was interesting. But the biggest hit was the pool and beach. The only tour operator used was Jad’s for scuba diving, and I recommend them!
Philip’s Animal Garden 
De Palm Island
Where to Eat
Pizza Bob’s, West Deck, Gianni’s Italiano, Madame Jeanette, Dutch Pancake House, Passions on the Beach, Flying Fishbone. Everywhere we went, even the nice restaurants, had highchairs and could accommodate kids. The latter two have your toes literally in the sand.
Itinerary Suggestions
We went with a 2.5 year old and primarily spent pre-nap time at the beach or pool, and went back to the condo for a nap, and then explored Oranjestad or another location further away (like a restaurant) in the afternoon/evening. The exception was going to De Palm Island for the greater part of a day – it was a bit pricey but the waterpark was a huge hit.
Why Aruba?
Aruba is easily what you want it to be – there’s big resorts where you never have to leave, adventure activities like scuba or 4 wheeling, or options for self-catering and self-drive and explore. It’s perfect for customizing to your needs!
About the Author
Megan Tucker is the mom and blogger behind the website Tucker Family Travels. Read more about her Aruba trip here.
