My wife and I are going later this month and was hoping some here could give suggestions on thing to do and local restaurants?
Also is it worth getting a rental car for the trip? We are staying at the Ritz so I know they have car service but really not big on relying on someone else to shuttle us around. Also with dining do not want to rely on the resort being it will cost around 45.00 bucks for a simple pot of coffee in the morning.
Thanks for any suggestion you can send my way.
Pack a picnic lunch and got to Baby Beach - it's a great spot.
Tranquilo is supposed to be the best for snorkeling - only takes a small group. Aruba is not the best island for snorkeling, bit it's ok.
Wherever you go, bring plenty of water and be liberal with the sun lotion. Because of the winds, you don't realize how HOT the sun is. Very easy to get a bad burn.
www.aruba-bb.com is a very helpful site.
It includes sections with general Q&A, trip reports, and restaurant reviews
Enjoy
Also, if you are unfamiliar with international road signs - its a bit confusing to drive down there (especially with the other tourist who have never seen the signs before and think a double red x means cut off everyone making a 4 lane change to get to a KFC).
The reviews are hit or miss, but I highly recommend a restaurant called "Old Man and the Sea." We had an amazing dinner on the beach there. Next door is the "Flying Fishbone" and it was nice but we preferred Old Man.
Lastly, we stayed at the Divi and got NYC stations and the NFL Network in our rooms.
It's close to the airport so you will need a short drive or cab ride
I recommend getting a reservation before you arrive, or you might have to wait 1-2 hours!
Also, as stated earlier, El Gaucho is a must!