2020 – Am I right? What a year it has been! While we didn’t travel to the many places we had planned, we’re grateful that we did find a way to sneak in some travel this year. For New Year’s Eve 2020 we wanted to ring in 2021 in style on a beautiful beach. But where?
Obviously, with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging, safety was our number one concern. We decided to visit Aruba, not only because of its pristine white sand beaches, stunning turquoise water, and unique culture, but also because it was one of the few places that both allowed Americans to travel there AND required proof of a negative COVID test in order to visit.
Day 1: Arrival Day, negative Covid Tests and Beach time
To board the plane to Aruba, you need documented proof of negative results on specific types of COVID tests within 72 hours of flying.
Luckily, we were able to get the correct type of COVID test at the Walgreens drive-thru near us. We didn’t realize we had to do the test ourselves. Luckily the pharmacist was right in the window guiding us through the process, it was very easy to do, if a bit uncomfortable! About 1 hour later we received our negative COVID test results. Make sure you upload your test results to the Aruba travel portal to receive your ED card with the green check mark. ✅✅ And PRINT YOUR TEST RESULTS! You will need to show these results at the gate when you leave, and again when you arrive in Aruba.
We travelled the day after Christmas, which turned out to be the busiest travel day of 2020. While it was very busy at the airport in Charlotte, everyone wore masks, and TSA lanes were separated by plexiglass, and there were plenty of hand sanitizers. We had a couple of nervous moments but luckily it moved fast and we were out of the crowded area pretty quickly.
Pro tip: If you’re like us and like to get the party started on the flight, grab some airplane bottles of your liquor of choice before you go! American stopped their in flight services to limit contact with flight attendants, and hand you a Ziploc baggie with sanitizer, a baby bottle of water, and those classic Biscoff cookies that are somehow only on airplanes.
Another tip: we wore filtered masks, covered by disposable masks, and on top of that used plastic face shields. We may look a little silly (though at the airport many people wore similar things), we’re both healthy after the trip, so I can recommend this combination!
Arriving in Aruba, we did have to wait in line at customs, but our printed documents and the helpful, masked workers made the process very easy. (Our experience leaving the island wasn’t as fun, but getting there was easy breezy!).
We then took a taxi to our hotel: the Holiday Inn Resort in the city known as Palm Beach in the northern part of the island. The taxi ride was about 15 minutes long and cost us $34 plus tip. At the hotel we were greeted with the best customer service. We checked in, showered, changed our clothes and turned our vacation mode on.
The hotel has a pool and bar right on the beach so we ended the afternoon just hanging out at the hotel. We got there just in time to take advantage of the 2 for 1 drink special and a beautiful sunset. The hotel itself was beautiful, with the lobby actually being mainly outdoors, and the friendly staff wore masks and hand sanitizer was widely available. You could tell it used to be busier before 2020, including noticing that the giant attached casino was closed, but that was just fine with us!
After a couple drinks and a little snack (do not expect much, but we were hungry and needed something in our tummies before the Rum Runners) we switched to the hot tub area by the pool.
For dinner we went to the Old Cunucu House which is popular for some traditional Aruban meals; seafood and other local dishes. This place was about 1 mile from the hotel and the walk was super easy. Once we got to the restaurant we were stunned by the simple beauty and all the loving kitties!
We started our meal traditionally with some more rum runners and received a free appetizer, which is called Pan Bati, similar to a very fluffy corn pancake. Of course we shared some food with the kittens.
We picked the catch of today, which was grouper and the National dish of Aruba; Keshi Yena. Which is chicken, olives, raisins and cashew nuts baked and topped off with Gouda Cheese. The combination sounds a little strange but it was one of the best meals ever!
We would give The Old Cucunu House a 5 star rating because the food, service and atmosphere were outstanding!
Our night ended with a stroll back to the hotel. We stopped at a place called South Beach Bar, which reminded us of actual South Beach in Miami. Bars closed at 11pm and we got there around 10:30 pm, just enough for one drink and a couple songs to listen to. We were actually told by the owner to not get up and dance in order for the establishment to adhere to the strict social distancing rules on the island. Either way, it was a nice way to end the night and to feel like life is normal again.
Day 2: Beach Day and Snorkel excursion with Jolly Pirates.
We picked out some excursions before getting to the island. One of the most recommended and fun looking things to do is the pirate ship, Jolly Pirates, which offers day and sunset sailings. We picked the day cruise since we want to see some underwater action and just have fun.
But before heading to the cruise we took advantage of our free cabana stay at our Holiday Inn since Stefanie am a “gold elite” member – signing up for all these loyalty programs does have some benefit after all!
Since our snorkel adventure with Jolly Pirates had an open bar, we decided to fill our bellies at a nearby beach shack, The Bread Basket. We got a Frikandel, Curry Fries, a Cuban sandwich and a Crab salad sandwich. Wow! All the food was amazing. While waiting for our food we also noticed an Aruban Whiptail Lizard, locally called the Blauw, Blauw. We looked crazy taking photos of it, because as we would see throughout our trip, lizards are as plentiful as birds on the island!
Our snorkeling adventure started at 2 pm, so after lunch it was time to get to the meet up area by the Moomba Beach Bar. We were lucky and got on the second boat which had less people. As mentioned before the trip included unlimited drinks so we got started right away with Rum drinks and Pirate Poison. We stopped at two places, one was a shipwreck and the second stop was the Bota Catalina Reef. We saw so many colorful fish, including Dori from Finding Memo. In true pirate fashion there was also a rope swing. After the snorkeling, the music was turned up and we all got to jump on the swing and just enjoy the Caribbean Sea!
Once we came back from the snorkel adventure, we relaxed a little bit more by the hotel pool and got ready for dinner. We picked Moomba Bar and Restaurant since all the fun started there today it felt right to end it there. The views from our table were magnificent.
Our dinner didn’t disappoint. We went with the catch of today (Wahoo) topped of with shrimp and the beef pincho, which is grilled beef kabob style with salad and fries on the side – and is an Aruban delicacy via the South American cattle ranching tradition.
We ended the night next door on the beach with some drinks and live music.
Day 3: Rent a car and explore the California Lighthouse, the Alto Visto Chapel, the Mill ruins, the Natural Bridge and the Ayo Rock Formation.
We rented a car from Hertz at the Hilton Aruba, unfortunately our car was not ready there so after a couple minutes of rearranging things, a shuttle took us to the Renaissance Hotel to pick up our rental car there. With a slight delay our day finally started. It is super easy to drive in Aruba! Just watch out for all the roundabouts and you may want to get familiar with some street signs.
We drove all the way to the North of the island to see the California Lighthouse. It is named after a shipwreck in the early 1900s. It is a landmark on the island, and can be seen from miles around. There is a nice restaurant next to it and a food truck seems to consistently be parked there for snacks.
Since our day started with a little delay, we decided to grab a bite at Arashi Beach Shack. It’s located on the Arashi Beach, where you can rent beach chairs and umbrellas. We stopped for lunch and ate some Jamaican Patties, pastechis and a Frinkadel (Dutch Hot Dog). The food and view was amazing!
Our next stop was the Alto Vista Chapel which was rebuilt in the 1950s on the site of the oldest religious site in Aruba from the 1700s. The chapel is surrounded by beautiful nature and tons of cacti. Stop here, take a breath and some fun pictures.
We hopped back into the rental car and drove to the Gold Mill ruins called Bushiribana Mills. One of Aruba’s main exports was gold, but the mine had been abandoned for years and left to crumble into the beautiful ruins we explored.
About 2 miles further on the dirt road we entered to get to the Gold Mill, you will find the Natural Bridge, which is unfortunately collapsed. There is a smaller natural bridge next to the collapsed natural wonder which is still worth a visit during an island road trip.
Our last stop was the Ayo Rock Formation. The area is not only a beautiful natural wonder on its own, it is a place of incredible historical significance to the native people of Aruba, the Arawak. If you look closely in one of the boulders, there are ancient rock carvings that were etched into the stone thousands of years ago.
As the last stop we were trying to go swimming in the Natural Ponds. However our rental car can’t drive through the Arikok Park, which you should only visit in a UTV except the Northern Loop (read about it more on the next day.)
We then turned around by the Park entrance to check out a famous local bakery, Huchada. We went for Croquettes, Meat Balls and Ham and Cheese stuffed Croissants. We didn’t know what to expect, but the food was delicious. Later, we chatted with some locals about things we’d done and they were very excited that we had tried what they considered the best bakery on the island!
After our fun day of exploring we went back to the hotel to view the sunset at the beach! Sunsets are always beautiful, but on the white sand beaches, with the crystal clear water going out as far as the eye can see, it’s something incredibly special that could never get old!
At night, we walked to one of the “I <3 Aruba” signs to get some tourist pictures. A friendly girl offered to take our picture, seen below, and told us of an offer that was too good to pass up – a timeshare on Aruba! After politely getting the phone back, we swiftly exited before hearing the timeshare presentation.
After the sign, we walked to Wacky Wahoo only to experience a wait list. We noticed a food cart across the street, which was named Chalo Burger. Zach went with the Steak and Fries Platter and Stefanie had the Burger. Both portions were as big as it can get and we couldn’t even finish our food. The food was amazing, the service the best and the price was affordable.
(Zach here: I can tell you that without a doubt, Chalo Burger is not only the best food I’ve ever eaten from a food truck, but it’s up there with best meals I’ve ever eaten. Yes, I had a few Balashi beers, but seriously, my featured was thinly sliced, perfectly seasoned and grilled steak covered a bed of golden brown french fries, and was smothered in an outstanding garlic cream sauce. If Stefanie would have let me, I would have eaten here every day!)
Day 4, Exploring Caves, the red Ancor, Baby Beach, Murals and Lunch in San Nicolas, mangel Halto Beach and an amazing last Night in Palm Beach
Taking advantage of our rental car, we made our way to the famous caves of Arikok National Park. On the way to the National Park, we made a quick stop at Hooiberg, which is the highest point on the island, at a whopping 165m/541 ft “high”.
The “mountain” has a very nicely maintained set of 600 stairs, with platforms to take in the beautiful view. And while it’s easy to poke fun at the small mountain, once you start taking the stairs you realize it’s a real workout! We didn’t summit the mountain, but saw many locals in exercise gear getting their sweat on – and enjoying the highest point on the island!
From the Hooiberg it was a short drive to the entrance of the national park. Our tickets to cross the park with a car was $11 per person. Since we only had the rental car we had to stay on the main road. Many people rent ATVs to explore the National Park due to the tough, rocky, desert terrain. We made our way to the first cave on a road that was clearly not designed for our small passenger car! The road was full of perpendicular canyons of rocks in the concrete to allow for water to escape during a flash flood – a frequent occurrence in this desert climate. The upside of which is that every few feet there is a HUGE reverse speed bump sure to scratch the bumper of your rental car. It’s possible to do in a tiny Chevy, but driver beware!
The Fountein Cave just seemed like something from another planet. Carved from the ocean and not like most caves in the US through water erosion, the rock formations were completely alien. This cave is actually very small, but it’s big enough to house a nest of giant cockroaches which were being hunted by the largest centipede either of us had ever seen! Better here than at home, I suppose – but watch your step!
A park ranger explained to us that I could get done a natural pedicure close by going down a short path. How could Stef say no? At the bottom of the path was a natural looking pond with a small watering hole filled with fish. These fish of various sizes nibble on the skin of people’s feet! What an incredible experience for those brave enough to dip their toes in the water.
We then drove about another mile to get to the second cave. The Quadirikiri cave is a lot bigger than the Fountein Cave, you can actually walk pretty deep into it. It is also a lot lighter as natural light shines through beautiful natural sky lights throughout the cave system.
Next stop on the list was the Seroe Colorado Anchor, which is a 10ft Red Anchor located in the southeast of the island. Apparently the anchor was manufactured in Germany and has had several different locations on the island before it was located close to the southeastern beaches of the island. It honors fallen sailors, but makes too beautiful of a photo opportunity to pass up.
Next stop was Baby Beach including Rum Reef restaurant. We were lucky to find a secluded area to the right of the beach and even noticed a family of sea turtles. The water is just so clear and do to the amazing sunny day we even saw Venezuela.
If you visit Baby Beach you have to stop at Rum Reef restaurant for a drink or a snack. The restaurant is located on the second floor and built an Infinity Pool to swim in while sipping on some cocktails (or, like us and most of the patrons, have a full-blown photo shoot!).
Once we were done with the Instagram photo shoot we headed for lunch to O’Niels Caribbean Kitchen located in San Nicolas. On the way to San Nicolas we saw some wild donkeys which caused a traffic jam.
San Nicolas was once a hustling and bustling city due to the islands largest employer, the oil refinery. However it closed in 1985 and lots of jobs were lost. San Nicolas is trying to come back by bringing art to the city. There are tons of murals in the city. We didn’t do a mural tour but I would highly recommend visiting the town while staying on the island. It is also home of the yearly carnival, which has brought so many different cultures together. Unfortunately due to covid it has been canceled. Charlie’s Bar was also on the list, the bar closed at 5pm that day, so we missed it :(. (A sign on the door said the bar closed whenever the owner felt like closing which… seemed fair!)
We had one more stop on our list which was Mangel Halto Beach. There is a reef which is perfect for snorkeling. We were able to find a spot with our own little beach entrance and started the snorkel adventure. We saw beautiful coral reef fish and even an eel. Snorkeling during a sunset is a must on the island. It was incredible. (There were more items on the list, the Balashi Brewery and the Donkey sanctuary but they close early and we just didn’t have enough time, not to mention that the brewery had stopped tours due to COVID).
This was our last night at the Holiday Inn Resort, so we got dressed up to take some pictures. We also had to stop one more time at the Moomba Beach Bar before heading to Dinner. We kept it simple for dinner and picked Pizza Napoli for a wood fired Mozzarella/spicy salami pizza and a Salad. Palm Beach has been an amazing and fun area and we can only imagine how much more lively it would be if it wasn’t for the COVID.
Day 5: Moving to the Renaissance Hotel, playing with the Flamingos and eating a fresh seafood meal at Taste my Aruba.
We were able to drop off our Hertz Rental car at the Renaissance Hotel which was perfect since this is were we stayed for 3 nights. We stayed at the Marina Hotel which is the adults only side of the hotel. A covered electric golf cart brought us across the street to our hotel. We unpacked and went for lunch to Peanuts, which was a local Aruban spot. We had again Keshi Yena and Curry Chicken. The Keshi Yena meal came with Funchi and Pan Bati. So good! Of course we also tried their famous Peanut Sauce!
After lunch we went to our hotel pool and took advantage of the half off drinks. Our pool has views of the marina and the cruise ship port, which used to be a bustling area but was now a glorified boat parking lot.
Inside our hotel we had a boat dock which brings us directly to the private island. Yes, you read that right. The lobby of the hotel has a working boat dock, where a boat will pick you up – from the lobby of the hotel – and take you to the private island. It was raining so we got lucky and had the boat to ourselves. The captain took a picture of us, I am sure you can see the excitement and joy in our faces.
We got on the island and spotted the flamingos right away! They definitely thought we had food and came pretty close. The island is separated in two parts, adults and family area just like the hotels. There are plenty of water equipment to rent and two restaurants. We also noticed an iguana feeding area.
Once we took some pictures with the Flamingos we visited the adult side which has plenty of hammocks to hang out in! Such a fun place to visit and we can’t wait to spend the next 3 days here!
We made dinner reservations at night at Taste my Aruba and got dressed up for the occasion. The restaurant is a locally owned and sourced restaurant close to our hotel. There is no set menu since the food is delivered every day fresh of the boat. Of course we both decided to get seafood as it is as fresh as it gets. Stefanie picked barracuda, a flaky white fish and Zach went with the Wahoo since it’s a fish local to Aruba. We started with a Tamale, it was stuffed with Keshi Yena chicken. So good! It is a bit pricey but the seafood, sides and atmosphere made it worth it!
Day 6: Flamingo Island and New Years Eve
We were craving some fresh veggies this morning so we found One Happy Bowl, which is a vegan place in the Renaissance Mall next to our hotel. We picked our own bowl and sauces and the result was just delicious and refreshing. It was a great alternative to a traditional breakfast!
After breakfast we took the boat shuttle from the lobby back to the private flamingo island. We made it in time for Iguana feeding time. Every day the staff on the island provides salads for the iguanas living in the mangroves.
On the island we grabbed a couple drinks and enjoyed the flamingos in such close proximity. You can also rent Cabanas for the day on the island. Here is the link to book a cabana in advance. There is some snorkeling that can be done but it is not as exciting as the snorkeling adventure with Jolly Pirates.
For a late lunch snack, we left the island to try out a local place we passed by the day before. The Pastechi House was incredible. Pastechis are empanada-style pastries that can be filled with anything you’d like. We tried out a couple different flavors but we both agreed that the Ham and Gouda Cheese Pastechi was the best one! We also noticed a New Years Eve ritual where locals burned a fireworks-stuffed effigy representing the bad things that had happened in 2020. For New Years Eve and Day, the city popped with fireworks at all times of day and night!
After lunch we wanted to explore the city and do a little shopping, only to find out that all stores were closed on New Years Eve! Everyone deserves the break so we ended up exploring the Royal Plaza and the I love Aruba sign which are common spots for tourists when the cruise ships are in town.
Before Dinner we needed to check out the Wind Creek Seaport Casino. We were especially curious how Covid has changed that experience. Upon entering our temperature was measured and we were instructed to sanitize. The Roulette tables only allowed 3 players at a time and the black jack tables used plexiglass to separate the Players and dealers. Chips were sanitized as well before handing them out.
For dinner we made reservations at Pinchos which is a marina restaurant about 1 mile away from the Marriott Renaissance Hotel. We saved this restaurant for New Years Eve because we heard it was amazing and it truly didn’t disappoint. Stefanie had the fish of the day, red snapper with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprout and Zach picked the Pinchos, which was a grilled skewer of a mix of meats and sausages. We both started of with a salad and the seafood bisque. Service and location was great.
We took a taxi back from Pinchos since we didn’t want to risk walking in the rain. We barely made it back out because we were so stuffed. However, despite all the COVID restriction our hotel had a firework set up and a champagne toast at midnight. The island had been on a strict 11pm curfew but an exception was made for New Years Eve. In true 2020 fashion, we picked a lounge chair away from people and ordered some drinks to pass the time until midnight. It was definitely a different New Years Eve since we always like to go out and have fun! But being in Aruba for a Covid New Years Eve was the best choice we could make in 2020. Cheers!
Day 7 Renaissance Island and shopping attempt number 2
After endless champagne and lemon drop shots we needed a good solid breakfast. Aruba is a Dutch island and we had not yet had a Dutch pancake. So there we are, our trip is almost over and we finally made it to the Dutch Pancake house only to find out it is closed on New Years Day.
We walked along the Marina and stopped at Lucy’s retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant. We got lucky and got a front row marina view table. We got the $5 drink special, fish tacos and a fried fish sandwich. Everything tasted really fresh and it ended up being a good alternative to Pancakes.
We wanted to spend the last day on Renaissance Island again. We haven’t had good luck with the weather ever since we switched hotels. So we packed some drinks and a book and went back to play with the flamingos again. We found a spot on the left side of the Flamingo Beach under a palm tree.
We also explored the island a little more and noticed there was a pathway with plenty of mangrove and more private secluded beach areas perfect for some awesome pictures and alone time. As we walked down the path we saw so many lizards, Iguanas, birds and we even found a volleyball field and a gym that hasn’t been opened in month. They almost looked abandoned. Just a reminder that COVID is still very much in action.
Of course since it was our last time on the island, we had to order another fresh coconut and take a couple more pictures with the flamingos. They are really so sweet to keep up with all the tourists and Instagram models! They deserve all the love in the world. It seems like the island clears out around 4 pm as people has back to get ready for dinner. So we got lucky and had the flamingos all to ourselves.
Once the sun started setting we left the private island and made it just in time to witness our last sunset from the hotel pool with a glass of champagne in our hand. Not a bad way to the the first day of 2021.
We didn’t make dinner plans in advance, a rookie mistake if you are trying to find a place to eat on 1/1/2020. We walked about to one restaurant which was highly recommended and they were booked. We then decided to stroll the streets of Oranjestad and found a restaurant that was also an art gallery called Que Pasa?. They had room for us outside since every table inside was reserved.
We preferred being outside for COVID reasons, but also so we could get to know the local bodega cat! We were greeted by the nicest server Andrew who was so helpful and conversational all night. We both picked specials, the Christmas duck and the the healthy seafood dish. The fun part about the restaurant is that they collaborate with artists and you can buy their pieces while eating dinner. The dinners were special as the chef mixed different flavors together which made for a wonderful last dinner experience. If you like more classical seafood dinners then we would recommend a different restaurant.
Day 8: Dutch Pancakes and the most exhausting Airport experience.
At checkout we were told to be at the airport 3 hours before departure. We thought that was ridiculous, we traveled many times out of the country and never showed up 3 hours early. So we thought getting pancakes and mimosas at the Dutch Pancake house in the Renaissance Mall would be more important. We had to wait a solid 45 minutes until we could seated. Worth every minute, we started with the pooferies which are sweet fluffy mini pancakes and then picked some savory pancakes for brunch. We went with the Italian and French style, one of them was a pizza style pancake and the other pancake was topped off with Brie. All of the food was soo good and the service was excellent. We understand the hype now.
Now let’s get to the fun part. We stored our luggage at the Renaissance while we had Brunch, we came back there changed into our Charlotte weather clothes and got a taxi to the Aruba Airport which is only about 10. We got to the airport around 12:45 pm, our flight is at 3:19 pm so more than 2.5 hours of time. When we arrived there the line at the American Airlines check in was so long that we had to stand outside. We then noticed the priority line was shorter so we stood there only to find out the person working on the counter has been on a break besides 600 people trying to check in. After about a good hour it was finally our turn to check in. We thought we finally made it, just do security and that’s it. No that was not the case, we then went to another long line to show our passport before we stood in line for digitally scanning our passport. At least that line was outside and there was art to look at.
After the digital passport check we then finally got to Aruban TSA. That line was not very long. We thought we would be done so we stopped at the gift store but ended up not buying anything because we just remembered we needed to pick up our suitcase again to go through USA customs in Aruba. And guess what, there was another line to show our passport before we picked up our suitcase again. Then we had to stand in another line to show our passport to USA immigration. At this point we still have our luggage. After USA immigration we dropped our luggage off a belt line and then guess what we had to go through TSA security again, this time run by the United States. So there you have it.
Stefanie ended up running to the gate in socks because the door to the airplane should have been closed by now. Lucky for us, some other people got stickers in all those lines as well and therefore we weren’t the last people boarding. people. This is the first time we didn’t have time to buy a magnet or other souvenirs because stores were closed for NYE and New Years Day and we were planning on getting it from the airport. So let this be a lesson. Be there at least 3 to 3.5 hours early.
However, once we were on the plane we already missed the beautiful sights, sounds, and flavors of Aruba! We will definitely be back!