NEED help.....1st time, last minute

[2xprincess]

We are so lucky to have just planned a last minute trip to Aruba. Leaving Tuesday, woo hoo!!!!

Family of 4 and this will be the 1st visit to Aruba for all of us. We are 40, princesses are 10 & 14.

Staying at HI. Renting car......

We would like to stay on a budget.....need ideas for dining out......what to do for princesses.......4th of July.........and any other helpful planning tips or ideas.

Thanks!

[Andrea J.]

hello princess parent. does this make you the king or queen?

welcome to the aruba.com community forum

check out these tagged threads for inexpensive restaurants
http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/rest...expensive.html

also too i encourage you to visit the Culinary section and read about restaurants that are kid friendly


a really cool restaurant for all of you is Buccaneer, which is lots of fish tanks.......big ones!!

DONKEY sanctuary
click above link for donkey sanctuary.
a wonderful place for all.

and
http://www.philipsanimalgarden.com/


good luck prying the princesses off the beach or away from the pool

We are so lucky to have just planned a last minute trip to Aruba. Leaving Tuesday, woo hoo!!!!

Family of 4 and this will be the 1st visit to Aruba for all of us. We are 40, princesses are 10 & 14.

Staying at HI. Renting car......

We would like to stay on a budget.....need ideas for dining out......what to do for princesses.......4th of July.........and any other helpful planning tips or ideas.

Thanks!

[Arubalisa]

Welcome to the forum

You will be able to view fireworks on the 4th of July right on the beach.
4th of July

For lunch, close to the HI is "Scott's Brats" on Palm Beach (BRATWURST)

To add to Andrea's kid friendly suggestions, the Butterfly Farm and Ostrich Farm. If you are heading to the Donkey Sanctuary try to swing by the grocery store beforehand and pick up some apples and carrots for the donkeys. The volunteers at the sanctuary will supply a knife and cutting board.

Also the princesses, like mine, may enjoy Jolly Pirates snorkeling http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/jolly%20pirates.html

Our daughter's first trip to Aruba was when she was 8 years old.

She is now 15, and she has done...

Ostrich Farm
Donkey Sanctuary
Horseback riding
Snorkeling Boca Catalina from shore http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/snor...0catalina.html
Snorkeling Tranquilo
Snorkeling Jolly Pirates
Snorkeling Strea
Discover Scuba course and dive
Dive Certification & subsequent dives
Butterfly Farm
Kids program at the Tamarijn
Kids program at the Radisson
Island helicopter tour
Bike rides
Beach walks
Watersports- tube rides, banana boat
ATV tour, she did not drive
4 x 4 tour
Island tours more times than she likes

...and I am sure I have forgotten others...

When we are not traveling with family or friends, she does not do much in the way of night time activities. When she does it is swimming in the pool.

Generally, after a nice dinner, a family tradition while on vacation, no TV , she may do a bit of reading before bed and she is out like a light, exhausted from all the sunshine and fresh air!

[2xprincess]

Thanks Andrea and Lisa.

This makes me the Queen....and as the Queen one of my responsibilities is vacation planning. Most of our time will we spent beach/pool side. But princess 2 (10 y/o) will require some diversion. She loves to be moving. So I'm trying to figure out a couple of things to keep her happy!!! Any insight is greatly appreciated!!!

Also - has anyone been to holiday inn recently - will we be able to get palapas easily?

[cindyo]

Not a lot of palapas there. Beach space extremly long. Lots of beach frontage.

[Andrea J.]

re: palapas at the HI

you will have to get there early.....7 am or before :-(

i am unsure if they do reservations for them, i will have to look it up in past posts.

a snorkel adventure to baby beach might be fun for the royalty girls
it is shallow, staying within the sea wall.

the only cost to you folks would be the rental of snorkel gear if you have none.
you'd also have to have a snorkel practice session at the holiday inn pool.

Thanks Andrea and Lisa.

This makes me the Queen....and as the Queen one of my responsibilities is vacation planning. Most of our time will we spent beach/pool side. But princess 2 (10 y/o) will require some diversion. She loves to be moving. So I'm trying to figure out a couple of things to keep her happy!!! Any insight is greatly appreciated!!!

Also - has anyone been to holiday inn recently - will we be able to get palapas easily?

[Arubalisa]

You would be surprised at how busy the zero entry pools could keep the kids.



The last I heard, the Holiday Inn was taking palapa reservations at 4 pm the day for the following day so no need to awaken at 6 am. I believe you must show up then at your assigned palapa by 10:30 am. It is a great system copied from the Radisson.

[Andrea J.]

if you do not get to the palapa line on the day you check in, you should get up early that first full day to get one.

then , as lisa suggests, begin making your palapa reservation daily at 4.