Is Aruba Good for Kids? Our Trip With a 3-Year-Old
Yes! Aruba was our first Caribbean trip where we didn’t stay at an all-inclusive resort. Jackson was 3, and we felt comfortable enough traveling with him by then to venture out beyond our resort. Calm beaches, a pool steps from the sand, ice cream within walking distance, and an island small enough to drive across in under an hour made for a really great trip.
Here's what made Aruba work so well for our family, what Jackson loved most, what was harder with a little one, and what we'd pack again.
If you want our full day-by-day plan, see our Aruba Itinerary With Kids: How We Spent 6 Days in Aruba.
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Where we stayed and how we got around
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino
Right on Palm Beach, with two zero-entry pools and calm water steps away.
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Aruba is great for: beach-loving families, toddlers and young kids, and anyone planning a first Caribbean trip with kids.
It's harder for: adventure-heavy plans with very little kids (like hiking to the Natural Pool), and families who mainly want world-class snorkeling. For that, Bonaire is the better pick.
Best age: any age, honestly. Jackson was 3, and it was an easy trip.
Why Aruba Works So Well for Kids
The beaches are calm and easy
Aruba's beaches are the main reason we'd recommend it to families. On Palm Beach, where we stayed, the water is calm and the sand is soft, so Jackson could splash and dig right at the water's edge. On the south coast, Baby Beach is a shallow, protected lagoon that's about as kid-friendly as a Caribbean beach gets.
Calm water and soft sand right in front of our hotel
The beach and the pool are right next to each other
We stayed at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, and its pools are zero-entry, meaning they slope in gradually like a beach. They sit right next to the sand, so we could go back and forth between the beach and the pool all day. When Jackson got tired of the sand, we just walked over to the pool.
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Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino
Snacks come to you
Beach service at our resort was very convenient. There was a QR code on our palapa, so we could scan it and order snacks and drinks without packing up and leaving the shade. We kept plenty of snacks in our beach bag, but not having to drag our 3-year-old along every time we wanted a drink or snack was a big perk.
Sand toys, shade, and snacks ordered right from our palapa.
Breakfast at the resort made mornings easy
We ate breakfast at our resort every morning, and it made traveling with a little one so much easier. There was no hunting for a restaurant with a hungry 3-year-old, and we could get out the door quickly for beach days and adventures. Breakfast was included with our stay, so check whether your rate or package includes it when you book.
Easy evenings on the Palm Beach strip
The Palm Beach strip, lined with shops, restaurants, and ice cream spots, was walking distance from our resort, so exploring in the evenings with Jackson was easy. There's ice cream at spots like Gelatissimo and Mimo's Ice Cream Rolls, and Paseo Herencia, an open-air shopping center, has a free water-and-light show in the evenings.
Ice cream every night? On vacation, yes.
The Butterfly Farm is walking distance too
The Butterfly Farm was a huge hit with Jackson, and it was walking distance from our resort. It's a tropical garden full of free-flying butterflies, with a short guided tour included. Go in the morning, when the butterflies are most active. Wear bright colors and stay very still for a better chance of a butterfly landing on you!
It's small and easy to get around
Aruba is small, so you're never far from anything. We rented a car and definitely recommend it since it made it easy to get to the snorkel spots, Baby Beach, and dinner on the south coast without long drives in the car seat.
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Rental cars in Aruba
It felt safe
Aruba felt very safe to us, day and night. The U.S. State Department agrees: Aruba is at Level 1, "Exercise Normal Precautions," its lowest travel advisory level. As anywhere, lock your car and don't leave things unattended on the beach.
The little things are easy for parents
English is widely spoken, U.S. dollars are accepted almost everywhere, and the tap water is safe to drink, so you can refill water bottles instead of buying bottled water. We stocked up on snacks at Super Food Plaza, a big grocery store a short drive from our resort with plenty of kid-friendly options.
Tip
Get an eSIM so you have maps and data the moment you land
What Jackson Loved Most
Feeding the tarpon at Zeerovers. This no-frills fish shack on a pier in Savaneta has huge tarpon hanging out under the dock, and Jackson loved feeding them. It was also our favorite meal in Aruba. We went twice!
Baby Beach. The shallow, calm water was perfect for him, and he could have stayed all day.
The Butterfly Farm. He loved this one, and the short walk from our resort made it an easy morning.
His sand toys. We packed a sand toy set, and it got plenty of use on every beach.
Hanging out with us in the water. He was just starting to get the hang of snorkeling on this trip, so he didn't do a lot of it, but he loved being in the water with us while we snorkeled around.
What Was Harder With a Little One
Hiking to the Natural Pool
Hiking to Conchi, the Natural Pool in Arikok National Park, was a lot to ask of a 3-year-old. It's about 1.5 miles each way from the Daimari trailhead over sand, sharp volcanic rock, and very little shade. Jackson hiked a bit and was carried a lot. But he did it, and once we made it to the pool, he had a great time.
He hiked a bit and was carried a lot!
We're experienced hikers, so we felt comfortable bringing him. If you do this with your kid, bring plenty of snacks and water, start early, and be honest with yourself about how much carrying you're up for. If hiking isn't for your family, you can still see the Natural Pool on a 4x4 tour. Either way, a trip to Arikok National Park, and especially to Conchi, should be on your Aruba list.
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4x4 Tour and Natural Pool Snorkeling in Aruba
We didn’t bring our hiking carrier on this trip to save luggage space, but looking back, it would have made this hike much easier. We’ve used one on other trips, and if you plan to do this hike with a little one, it’s worth packing.
Read more: Aruba Itinerary With Kids: How We Spent 6 Days in Aruba
Snorkeling with young kids
At 3, Jackson was just starting to snorkel, so we kept it simple. Bring a life vest or swim vest of some kind so you can keep up with your kid easily in the water. Ours wore a kids' swim vest, and we tied a bright swim buoy to him so we could always spot him.
Watch for currents
Most of Aruba's family beaches are calm, but some snorkel spots have currents and rip currents, especially past the reef at Mangel Halto and near the opening of the lagoon at Baby Beach. Keep little ones in the calm, protected areas, and if you're ever in doubt, just don't risk it.
The calm, shallow water at Baby Beach was perfect for him.
The sun is strong
Aruba is close to the equator, and the sun is intense. It was very breezy every day we were there, which can make the sun feel weaker than it is. Make sure you have plenty of sun protection. Jackson wore a hat, a rash guard, and kids’ sunglasses, and we used reef-safe sunscreen on everything else. Aruba bans sunscreens with oxybenzone to protect its reefs, so pack a mineral sunscreen. A palapa on the beach makes a big difference with a little one too.
What We Packed for Jackson
Shop what we packed for Jackson on Amazon
Is Aruba Right for Your Family?
If your family wants a true beach vacation, with soft sand, calm water, and easy days, Aruba is a great choice, especially with young kids. If your family's main goal is snorkeling, Bonaire has much better and more varied snorkeling and marine life, but fewer classic beaches. We loved both, for different reasons.
Read More: Bonaire vs. Aruba With Kids: Which Island Is Right for Your Family?
Tips for Visiting Aruba With Kids
Stay on Palm Beach for calm water, and pick a resort where the pool sits right next to the beach.
Bring a swim vest and a bright swim buoy so you can keep track of your kid in the water.
Pack reef-safe mineral sunscreen, a sun hat, a rash guard, kids’ sunglasses, and sand toys.
Rent a car. The island is small, so drives are short.
Bring a refillable water bottle. The tap water is safe to drink.
Stock up on snacks at the supermarket.
Do the Natural Pool hike only if you're comfortable carrying your kid, or take a 4x4 tour instead.
Stay in calm, protected water with little ones, and skip any spot with strong currents.
Check whether breakfast is included with your rate. Eating at the resort each morning made our days so much easier.
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