BIG GIRL TIME

YALL I went to ARUBAAAA!! You would know if you have read some prior blogs that I am travelling one place each month and how better to start off the year then travelling to Aruba! For this trip I travelled with my boyfriend’s family to celebrate a birthday and then my boyfriend and I stayed longer to experience the island by ourselves!

I was in Aruba from the 16th of January to the 22nd and I am not going to lie the flight tickets were much more expensive then I thought they would be. I booked two one way and I honestly can not say it will always be cheaper this way because I do not know.

Going to Aruba:

Flight: Spirit Airlines January 16th, 2025 Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale to Aruba Upgraded flight “Go Comfy” Which comes with 1 checked bag, 1 carry on, priority boarding, snacks and drink, and a comfy seat with no middle seat occupied. Total cost $276.93. This to me was very worth it. I boarded early and had so much more space then if I went with the normal seating.

Leaving Aruba:

Flight: American Airlines January 22nd, 2025 Aruba-Philadelphia Upgraded flight Main Plus which comes with 1 checked bag, 1 carry on, main cabin extra seats Group 5 boarding. Total cost $324.66. This was worth it in the sense of a normal flight but my flight was essentially empty so I did feel like I wasted money.

Stay:

Personally I recommend staying in Noord and travelling from there.

Airbnb 1: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1155870766284328784?source_impression_id=p3_1736785843_P389gCzcCpe61MHm

This house was gorg! I was in awe with just how beautiful it was. It was super close to the hot area of Noord and was great for fun days and nights. Super close to two beaches and plenty of food spots. I do have some cons. 1. House was pretty but there were loads of knats. we are not sure what was attracting them but they were there.

Airbnb 2:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1223983058745751438?source_impression_id=p3_1737745249_P3bITNkds1uNgKZI

This Apartment/studio situation was interesting. It was extremely cheap. This Airbnb was located in Oranjestad and was super close to the main boulevard. Close to a good amount of eating spots but not the most “attractive” on the outside. On the opposite side of the street is is essentially a open field not maintained which added to the lack of safety factor for walking at night. But realistically the only cons I have with the stay itself is that there was no microwave and that the bathroom had no door.

Transportation:

For the first leg of our trip it was my boyfriend and I, as well as his family. We rented a car and personally I think it was the best way to get around the island. You did not have to wait on a taxi or bus and quite honestly it was more cost efficient. *HEADS UP* Be prepared to pay the amount and to have a $500-$1000 hold on their account.

For the last two days of the trip me and my boyfriend stayed in Oranjestad in the second Airbnb and BOY! Transportation was frustrating. Aruba does not have Uber or Lyft. Aruba has Taxis. I still am not fully sure how they work but you can call a taxi through this number 297-587-1300. This is how you will call your taxi’s!

We also got on the public bus which was pretty nice. Only problem is that we honestly could not figure out how in the world to understand the schedule.

We stayed in Aruba for 7 days 6 nights and personally I think it was the perfect time to truly explore the island. We missed somethings and definitely want to go back but we got to explore a lot. I recommend not staying on a resort and staying in an Airbnb and renting a car to get the full experience. You are able to have the flexibility of exploring the island when ever and where ever you want. In my next blog I will be talk about where I ate and what we did on this trip! See you later! TTYL!