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Like most Caribbean family beach getaways, Aruba offers visitors opportunities to rest in the sun on a tranquil beach, as beautiful, gentle blue waves lap at the sand.  Conversely, unlike most Caribbean beach getaways, Aruba is located outside of the hurricane belt, a mere 19 miles north of the Venezuelan coast.  Its climate, averaging a steady 81º F year round, is dry and arid and its cactus-covered landscape is rugged.  A unique combination of the Dutch and Caribbean cultures make Aruba, an autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, an interesting island to explore with the family.

Whether you are looking to discover the natural beauty of the island and its native creatures on land an sea, or you want to slip and slide at excellent water parks, Aruba has something for everyone.  Take a break from your beach resort hotel and explore the island and all of its culture, history and fun!

For Little Kids (to age 8)

Aruba Ostrich Farm
Matividiri 57
Paradera, Aruba
297/585-9630
If your kids are into big animals, head to the Ostrich Farm where the family can get up close and personal to the two biggest birds on earth: the ostrich and emu.  The island’s rugged landscape provides a great home for the 80-plus birds that live, eat, run and breed at the farm.  Guided tours are given every half hour from 9am-4pm ($12 per adult, $6 per child).  Guests will learn that ostriches can run up at up to 43 miles per hour, their powerful legs allow them to kick like kangaroos and they can even see up to 2.2 miles away.  At the conclusion of the tour, guests visit the hatchery where they can spend some time with incubating eggs.  Head back up to the farm’s restaurant; for the adventurous eater, have an ostrich burger.  A staple in Aruba, the meat is red, similar to beef, but the healthiest meat one can eat, as it is low in fat and cholesterol and high in protein.

Donkey Sanctuary
Sta Lucia 4A
Aruba
297/593-2933
For more than 500 years donkeys were a major facet of the Aruban economy. The animal served as the main form of transportation of goods and people throughout the island until the advent of cars in the early 20^th Century.  At that time, this decreased need, along with a rare disease, diminished the donkey population which declined from 1,400 to only 20 in 1970.  Got Donkey (Shrek) or Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh) fans? The Donkey Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving these animals, opened in 1997 as the home to 62 donkeys. It has been educating islanders and visitors about the importance of donkeys ever since.  Admission is free, although donations are greatly appreciated, and guests are free to feed and pet the creatures.  Volunteers supervise visitors and they are bursting with knowledge about the sanctuary’s donkey family, which currently has 90 members.

Butterfly Farm
Located Across from the Aruba Phoenix Hotel on J.E. Irausquin Boulevard,
Palm Beach, Aruba
297/586-3656
Located on the grounds of the Bubali Bird Sanctuary, Aruba’s Butterfly Farm gives guests an up close encounter with beautiful butterflies in a tropical and lush environment.  Enclosed by mesh structures and surrounded by exotic flowers and pools with Japanese fish, the farm features hundreds of butterflies.  Open seven days a week from 9am-4:30pm, the farm gives 25-minute expert-guided tours that show visitors the evolutionary life cycle of these blossoming creatures.  Those who arrive early may even have the opportunity to see the birth of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.  Dress the kids in bright colors and even spritz a little perfume on them, as butterflies are attracted to nice smells and vibrant shades and they might even land on the shoulders of the little ones.  Visitors can also take their own pictures, so bring a camera, be still and be patient, to get some great and colorful shots.  Admission is $13 for adults, $6 for children ages 4-16 years and youngsters 3 and under are free.

Atlantis Submarine
Departs from Downtown Oranjestad
297/588-6881
If your little ones are curious about what is under the sea, but too timid to explore it on their own, consider booking a ride on the Atlantis sub.  Submerging 130 feet deep into the waters of the Caribbean Sea, the tour takes visitors to two shipwrecks, including the famous Antilla wreck of World War II, and spectacular coral reefs, such as the Arashi, where you can see colorful fish up close and personal.  US Coast Guard approved, the sub is the largest passenger submarine fleet in the world and features plenty of big portholes for your viewing pleasure.