Our next stop on this list of top family friendly hotels is the island of Aruba. This small island located just north of Venezuela attracts over 800,000 vacationers each year and has the highest return rate in the whole Caribbean, undoubtedly due to their amazing weather and the 8 white sand beaches that won second place in Trip Advisor’s ‘Top Beaches in the World’ category.
Our family hotel pick for this vacation destination is Mariott’s Aruba Surf Club. This four star resort is packed with amenities and there’s just as much to do if you want to venture off the property to experience the island. While this is not an all inclusive hotel like we prefer to promote, the room layouts are all in the format of a small 1, 2 or 3 bedroom villas and include a living and kitchen area, allowing you to save money on pricey restaurants. This is also a great option for those traveling with picky eaters or dietary restrictions. Rooms also have laundry services which are great for those looking to extend their stay from the typical 7 days.
This hotel features a Kid’s Activity Center with a games room. They also have a beachfront pool that the kids will love with a water slide, lazy river and a whirlpool spa for parents. There’s also a place for teenagers to hang out at the Den-Teen Lounge where they can meet new friends while enjoying Wii and PS3 consoles. Another great feature of this hotel is the activities they put on which range from karaoke to Kids Night Out.
With the kids preoccupied spend a little time treating yourself for a change and at this hotel you have lots of options. Find nirvana at the spa located on site or get active with the number of recreational activities available: beach volleyball, tennis, billiards, sailing or snorkeling. Feeling lucky? There’s a casino where you can test your luck. You might even walk away with enough to go on a second vacation!
There’s also a lot to do as a family around Aruba as no vacation is complete without visiting the town and seeing some attractions. Aruba has plenty to see with a history that dates back over 1000 years. Take a walk through the Casibari Rock Formation that looks like a huge rock dome that emerges from the flat landscape around it. Take a historical visit to the Alto Vista Chapel, the first Catholic church of Aruba built in 1952. This small building conjoins with the Peace Labyrinth, based on the Chartres Labyrinth in France. Journey through this maze and contemplate life wonders, engage in prayer or meditate on personal growth. If you’re looking for some excitement go to the California Lighthouse. This area is called California White Sand Dune and is popular with youth who use the dunes for dune surfing. This is probably something you’ve never done, or heard of before, so if you’re adventurous give it a try!