Why Aruba?
I’m back from my 24th visit to Aruba, which often prompts the question: “Why Aruba?” or “Only Aruba? Nowhere else?”
First of all, I go to plenty of other places. I’m on my way back from Cancun today and off to Budapest in less than two weeks. But yes, my annual beach vacation, which is sometimes semi-annual, with my Mom is always to Aruba. We went as a family twice when I was in high school and loved it. When I turned 21, my Mom and I wanted to go away for my college winter break in 2007, so we chose Aruba. We skipped 2020 but have been every year since 2007, sometimes twice a year.
So, why Aruba?
A direct flight is 4 hours and 15 minutes.
For a week at the beach, a 4-hour flight is very doable.
Hotels are 15 minutes from the airport.
Once you land, you are just a short cab ride away from the high-rise hotel area.
There is no hurricane season.
We can go to Aruba any day of the year. And we’ve been to Aruba every month except December and February.
It sometimes rains for 4 minutes.
And that’s it. Aruba is guaranteed sunny, 85 degrees, and dry every day of the year. You won’t miss a single day of vacation due to bad weather.
Restaurants are within walking distance, and it’s very safe to walk.
We like to stretch our legs before and after dinner. We can walk around the high-rise hotel area at night, 25 minutes down the beach, back through the shops and eateries, all in the company of several other people.
It meets our goal of an easy beach vacation.
My Mom and I have separate lives with separate demands. We plan an elaborate schedule for our Scotland Fringe Festival trip that requires at least one 4-hour meeting. For Aruba, we book the flights and our hotel and do literally nothing else.