8 Aruba Family Resorts for Crowd-Pleasing Caribbean Trips

Eagle Beach earns praise for its impressive width, low-key vibe, twisted trees and boutique hotels — and this family-owned, TAG-approved resort stands out from the pack. Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort is located just across the road from the beach, the Dutch colonial–style hotel captivates kids with its Wednesday-night movie on the sand, as well as a waterfall main pool and 1-foot wading pool for babies and toddlers.

Parents also love the property’s one- and two-bedroom suites, which comfortably fit four to six people and come with full kitchens. Still, if you don’t want to cook, two on-site restaurants make meal time easy, and kids age 3 and under eat free (4- to 11-year-olds pay half price). Want even more convenience? Book the breakfast add-on package so mornings remain blissfully mindless.

The freebies continue with complimentary beach floaties, scuba-diving lessons, Wi-Fi and lounge chairs. When your crew is ready to get out and explore, visit the concierge desk to reserve an excursion like a trip to De Palm Island, where kids go bananas for the new water park, flaunting water cannons, slides and a giant tipping bucket.

The Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino is just a 10-minute from Aruba’s international airport in downtown Oranjestad , which means the family fun starts almost immediately after arrival. The property’s claim to fame is its 40-acre private island, accessible by free water taxi. Sandy beaches, nature trails and kayaking are on tap, as well as photo ops with flamingoes and iguanas. Like the resort itself, the island is divided into family-friendly and adult-only sections, so no need to worry about bothering child-free neighbors.

Ten restaurants and bars equal plenty of options for picky eaters, and one-bedroom suites with sofa beds give parents and kids some room to spread out. Plus, the grounds comprise the Renaissance Mall, with designer stores, local Aruba Aloe sun-care products, and an Atlantis Submarine tour center.

The littles will also appreciate the resort’s Patamingo Kids Club (ages 5 to 12), brimming with activities like shelling, coloring contests, magic shows, face painting, storytelling and more. And if you need a night out (the resort is home to a casino and the DJ-spinning Blue bar), babysitting services are available.

Two-mile-long Palm Beach is the place to find Aruba’s flashy, full-service, high-rise hotels, and the 359-room Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino pulls out all the stops — think a mini water park, a crew of “fun experts” rolling out daily activities, an action-packed kids camp (ages 3 to 12) and an on-site water-sports operator.

Families flock to the 8,000-square-foot pool complex, complete with a slide, waterfalls, volleyball and a swim-up bar. Stick around until 2 p.m., when guests get in on bingo and free frozen treats.

Cruising on Aruba’s clear turquoise water is a must: Hit up the resort’s Red Sail Sports desk to arrange a fishing trip or snorkel sail. The property’s e-concierge online-booking service can also set you up with an ATV tour, a horseback ride or a Land Rover safari to some of the island’s top sights. After full days, retire to a garden- or ocean-view family suite equipped with a bunk bed.

Another Palm Beach stunner, the bright and breezy Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino is all about multi-generational amusement — art projects and activities for kids, sports for teens, and grown-up programming for parents, from yoga classes and spa treatments to happy hours and live music. Experience it all from one of 357 rooms and suites, each with its own balcony or patio.

Open daily, the Shoco Land Kids Club keeps children ages 4 to 12 busy with fish feedings, Ping-Pong tourneys, cupcake decorating and more. Take advantage of the Friday-night parents’ night off, when you can linger over drinks and dinner at Sunset Grille while your littles roast s’mores, stargaze and watch a dive-in movie.

For families intent on sticking together, the resort’s Palm Tours Desk specializes in booking outings like trips to the Butterfly Farm, just two minutes away, sheltering hundreds of butterflies from across the globe. Or reserve a free palapa on the beach for a laid-back day of sunning, swimming and sandcastle building.

Easily Aruba’s most luxurious address, The Ritz-Carlton Aruba occupies a prime slice of Palm Beach. The biggest draw for families is the unique Ritz Kids program, which focuses exclusively on environmental, educational and cultural programs. Young ones ages 4 through 12 get to know island birds, lizards, marine life, myths and more through interactive games, scientific experiments and multimedia activities. There’s also a small outdoor playground for toddlers.

While your kids are becoming young ecologists, slip away to Aruba’s largest spa for a couple’s treatment incorporating local ingredients like aloe or divi divi tree oil, or try your luck in the 24-hour casino.

Come back together for a family jaunt to Arikok National Park: Comprising almost a quarter of the island, this desert-scape features local flora and fauna, caves, 21 miles of hiking trails, and Amanota Hill, Aruba’s highest point. After working up a sweat, kids can clean up in the soaking tub of your guest room while you soak in ocean views from the private balcony.

For all the comforts of home, look to Hotel Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, a Palm Beach favorite where every studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom suite comes with a full kitchen. Beach Tower suites also feature a washer and dryer, and guests can make use of the outdoor barbecue grills.

Other perks: Kids under 12 stay free with an adult, and family poolside activities take place every week. Guests of the resort can also pool-hop at sister resorts Divi Dutch Village and Divi Village Golf — the latter has a water slide.

Be sure to stroll over to the Bubali Bird Sanctuary, which fringes the back side of the resort. Kids will get a kick out of climbing the observation tower to spy 80-plus species of migratory birds, including herons, egrets, gulls, ducks and more.

For families in search of a quieter, more upscale vibe, Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa fits the bill. Save the excitement for excursions to the Aruba Ostrich Farm or the Donkey Sanctuary Aruba, which shelters more than 130 wild donkeys. Then return to the 72-room resort for relaxing days on the widest stretch of Eagle Beach.

Gourmet meals are blessedly carefree, thanks to the hotel’s all-inclusive program, which even incorporates premium open-bar cocktails, as well as one dinner off-property (with at least a four-night stay). Bellies full, call it a day in a deluxe one-bedroom suite, which welcomes families with a king bed and a sleeper sofa, as well as a kitchenette.

With couples happily sequestered in the Aruba Marriott Resort‘s new adults-only Tradewinds Club, families can let it all hang out in the rest of the public spaces, including a large freeform pool and balmy Palm Beach. All 390 guest rooms got a beach-chic refresh in 2018 and boast the largest balconies on the island; for families with babies in tow, cribs and play yards are available.

Kids can participate in activities like tie-dying, crafts and scavenger hunts, and children ages 7 and up can join their families in water-sports adventures courtesy of Vela Windsurf Center, located on the beach just in front of the resort: Nonmotorized rentals range from classic (paddle boarding, windsurfing) to zany (zayaking — a combination of kayaking and snorkeling).

After all that fun in the sun, cool off with a frozen dessert from the resort’s Gelato & Co. shop, which offers fresh-made gelato, smoothies and gelato popsicles.