Aruba is one of the best family destinations in the Caribbean — calm water on the western coast, Baby Beach on the south, and activities that work for every age. Here’s the best of it.
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Your own beach setup — umbrella & 2 chairs, $100 a day
Already set up at Eagle Beach or Palm Beach when you arrive — no dragging gear across the sand, no waiting at a rental hut. Pick your beach and your dates, and your spot is ready.
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Which tours are actually worth it?
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The Best Family Tours and Excursions in Aruba, Booked Direct
Most lists of family tours hand you the same big-bus excursions. For a family, the better question is how many of you are coming, because in Aruba a private boat for ten costs only a little more per head than a seat on a shared trip. These are the tours we sell directly: a deposit online holds your date and the balance is paid on the day.
Shared catamaran and snorkel trip: the easy first pick
Three sailings a day leave Barceló Beach on Palm Beach (J.E. Irausquin Boulevard 83): morning 9:30 to 12:40, afternoon from 1:00 PM and sunset 4:00 to 7:00 PM. It is $70 an adult and $45 a child under 9, so two adults and two young children come to $230, with 20% paid online and the rest on the day. Early risers can take the morning catamaran; if early starts are a fight with the kids, pick the afternoon trip or the sunset sail instead.
Malmok private boat: the best value for a big family
The whole boat is yours for three hours for $900, the same price for one guest or ten, with snorkel gear, soft drinks and the captain included. It stops at Boca Catalina, Tres Trapi and the Antilla wreck. Split ten ways that is $90 each, only $20 more than an adult seat on the shared catamaran, with the boat to yourselves. The 12:30 PM departure has the warmest swimming, which makes it the family pick. A $180 deposit online holds it and $720 is paid in cash on the day. See the private boat times and dates.
Pontoon charter: for a multi-generation group
Booba’s pontoon takes up to twelve guests for three hours and makes two stops: Mangel Halto, the calmest snorkelling water on the island, where the shallows suit children, then a swim at Surfside Beach. It is $650 for up to six and $75 for each extra guest, so ten people come to $950 and twelve to $1,100. The open bar is for the grown-ups; children are welcome aboard. You pay 20% online to hold the boat and settle the rest on the day. Check pontoon dates.
Private catamaran charter: the family-celebration splurge
A three-hour private catamaran charter is $2,100 for the whole boat at the time you choose, and the price does not change with the number of people. A $420 deposit online holds the date and $1,680 is paid on the day.
Private island day: for families with confident swimmers
Seven hours from 9:30 AM: a boat from Barcadera to a secluded reef island with hammocks, snorkel gear and a home-cooked lunch. $1,250 covers up to five guests, then $200 for each extra guest up to twelve; 20% is paid online and the rest in cash on the day. Be realistic about ages here. There are no infant seats on the boats and the crossing can be bumpy, so the private island escape suits older children who swim well, not toddlers.
Hidden turtle snorkel: for kids who already snorkel
A two-hour guided snorkel off Malmok, with the guide in the water beside you, looking for sea turtles in their own habitat. It is $100 a person with $20 a person paid online, snorkel gear included, at most twelve per departure and four departures a day from 7:00 AM. The turtles are wild, so nobody can promise a sighting. See the turtle snorkel departures.
A beach base for the days in between
Not every family day needs a tour. An umbrella with two chairs, set up on Eagle Beach or Palm Beach before you arrive, is $100 a day plus tax, and it gives small children shade without anyone carrying gear across the sand.
Which Family Tour Fits Your Group
| Your group | Best pick | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Two adults and two children under 9 | Shared catamaran | $230 in total |
| Up to ten people, grandparents included | Malmok private boat | $900 in total, $90 each for ten |
| Ten to twelve, or a family celebration | Pontoon charter | $950 for ten, $1,100 for twelve |
| Five people who want the whole day | Private island escape | $1,250 in total |
| Toddlers or a baby along | Shared catamaran or a beach day; skip the private island | Umbrella set from $100 a day plus tax |
Every direct tour above works the same way: a deposit online holds the date and the balance is paid on the day. For land attractions with young children, such as Baby Beach, the Atlantis submarine and the Donkey Sanctuary, see the Aruba with kids guide. For where to stay, the family resorts guide compares the hotels by age group, and the live Viator listings on this page cover every other operator.
Best Family Hotels
Holiday Inn Aruba (kids club, multiple pools, great beach location), Marriott Aruba (large pool complex, family rooms, right on Palm Beach), and Hyatt Regency (excellent kids program, calm beach section). All are on Palm Beach.
Aruba with kids guide | Family hotels | Best beaches
Compare 100+ hotels. Free cancellation on most.
Our cars
Rent a car with us — from $50 a day
Automatic and air conditioned, picked up at the airport, your hotel or our Oranjestad office. Pay 13% online to hold the car and the rest when you collect it. Minimum 3 days.
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Car rental · from $50 a day
Rent a car in Aruba
Automatic and air conditioned, picked up at the airport or our Oranjestad office. We hold the exact car for your dates, you pay 13% online and the rest at pickup. Minimum 3 days.
Rental cars, same deal — small reservation fee online, the rest paid when you pick the car up. See all Aruba car rentals →
