Route 4, one of Aruba’s main roads, runs through the centrally located district of Santa Cruz. This helps place the district in the wider context of the island. Aruba is a small island in the southern Caribbean, about 15 miles north of Venezuela. When choosing your accommodation, you can consider Santa Cruz as a specific location while also thinking about which aspects of Aruba matter to your trip: history, art, coastal scenery, or water activities.
History and art in Aruba
In Oranjestad, the Historical Museum has a permanent exhibition about the most important events in Aruba’s history, as well as rotating themed exhibitions. The Archaeological Museum focuses on a different period: it displays artifacts from the pre-ceramic period around 2500 BC. You can explore the island’s history either through major historical events or through early material evidence.
Fort Zoutman dates back to 1798 and is Aruba’s oldest building. The Bonbini Festival takes place in the fort’s open-air courtyard in downtown Oranjestad. If you would like to include the festival in your plans, check the event dates in advance.
In San Nicolas, you’ll encounter a different form of public art. Artists from around the world and local artists took part in the Aruba Art Fair and left works on walls and buildings around Main Street. The works around Main Street offer a different focus from the museum exhibitions.
Coastal scenery and nature in Aruba
Along Aruba’s north coast, waves and strong winds have carved several natural bridges into the limestone cliffs over thousands of years. The old stone California Lighthouse offers another perspective: it stands in Hudishibana near the northwestern tip of Aruba and provides views of the west coast, with its beaches and coral shores. The natural bridges show the long-term effects of coastal forces; the lighthouse turns your attention to the coast from the perspective of a structure.
Mangel Halto is a secluded beach with calm, shallow, biodiverse waters and a network of mangroves. The interplay of water and mangroves creates a different landscape. Informative trails in Ayo allow visitors to explore the sacred Indigenous site and the area’s natural and cultural heritage. This adds natural and cultural attractions in the island’s interior to the coastal scenery.
Birdwatching and water activities
At the Bubali watch tower, you can observe more than 80 species of migratory birds at their resting and breeding grounds. Aruba’s nearshore reefs are suitable for snorkeling and shore diving. Diving around Aruba also offers the chance to explore ship and aircraft wrecks teeming with marine life. Alongside birdwatching, there are several underwater interests: reefs for snorkeling or shore diving, and wrecks for diving.
Discover more destinations: Palm Beach, Paradera, Oranjestad, San Nicolas, Savaneta, Noord
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