Activities

Gambling

The legal gambling age in Aruba is 18 years of age. It is both the Legal drinking & gambling age. The legal age for both drinking and gambling is 18 years. It is not, however, widely enforced. You will not usually be “carded”.

At 18,000 square feet, the Stellaris Casino located at the newly renovated Aruba Marriott Resort, is Aruba’s biggest casino and one of the few that are open 24 hours. Table games include craps, roulette, blackjack and several versions of poker, and the stakes are reputed to be the highest on the island.

The Casino at The Ritz-Carlton. Located inside the luxury beachfront resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, the 15,000 square foot Ritz-Carlton Casino features 17 traditional table games, slot machines and live entertainment, and is home to the only Baccarat table in Aruba.
Some of the best casinos in Aruba are located at most large resorts in Palm Beach and in downtown Oranjestad. In general, opening hours of casinos in Aruba are 11 a.m. for slots and 1 p.m. through the early morning for table games. Hours vary seasonally, so please check before making plans. Stellaris Casino at the Aruba Marriott Resort, The Casino at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, and Crystal Casino at the Renaissance Marina Hotel are the only three Aruba casinos that are open 24 hours a day.

Hiking

Aruba has a lot of hiking and walking trails, the best of which are in Arikok National Park. It is possible to be accompanied on a hike by a park tour guide but this would need to be booked in advance. Aruba’s sun is in tense, and the desert-like landscape (think Arizona) doesn’t offer much tree shade, but with plenty of water and a good light hat, hiking is definitely worth the effort since you get to see places you would not otherwise reach. There are challenging hills, caves, abandoned gold ruins and mines, and limestone cliffs. Hike up to the top of Mount Jamanota you will see a 360 degree view of Aruba from Aruba’s highest point. Most trails are clearly marked within the park. Sneakers are fine, and you can never go wrong with hiking boots as well. To get a good look at the caves a flashlight is recommended.

Hot Air Ballon

A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries passengers and a source of heat, in most cases an open flame caused by burning liquid propane. The heated air inside the envelope makes it buoyant since it has a lower density than the colder air outside the envelope. As with all aircraft, hot air balloons cannot fly beyond the atmosphere. Unlike gas balloons, the envelope does not have to be sealed at the bottom, since the air near the bottom of the envelope is at the same pressure as the surrounding air.

In modern sport balloons the envelope is generally made from nylon fabric and the inlet of the balloon (closest to the burner flame) is made from a fire resistant material such as Nomex. Modern balloons have been made in all kinds of shapes, such as rocket ships and the shapes of various commercial products, though the traditional shape is used for most non-commercial, and many commercial, applications.

Hotels

Scuba Diving

Scuba Diving in Aruba is spectacular. Aruba’s waters average 80 degrees F and go as low as the 70s in “winter” (which does not actually exist in Aruba!). Coral reefs, wrecks, a wide variety of marine life, and spawning coral displays are just some of the things you can expect to see. Currents affect visibility in some areas, and this of course changes with sea conditions. On the resort side of the island one can expect visibility of 18 to 36m (59-118 feet). Except in the rainy season (October to January) freshwater runoff to the ocean is low to none. In terms of wrecks, planes and shipwrecks are popular, including the Antilla, which is the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean. It is not unusual to see less common species such as sea horses, basket stars and eels. Unfortunately what used to be a less common sight, the destructive Lionfish has become more invasive after first being spotted in 2009. It is probably the only species for which spearfishing is actively encouraged, in all other cases spearfishing is illegal. Most scuba diving operators offer a variety of courses from beginners’ resort courses to courses designed for Dive Masters

Sightseeing

Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. Tourism may be international, or within the traveller’s country. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism more generally, in terms which go “beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only”, as people “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes”.

Travel

Dedicated road bicycles have drop handlebars and multiple gears, although there are single and fixed gear varieties. Road bikes also use narrow, high-pressure tires to decrease rolling resistance, and tend to be somewhat lighter than other types of bicycle. The drop handlebars are often positioned lower than the saddle in order to put the rider in a more aerodynamic position. In an effort to become more aerodynamic, some riders have begun using aerobars.

And when aerobars where invented is unclear but they seem to date back to the early 1980s. The light weight and aerodynamics of a road bike allows this type of bicycle to be the second most efficient self-powered means of transportation, behind only recumbent bicycles due to the latter’s higher aerodynamic efficiency.

Mountain bikes fitted with slick or semi-slick are also popular for commuters. Though less efficient, the upright riding position allows the cyclist a better view of traffic, and they can also be readily fitted with mudguards, cargo racks and other accessories. Mountain bikes are usually ridden on unpaved roads and tracks but they are not to be confused with cyclocross bikes.

Windsurfing & Kitesurfing

Aruba’s constant trade winds have made the Island a very popular spot for windsurfers. Beginners to hard-core enthusiasts will find suitable locations for their skill levels from flat-water sailing to challenging wave conditions. Aruba is host to the annual Hi-Winds Windsurfing Pro-Am Grand Prix World Cup event in June.