I cannot pin point one particular instance when I fell in love with travel, but it has been a life long adventure ever since.  

As i kid, I remember sitting for hours reading encyclopedias, looking at maps and looking forward to social studies class.  I have always been fascinated with different places, cultures and their customs.  Other boys at my age had posters of athletes on their walls and I had world maps. 

I remember in the late 70's early 80's, riding in the backseat of an old datsun with no air conditioning from Pittsburgh to Florida.  I would be sweltering in the back but also so memorized by all the signs, building and all that was around us as we continued down the road.  It was something as simple as a day trip to another town for a fair or the summers i spent working on my grandparents farm in upstate NY, that started my life of travel. 

I was about Ten years old when I flew to Florida by myself.  It was the thrill of my life and I haven't looked back.  I had a ticket and a seat and had so much attention of all those around me.  The beauty of childhood is that you haven't yet been jaded by the experiences of others and take things at face value.  

To this day, I love walking around airports.  The energy, people, smells still make me feel a little child like.  I like to wander around the newsstands and watch people and wonder where they are going and why.  Walking past the arrival and departure boards is like being a kid in the candy store. I think of all the places i have been and how many more are awaiting my arrival. 


"Its about the journey not the destination," while it may be cliche, I think it holds true to me.  
My first trip "overseas" was to Jamaica when I was fifteen for a missions trip. I had to raise my own support money and helped to build a school for two weeks in the sweltering heat. It was amazing experience to be with other teenagers from around the country and to be able to work along side people from another culture.  I saw a lot of the good and bad in humanity and while I wouldn't say it made me jaded, i felt like i was on the road to personal growth. 

Another memorable experience was 3 weeks i spent in Costa rica in college. Originally it was presented as a way to avoid a semester of a foreign language.  While we did have time to be tourists, it ended up to be so much more.  I spent a week of the trip living with a family in the suburbs of San Jose, Costa rica. It was one of the first times I was exposed to people that "had less" than some in the United states and yet they were still happy.  It was a lesson that has stayed with me into my forties, as I have been working my way thru the Caribbean for the past twenty years.

The summer after my sophomore year in college, a high school friend and I took an 87 jeep wrangler, a bag phone, some cash and drove from NY to San Francisco.  We spent three weeks popping in and out of over 21 states.  We drove thru little Mississippi towns to nights under desert skies.  We slept at rest areas, ate at truck stops and saw places like the grand canyon, Vegas, sequoia national park and drove up the Pacific coast Highway. 

The summer after graduating high school, was our first family trip to England.  What a thrill to be 18 and off across the pond. My mom still talks about how I navigated the underground and Piccadilly circus for an afternoon by myself.  

These days my time away consists of places that are warm and laid back, I still enjoy the entire journey.  The romance of it comes from the packing, the travel itself and the people I meet along the way.  
 
The person who dies with the least regrets, wins.  

After landing in the capital city of Nassau, I recommend hailing a taxi and take the 30 minute ride over the bridge to Paradise island.  Once you pay your one dollar toll, and take your pictures of the Atlantis, I suggest you keep going another two miles to the Paradise Island beach club.  

While the Paradise Island beach club is a primarily a timeshare resort, if you know someone or could score a week, its a beautiful spot to unwind.  Its about two miles or so down the beach from Atlantis and gives you plenty of tranquility while being close to the action.  It has several restaurants, swim up bar, and its own stretch of chairs and umbrellas on the beautiful Cabbage beach.  While it might not be the five star, One and Only ocean club next door, it has plenty of places to relax and enjoy the view.   

In between the copious amounts of sitting, swimming, walking the beach, there are a few other things I recommend during your time on Paradise Island.  

Less than a half mile walk from the resort, are the Versailles Gardens and French Cloister.  It is a beautiful place to walk around and enjoy not only the flowers, statutes but it is right on the water.   

After you have enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the gardens, its time to continue the walk down to Atlantis,  If you aren't a guest, you are restricted to the harbor, casino, shops and some of the outside overlooks of the pools etc. If you cant find availability at the Paradise island beach club and you cant quite swing Atlantis, try Comfort suites next door to Atlantis.  They were grandfathered in so you get full access to Atlantis while getting a free breakfast at the Comfort Inn. 


The harbor side has a great selection of shops and restaurants and a fun place to wander around for while working up an appetite for some lunch or dinner. Depending on what season, you could see a harbor full of amazing yachts docked behind the resort. If you need some relief from the heat, you can always go inside and try your hand at the casino or meander the shops inside the resort.  


One place I recommend for a quick bite and or a cold one, is across the street on the water.  Its called the Green Parrot. Its a open aired bar on the water that has shirts and other signed items stapled to the thatched roof from past visitors.  If you go, order the conch fritters and a sands. Its a great combo while you enjoy the breezes and passing boats.  

If after all that you are feeling like you need more, why not try another island.  Go down to just past the Green Parrot and book a day trip to Rose Island.  The boat ride over to the island is breathtaking and worth the price of the excursion.  Upon arrival, be prepared to get wet as there isn't a dock. You will need to jump out and wade to shore. There is one restaurant/ bar where you can recharge after your Gilligan island adventure. Its a simple place to just unwind from all the hustle and bustle of vacationing on Paradise island. (sarcasm anyone)

Once you return back to the Paradise Island Beach club, you will be treated some of the most beautiful sunsets with the Atlantis resort as the back drop. 

"Went through customs and immigration
Still this feels like home" - Kenny Chesney 

After my first trip, I was hooked.  It started for me when I looked out the the window and we were flying past downtown Oranjestad, I knew I was in for a time of my life.  The colorful buildings and teal colored water, I had to take a minute before we landed.  I have been there 5 times since then and still get butterflies every time we are about to land.  

I am such a travel junkie, that even standing in an long hot immigration line gives me a sense of AHHHH.  After clearing customs and grabbing your bags off the carousal at the bottom of the escalator, next to duty free liquor.  They have a pretty good selection and is almost always cheaper than the local grocery stores.  

There are so many places to stay while on the island, but all my trips have landed me in the palm beach area. While it caters to mostly tourists, it is a beautiful jumping off point for the rest of the island, The entire stretch from eagle to palm beach and beyond have great places to lounge, eat, drink and soak up the abundant sun and constant trade winds.  

Anywhere you decide to stay on Palm beach, all the High rise hotels have plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from.  They range from high end to beach side bars to everything in between.  If you have been or read the forums, you know people treat their Aruba dining like an Olympic sport. I will show you a few of my regular haunts. I like low key places that I can stroll up to in my flip flops while being near the water.  


One of my favorite happy hour spots is on Druif Beach, nestled between the Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusive and the Divi Aruba All Inclusive.  The best night is Thursday when you can get served by jimmy the bartender and then he sings covers. Its some of the best happy hour entertainment at sunset you can get on the island. Be sure to search "Jimmy the singing bartender" on YouTube, 

A little further down on eagle beach is another great place, Matthew's Beach side Restaurant.  It is a true beach side restaurant that is completely open to the beach and Aruba breezes. The last trip did include a great Sunday brunch with mimosas. Go early or plan on making it a morning because it fills up quickly.  I usually like to go for an early dinner as their middle happy hour is from 4-6 pm everyday.  It a beautiful spot for a cold cocktail, great grouper and breathtaking sunsets.  

The next place I like to frequent can be reached from anywhere on palm beach.  It is called BUGALOE BEACH BAR. It jets out into the water in front the the Rui Palace.  There usually comes a time later in the afternoon when you need to stretch and change the scenery so why not meander over between 5-6pm for happy hour.  The bar is usually packed with sunburned tourists escaping the frigid months up north. Its also where one of the waitress will get the crowd going with songs you can sing along to.  It perfectly situated so you can watch boats in the water or people on the beach while sipping on a cold beverage of your choice.  You can also go to the end of the bar/pier and watch the fish swim around in the clear turquoise water. 

There is so much you can do on this island, sail on the tranquilo, snorkel on the jolly pirate, take a jeep to the north shore, ride up the the lighthouse, or just sit under your palapa until the sun sets. 

Whatever you decide to do or not, it is truly a place that you can unwind in whatever way you like.  But if you go, Bring a cooler bag, a bath suit and someone special and find your spot on 
"ONE HAPPY ISLAND".