Join me for a walk from the ship into downtown Oranjestad on Aruba day. We’ll go through the gauntlet of merchants at the port, along L.G. Smith Boulevard past the shops, restaurants and the marina, through the Renaissance Marketplace, over to Princess Wilhelmina Park and Governor’s Beach, and finish up at the Renaissance resort pool bar. Everything here is within walking distance of the ship.
Aruba Cruise Port and Oranjestad Walk Around
Aruba walk from the cruise ship into Oranjestad past the port merchants, free trolley, Renaissance Marketplace, Wilhelmina Park and Governor's Beach.
Scott's Cruises on YouTubeSubscribe
Key Takeaways
- Right at the port you walk through a strip of local merchants, with the island tour sellers calling out to you as you pass.
- There’s a gas station just up the road where you can grab snacks before heading back to the ship.
- A free trolley runs around downtown. Some days it runs and some days it doesn’t, but it was running when I was there.
- Along the main drag you’ll find Diamonds International, electric bike rentals, a Domino’s and spots like The Paddock and Lucy’s that are usually busy at lunch. The old Hard Rock is closed.
- The Wind Creek Casino is across the street, and the Atlantis Submarine excursion leaves from right there, a short walk from the ship.
- The Renaissance area has a Starbucks, which is the closest one to the ship, plus a movie theater, casinos on both sides of the street, restaurants, a pancake spot and a 5 O’Clock Somewhere bar. The mall there is high end, so don’t expect souvenirs.
- The Aruba sign had been moved from the port and was set up near the Renaissance for the World Cup festivities.
- Governor’s Beach is a quick walk from the ship, but it’s mainly a local spot with no nice beach sand. Watch for glass.
Good to Know
We had a late night here, docked at 8:00 in the morning and staying until 10:00 with all aboard at 9:30, so there was plenty of time to wander and even have dinner in town. Only two ships were in port that day, so it wasn’t too crowded.
If you just want a quick dip without booking an excursion, Governor’s Beach is the closest beach to the ship and it’s never really crowded. For a real beach day, you’ll want a shore excursion or a taxi to one of the other beaches.
The Renaissance resort has a private island with lots of pink flamingos that you can book as a day pass through the resort, with shuttles running back and forth. It’s an option if you want something that isn’t a ship excursion. The resort pool area has a swim up bar too, which is where I headed for a beer and a snack.
It was hot, sunny and very windy the day I filmed, and I was wearing my hat most of the time. I’ve been lucky at the casino here before: on an overnight with Holland America I won a couple hundred bucks on a few spins, which paid for dinner.