In The Loop Travel
  • Home
  • Destinations
    • The Americas
    • Caribbean
    • Mexico
    • Europe
    • Asia/Pacific
    • Africa
  • Fitness
  • Cruising
  • Travel Tips
  • Videos
  • Work With Us
  • My Work
  • About
  • Colorado Craft Brewery Guide
  • Media Kit
  • TBIN Influencer Network

9 Cheap and Easy Things to Do Near the Cruise Port in Aruba

12/29/2016

0 Comments

 
Bushiri Beach in Aruba
An inviting stretch of Aruban beach bliss is a less than 25-minute walk from the cruise pier.
By John Roberts 
If you're coming ashore in Aruba by cruise ship, you can find several cheap and easy things to do right at the port. I took a wander during my last stop there so that I could compile a guide for you outlining what I found.  

You can try a few of these options when you come to Aruba on a cruise and decide that you don't want to pay for an expensive excursion. All of these options I found within a 30-minute walk from my cruise ship.
 
One-stop shopping -- The first thing you encounter when you exit the cruise terminal is a small market selling crafts. Shop here, or head left (away from the busier tourist strip that is directly to the right as you exit the terminal) to find the Flea Market selling sun dresses, wraps, hammocks, hats, jewelry and other handmade items. 
Aruba market stalls
Flea market in Aruba
A run in the sun -- The road heading left away from the port has ample space for a run. Follow the red brick sidewalk in the median for a while and then cross over toward the beach. 
L.G. Smith Boulevard in Aruba
Wheeling around town -- You can see people zipping around the streets in ATVs, scooters and motorcycles. George's Cycles offers rentals from its location on the main strip 124 L.G. Smith Boulevard, about a 10-minute walk from the ship. Prices for daily rentals start around $55 for an ATV and $100 for a scooter. Also, look for companies that rent bikes and Segways. 
George's ATV rentals in Aruba
Bicycle rentals in Aruba
Last chance for a tour -- De Palm Tours has an office at 142 L.G. Smith Boulevard. If you wander past the office early enough in the morning and get the itch for an island tour or a snorkeling outing, you can pop in to see whether you can join an excursion and maybe negotiate a last-minute price that makes it worth too good to pass up. 
Bushiri Beach in Aruba
Bushiri Beach is about a 20-minute walk from your ship.
Soft sands -- As you keep on wandering, you'll notice the white sands of Bushiri Beach, a public space with no services but clear blue waters great for snorkeling and swimming. This is the closest beach to the cruise port and ideal for packing a picnic and towels for a few hours of swimming. Plenty of trees nearby offer a chance to relax in the shade, too. 
Cactuses in Aruba
Iguanas in Aruba
Beyond the beach -- Keep heading away from the port past Bushiri Beach and you'll start to see resort properties. You also will notice a small park in the median area across the road. A quick stroll there offers spots to sit and relax in the shade. Your only company is likely to be the rows of cactuses that guard the entrance like sentries and the iguanas lazily sunning on rock piles adjacent to small ponds. 
Ritz snack restaurant in Aruba
Snack or sweet treat -- Worked up a hunger during your day ashore? Stop in to Ritz (122 L.G. Smith Boulevard) to grab an ice cream cone, shake or sundae. The snack shop, which has been on the island since 1938, also serves wings, Cuban sandwiches, wraps and burgers. 
Iguana Joe's bar in Aruba
Lolita's sandwiches in Aruba
Downtown -- The touristy area to the right of the cruise pier as you leave your ship is good for a quick stop before you head back to your ship. You can seek out souvenirs, food and drink.
The area is filled with restaurants and
 shops, as well as where you'll find the historical, numismatic and archaeological museums. 

I recommend stopping by Iguana Joe's for an appetizer and a beer or seeking out Lolita's Sandwiches. P
ull up a stool at this small open-air serving counter (on Havenstraat, one street behind and parallel to L.G. Smith) for a Balashi beer or two and an empanada. 

Thanks for reading! 
Enjoy you time in the island paradise. 

JR
Balashi beer in Aruba
Flavor to savor when in Aruba! Balashi beer. Happy travels.
Subscribe today to get the latest reviews, tips and tricks to help you have your best adventure ever.

0 Comments

Top Trending Adventure Trips for 2017 from Backroads

12/26/2016

3 Comments

 
Backroads travel on the Danube River, biking tour rest stops with snacks
A roadside rest stop -- with wines, beers and sweets -- is just one of the treats you can expect when you travel with Backroads.
By John Roberts   

With a new year here, we're set to plan our next adventures. Backroads, the world's leading active-travel company, is up to the task. It has revealed its top trending trips for active travel in 2017.  

Backroads says the top trending destinations that it's guests have booked include the Dalmatian Coast, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the U.S. National Parks. Additionally, the "Active River Cruise" category continues to expand and grow in popularity. 
 
Backroads Family Adventures -- one of the company's fastest-growing segments -- is seeing tremendous interest, with families booking travel to top destinations like Alaska; Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.  
 
I traveled with Backroads on a biking river cruise along the Danube River with AmaWaterways in 2016, and it was an amazing trip. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. The best part is going on the adventure with other travelers who also enjoy fitness and active exploration. I can't recommend this type of trip enough. If you're considering an adventure experience in 2017, you might want to act fast.  

Backroads says its tours get booked up quickly and has released a list of some of the most popular for the coming year. 
 
Backroads Top-Selling 2017 Trips 
Iceland Multisport Adventure Tour: Exploration at the Edge of the Arctic Circle 
Danube Cycling Sensation River Cruise Bike Tour:  
Prague to Budapest through the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary 
(This is the one I did! There I am riding in Austria.) 
Backroads biking tour in Austria
You see plenty of countryside when biking with Backroads in Europe and elsewhere around the world. The company also offers multisport, hiking, walking, family and private tours.
New Zealand Bike Tour and New Zealand Walking and Hiking Tour: South Island Splendor 
Costa Rica Multisport Adventure Tour: From Highlands and Rainforests to the Nicoya Peninsula Beaches  
Vietnam and Cambodia Bike Tour: Old Indochina from Hanoi to Angkor Wat 
 
"Now is the time to make a New Year's resolution to get out and explore the world actively," said Backroads Founder and President, Tom Hale. "2017 is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for Backroads. We're seeing strong growth in our family business -- on both Family Adventures for families with teens and kids of all ages, and on Family Breakaway Trips for families with older teens and 20-somethings. Greater Europe is also still strong, and our Private and North America trips are selling better than ever." 
 
Yes, he said private trips. Backroads offers adventures in a Private Trip category.  

You can book an exclusive Backroads tour with just friends or family and go anywhere in the world where Backroads features trips. When 10 or more people book a private trip, tyou can get a big price break. Plus, you'll be traveling with a cool group of people you already know and love. You can save an average of $300 per person compared with signing up individually on a scheduled departure. In addition, the more people who join the private trip, the bigger the savings for the entire group. In 2017, Backroads Taste of Camino de Santiago Walking and Hiking Tour in Spain and Portugal is trending as the top Private Trip. 
 
New Backroads trips in 2017 include a heli-hiking adventure in the Canadian Rockies, biking in New York's Hudson Valley, an Adirondacks Multisport adventure, an Arizona Walking and Hiking or Biking tour, and a leisurely Napa Valley Bike tour.

Hope to see you next year -- out there on the roads, trails and waterways pursuing your adventures with smiles on your faces.


Happy travels! 

JR
Backroads river cruise bike tour on the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary
My Backroads biking tour ended in the city of Budapest, Hungary. We had a wonderful week of riding and bonding with fellow adventure-seekers.
Subscribe today to get the latest reviews, tips and tricks to help you have your best adventure ever.

3 Comments

Holland America's New Explorations Central Program                 Aims to Give Cruise Passengers More Vivid Look at Destinations

12/19/2016

0 Comments

 
Holland America Line MS Westerdam
The EXC shipboard center will debut on HAL's Westerdam in April after a scheduled dry dock.
By John Roberts   

Holland America will launch a new concept to help its cruise passengers get a more in-depth look at the destinations they visit during their voyages. Explorations Central, or EXC, is a multifaceted experience that combines travel resources and enrichment programming in an effort to give cruisers an engaging, immersive and meaningful travel experience. 

The Crow's Nest, the line's panoramic lounge and bar area at the top of HAL ships, will be transformed on some vessels to create the new Explorations Central venues. Programming for the EXC resource and engagement centers begins in early 2017 and will roll out across the entire fleet by the end of the year. The EXC shipboard center will debut on HAL's Westerdam in April after a scheduled dry dock. The EXC program is scheduled to expand across the rest of the fleet through 2018. 
 
"Explorations Central is revolutionizing the way we deliver destinations to our guests, and it's going to profoundly change how our guests are immersed in the history, culture and cuisine of the places we visit," said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line'se president. "Those who see the world better understand the world; and when we better understand the world we can gain insights into ourselves and personally experience the transformative effects of travel. EXC is going to show our guests the world in a whole new way and enable them to engage in truly meaningful experiences."
 
Picture
Picture
Explorations Central space / renderings courtesy of Holland America Line
As the centerpiece for interactive discovery, Explorations Central will allow cruisers to relax and immerse themselves, whether by collecting information about a port or indulging in a cup of espresso at the coffee bar, HAL says. 
 
In-depth content will showcase digital storytelling and interactive video experiences on subjects ranging from travel and food to the arts. In an industry first, EXC will feature a virtual ship's bridge where real-time data from the ship's actual bridge reveals the cruise experience to passengers from a unique vantage point. 
 
Also being introduced is a dedicated EXC Team that will bring culture and history onboard with customized guidance for each destination. Passengers can seek advice from the EXC guides about the best tours, most popular sites and where to go to feel like a local. This way, each destination can be explored to its fullest. These specially trained experts shape the story of each journey by providing informative talks, fielding questions and leading encounters in each destination. 
 
EXC Talks by the guides bring each locale to life by digging deeper, beyond facts and figures. You can learn customs, hear interesting tales and gain extensive insight into each port of call. 
 
Through EXC Encounters, cultural representatives come onboard before the ship reaches the next destination to preview the upcoming adventures. You might learn how to play the steel drums from a Trinidadian, make a flower lei with a native Hawaiian or create a sense of balance and serenity every morning in a class led by a master tai chi instructor. EXC Encounters also include informal small-group gatherings hosted by the guides. These feature language and cultural etiquette lessons, hands-on discovery of local items and products, participatory programs covering music and dance and storytelling sessions. 
 
To ensure guests are prepared to go ashore, online EXC Port Guides using tips and information from AFAR Media provide exclusive handbooks for each destination. Cruisers can create a personalized journey based on their interests in a variety of subjects. Rather explore on your own? Printed EXC Port Maps present a simple view of the best each port has to offer by highlighting the key points in each destination that can easily be explored during your time in port. Tips and suggestions will be included from shipboard crew who have visited the port several times before. 
 
Completing the new onboard offerings, stateroom televisions also become a portal to the world through the EXC Channel featuring a selection of curated films, documentaries and TV shows exploring destinations on the ship'
s itinerary.
​

Subscribe today to get the latest reviews, tips and tricks to help you have your best adventure ever.

0 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Africa
    AIDA Cruises
    Alaska
    Albatros Expeditions
    Alicante
    AmaWaterways
    Amber Cove
    American Queen Steamboat Company
    American Queen Voyages
    Amsterdam
    Antarctica
    Antigua
    Arctic
    Arizona
    Aruba
    Asia
    Atlas Ocean Voyages
    Australia
    Austria
    Avalon Waterways
    Backroads
    Bahamas
    Barbados
    Barcelona
    Belize
    Blue World Voyages
    Bonaire
    Bora Bora
    Brooklyn
    Budapest
    Burma
    Cabo San Lucas
    Cadiz
    California
    Cambodia
    Cancun
    Caribbean
    Carnival Cruise
    Celebrity Cruises
    Celestyal Cruises
    Christmas Markets
    Cologne
    Colombia
    Colorado
    Corfu
    Costa Rica
    Cozumel
    Craft Beer
    Croatia
    Crystal Cruises
    Cuba
    Curacao
    Dominican Republic
    Dubrovnik
    Egypt
    Emerald Cruises
    Emerald Waterways
    Europe
    Expat Life
    Explora Journeys
    Fathom Travel
    Fitness
    Florida
    Fort Lauderdale
    France
    French Polynesia
    Galapagos
    Galveston
    Germany
    Grand Cayman
    Greece
    Grenada
    Guatemala
    Halifax
    Harmony Of The Seas
    Hawaii
    High Line Park
    Hiking
    Holland America
    Hong Kong
    Houston
    Hungary
    Ibiza
    Iceland
    Isla Mujeres
    Italy
    Jim Thorpe
    Key West
    Kotor
    Labadee
    Lake Minnewaska
    Las Vegas
    Lisbon
    Lithuania
    London
    London Eye
    Maine
    Malaga
    Mexico
    Miami
    Minnesota
    Mississippi River
    Monte Carlo
    Montenegro
    Monterey
    Montreal
    Moorea
    MSC Cruises
    MSC Divina
    Netherlands
    Newfoundland
    New Jersey
    New Orleans
    New York
    New York City
    New Zealand
    North Carolina
    Norway
    Norwegian Cruise Line
    Nuremberg
    Oceania Cruises
    Oregon
    Orlando
    Panama
    Panama Canal
    Passau
    Paul Gauguin
    Paul Gauguin Cruises
    Pennsylvania
    Philadelphia
    Pickleball
    Ponant
    Portugal
    Prague
    Princess Cruises
    Puerto-rico
    Queens
    Regensburg
    Regent Seven Seas
    Rome
    Royal Caribbean
    Saint-Tropez
    San Francisco
    Santorini
    Scenic Cruises
    Scottsdale
    Seabourn
    SeaDream Yacht Club
    Sicily
    Silversea
    Sintra
    Sorrento
    Spain
    Star Clippers
    St. Maarten
    St. Thomas
    Symphony Of The Seas
    Tahiti
    Travel Gear
    Travel Tips
    Tunisia
    Turkey
    Turks And Caicos
    UnCruise
    Un-Cruise Adventures
    UnCruise Adventures
    Universal's Islands Of Adventure
    Uniworld
    Utah
    Utica
    Utica Boilermaker 15K
    Vienna
    Vietnam
    Viking Cruises
    Washington
    Windstar Cruises
    Wisconsin

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2013 | All rights reserved | Ewing, New Jersey.
Contact | About | Media Kit