Family trip guide

Aruba 2026

November 19-26, 2026 at La Cabana Beach Resort, Eagle Beach

7 travelers 3 resort units One Happy Island
Access on mobile Pre-trip checklist

Master list

At a glance

Travel dates

Thu Nov 19 - Thu Nov 26

Everyone flies home Thursday, Nov 26. No extra overnight stay is planned.

Home base

La Cabana Beach Resort

J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 250, Eagle Beach, Aruba. Each unit has a full-size refrigerator.

Travel party

Andy, Sara, Rachel, Evelyn, Maria, Joyce, David

Three family groups arriving through Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA).

Expected weather

Warm, breezy, brief showers

Official Aruba averages for November: 82°F and about 3.5 inches of rain, with cooling trade winds.

Before departure

Do these first

  1. 1
    Check passports and flight names. Bring a valid passport, return ticket details, and resort address.
  2. 2
    Complete the official Aruba ED Card. It opens within 7 days before arrival, so begin Thursday, Nov 12, 2026. Use the official link only: edcardaruba.aw.
  3. 3
    Download airline apps. United group: United app. Joyce and David: American Airlines app.
  4. 4
    Pack medicine, sunscreen, and easy airport items. Aruba recommends bringing extra prescription medicine because exact local availability cannot be guaranteed.
  5. 5
    Plan a Superfoods grocery run on arrival day. Stock the full-size refrigerators with fruit, water, liquids, beverages, adult beverages, snacks, and easy breakfast items for the week.

Confirmed schedule

Week plan

Activities and dinners are not booked yet, so open days are intentionally marked open.

Arrival day

United group departs IAD at 8:15 AM and arrives AUA at 1:40 PM. Joyce and David arrive AUA at 4:38 PM through CLT. La Cabana Thursday units open. Once bags, van, and check-in are settled, plan a Superfoods grocery run to stock the units.

Maria's unit opens

Maria stays with Andy and Sara Thursday night, then moves into 0237A Friday morning when the Friday unit opens.

The Flying Fishbone — 4:00 PM

Confirmed feet-in-the-water reservation for 7 (5 adults + 2 children). Plan ~25 minutes driving from the resort to Savaneta — aim to leave by 3:15 PM. Reconfirm upon arrival at +297 584 2506.

Open family day

Good candidate for a low-lift local outing if the group wants one.

Open family day

Optional nature, beach, or culture day from the activity menu below.

Open family day

No confirmed plan yet. Keep one unscheduled day for rest and weather flexibility.

Last full day

Pack a little before dinner. Confirm airport and rental van timing for Thursday.

Everyone flies home

Thursday units check out. Joyce and David depart AUA at 1:40 PM. United group departs AUA at 5:35 PM. Maria flies home with the United group.

Resort home base

Units and arrival notes

4th floor

0431B + 0431C

Connected one bedroom garden side plus studio garden.

Check-in
Thu Nov 19
Check-out
Thu Nov 26
Guests
Roszak family

3rd floor

0329A

One bedroom garden side.

Check-in
Thu Nov 19
Check-out
Thu Nov 26
Guests
Joyce + David

2nd floor

0237A

One bedroom garden side.

Check-in
Fri Nov 20
Resort calendar
Ends Fri Nov 27
Guest
Maria

Travel note: Maria still flies home Thursday, Nov 26 with everyone else.

La Cabana Beach Resort property map
Property map from La Cabana. Open this section on a phone or print it for arrival day.

Flight information

Air travel

All flight times are shown as local airport times. Confirmation numbers are intentionally left out of this family page.

United Airlines

Andy, Sara, Rachel, Evelyn, Maria

Outbound - Thu Nov 19

UA 1203: IAD 8:15 AM → AUA 1:40 PM

Nonstop, Boeing 737-900.

Seats: Andy 14C, Sara 14F, Maria 14E, Rachel 14B, Evelyn 14D.

Return - Thu Nov 26

UA 1648: AUA 5:35 PM → IAD 9:10 PM

Nonstop, Boeing 737-900.

Seats: Andy 15C, Sara 15F, Maria 15D, Rachel 15B, Evelyn 15E.

American Airlines

Joyce + David

Outbound - Thu Nov 19

AA 5104: SBN 6:00 AM → CLT 8:11 AM

PSA/American Eagle. Seats: 17D, 17F.

AA 616: CLT 11:20 AM → AUA 4:38 PM

Seats: 15E, 15F.

Return - Thu Nov 26

AA 872: AUA 1:40 PM → CLT 5:07 PM

Seats: 22B, 22A.

AA 5240: CLT 8:45 PM → SBN 10:50 PM

PSA/American Eagle. Seats: 17D, 17F.

Food and drinks

Make these happen

The Flying Fishbone is booked. The other favorites are still wish-list items that need a quick current-hours check closer to the trip.

Confirmed reservation

The Flying Fishbone

Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 4:00 PM. Feet-in-the-water table confirmed for 5 adults + 2 children.

  • ~25 minutes by car from the resort to Savaneta — leave by ~3:15 PM.
  • Reconfirm upon arrival at +297 584 2506. Table held 25 minutes past reservation time.
  • Cancellations must be by email to bookings@flyingfishbone.com.
Flying Fishbone reservation page

Favorite stop

The Ritz-Carlton Aruba

Past favorite for happy hour or drinks. Current public dining options include Madero Pool & Beach Grill and Noori Sushi Lounge; exact happy-hour timing should be confirmed close to travel.

Marriott option

Aruba Marriott / Atardi

Atardi is the beachfront seafood restaurant at Aruba Marriott. Aruba.com recommends 6-7 PM reservations for sunset dining.

Confirm name

Possible match: Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill

This may be the green/blue/white place you were thinking of. It is on Palm Beach Pier between the RIU and Hilton, with daily happy hours listed by Aruba.com. Andy/Sara should confirm before sharing as a plan.

Arrival day

Superfoods grocery run

After arrival, make a practical stock-up run for fruit, liquids, beverages, adult beverages, snacks, and easy staples for the week.

Activities

Ideas menu, not reservations

No booked activities or excursions are confirmed yet. These are Aruba-sourced options the family can choose from later.

Easy

Eagle Beach day

La Cabana is already at Eagle Beach, so this is the simplest plan: beach, pool, shade, repeat.

Kid-friendly

Baby Beach

Known for shallow, calm water. Good candidate for a family day if the group wants a scenic drive.

Nature

Arikok National Park

Official Aruba guidance calls out caves, local wildlife, and rugged landscapes. Consider accessibility before booking.

Family

Butterfly Farm or Donkey Sanctuary

Gentler outing options for mixed ages and kids, with less beach gear involved.

Culture

Oranjestad + Fort Zoutman

A manageable history stop with pastel architecture, shops, and museum time.

Art

San Nicolas murals

Colorful street art and a different side of the island if the group wants a non-beach outing.

Local information

Know before you go

Entry to Aruba

Every traveler, including children, must complete the official ED Card before arrival. Aruba currently lists a $20 sustainability fee for air arrivals.

Money

The Aruban florin is the official currency, and the U.S. dollar is widely accepted throughout the island.

Driving

Aruba drives on the right. Speed signs are in km/h. Cars already in a roundabout have right of way.

Airport return

Aruba Airport currently says access to the U.S. check-in terminal is limited to 3 hours before departure. Recheck this close to the trip.

Emergency numbers

Fire: 911. Police: 100. Ambulance: 582-1234. Hospital: 527-4000. Airport: 524-2424.

Language

Dutch and Papiamento are official languages. English and Spanish are widely spoken. Try "bon dia" for good morning and "ayo" for goodbye.

Eagle Beach, Aruba

Weather — live & November outlook

Current conditions update every time you load the page. November climate averages are based on Aruba's historical norms — the island sits outside the hurricane belt and stays warm year-round.

Right now in Aruba
Loading current conditions…
82°FNovember average high
3.5 inNovember avg. rainfall
Trade windscooling breeze year-round

Island history and trivia

A little One Happy Island flavor

Long before beach resorts

Aruba's first known inhabitants were the Archaic people, followed later by the Caquetio people from the mainland. Rock drawings can still be seen at Fontein Cave and Ayo Rock Formation.

Spanish, Dutch, British, Dutch again

Aruba came under Spanish rule, then Dutch control in 1636. The British held Aruba from 1806 to 1816 before it returned to Dutch authority.

Aloe, gold, oil, tourism

Aruba's economy moved through gold, phosphate, aloe, and oil before tourism became the island's largest industry.

Status Aparte

In 1986, Aruba became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The island handles internal affairs while the Kingdom manages foreign affairs and defense.

Fast fact: Aruba is about 70 square miles and sits in the Southern Caribbean.

Language fact: Papiamento became an official Aruban language alongside Dutch on March 19, 2003.

Beach fact: Aruba has more than 20 public beaches and coves, from calm family bays to windier wild shores.

For phones and tablets

Access this page on your mobile device

Open the link Andy or Sara sends on your phone. Then use your browser's share button to bookmark it, add it to your home screen, or send it to another family member.

On iPhone: tap Share, then Add to Home Screen or Bookmark.

On Android: tap the menu, then Add to Home screen or Bookmark.

For printing: use the Print this page button near the top.

Sources and open items

What is confirmed, and what still needs a human

Confirmed trip details

Resort units, guests, flights, seats, rental van, resort address, and resort contact are included from the family trip plan.

Still to decide

Pick any other activities, confirm the Ritz/Marriott happy-hour stops, identify the green/blue/white place, and verify rental van coverage preferences. (The Flying Fishbone is booked for Sat, Nov 21 at 4:00 PM.)