When you’re ready for athletic action away from the ocean, stop at the Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadium in central Oranjestad, the island’s capital. It’s home to Aruba’s national soccer club. As in most countries outside the U.S., the sport is known as football here. The track surrounding the field is regularly used for youth events.
The Aruba national team was founded in 1932 and is today affiliated with the Caribbean Football Union, CONCACAF and FIFA. Check the schedule to see if the team will have a home match with other Caribbean football clubs, from St. Kitts and Nevis to the British Virgin Islands.
Explore the nearby attractions of Oranjestad, including pleasant Surfside Beach, a very swimmable beach in the city. It features a few enticing beach bars and provides close but not intrusive views of planes flying in and out of the airport.
Flamingo Beach is another interesting option not far from the stadium. The beach is technically private and affiliated with a resort on the separate island where the beach is located. Guests may purchase a day pass and take the resort shuttle to reach the beach, although children are allowed to visit only in the morning. Flamingoes stroll about the well-kept beach. If you’re seeking a quieter ambiance, head to family-friendly Iguana Beach on the same island to the southeast.
Also near the stadium, the Aruba Archaeological Museum is an educational way to spend several hours. The historic Ecury family home was renovated into a museum complex where visitors learn about Aruba’s Amerindian heritage through exhibits and film. Explore the oldest section, a cunucu house built in 1870 and inhabited from 1922 to 1937 by an Aruban war hero from World War II. The largest museum section is the newest, built in 1929, now housing valuable artifacts dating back to the pre-Ceramic period of 2500 BC.
Join local island residents for an exciting Aruba national soccer team match at the Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadium. If the team has an away game, watch the match at one of the sports bars in the surrounding Dakota neighborhood.
