Known as "Low-Rise area" for its low-to-the-groundhotelsand timeshares, northwestern Eagle Beach is one of the island's top shores by default – you're probably staying nearby. Convenience aside, Eagle Beach truly is one of the best places to spend a day in Aruba. 

Some vacationers like their water for swimming, not sporting. If this is you, ditch the "Low-Rise area" at Eagle Beach and try the more tranquil turquoise waters along Palm Beach, located just above Eagle Beach on Aruba's western coast. You'll have fewer Jet Skis and wakeboarders to avoid as you wade in

The Hyatt Regency Casino has 13 gaming tables, 221 slot machines and 19 video poker machines. In other words, gamblers beware; this casino has plenty of opportunities for you to win – or lose – some money. The gaming floor is part of the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino along Palm Beach,

Aruban rattlesnakes, parakeets and whiptail lizards make their home in the Arikok National Park, as do numerous iguanas, goats, donkeys and migratory birds. So, if you don't like animals, stay clear of Aruba's southeastern quadrant, which is dominated by this ecological preserve and extremely popular tourist stop.

Did you know that ostriches lay the largest eggs of any bird species? Or that they only have two toes per foot? You can learn all kinds of fascinating – and trivial – facts of this sort during a day at the Aruba Ostrich Farm on the island's eastern coast.

This colorful attraction in Oranjestad boasts hundreds of exotic butterflies from around the world, from blue morphos from South America to longwings and monarchs from the Caribbean. Visitors are encouraged to take a 20-minute guided tour, which are offered all day, to learn about the evolutionary cycle of butterflies.

Located near Aruba's northwestern tip, just past the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Hadicurari Beach's strong winds beckon to windsurfers and kiteboarders. You'll know you're at the right place when you see beach shacks dotting a pebbly coastline; the beach here is nicknamed "Fisherman's Huts" for that very reason.

Get ready to be overwhelmed with cute: the Donkey Sanctuary Aruba is a nonprofit organization devoted to saving the island's donkeys and educating locals and tourists on their care. Donkeys used to be the main form of transportation on the island; now many of them are sick and injured. The

Not everyone likes to stay camped out on a Caribbean beach, shopping in a duty-free store or diving deep to a bygone shipwreck. If this is you, visit the Ayo and Casibari Rock Formations, a cluster of cacti, boulders and hiking trails located in eastern Aruba.

Named after a British steamship that wrecked just offshore near the end of the 19th century, the California Lighthouse is one of the most popular sightseeing stops in Aruba. Unfortunately, recent travelers say it's also one of the most overrated; however, experts and other travelers do agree that the view

The SS Pedernales was a World War II lake tanker that was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat en route to a refinery on Aruba. The center portion of the vessel still remains submerged off the shore ofPalm Beach, approximately 25 feet below sea level. Skilled divers might be

Aruba has the remedy for the overhyped, overcrowded sprawl you might be experiencing along Eagle or Palm beaches. Take a trip southeast to San Nicolas and Baby Beach, a popular shore for Arubans due to its shallow waters and easy waves, which makes it great for kids.