Aruba is super casual—leave the fancy clothes at home!  One of the things I love most about the island is how laid-back it is.  You can go straight from the beach to dinner and still look totally appropriate (at some places).

Swimsuits with cover-ups are completely acceptable at beach bars, and you’ll see plenty of people dressed this way.

Pro Tip:

Bring less than you think—you won’t wear half of it! If you’re going to pack extras of anything, let it be swimsuits and cover-ups.

For women, sundresses, capris, shorts, tanks, and cute tops are perfect for just about any occasion.  Toss in a light jacket, sweater, or wrap for dinner in case you run cold or get a bit too much sun.

Casual sandals, wedges, or even flip-flops work great.

For men, shorts or lightweight pants with a short-sleeved shirt—collared or not—are totally normal.  Flip-flops, sandals, or tennis shoes are all fine, too. To my knowledge, no restaurants in Aruba require men to wear pants.

If you’re staying in an private vacation rental, try to find one with a washer and dryer so you can pack even lighter!  And if not, no worries—there are laundromats all over the island.  If you’ve rented a car (which I highly recommend), doing a quick load of laundry is easy.