After exploring around the island, we liked to end our day with a delicious dinner. We found that most of our favorite dinners ended up being in Willemstad.
By the time we sat down for dinner, I was already thinking about what we were ordering and whether we accidentally needed two appetizers (we did).
It helped that we already had reservations and had our spots picked out ahead of time, because these are popular restaurants and fill up fast. Renting a car also made it easy since we could go where we wanted and weren’t stuck in one spot on the island—I usually find the best deals with Discover Cars.
If you want a full day in Willemstad, check out my blog Willemstad Walking Guide: What to See, Do, and Eat—it makes it easier to picture where you’ll actually be throughout the day.
We sat down here already hungry (as I usually am), ordered a mix of dishes to share, and everything that came out just worked.
MosaCaña Bar & Kitchen ended up being my favorite dinner of the entire trip. The menu is creative, and every plate felt like it belonged together.
This is the one I would go back to first without even thinking about it. If you’re picking one dinner in Willemstad, this is the easiest decision.
If you want more details on what we ordered, see my full review of MosaCaña Curaçao Review (Dinner + Atmosphere).
We went here for dinner wanting something a little nicer, and it felt like a step up right away—from the space to how everything came out.
Kome is more of a fine dining spot, but it doesn’t feel formal or uncomfortable, and the space has a more artsy feel to it. The menu changes frequently, which I liked, and everything we ordered had a lot of flavor and came out looking polished without feeling over the top.
This is a good option if you want a nicer dinner that still feels easy to sit down and enjoy, casual dining meets creative food.
The drive up here sets the tone—you’re heading uphill, away from the city, and then suddenly you’re looking out over all of Willemstad.
Fort Nassau is where you go for the view. It overlooks the city, and once you’re seated, it’s hard not to keep looking out instead of at your plate.
The food was really good, but the setting is what makes this one stand out. The dishes and drinks felt a little more playful (I stuck with mocktails), and it’s one of those dinners that feels more like an experience than just a meal.
It’s a short taxi or drive from Willemstad, which makes it easy to work into your plans without rearranging your whole day.
If you’re planning this as a sunset dinner make sure to get reservations in advance.
We ended up here wanting something different from a traditional sit-down dinner, and the format makes that easy.
SOi95 leans into Asian-inspired dishes with a shared dining setup, so everything comes out in smaller portions. It gives you room to try a few things without committing to one main (which I always prefer because I want to try everything).
Everything we ordered had a lot of flavor and came out looking just as good as it tasted. This feels more like a fun night out than a standard dinner reservation.
After getting into town, checking in, and walking around a bit, this is the kind of place that works without requiring any planning.
De Gouverneur sits right in the middle of everything, which makes it easy to find when you’re still figuring out the layout of the city.
It’s a solid, straightforward dinner option that doesn’t require a reservation strategy (although I am type A so I did have a reservation)—just a good place to land on your first night.
These came up constantly while planning and researching, and they’re the ones I’d prioritize next time.
Rozendaels Original Cuisine focuses on Caribbean flavors with a more elevated approach. This would be a good option if you want something a little more traditional but still refined.
The Wine Cellar leans into classic fine dining with a strong wine focus. This feels like more of a date-night dinner.
Ginger blends Caribbean and Asian flavors. If you liked the idea of SOi95, this looks like a similar direction with a different take.
BijBlauw sits right along the water. This would be a good option for lunch or dinner if you want something scenic without it feeling too formal.
Plein Café Wilhelmina felt limited in options (for breakfast), and there are better places nearby that are more worth your time.
If you’re planning breakfast in Willemstad, I’d look elsewhere.
Dinner ended up being the main event each day, so this is how I’d structure it based on what we did.
One night at MosaCaña or Kome gives you a strong starting point for dinner. Adding Fort Nassau as your one “experience” dinner brings in something different with the view and setting.
Breakfast in Willemstad didn’t feel as strong overall, so grabbing something quick nearby or planning a bigger breakfast elsewhere on the island worked better for us.
If you want more ideas outside the city, check out my guide on Best Restaurants in Curaçao (Where to Eat + What to Order).
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
Willemstad ended up being one of the best areas to eat on the island. The variety is there, the quality is there, and once you have a plan, it takes the guesswork out of deciding where to go at the end of the day.
If you’re figuring out where to stay nearby, you can find hotels in the area here—it helps to be close enough to walk or take a quick taxi to dinner.
And if you want to see how this all fits into your trip, learn more in my post about Curaçao 7 Day Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Curaçao.
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Here’s what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Café Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davie’s Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (it’s not ketchup, and it’s better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what I’d skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
There’s a version of Gatlinburg that’s all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then there’s the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Here’s everything worth doing downtown, in the order I’d do it: 🏔️
✨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
✨ Walk the strip mid-morning when it’s still manageable
✨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: don’t skip it)
✨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
✨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isn’t your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. It’s more of a “here’s what I’d actually do if I had one solid day” kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. 🔗
If someone told me I’d spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. 😅
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and it’s one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it — longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
✨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
✨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
✨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
✨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. 🔗
I walked into Goo Goo Cluster in downtown Gatlinburg thinking I’d spend five minutes and leave with a small piece of candy. I was wrong on both counts. 😅
You build your own chocolate cluster at a kiosk: caramel, sea salt, pretzels, cocoa pebbles, you name it, and then watch them make it right in front of you. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and costs $15.
The caveat? This is not a snack. This is a full-size brick of chocolate that I was still eating two days later.
If you’re already walking the Gatlinburg strip, this is an easy yes. Especially if you have absolutely no self-control around caramel. (Asking for a friend.) Full experience breakdown linked in bio. 🔗
Your Knoxville Airport survival guide, from someone who’s flown through TYS 100+ times is now up on my blog🛫
Parking, TSA wait times, where to grab food before your flight, rental cars, all of it, from someone who actually knows this airport. No guessing, no googling at the last minute.
TYS is small, easy to navigate, and honestly one of the less stressful airports I’ve been through. You just need to know a few things going in.
Full guide linked in bio. 🔗
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