If you’re looking for the best Instagram spots in Curaçao, this island makes it really easy to come home with a full camera roll. I’d pull over for one view, take a few photos, then do it again ten minutes later because something else caught my eye. Between the colorful buildings, bright blue water, and random stops along the road, I kept finding good shots without even trying.
I started in Willemstad and immediately pulled my phone out because the buildings were exactly what I pictured—bright, stacked, right along the water. I walked over to the Otrobanda side and turned back toward Punda, which is the angle everyone uses, and it made sense as soon as I saw it.
I kept walking around after that and found more photo spots just by turning corners, especially once the light started changing later in the day. If you want more exact stops, check out my guide on Willemstad Walking Guide: What to See, Do, and Eat.
I walked across the Queen Emma Bridge next and stopped halfway through because the view lined up perfectly with the buildings behind me. It’s a floating bridge, so it shifts slightly while you’re on it, which made the photos feel a little different than a normal walkway.
I took photos from both sides after crossing since the angle changes depending on where you stand, and I ended up liking both directions for different reasons.
I drove west to Playa Kenepa Grandi, parked, and walked over to the overlook to get that iconic cliffside shot with the bright blue water below. The water was that unreal bright blue you see in photos, and it actually looked like that in person.
I grabbed a few shots from the top, then went down to the beach after because at that point I was getting in the water no matter what. If you’re planning your beach days, I break this area down more in Best Beaches in Curaçao (with Map + Tips).
I stopped at Playa Kalki and set up near the cliffs, then got in to snorkel before coming back out to take photos. The rocks and the way the beach curves made the photos look different from the others I had already taken.
It also wasn’t packed, so I didn’t have to work around people in the background, which made everything easier to shoot without waiting around.
I took photos from the top first, then went down after to snorkel since that was really why I came to this beach. If you want more details on this spot, see my full Directors Bay Curaçao Snorkeling Guide + Tips.
I drove over to Playa Forti and walked straight to the edge where people were cliff jumping. I didn’t jump, but Brad decided to brave the 40-foot jump, so we stood there watching people go for it and got some really good shots from the top before it was his turn.
You may not want to grab the screenshot of you mid-jump though (not exactly your best angle ha). We grabbed lunch at the restaurant right there after, and Brad earned that meal—honestly, the stress of me watching everyone else was enough for me to earn mine too.
We made a quick stop at Santa Martha Bay Viewpoint and pulled over as soon as the view opened up. It overlooks a wide bay with hills around it, and it felt a little calmer than the other beaches.
We got there closer to sunset, so the lighting was changing while I was there and the view looked different within a few minutes.
I got in the water at a few different beaches and ended up liking those photos just as much as the actual locations. The water is so clear that even simple floating shots looked good on camera.
I started going out earlier in the day for better lighting, then timed a few places around sunset after seeing how much it changed the colors. I wore water shoes most days since some of the beaches were rocky, and that made it easier to move around without thinking about where I was stepping. Although, I would take them off for photos if it wasn't too rocky.
I kept my plans loose and pulled over anytime something looked good, which is how I found a few of my favorite photo spots. If you’re planning your trip overall, I’d look at Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors to map things out.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
I’d go into this with a plan and hit these spots first because they’re the ones that consistently gave me the best photos. I still pulled over a few extra times when something caught my eye, but these are the places you’ll be glad you added to your agenda.
A hotel that’s also a free 24-hour contemporary art museum penguins included. We booked a Corner Suite at 21c and it was massive: separate bedroom, living room, dining area, 699 square feet to spread out in. The bathroom alone had a double vanity and custom Rookwood Pottery tile that made getting ready weirdly entertaining.
The location is downtown, two minutes from Fountain Square, walkable to Boca for dinner, and close enough to hop the free streetcar into Over-the-Rhine. If OTR is where most of your plans are, you might want to stay closer to that neighborhood instead downtown worked for us, but we spent more time in OTR than we expected to.
And yes, there’s a recycled-plastic penguin sculpture that will absolutely scare you the first time you open your door and forget it’s there. Link in bio for the full review rooms, parking, walkability, and everything else before you book 🎨
Three neighborhoods, one streetcar, and more Cincinnati specialties than I could finish in one afternoon.
We hit a goetta breakfast sandwich, chocolate chip ice cream from a shop that’s been at it since 1870, a Liège waffle that earned its Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spot, and Cincinnati chili the way it’s actually meant to be eaten... over a hot dog, buried in shredded cheddar.
$75 got us three and a half hours, a local guide, free streetcar rides, and a genuinely full stomach. Don’t eat breakfast before this one, the portions add up fast.
My third Secret Food Tour in my third city, and it’s still undefeated.
Link in bio for the full review cost, route, parking, and every stop we hit 🥟🌶️
13 creek crossings, a canyon that keeps closing in around you, and a hike I’d genuinely put back on my itinerary, West Fork Trail was the one.
We got to Call of the Canyon at 7:15am and the lot was barely a quarter full. By 12:30 it was 85% full, so if there’s one tip that matters most, it’s this: go early.
The maintained trail is 6.6 miles round trip, mostly flat, mostly shaded, but I kept my regular tennis shoes dry the whole way by hopping across the rocks at each crossing. It’s rated moderate, and honestly that’s about the distance, not the terrain.
Here’s what nobody tells you though ✨ the maintained trail isn’t the end. We changed into water shoes at the official endpoint and kept going another mile straight through the creek, canyon walls narrowing around us the whole time. That extra mile ended up being my favorite part of the entire hike.
5/5 for me. I’d bring the water shoes again in a heartbeat.
Link in bio for the full guide parking, timing, what to pack, and everything I wish I knew before I went 🥾
Two hours, zero regrets. The Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour is hands down one of the most fun things we did in Sedona.
Open-air Jeeps crawling over slickrock, backcountry views you can’t reach on your own, and the famous Road of No Return, steep, thrilling, and somehow completely safe the whole way down.
If you’re picking one paid activity in Sedona, make it this one.
You have to do @pinkjeeptours 🌵🚙 Link in bio for the full review.
Dinner beside Oak Creek at Cress, and yes, it’s a splurge, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.🤍
Candlelit tables under the trees, the creek running right beside us, a menu that mixes Arizona ingredients with French technique. We ordered a little of everything: the squash and beet salad, milk rolls with three different butters, sweet potato gnocchi that somehow felt light instead of heavy. Then two desserts because we couldn’t decide. The Vanilla Crème Caramel with Manchego cheese completely stole the show, salty and sweet in a way that sounds strange until you taste it.
Plan on $100–250 for two depending on what you order, and this isn’t the spot for a quick casual dinner, it’s slow, intentional, and worth every minute. Book ahead and ask for a creekside table if you can.
If you’re looking for one unforgettable meal in Sedona, this is it. Link in bio for the full review 🍽️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
