If you’re planning a trip to Curaçao, this list of the best things to do in Curaçao will help you figure out what’s worth your time and what you can skip. The island is more spread out than people expect, so what you choose to do (and how you group things together) matters. This is based on what I did, what stood out, and what I’d make sure to include if I went back.
If you’re still figuring out your overall plan, check out my guide on how to structure your trip in my full Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors—it’ll help everything on this list make more sense.
If you’re flying in, I usually start with Skyscanner to compare options, then rent a car through DiscoverCars—you’ll need it here.
If you’re short on time, this is what I would prioritize:
That alone gives you a really well-rounded experience of the island.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
This is one of the best things to do in Curaçao.
The west side has the most beautiful beaches, and they’re all close enough to group together into one day.
If I had to pick a few:
You can easily turn this into a full day without feeling rushed.
If you want a more detailed route, timing, and what to expect at each stop, check out my full Best Beaches in Curaçao (with Map + Tips)—it makes planning this day a lot easier.
This is one of the most unique experiences on the island.
You will see sea turtles—but go early.
It gets crowded quickly, and there are usually a lot of people in the water. If you go first thing, it’s a much better experience (less chaotic, more turtles).
If you don’t want to figure it out on your own, you can book a guided option through GetYourGuide—they handle timing and gear, which helps if you’re not bringing your own.
I always bring my own snorkel mask and a quick-dry towel—those ended up being used almost every day.
This is the best snorkeling spot on the island.
There’s a shipwreck just offshore, and it’s easy to access without needing a boat. You’re basically right on top of it within a few minutes.
There’s a lot to see here—fish, eel, squid, the structure, and enough going on that you’re not just floating around hoping something swims by.
If you only snorkel in one place, this is the one to do.
For a full breakdown of what you’ll see (and exactly how to get to it), see my guide on Best Snorkeling in Curaçao: Top Spots You Can’t Miss.
Walking across the floating Queen Emma Bridge during the day, then coming back at night when everything is lit up—completely different experience.
During the day:
At night, it changes.
One of my favorite moments of the trip was walking around Willemstad at night under the bridge. It felt romantic, and there was a lot going on—locals out, live music, people just hanging out.
Punda and Pietermaai have:
It’s a completely different experience than during the day and worth doing both.
The food in Curaçao surprised me, in a good way!
If you’re planning dinners, these are worth prioritizing:
Make reservations ahead of time—some of these fill up.
If you want exactly what to order at each place, see my full Best Restaurants in Curaçao (Where to Eat + What to Order).
This is one of the easiest viewpoints to get to and one of the best on the island.
It’s a quick stop, but the view is worth it—especially if you’re already driving around the west side.
I’d time this for sunset if you can. We thought we’d be in and out, and ended up hanging there longer than planned.
Standing at the edge at Playa Forti and watching people jump is enough to either convince you to go for it or confirm you’re staying firmly on land. The jump is about 30–40 feet into clear water, and there’s usually a small crowd watching, so it turns into a bit of a scene. You can take your time deciding, watch a few people go first, or just hang back and enjoy it from the edge. There’s also a restaurant right there overlooking the water, which makes it an easy place to stop for lunch (and recover from questionable decisions).
This is one of the more rugged parts of the island.
You’ll see:
It’s a different experience from the beaches and worth adding if you want some variety.
If you prefer structured stops, you can book a guided visit through Viator so you don’t miss the main viewpoints.
This is the most effort-heavy thing on this list.
You’ll want to go early—it gets hot quickly.
The view at the top is one of the best on the island, but you’ll earn it (this is not a casual stroll).
Good shoes and water matter here more than anywhere else on this list.
This is a quick stop and easy to add to your day.
The flamingos are cool to see, but if you’re short on time, I wouldn’t prioritize this over beaches, snorkeling, or Willemstad.
It’s more of a “nice if you’re already passing by” stop.
If you want to mix exploring with relaxing, staying at a resort works well.
Or just browse Booking.com to find hotels near where you’ll be spending most of your time—that made our days a lot easier.
Mambo Beach.
It’s one of the most popular beaches—but it felt more mainstream and crowded than anywhere else we went.
If you’re looking for something more scenic or less commercial, I’d skip it.
Curaçao is an island where you can do a lot—but you don’t need to do everything to feel like you've seen Curacao.
If you focus on:
You’ll have a good trip without overpacking your days.
If you want to see how to organize all of this into a realistic schedule, learn more in my post about Curaçao 7 Day Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Curaçao.
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 🍽️
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