If you’re trying to figure out the best time to visit Curaçao, here’s the honest answer: there isn’t a bad time, but there is a better time depending on what you care about. I’ve gone during peak season and the “rainy” season, and they felt completely different in ways I didn’t expect. I went in thinking peak season would automatically win, and that’s not how it played out.
I checked the weather before both trips expecting big differences, and it stayed pretty consistent the entire time. Temperatures sat in the high 70s to mid 80s, and there was always a breeze when I was outside, which made a full beach day feel manageable instead of miserable.
I also planned both trips without worrying about hurricanes, since Curaçao sits outside the main hurricane belt. That alone made booking flights through Skyscanner feel a lot less like a gamble.
If you want a full breakdown of how to plan your trip around weather and logistics, check out my Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors.
I went in January expecting perfect weather every single day, and for the most part it was sunny and exactly what you picture. It did rain a little though, which I didn’t expect, but it passed quickly and didn’t affect anything I had planned.
I spent a lot of time in the water that trip, and that’s when I noticed the bigger difference. The ocean felt cooler than I thought it would, so I kept getting in and out instead of staying in for long stretches.
I rented a car for that trip and drove all over the island, which made it easy to switch beaches whenever I felt like it.
I spent most of that trip in the water, and this is where everything changed. The weather was hotter, so the ocean actually felt warm instead of slightly cool, and I stayed in way longer without even thinking about it (this alone sold me).
I kept my phone and essentials in a dry bag while I was swimming, so if it rained I didn’t have to worry about it and didn’t need to keep going back to my chair.
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I booked my November trip hoping for better prices, and it worked out exactly how I wanted. Hotels were cheaper, and I had way more flexibility instead of feeling like I needed to lock things in early.
I stayed in different areas across trips, and having more availability made it easier to try new places instead of just taking whatever was left. If you’re figuring that part out, see my Where to Stay in Curaçao (Best Areas + Hotels).
I traveled around in January and November, and neither trip felt packed, but January was definitely a little busier. It wasn’t enough to ruin anything, just something I noticed when comparing the two.
I planned one of my trips right after the holidays and made a mental note to avoid Christmas, New Year’s, and Spring Break next time. Those are the only times I’d expect it to feel noticeably crowded based on what I saw.
I went into this thinking peak season would be the obvious choice, and I ended up liking November more. The warmer water made a bigger difference than I expected, especially since most of my days revolved around the beach.
If you want slightly cooler temps and that peak-season feel, January through April makes sense. If you want hotter weather, warmer ocean water, fewer people, and better pricing, May through November lines up better.
I’d personally go back in November again without even debating it (I guess you could say I got tide to that timing).
I planned both trips around beach days, food, and moving around the island, and the weather stayed consistent enough that I didn’t have to stress about timing everything perfectly. That made the whole trip easier to plan compared to other Caribbean islands I’ve been to.
I spent most of my time in the water across both trips, and that’s what ended up deciding it for me. Warmer water just made everything better, and I didn’t expect that to be the thing that mattered most.
If you’re already planning out what you want to do, my Best Beaches in Curaçao (with Map + Tips) will help you narrow it down.
Four hours on a train through a canyon you can’t reach by car — such a fun experience! We picked the indoor seats with unlimited access to the open-air viewing car, which honestly felt like the only right call. You’re not stuck in an assigned seat the whole time we bounced between the two, snacks in hand, chasing the best light.
The scenery is the whole point. Red rock cliffs, the Verde River, a 734-foot tunnel, historic trestle bridges views most people visiting Sedona never see, because you literally can’t drive to them.
The charcuterie box that comes with your ticket is shockingly filling ✨ so skip lunch at the Copper Spike Café beforehand, save your appetite for dinner back in Sedona.
Four hours with no stops did start to feel long by the end, but the trade-off for scenery like this? Worth it.
Would I ride it again? Yes. Would I buy lunch first again? No.
Link in bio for the full review cost breakdown, what to pack, and exactly how early to arrive 🚂
I ate chilaquiles while a Cessna taxied past the window, and that’s just a normal Tuesday breakfast in Sedona.
@mesa_grill_sedona sits right beside the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, so along with your food you get red rock views stretching in every direction and a front-row seat to tiny planes lifting off. Chef Mercer Mohr runs the kitchen, serving up Southwestern comfort food from breakfast through dinner, chilaquiles, elevated diner classics, burgers, steaks, seafood, all of it.
The view is what pulls people in the door, but the food actually holds its own. Good enough that this place stays packed with locals, not just tourists passing through on their way to the lookout. It also picked up the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice and OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, so it’s not just me saying it.
Indoor seating if you want the AC, a pet-friendly patio if your dog’s along for the trip. Either way, get there before plane-spotting turns into a wait for a table.
Link in bio for the full Sedona breakfast roundup ✈️🌵
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
