Where to stay in Curaçao changes your entire trip more than I expected. I stayed in different areas, and each one felt like a completely different version of the island. If you pick the right base, everything else gets easier.
We stayed in Willemstad, and I noticed it the first night when we went out to dinner. We parked once, walked to dinner, grabbed drinks after, and didn’t get back in the car.
We kept doing the same routine every night—park, walk, eat, repeat—and I didn’t mind it once. Parking wasn’t perfect, but we always found something, and once the car was there, we didn’t touch it again.
At night, this area actually has great energy, especially around Punda and Pietermaai. If you like going out to dinner and not thinking about logistics after, this setup works.
If you want a full breakdown of how to plan your days around this area, check out my Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors.
We drove through Jan Thiel and it immediately felt more put together and a little quieter. There were beach clubs, restaurants, and places to hang out, but it didn’t have the same late-night energy as Willemstad or Mambo.
Bars here usually wind down around midnight, so nights felt earlier. It leaned more relaxed and a little more “Dutch” compared to other areas, which honestly made it feel calmer.
We walked around the beach area and there was a lot going on during the day—cabanas, beach chairs, restaurants right on the sand, and people posted up for hours. There’s a small entrance fee if you’re not staying nearby, but once you’re in, you can stay all day and actually use everything.
There are also a ton of places packed into one area—restaurants like Zanzibar and Tinto, shops, a grocery store, even a dive center and water activities. It felt like you could stay in this one area all day and not need to leave.
If you want something social but not chaotic, this works.
We went over to Mambo Beach and it felt completely different right away. This is where things stay open late—bars, restaurants, and clubs going until around 2 AM.
Mambo Beach Blvd is basically a strip packed with everything—restaurants, shops, beach access, all in one place. There are a lot of options, so you don’t have to plan much, you just show up and figure it out as you go.
We saw a mix of everything here—families during the day, people at the beach, and then it shifting into more of a nightlife spot later. The water is calmer because of the rock barrier, so people were in the water for a while instead of just sitting on the beach.
Food-wise, there are a ton of options. Greenhouse and Pizza Mare stood out, and there are enough spots that you could come back multiple nights and still try something new.
This area felt more “American” compared to other spots on the islan. More built up, more going on, convenience—but also more people.
If nightlife is a priority and you don’t want to deal with transportation late at night, staying here makes things easier. If you want a more private, luxurious stay then this area would not be for you.
We spent a full day on the west side hitting beaches like Grote Knip and Playa Lagun, and I remember thinking this would be a completely different trip if we stayed out here.
The water was some of the clearest we saw, and everything felt more spread out. We stayed out there most of the day and didn’t even think about dinner plans until we were driving back (which tells you everything).
There are fewer restaurants and things to do at night, so this area is more about beach days than anything else. If that’s your priority, it works.
If you’re planning to spend time out here, see my Best Beaches in Curaçao (with Map + Tips) so you can group stops together.
We drove through this area a couple times because it’s right between the airport and Willemstad, and it made sense right away.
It’s close enough to everything that you’re not committing to long drives, but you still get more of a resort-style setup. This felt like a solid in-between option if you want both.
We stayed at Baoase on a separate trip, and I barely wanted to leave once we checked in. The room, the beach setup, and the food all felt dialed in.
We talked about leaving to explore, but every time we considered it, we ended up ordering another mocktail and staying put instead. Dinner there ended up being a highlight, not just something convenient.
We also stayed at Sandals Royal Curaçao, and the first thing I noticed was the double infinity pool. We went there every single day because it was an incredible view and just an easy place to hang out. The resort is bigger, but getting around didn’t feel like a project. We didn’t leave much during that stay either since everything was already there.
If you’re planning a stay like this, book here for the best options.
We also stayed in Willemstad at a few different spots. It wasn’t a luxury stay, but it made everything easier since we were central and close to the best food.
We stopped by Avila Beach Hotel while we were in Willemstad, and it stood out for being right on the water but still close enough to walk into town.
We also walked past Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort near the cruise port, and the location made sense immediately. You’re right by downtown, so everything is close.
If you want something easy to book in a central location, checking here is a simple place to start.
We rented a car for most of the trip, and I’m glad we did. We drove out to beaches, stopped at viewpoints, and didn’t have to plan everything around one area.
The roads were easy to follow, and nothing felt stressful to get to. Booking a rental car in Curaçao ahead of time made it faster once we landed.
If you’re staying at a resort and plan to stay there, you can skip it. But once we started exploring, having one made everything easier.
If I had to simplify it:
Stay in Willemstad if you want to go out to dinner and walk around at night.
Stay at Baoase if you want to stay put and enjoy the resort.
Stay at Sandals if you want everything handled for you.
Stay on the west side if you care most about beaches.
By the end of the trip, I realized the stay completely changes how Curaçao feels. When we stayed in Willemstad, we were out every night, trying different restaurants and doing more.
When we stayed at Baoase and Sandals, we slowed down and stayed on property most of the time. Both worked—it just depends on what kind of trip you want.
If you want a full comparison between resort stays, see my Sandals Curaçao vs Baoase: Which Resort Is Better?.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Filing this one under “go now before it gets cold.” Bonneville Hot Springs is one of those trips where fall access is honestly the sweet spot the campground road is open, the hike in is short, and you skip the snow-and-gate situation we dealt with when we went in March.
September and early fall mean clearer trails, easier parking, and pools that are just as good without the extra mile of hiking to earn them. Fewer than 10 people out there when we visited, a rustic changing booth, zero amenities, and pools that range from “relax” to “actually scalding” until you move some rocks around and mix in river water. Small waterfalls feeding in, mountains in every direction, not polished, and that’s exactly the point.
Full breakdown on parking, what to pack, and timing it right is linked in my bio.
Summer’s not even over and I already have the itch. Fall hiking season is calling and I am answering.
Save this if you feel the itch too.🍁
Columbus hotel roundup because “just find something downtown” isn’t a strategy✈️
I stayed across the price spectrum on this one so I could actually compare notes. Hotel LeVeque is the splurge Art Deco lobby, marble bathrooms, and a restaurant (The Keep) worth visiting even if you don’t book a room. If you want to walk everywhere, Le Méridien puts you right in the Short North with murals and shops outside your door. And if budget’s the priority, Aloft gets you clean and modern near Ohio State without the markup.
Want a full escape from the city instead? Hocking Hills lodges and Gervasi Vineyard are both an easy drive out and worth the detour.
Not every hotel on this list is for every trip... that’s kind of the point. Full breakdown by neighborhood and budget, link in bio 🍂
Thousands of motorcycles, decades of history, and one very hot infield. 🏍️
I went into Mid-Ohio Vintage Motorcycle Days expecting a bike show. What I got was closer to a small town that pops up once a year camps stretched across the hills, swap meet tables piled with parts I couldn’t name, and bikes older than some of the people admiring them parked next to restorations that looked showroom-fresh.
Fair warning: this is not a quick stop. Give yourself the whole day, wear real shoes, and don’t skip the racing watching pre-war machines and modern superbikes share the same track is worth the sunburn.
Ohio keeps surprising me. Full recap on the blog link in bio. 🔗
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