Curaçao

The Colorful Return We Had Been Waiting For

Nine months passed between the end of our month in Europe and the day we left for Curaçao.

Looking back, the pause feels longer than we expected. In real time, it was simply the season we were living through.

I returned to work. Kyle moved into football season. I added teaching a law-school class to an already full schedule. The fall became the busiest part of our year, and the freedom to plan another international trip disappeared beneath ordinary life.

Spring break in April 2025 was the first opening that made sense. By then, Preston was about three and a half and Avery was 14 months old. We were no longer traveling with the infant-and-toddler combination that had shaped Europe, but we were learning a new version of family travel with two mobile boys.

Curaçao kept rising to the top as we compared islands. The first attraction was visual: bright buildings, loud color and water that seemed almost unreal. The island also promised the food and culture we wanted, along with enough beaches and neighborhoods to make a rental car worthwhile.

The trip never narrowed itself to one defining attraction. We loved the protected water at Papagayo, the extraordinary blue at Grote Knip, the murals of Otrobanda, the colors of Pietermaai, the food choices at Pasawá and the ease of returning each evening to Jan Thiel.

That variety became the reason Curaçao stayed with us. After nine months at home, we did not need a trip that proved something dramatic. We needed to remember how it felt to move through a new place together. Curaçao made that return feel natural.

No single moment carried Curaçao. The island as a whole was the reason we wanted to return.

Our Trip at a Glance

• WhenApril 13–19, 2025 · six nights over spring break.
• BaseKids Proof Private Villa Jan Thiel — a three-bedroom Airbnb built around family life.
• Getting ThereDelta via Atlanta, with a rental car for the entire stay.
• How We MovedOur own car every day, which made beaches, Willemstad, Pietermaai and the drive west possible.
• Who CameTwo adults, a three-and-a-half-year-old and a 14-month-old.
• The Shape of the DaysProtected beach clubs, one long island day, a family-photo morning in Pietermaai, and quiet villa breaks in between.

Why Curaçao Rose to the Top

Color Was the First Invitation

We were not choosing between Curaçao and one obvious alternative. We were researching several islands, comparing what each could offer and slowly creating our own priority list. Curaçao kept appearing.

The images did what beautiful places often do to us: they made us want to see the place for ourselves. The waterfront buildings, the murals and the saturated Caribbean colors felt distinct from the other islands we were considering.

Food and Culture Completed the Decision

The visual appeal was enough to earn our attention. Curaçao was also described as an island with strong food and culture, and the map suggested we could move between very different experiences without changing accommodations.

That combination fit the trip we wanted after a long pause: an easy home base, beaches that could work for young children, neighborhoods worth walking and enough restaurant variety that the days would not begin to repeat.

A Villa Built Around Family Life

Kids Proof Private Villa Jan Thiel was one of the clearest reasons the trip felt easy. The house was not merely large enough for kids; it had been arranged with their daily life in mind.

The living room included a child-sized table and chairs, books, toys and a play kitchen. Below the house, a covered play area held climbing equipment, a small playhouse and large building blocks. That space gave the boys somewhere to move before breakfast, after a beach day and on departure morning.

The villa had three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Preston slept in the kid's room on a low toddler bed. Avery slept in a pack-and-play set up in another bedroom, which left all four of us enough separation to rest.

Laundry facilities, a full kitchen and a shaded balcony made the house useful beyond sleep. The balcony had a table and chairs, a lounger and cover from the sun, so breakfast or a quiet reset did not require leaving the property.

The Plunge Pool and Its Layers of Separation

The outdoor area also had a plunge pool. It was not independently fenced at the water's edge, but reaching it required passing gated points at the top and bottom of the stairs. At the boys' ages, those layers made unnoticed access difficult, though the pool still required the same active supervision we would use anywhere.

The pool became especially useful during the midday pause on our first full day. Avery rested while Preston, who had no interest in napping, could swim without turning the break into another outing.

From the Airport to Dinner in the Sand

We arrived in Curaçao around mid-afternoon, collected the rental car and drove to Jan Thiel. The first impression was practical before it was poetic: driving felt easy. There was no immediate learning curve that made us question the decision to keep a car.

We stopped at the grocery store near Jan Thiel Beach for snacks and a few basics, then kept the rest of the evening intentionally simple. By approximately 6:00 p.m., we were sitting beside the beach at Zanzibar Beach & Restaurant.

The restaurant's wood-fired pizzas and cocktails were enough for the adults, while the beachfront setting gave the boys something better than waiting at a table. They could play in the sand while the food arrived.

After the flight, rental-car pickup, grocery stop and first meal, we returned to the villa. The arrival night gave us exactly what we needed: proof that the logistics were working, without asking the boys to begin sightseeing before they had rested.

The Beach Setup We Would Choose Again

A Nearly Empty Breakfast at Koko's

Our first full day began at Koko's on Jan Thiel Beach. When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty. By the time we left, only a few other guests had joined us.

The quiet setting made it easy to enjoy breakfast, smoothies and bowls while looking out at the water. Koko's also offered cabanas and sunbeds, but we already had another beach plan nearby.

Why Papagayo Worked with Young Kids

At Papagayo Beach Club, we paid to rent chairs and settled beside the man-made saltwater pool at the edge of the sea. The protected design created shallow water with no meaningful waves — exactly the kind of setup that allowed both boys to explore without fighting surf.

We ordered lunch from the poolside menu and let the day stay simple. Preston and Avery dug in the sand, moved in and out of the water and spent more time playing than performing a formal beach-day agenda.

We returned to the villa for naps. Preston stayed awake and used the plunge pool instead. That flexibility was one of the benefits of choosing a house designed for Kids: the midday break still offered him something to do.

Pasawá Box Eatery

Dinner was at Pasawá Box Eatery, a colorful open-air collection of food concepts built from shipping containers. Music, bright design and multiple menus gave the evening energy without making it difficult with kids.

Preston could choose tacos while we ordered barbecue. That ability for everyone to eat differently made Pasawá our favorite food setting of the trip. The barbecue was good enough that we returned for takeout later.

A Beach Tradeoff and the Colors We Came to See

Breakfast with a Playground at Number Ten

Number Ten paired one of our favorite breakfast settings with something that immediately improved the meal for our family: a playground. The restaurant was mostly outdoors, the food was excellent and the boys could play while we waited.

That combination did not make the breakfast feel child-centered in a limiting way. It simply gave everyone a more enjoyable start to the day.

Kokomo Beach

We continued to Kokomo Beach, known for the swings positioned in the water. We did not take the boys out to them. The line was long, and the experience did not feel worth the extra effort with kids their ages.

The beach itself was attractive, but it felt better suited to kids slightly older than ours. A large number of bees also made it hard to settle. We stayed long enough to experience the beach, then left before the annoyance became the entire memory.

An Evening in Pietermaai

That evening, Pietermaai gave us the version of Curaçao we had pictured during planning. The buildings were bright, the streets were visually rich and the neighborhood rewarded an unhurried walk.

We ate at Mi Familia, an Italian restaurant in a particularly colorful setting. The food and service were very good, but the larger memory is the neighborhood around the meal. We spent the afternoon and evening walking without needing to turn every block into an activity.

The Day That Held the Whole Island

Rif Fort, Otrobanda and Kurá Hulanda

We began with breakfast at The Pancake Sensation in the Rif Fort area. We parked near the cruise terminal and entered a pedestrian-friendly part of town where the boys could move without traffic becoming the first concern.

From there, we walked into Otrobanda and through the Kurá Hulanda art area. Murals and painted walls turned the walk itself into the sightseeing. A playground along the waterfront boardwalk gave the boys a pause that belonged completely to them.

At Bario Food Yard, we stopped for a cocktail and coffee rather than a meal because we had already eaten. The open-air setting and variety still made us note it as somewhere we would gladly return when everyone was hungry.

We continued toward the Queen Emma Bridge and the classic view of Willemstad's colorful waterfront. This was the culture-and-color half of the day — the side of Curaçao that had first earned a place on our island list.

Following the Car Naps to Grote Knip

Instead of returning to the villa, we let the boys nap during the longer drive west. They seemed ready to sleep in the car, and the timing gave us a chance to reach a beach that would have been difficult to fit around a formal midday return.

Grote Knip became our favorite natural beach of the trip. The water was intensely blue, clear and especially beautiful in the late-afternoon light. We found open chairs, were not charged for them during our visit and set our things down without overcomplicating the stop.

The protected beach clubs were easier with the boys, but Grote Knip was the natural beach that showed us the coastline at its most striking. We spent the remainder of the afternoon in the water together.

A Late Dinner at BRGR Haus

On the drive back, we returned to Kurá Hulanda for dinner at BRGR Haus, a place we had noticed earlier in the day. The meal was late by our ordinary schedule, but the boys had slept in the car twice and still had enough energy to manage it.

This was the fullest day of the trip. It worked because the naps happened in motion and because we allowed the day to expand only after it was clear the boys could handle it.

A Protected Beach Day at Mambo

Breakfast at Bliss the Berry came with both good food and a broad ocean view from the upper level of Mambo Beach Boulevard. From there, we continued down to Mambo Beach and settled at Bonita Beach Club.

We rented a cabana-style beach bed and ordered lunch from the beach club. Like Papagayo, Mambo's protected swimming area had minimal wave activity. That made the morning less about managing water and more about letting the boys play.

Later, we returned to the Jan Thiel area and ate dinner at Zest Restaurant & Beach Café. The day did not need a major sightseeing anchor. A comfortable beach setup, a meal with a view and an easy return to our home base were enough.

The Photographs We Brought Home

A Family Session in Pietermaai

Our final full day began with a professional family-photo session booked through Flytographer. We chose Pietermaai because the neighborhood held the color that had drawn us to Curaçao from the beginning.

The photographs became one of the best souvenirs of the trip: our family at this exact stage, surrounded by buildings and streets that could not be mistaken for anywhere else. For families who value photographs, Pietermaai is the location we would recommend most strongly.

After the session, we had a late breakfast or brunch at La Bohème in nearby Punda. Preston also convinced us to stop for ice cream. We visited the Curaçao sign before leaving the area.

A Slow Return to Papagayo

The morning had been structured around a specific time and location, so we made the afternoon deliberately slow. We returned to Papagayo for the second time and let the protected water carry the rest of the day.

Repeating a beach was not a failure to see more of the island. It was recognition that we had already found a setup that worked exceptionally well for our family.

Dinner at Osteria Rosso

That evening, we ate at Osteria Rosso. The garden gave the boys room to move, while the fully air-conditioned dining room gave us the first moment all week when the island's heat completely disappeared. I remember actually feeling cold.

The meal and service were excellent. Several people described the restaurant as a place they visited regularly, and the mix of local diners and visitors gave the evening an easy, settled feeling.

A Quiet Morning Before the Flight Home

We had a mid-afternoon departure and did not try to turn the morning into one more outing. The boys played in the climbing area beneath the villa while we finished packing and prepared for the long travel day.

Our final meal was at De Dames. The breakfast croissant was exceptional, the staff was among the friendliest we encountered and the food made the restaurant one of our strongest recommendations from the trip.

We returned through Atlanta, ending the same way we had arrived: with a familiar Delta connection and the sense that Curaçao had been remarkably easy to enter and experience.

What We Ate

Food was one of the reasons Curaçao moved to the top of our island list, and the trip delivered through variety rather than one formal signature meal.

The Places We Would Recommend First

Pasawá Box Eatery was our favorite overall setting. It was colorful, casual and easy with kids, and everyone could choose a different meal. Preston ordered tacos while we ate barbecue; later in the trip, we returned for barbecue takeout.

De Dames was the breakfast we would recommend most strongly, especially for the croissant, excellent food and warm staff. Number Ten stood out for combining a beautiful outdoor meal with a playground that improved the experience for the boys.

Osteria Rosso gave us one of the most comfortable dinners of the trip: good food, attentive service, a garden and a fully air-conditioned dining room. Mi Familia, BRGR Haus, Zest and Zanzibar each fit the neighborhood or beach day around them.

What Made Eating Out Easier

The restaurants that worked best did not require the boys to experience a meal in one narrow way. At Zanzibar, they could play in the sand. At Number Ten, they had a playground. At Pasawá, everyone could choose a different vendor. At Osteria Rosso, the garden created space around the table.

Traveling with a Preschooler and a 14-Month-Old

The Villa Reduced the Work of the Trip

The strongest family-travel decision was the accommodation. Toys, a child-sized table, a play kitchen, outdoor climbing equipment and a plunge pool meant the villa could absorb the hours between outings.

Separate sleep spaces also mattered. Preston had a low toddler bed, and Avery's pack-and-play sat in another bedroom. We were not trying to fit the family's entire sleep routine into one hotel room.

Two Hiking Carriers for Two Mobile Kids

We brought both the Osprey Poco Lite and Osprey Poco. Avery was now old enough to sit comfortably in a framed hiking carrier, so we did not depend on a soft carrier for this trip.

Having one carrier for each child gave us an option when a walk became too long, even though much of Willemstad and Pietermaai allowed the boys to move on their own.

Car Seats and Naps

We brought our Cosco Scenera and WAYB Pico car seats and installed them in the rental car. Because the car stayed with us for the full trip, the seats became part of a consistent setup rather than something we had to arrange repeatedly.

Most days included a villa break. On April 16, the boys' readiness to sleep in the car made the longer drive to Grote Knip possible. We followed what their energy allowed instead of insisting that every nap happen in the same place.

Protected Water and Natural Beaches

The Easiest Water for Our Family

Papagayo and Mambo Beach were the easiest beach setups with kids this young. Their protected swimming areas reduced waves and created shallower water where the boys could play without being knocked off balance.

That ease is why we returned to Papagayo. The second visit was not about repeating an itinerary; it was about recognizing the place where everyone could relax.

The Natural Beach We Loved Most

Grote Knip was our favorite natural beach. The water color and clarity were unmatched, especially in the late-afternoon light. The longer drive made it a more deliberate outing, but the car naps allowed it to fit.

The Beach That Worked Less Well

Kokomo was attractive, but it was not the best match for Preston and Avery. The water swings had a line, the beach felt better suited to slightly older children and the bees made it difficult to settle.

That does not make Kokomo a bad beach. It makes it a beach we would evaluate differently for our family at this particular stage.

Why a Rental Car and Jan Thiel Worked

Driving Was Straightforward

We rented a car because the trip we wanted required one. Beaches, Willemstad, Pietermaai and the western side of the island would have been far less flexible if every move depended on a separate transfer.

Driving in Curaçao was easy for us. The car gave us the freedom to change the day's order, use naps during a longer drive and return for takeout without treating transportation as another event.

Jan Thiel as a Base

Jan Thiel placed groceries, restaurants and comfortable beach options close to the villa. It also remained practical for outings elsewhere on the island.

We would choose Jan Thiel again. It could be the same villa or another property in the area; the important part was the combination of a family-ready house and a location that made both easy days and longer drives possible.

Heat, Bees and a Very Full Day

The Heat Was Constant

Curaçao was warm enough that the fully air-conditioned dining room at Osteria Rosso became memorable. Most of the trip happened outdoors or in open-air spaces, so shade, water and a comfortable villa mattered.

Not Every Famous Beach Moment Was for Us

We skipped the Kokomo swings because the line was long and taking the boys out to them did not feel worth the effort. The bees shortened the stop further. Neither choice made the day unsuccessful; both kept one photogenic detail from dictating the family's experience.

What worked for our family was not choosing one kind of beach. It was knowing what each beach day asked of us.

April 16 Was the Exception, Not the Daily Standard

The Willemstad-and-Grote-Knip day held more than our ordinary schedule. It succeeded because the boys slept in the car and because we stayed responsive to their energy. We would not use that full day as the template for every day on the island.

Beach Clubs and Natural Beaches Served Different Purposes

The protected beach clubs cost more because we paid for chairs, beds or food on site, but they reduced the physical work of beach time with young children. Grote Knip offered the most beautiful natural water. The trip was stronger because we experienced both.

What We Would Repeat and Change

What We Would Do Again

• Base the trip in Jan Thiel with a rental car for the full stay.
• Choose a villa with separate sleep spaces, laundry, a kitchen and meaningful play areas.
• Bring our own car seats and one hiking carrier for each child.
• Use Papagayo or Mambo Beach when protected water will make the day easier.
• Drive west to Grote Knip and time the trip around a likely car nap when possible.
• Give Willemstad, Otrobanda and Kurá Hulanda a full walking morning.
• Book family photographs in Pietermaai and let the neighborhood's color become part of the souvenir.
• Return to Pasawá Box Eatery so everyone can choose the food they want.
• Leave room for villa breaks rather than turning six nights into six full sightseeing days.

What We Would Change

Very little. Curaçao delivered the color, food, culture, easy driving and family-friendly water that brought us there.

A future stay at Baoase Luxury Resort would be a different version of Curaçao rather than a correction to this trip. We would consider it with older children or for an adults-only return, while still making time to move beyond the property.

Who Is This Trip For?

Our version of Curaçao may fit families who want more movement and variety than a single resort stay, but still value comfortable beach days and a reliable home base.

It is especially well suited to travelers who enjoy colorful neighborhoods, flexible restaurant choices, independent driving and a mix of protected beach-club water with natural beaches.

Families who prefer not to drive, want every beach to be wave-free or expect a completely indoor itinerary may need a different plan. For us, the island was strongest when the car, villa and daily flexibility worked together.

Why We Expect to Return

We left Curaçao without a list of unfinished obligations. We had seen the colorful neighborhoods, spent time at several beaches, eaten across the island and learned how easily we could move around.

The desire to return came from the opposite feeling: the island worked. We could choose Jan Thiel again, revisit favorite places and still create a trip that felt different.

Baoase remains high on our list as a possible future stay. It would shift the balance toward the property itself, but it would not replace what we valued most about Curaçao — the ability to experience the island beyond one beach.

That is why the return feels likely. Curaçao did not leave us searching for the trip we thought we would have. It checked the boxes that brought us there and gave us several ways to imagine coming back.

What Curaçao Left With Us

The nine-month pause was not a loss of curiosity. It was a reminder that the freedom to travel exists inside the rest of our lives — work, school, football season, teaching and the needs of two growing children.

Curaçao was the first trip to meet us on the other side of that busy season. Within hours, we were eating pizza beside the beach while the boys played in the sand. By the end of the week, we had crossed the island, found a favorite natural beach, returned to the protected water that worked best and photographed our family in the colors that had first caught our attention.

The island did not become meaningful because one moment eclipsed all the others. It became meaningful through accumulation: a playground beside breakfast, murals along a walk, a car nap that opened the route west, dinner choices for everyone and a villa where the boys could play while the adults reset.

Curaçao reminded us that returning to travel does not require recreating the trip that came before. It can begin with a different pace, older children and a place that makes exploring feel easy again.

We went looking for color, food and culture. We came home with all three — and our rhythm back.