California Lighthouse

The California Lighthouse marks the point where Aruba's calm leeward coast gives way to the rougher, windswept Atlantic side. The lighthouse itself takes about ten minutes to see properly, but the surrounding cliffs and rock formations are worth lingering for.

A handful of restaurants sit right along the coast near the lighthouse, several with views built for sunset. It pairs well with a late afternoon drive up from Palm Beach or Noord, timed to arrive an hour or so before the sun goes down.

The terrain nearby is rockier and drier than the beach areas further south, closer to the desert landscape you'll see more of in Arikok National Park.