Aruba: California Lighthouse to Eagle Beach to Oranjestad
This 11.4 km route connects three key Aruba destinations: California Lighthouse on the northern coast, Eagle Beach on the west side, and Oranjestad, the capital. The scenic drive takes approximately 10 minutes and showcases the calm, relaxing beaches and easy accessibility that characterize Aruba, Caribbean.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- California Lighthouse
- End
- Oranjestad
- Stops
- 3
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- California Lighthouse — Destination on the west side with beaches along there.
- Eagle Beach — Calm beach on the west side, described as very relaxed and wonderful.
- Oranjestad — Capital city, about 15 minutes away from Palm Beach by car.
Useful for your trip
- Food
- Restaurant prices are very high; expect to pay $38-70+ for entrees. Eat a big free breakfast at your hotel and have one meal later in the day to save money.
- Save money
- Supermarket prices are only slightly higher than the US or Europe; buy groceries there instead of eating at restaurants to save significantly.
- Food
- Consider eating at fast food chains or trying a pastechi (fried pastry with cheese) for smaller, cheaper meals during your visit.
- Food
- Add 15% tip when dining out, but check your bill first as service charge may already be included.
- Food
- Seafood is excellent here including red snapper, grouper, and rock lobster. Quality of service and food standards are high throughout the dining industry.
- Transport
- Renting a car is easy and affordable; you can drive around the island at half the cost of organized day tours.
- Transport
- West coast beaches (Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, California Lighthouse) have calm waters; east coast has powerful waves. Choose based on swimming ability.
- Transport
- Travel times are short: Palm Beach to California Lighthouse is 15 minutes, to Baby Beach is 40 minutes, to Oranjestad capital is 15 minutes.
- Transport
- Visit the east side to see the natural bridge, cactus forests, and national park, but rent a vehicle or book a tour as it's more rugged.
- Tip
- Aruba is very safe; you can explore neighborhoods and the island on your own without significant worry.
- Tip
- Visit the Donkey Sanctuary to feed donkeys; leave a donation. Hike to see cave paintings in the national park dating back 4,000 years of habitation.
Video on this route
Aruba: 10 Shocks of Visiting Aruba