Beach Guide

Carlsbad State Beach Sunset

Carlsbad Seawall · painted for this minute from Carlsbad State Beach’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Mon Nov 2 · — PSTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · overcast at 100%

The sun goes down at

4:58 PM

T-00:05:00

It sets straight into the water, so the official sunset time is when you will see it go. Look west-south-west. Golden hour starts at 4:23 PM.

Sunset Score · Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night. Thin high clouds (100%) that turn pink after the sun goes down; nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 4:53 PM · 9:30 PM

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🏄

Tamarack Surfers

golden hour

🐬

Passing Dolphins

at dusk

🐦

Pelican Patrol

at dusk

🚶

Seawall Strollers

all evening

📸

Bluff Photographers

at the dip

Know Before You Go

Park & walk

free

seawall lots along Carlsbad Blvd

Best spot

the seawall

west-facing over Tamarack

Surf break

Tamarack

long right off the point

Live cam

Surfline

sun sets over the water

see you at sunset

Tonight’s times, the week ahead and the year by month are below. Carlsbad Sunset runs nightly, weather permitting, from about two hours before sunset.

What time is sunset at Carlsbad State Beach tonight?

Tonight, Monday, November 2, the sun sets at 4:59 PM at Carlsbad State Beach. It sets over open water here, so that is when you will see it go. Golden hour starts at 4:23 PM, and the sky stays light until about 5:23 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10. Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Sunrise today was at 6:10 AM, which gives Carlsbad State Beach 10 hr 49 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 5:52 PM.

Carlsbad State Beach sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Carlsbad State Beach: when the sun goes down, when golden hour starts and when the last light fades, plus the Sunset Score from each night's cloud forecast.

DaySunsetGolden hourLast lightCloudScore
Tonight4:59 PMfrom 4:23 PM5:23 PM100%3/10
Tue Nov 34:58 PMfrom 4:22 PM5:22 PM16%7/10
Wed Nov 44:57 PMfrom 4:21 PM5:22 PM0%5/10
Thu Nov 54:56 PMfrom 4:20 PM5:21 PM0%5/10
Fri Nov 64:55 PMfrom 4:19 PM5:20 PM0%5/10
Sat Nov 74:55 PMfrom 4:18 PM5:19 PM0%5/10
Sun Nov 84:54 PMfrom 4:17 PM5:18 PM0%5/10

Where to watch the sunset at Carlsbad State Beach

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (253° on a compass). The favorite place to watch is Carlsbad Seawall.

Tonight’s timeline for Carlsbad Sunset is at the top of this page.

Where the sun sets through the year

The spot where the sun sets moves along the horizon through the year. Around June 21 it goes down furthest north, in the west-north-west (299°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (242°). In June it sets over open water. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Carlsbad State Beach

Golden hour tonight runs from 4:23 PM to sunset at 4:59 PM. The sun is low, the light is warm and soft, and shadows are long. It is the best time for photos of people on the beach.

Blue hour follows, from about 5:13 PM to 5:33 PM, when the sun is below the horizon and the sky turns deep blue. The first lights come on along the shore and the water holds the last of the color.

Carlsbad State Beach sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 4:44 PM (Fri Dec 4) and the latest is 8:04 PM (Wed Jun 30). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
November 20266:22 AM4:49 PM10 hr 27 min
December 20266:47 AM4:45 PM9 hr 58 min
January 20276:54 AM5:06 PM10 hr 12 min
February 20276:35 AM5:35 PM11 hr 1 min
March 20277:01 AM6:58 PM11 hr 57 min
April 20276:21 AM7:20 PM13 hr
May 20275:51 AM7:43 PM13 hr 52 min
June 20275:41 AM8:01 PM14 hr 20 min
July 20275:52 AM8:01 PM14 hr 8 min
August 20276:13 AM7:37 PM13 hr 24 min
September 20276:34 AM6:58 PM12 hr 24 min
October 20276:55 AM6:18 PM11 hr 23 min

Tips for a great sunset at Carlsbad State Beach

  • Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. The best spots fill up, and the light is often at its best in the last half hour before the sun goes down.
  • Stay 20 minutes after. The clouds often light up brightest after the sun is gone, and most people have already left.
  • Check the Sunset Score. Scattered clouds make the most color. A clear sky gives a clean sunset that fades fast, and a heavy overcast can hide it.
  • Plan your parking. Sunset is a busy time at popular beaches. See Carlsbad State Beach parking for lots and rates.
  • Look at the water too. Today’s wind, waves and water temperature are on the Carlsbad State Beach conditions page.
  • Make a night of it. Find places to eat and sunset cruises and things to do at Carlsbad State Beach.

How we work out the sunset time

The official sunset time is when the top of the sun sinks below a flat sea horizon. We also check Carlsbad State Beach’s real horizon: the hills, headlands and islands you can see from the sand. When land is in the way, the sun disappears before the official time, and we show you that earlier time. The Sunset Score rates how colorful the sky should be from the cloud forecast at sunset. Buildings are not included, so a tall hotel beside you can still hide the last minute.

Carlsbad State Beach sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Carlsbad State Beach today?

The sun sets at 4:59 PM at Carlsbad State Beach today (Monday, November 2).

What time is sunrise at Carlsbad State Beach today?

The sun rose at 6:10 AM at Carlsbad State Beach today.

How many hours of daylight does Carlsbad State Beach get today?

10 hr 49 min of daylight, from 6:10 AM to 4:59 PM.

When is golden hour at Carlsbad State Beach tonight?

Golden hour at Carlsbad State Beach runs from 4:23 PM to sunset at 4:59 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 5:13 PM to 5:33 PM.

When does it get dark at Carlsbad State Beach tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 5:23 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 5:52 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Carlsbad State Beach tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Which direction does the sun set at Carlsbad State Beach?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 253° on a compass. Through the year it moves between the west-north-west in June and the west-south-west in December.

Can you see the sun set over the water at Carlsbad State Beach?

Yes. Tonight the sun sets over open water, to the west-south-west.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Carlsbad State Beach?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Carlsbad State Beach is 4:44 PM on Friday, December 4, and the latest is 8:04 PM on Wednesday, June 30.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Carlsbad State Beach?

Carlsbad Seawall is the favorite spot at Carlsbad State Beach. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Carlsbad State Beach

Oceanside sunset3 mi4:59 PM
Encinitas sunset9 mi4:59 PM
Solana Beach sunset12 mi4:59 PM
Del Mar sunset14 mi4:59 PM
Torrey Pines State Beach sunset17 mi4:59 PM
La Jolla sunset22 mi4:59 PM

See every beach on one map: sunset times tonight across the US →