Beach Guide

Cedar Key Sunset

City Dock · painted for this minute from Cedar Key’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Thu Oct 29 · — EDTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · some cloud at 57% · low clouds 57% on the horizon

The sun goes down at

6:48 PM

T-00:05:00

It drops behind land 2.0 km away to the west-south-west, 2 min before the official sunset time of 6:50 PM. Look west-south-west, to the left of City Dock. Golden hour starts at 6:17 PM.

Sunset Score · Scattered clouds (56% cover): the best kind of sky, the clouds light up orange and pink. Low clouds (56%) along the horizon could hide the sun a few minutes early.

4 PM · 6:43 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Cedar Key Tourism cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🌅

City Dock Crowd

before sunset

🦪

Steamed Clams

all evening

🎸

Live Music at bars

most nights

🦩

Great Blue Herons

at dusk

🌟

Dark Sky Stars

after dark

Know Before You Go

Dock walk

free

City Dock is always open, public

Clams

farmed here

Cedar Key produces most of FL's clams

Sunset

legendary

open Gulf horizon, consistently the best color

Best angle

City Dock

walk to the end for the full 180° horizon

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Cedar Key tonight?

Tonight, Thursday, October 29, the sun sets at 6:50 PM at Cedar Key. From the sand it drops behind land 1.2 miles away 2 min earlier, at 6:48 PM. Golden hour starts at 6:17 PM, and the sky stays light until about 7:14 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 9 out of 10. Scattered clouds (56% cover): the best kind of sky, the clouds light up orange and pink.

Sunrise today was at 7:44 AM, which gives Cedar Key 11 hr 7 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 7:42 PM.

Cedar Key sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Cedar Key: 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
Tonight6:48 PMfrom 6:17 PM7:14 PM56%9/10
Fri Oct 306:48 PMfrom 6:16 PM7:13 PM100%3/10
Sat Oct 316:47 PMfrom 6:15 PM7:12 PM100%3/10
Sun Nov 15:47 PMfrom 5:14 PM6:11 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:47 PMfrom 5:13 PM6:11 PM51%9/10
Tue Nov 35:46 PMfrom 5:12 PM6:10 PM100%3/10
Wed Nov 45:46 PMfrom 5:11 PM6:09 PM99%3/10

On nights the sun drops behind land, the table shows the time it disappears from the beach, which is earlier than the official sunset.

Where to watch the sunset at Cedar Key

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (255° on a compass), to the left of City Dock as you face the water. The favorite place to watch is City Dock.

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

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Cedar Key Tourism cam at sunset.

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 (297°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (244°). In June it drops behind land 3852 feet away. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Cedar Key

Golden hour tonight runs from 6:17 PM to sunset at 6:50 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 7:04 PM to 7:23 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.

Cedar Key sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:35 PM (Wed Dec 2) and the latest is 8:36 PM (Thu Jul 1). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20267:34 AM7:04 PM11 hr 29 min
November 20266:57 AM5:39 PM10 hr 42 min
December 20267:20 AM5:37 PM10 hr 18 min
January 20277:28 AM5:57 PM10 hr 29 min
February 20277:13 AM6:23 PM11 hr 10 min
March 20277:44 AM7:41 PM11 hr 58 min
April 20277:08 AM7:59 PM12 hr 52 min
May 20276:42 AM8:18 PM13 hr 36 min
June 20276:34 AM8:34 PM14 hr
July 20276:44 AM8:34 PM13 hr 50 min
August 20277:02 AM8:14 PM13 hr 12 min
September 20277:18 AM7:40 PM12 hr 21 min

Tips for a great sunset at Cedar Key

  • 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 Cedar Key parking for lots and rates.
  • Look at the water too. Today’s wind, waves and water temperature are on the Cedar Key conditions page.
  • Make a night of it. Find places to eat and sunset cruises and things to do at Cedar Key.

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 Cedar Key’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.

Cedar Key sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Cedar Key today?

The sun sets at 6:50 PM at Cedar Key today (Thursday, October 29). From the beach it drops behind land 2 min earlier, at 6:48 PM.

What time is sunrise at Cedar Key today?

The sun rose at 7:44 AM at Cedar Key today.

How many hours of daylight does Cedar Key get today?

11 hr 7 min of daylight, from 7:44 AM to 6:50 PM.

When is golden hour at Cedar Key tonight?

Golden hour at Cedar Key runs from 6:17 PM to sunset at 6:50 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 7:04 PM to 7:23 PM.

When does it get dark at Cedar Key tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 7:14 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 7:42 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Cedar Key tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 9 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Scattered clouds (56% cover): the best kind of sky, the clouds light up orange and pink.

Which direction does the sun set at Cedar Key?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 255° 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 Cedar Key?

Not tonight. The sun drops behind land 1.2 miles away, to the west-south-west.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Cedar Key?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Cedar Key is 5:35 PM on Wednesday, December 2, and the latest is 8:36 PM on Thursday, July 1.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Cedar Key?

City Dock is the favorite spot at Cedar Key. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Is there a live sunset cam at Cedar Key?

Yes. The Cedar Key Tourism live cam shows Cedar Key in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Cedar Key

Hernando Beach sunset51 mi6:50 PM
Honeymoon & Caladesi sunset76 mi6:51 PM
Clearwater Beach sunset81 mi6:51 PM
Indian Rocks Beach sunset87 mi6:51 PM
Redington Beach sunset92 mi6:51 PM
Madeira Beach sunset93 mi6:51 PM

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