Beach Guide

Fort De Soto Park Sunset

North Beach · painted for this minute from Fort De Soto Park’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Wed Oct 28 · — EDTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · overcast at 98% · low clouds 83% on the horizon

The sun goes down at

6:51 PM

T-00:05:00

It drops behind land 193 m away to the west-south-west, 1 min before the official sunset time of 6:52 PM. Look west-south-west, to the left of North Beach. Golden hour starts at 6:19 PM.

Sunset Score · Overcast (99% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night. Mid-level clouds (85%) that glow orange from underneath; low clouds (83%) along the horizon could hide the sun a few minutes early.

4 PM · 6:46 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Fort De Soto County Park cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🌅

North Beach Horizon

at the dip

🦅

Osprey & Eagles

all afternoon

🐬

Pass-a-Grille Dolphins

at dusk

🦩

Roseate Spoonbills

at dusk

⭐

Stars (no light pollution)

after dark

Know Before You Go

Entry

$5/vehicle

county tollbooth, cash or card

Fishing

2 free piers

Gulf pier + bay pier, no license at the park pier

Ranking

#1 US beach

voted multiple times by travel publications

No shops

bring food

snack bar only — pack a cooler for the full day

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Fort De Soto Park tonight?

Tonight, Wednesday, October 28, the sun sets at 6:52 PM at Fort De Soto Park. From the sand it drops behind land 633 feet away 1 min earlier, at 6:51 PM. Golden hour starts at 6:19 PM, and the sky stays light until about 7:15 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10. Overcast (99% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Sunrise today was at 7:40 AM, which gives Fort De Soto Park 11 hr 12 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 7:42 PM.

Fort De Soto Park sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Fort De Soto Park: 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
Tonight6:51 PMfrom 6:19 PM7:15 PM99%3/10
Thu Oct 296:50 PMfrom 6:18 PM7:14 PM68%6/10
Fri Oct 306:49 PMfrom 6:17 PM7:13 PM75%6/10
Sat Oct 316:48 PMfrom 6:16 PM7:12 PM100%3/10
Sun Nov 15:48 PMfrom 5:15 PM6:12 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:47 PMfrom 5:14 PM6:11 PM4%5/10
Tue Nov 35:46 PMfrom 5:14 PM6:10 PM7%5/10

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 Fort De Soto Park

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (256° on a compass), to the left of North Beach as you face the water. The favorite place to watch is North Beach.

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

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Fort De Soto County Park 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 (295°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (244°). In June it drops behind land 131 feet away. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Fort De Soto Park

Golden hour tonight runs from 6:19 PM to sunset at 6:52 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 7:05 PM to 7:24 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.

Fort De Soto Park sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:37 PM (Tue Dec 1) and the latest is 8:32 PM (Thu Jul 1). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20267:32 AM7:04 PM11 hr 32 min
November 20266:53 AM5:41 PM10 hr 47 min
December 20267:15 AM5:40 PM10 hr 24 min
January 20277:24 AM5:59 PM10 hr 35 min
February 20277:10 AM6:23 PM11 hr 13 min
March 20277:42 AM7:40 PM11 hr 58 min
April 20277:08 AM7:56 PM12 hr 49 min
May 20276:44 AM8:14 PM13 hr 30 min
June 20276:36 AM8:29 PM13 hr 53 min
July 20276:46 AM8:30 PM13 hr 44 min
August 20277:03 AM8:11 PM13 hr 8 min
September 20277:17 AM7:38 PM12 hr 21 min

Tips for a great sunset at Fort De Soto Park

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

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 Fort De Soto Park’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.

Fort De Soto Park sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Fort De Soto Park today?

The sun sets at 6:52 PM at Fort De Soto Park today (Wednesday, October 28). From the beach it drops behind land 1 min earlier, at 6:51 PM.

What time is sunrise at Fort De Soto Park today?

The sun rose at 7:40 AM at Fort De Soto Park today.

How many hours of daylight does Fort De Soto Park get today?

11 hr 12 min of daylight, from 7:40 AM to 6:52 PM.

When is golden hour at Fort De Soto Park tonight?

Golden hour at Fort De Soto Park runs from 6:19 PM to sunset at 6:52 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 7:05 PM to 7:24 PM.

When does it get dark at Fort De Soto Park tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 7:15 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 7:42 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Fort De Soto Park tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Overcast (99% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Which direction does the sun set at Fort De Soto Park?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 256° 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 Fort De Soto Park?

Not tonight. The sun drops behind land 633 feet away, to the west-south-west.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Fort De Soto Park?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Fort De Soto Park is 5:37 PM on Tuesday, December 1, and the latest is 8:32 PM on Thursday, July 1.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Fort De Soto Park?

North Beach is the favorite spot at Fort De Soto Park. 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 Fort De Soto Park?

Yes. The Fort De Soto County Park live cam shows Fort De Soto Park in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Fort De Soto Park

Pass-a-Grille sunset4 mi6:52 PM
Anna Maria Island sunset6 mi6:52 PM
St. Pete Beach sunset7 mi6:52 PM
Treasure Island sunset11 mi6:52 PM
Bradenton Beach sunset11 mi6:52 PM
Madeira Beach sunset13 mi6:52 PM

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