Beach Guide

Jekyll Island Sunset

Driftwood Beach · painted for this minute from Jekyll Island’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Wed Oct 28 · — EDTLIVE

Golden hour · the sun is 1.5° up · clear at 25%

The sun goes down at

6:35 PM

T-00:05:00

Jekyll Island faces east, so the sun goes down behind you, over land, 7 min before the official sunset time of 6:42 PM. Face the water for the pink afterglow in the half hour after. Driftwood Beach is in the view. Best light from 6:15 PM to 7:05 PM.

Sunset Score · Mostly clear (27% cloud): a good, dependable glow.

4 PM · 6:30 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Jekyll Island cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
📷

Driftwood Photographers

golden hour

🐬

Dolphin Pods

most evenings

🐢

Sea Turtle Patrol

summer dusk

🦅

Osprey & Egrets

at dusk

🚲

Bike Path Riders

all evening

Know Before You Go

Beach access

$10/day

island gate fee covers all lots

Best driftwood

low tide

more trees bare as the tide drops

Best spot

north end

Driftwood Beach, open horizon

Live cam

Jekyll

watch the light over the trees

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Jekyll Island tonight?

Tonight, Wednesday, October 28, the sun sets at 6:42 PM at Jekyll Island. Jekyll Island faces east, so the sun goes down behind the beach, over land. Turn and face the water for the pink and purple afterglow in the half hour after. Golden hour starts at 6:08 PM, and the sky stays light until about 7:06 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 7 out of 10. Mostly clear (27% cloud): a good, dependable glow.

Sunrise today was at 7:39 AM, which gives Jekyll Island 11 hr 3 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 7:35 PM.

Jekyll Island sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Jekyll Island: 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
Tonight6:42 PMfrom 6:08 PM7:06 PM27%7/10
Thu Oct 296:41 PMfrom 6:07 PM7:05 PM99%3/10
Fri Oct 306:41 PMfrom 6:06 PM7:04 PM100%3/10
Sat Oct 316:40 PMfrom 6:05 PM7:03 PM100%3/10
Sun Nov 15:39 PMfrom 5:04 PM6:03 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:38 PMfrom 5:03 PM6:02 PM100%3/10
Tue Nov 35:37 PMfrom 5:02 PM6:01 PM51%9/10

Where to watch the sunset at Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island faces east, away from the sunset. The sun goes down behind you, over land, so the view to catch is the afterglow: the band of pink above the dark blue shadow of the earth rising over the water, best from sunset to about 30 minutes after.

Tonight’s timeline for Golden Hour is at the top of this page.

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Jekyll Island 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 (242°). In June it sets behind the beach. In December it sets behind the beach.

Golden hour and blue hour at Jekyll Island

Golden hour tonight runs from 6:08 PM to sunset at 6:42 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 6:57 PM to 7:16 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.

Jekyll Island sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:25 PM (Thu Dec 3) and the latest is 8:35 PM (Wed Jun 30). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20267:29 AM6:56 PM11 hr 26 min
November 20266:54 AM5:29 PM10 hr 35 min
December 20267:18 AM5:26 PM10 hr 9 min
January 20277:26 AM5:46 PM10 hr 21 min
February 20277:09 AM6:14 PM11 hr 5 min
March 20277:37 AM7:35 PM11 hr 57 min
April 20276:59 AM7:54 PM12 hr 55 min
May 20276:32 AM8:15 PM13 hr 43 min
June 20276:23 AM8:32 PM14 hr 9 min
July 20276:33 AM8:32 PM13 hr 59 min
August 20276:53 AM8:11 PM13 hr 18 min
September 20277:11 AM7:34 PM12 hr 23 min

Tips for a great sunset at Jekyll Island

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

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 Jekyll Island’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.

Jekyll Island sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Jekyll Island today?

The sun sets at 6:42 PM at Jekyll Island today (Wednesday, October 28).

What time is sunrise at Jekyll Island today?

The sun rose at 7:39 AM at Jekyll Island today.

How many hours of daylight does Jekyll Island get today?

11 hr 3 min of daylight, from 7:39 AM to 6:42 PM.

When is golden hour at Jekyll Island tonight?

Golden hour at Jekyll Island runs from 6:08 PM to sunset at 6:42 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 6:57 PM to 7:16 PM.

When does it get dark at Jekyll Island tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 7:06 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 7:35 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Jekyll Island tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 7 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Mostly clear (27% cloud): a good, dependable glow.

Which direction does the sun set at Jekyll Island?

Jekyll Island faces east, so the sun sets behind the beach, over land. Tonight it goes down in the west-south-west.

Can you see the sun set over the water at Jekyll Island?

No. Jekyll Island faces east, so the sun sets behind you, over land. The show over the water is the afterglow in the half hour after sunset.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Jekyll Island?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Jekyll Island is 5:25 PM on Thursday, December 3, and the latest is 8:35 PM on Wednesday, June 30.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Jekyll Island?

Driftwood Beach is the favorite spot at Jekyll Island. 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 Jekyll Island?

Yes. The Jekyll Island live cam shows Jekyll Island in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Jekyll Island

St. Simons Island sunset6 mi6:42 PM
Amelia Island sunset31 mi6:43 PM
Neptune Beach sunset52 mi6:43 PM
Jacksonville Beach sunset54 mi6:43 PM
Ponte Vedra Beach sunset59 mi6:43 PM
Tybee Island sunset72 mi6:39 PM

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