Beach Guide

Lower Keys Sunset

Lower Keys Bay · painted for this minute from Lower Keys’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Thu Oct 29 · — EDTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · clear at 9%

The sun goes down at

6:49 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, to the right of Lower Keys. Golden hour starts at 6:17 PM.

Sunset Score · Clear sky (7% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast. Nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 6:44 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Lower Keys Cam cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🌴

Little Palm Island

always

🌅

Bay Sunset

at dusk

🎣

Backcountry Anglers

dawn & dusk

🦅

Frigate Birds

all day

🌟

Dark Sky Stars

after dark

Know Before You Go

Bay sunset

west-facing

the most isolated sunsets in the Keys - no development on the horizon

Little Palm

private resort

the most exclusive resort in the Keys - accessible only by boat or seaplane

Backcountry

pristine flats

some of the least-fished backcountry in Florida is accessible from here

Square Grouper

local legend

the most beloved restaurant in the lower Keys

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Lower Keys tonight?

Tonight, Thursday, October 29, the sun sets at 6:49 PM at Lower Keys. It sets over open water here, so that is when you will see it go. Golden hour starts at 6:17 PM, and the sky stays light until about 7:12 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10. Clear sky (7% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Sunrise today was at 7:32 AM, which gives Lower Keys 11 hr 17 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 7:39 PM.

Lower Keys sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Lower Keys: 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
Tonight6:49 PMfrom 6:17 PM7:12 PM7%5/10
Fri Oct 306:49 PMfrom 6:16 PM7:11 PM59%9/10
Sat Oct 316:48 PMfrom 6:15 PM7:10 PM83%6/10
Sun Nov 15:47 PMfrom 5:15 PM6:10 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:47 PMfrom 5:14 PM6:09 PM63%9/10
Tue Nov 35:46 PMfrom 5:13 PM6:09 PM1%5/10
Wed Nov 45:45 PMfrom 5:13 PM6:08 PM9%5/10

Where to watch the sunset at Lower Keys

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

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

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Lower Keys Cam 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 (296°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (245°). In June it sets behind the beach. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Lower Keys

Golden hour tonight runs from 6:17 PM to sunset at 6:49 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 7:03 PM to 7:21 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.

Lower Keys sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:38 PM (Sun Nov 29) and the latest is 8:20 PM (Sat Jul 3). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20267:25 AM7:01 PM11 hr 36 min
November 20266:43 AM5:40 PM10 hr 57 min
December 20267:04 AM5:41 PM10 hr 37 min
January 20277:13 AM5:59 PM10 hr 46 min
February 20277:01 AM6:21 PM11 hr 20 min
March 20277:37 AM7:36 PM11 hr 59 min
April 20277:05 AM7:49 PM12 hr 43 min
May 20276:44 AM8:03 PM13 hr 20 min
June 20276:38 AM8:17 PM13 hr 39 min
July 20276:47 AM8:19 PM13 hr 32 min
August 20277:01 AM8:02 PM13 hr 1 min
September 20277:13 AM7:32 PM12 hr 19 min

Tips for a great sunset at Lower Keys

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

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 Lower Keys’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.

Lower Keys sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Lower Keys today?

The sun sets at 6:49 PM at Lower Keys today (Thursday, October 29).

What time is sunrise at Lower Keys today?

The sun rose at 7:32 AM at Lower Keys today.

How many hours of daylight does Lower Keys get today?

11 hr 17 min of daylight, from 7:32 AM to 6:49 PM.

When is golden hour at Lower Keys tonight?

Golden hour at Lower Keys runs from 6:17 PM to sunset at 6:49 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 7:03 PM to 7:21 PM.

When does it get dark at Lower Keys tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 7:12 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 7:39 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Lower Keys tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Clear sky (7% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Which direction does the sun set at Lower Keys?

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 Lower Keys?

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

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Lower Keys?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Lower Keys is 5:38 PM on Sunday, November 29, and the latest is 8:20 PM on Saturday, July 3.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Lower Keys?

Lower Keys Bay is the favorite spot at Lower Keys. 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 Lower Keys?

Yes. The Lower Keys Cam live cam shows Lower Keys in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Lower Keys

Sugarloaf Key sunset6 mi6:50 PM
Big Pine Key sunset7 mi6:49 PM
Bahia Honda sunset11 mi6:49 PM
Stock Island sunset19 mi6:51 PM
Key West sunset21 mi6:51 PM
Sombrero Beach sunset23 mi6:48 PM

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