Beach Guide

Manasota Key Sunset

Englewood Beach · painted for this minute from Manasota Key’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Thu Oct 29 · — EDTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · clear at 5%

The sun goes down at

6:50 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 left of Englewood Beach. Golden hour starts at 6:17 PM.

Sunset Score · Clear sky (3% 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 · 6:45 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Charlotte County Parks cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🌅

Gulf Horizon

at the dip

🐬

Dolphins

at dusk

🦩

Great Blue Herons

all afternoon

🐢

Gopher Tortoises

at dusk

🎣

Pass Anglers

all evening

Know Before You Go

Beach

free

Charlotte County park, parking $0.75/hr

Stone crab

Oct–May

Charlotte County produces excellent stone crab

Crowds

minimal

one of Florida's least-known barrier islands

Tip

go south

mid-island and Stump Pass have the best isolation

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Manasota Key tonight?

Tonight, Thursday, October 29, the sun sets at 6:50 PM at Manasota Key. 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 7:13 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10. Clear sky (3% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Sunrise today was at 7:39 AM, which gives Manasota Key 11 hr 12 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 7:41 PM.

Manasota Key sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Manasota 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
Tonight6:50 PMfrom 6:17 PM7:13 PM3%5/10
Fri Oct 306:50 PMfrom 6:17 PM7:12 PM100%3/10
Sat Oct 316:49 PMfrom 6:16 PM7:12 PM100%3/10
Sun Nov 15:48 PMfrom 5:15 PM6:11 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:47 PMfrom 5:14 PM6:10 PM61%9/10
Tue Nov 35:47 PMfrom 5:13 PM6:10 PM84%6/10
Wed Nov 45:46 PMfrom 5:13 PM6:09 PM53%9/10

Where to watch the sunset at Manasota Key

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

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

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Charlotte County Parks 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 sets over open water. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Manasota 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 7:22 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.

Manasota Key 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 8:29 PM (Thu Jul 1). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20267:30 AM7:03 PM11 hr 33 min
November 20266:51 AM5:40 PM10 hr 50 min
December 20267:12 AM5:40 PM10 hr 27 min
January 20277:21 AM5:59 PM10 hr 37 min
February 20277:08 AM6:23 PM11 hr 15 min
March 20277:41 AM7:39 PM11 hr 59 min
April 20277:07 AM7:55 PM12 hr 48 min
May 20276:43 AM8:11 PM13 hr 28 min
June 20276:37 AM8:26 PM13 hr 50 min
July 20276:46 AM8:27 PM13 hr 41 min
August 20277:02 AM8:09 PM13 hr 7 min
September 20277:16 AM7:36 PM12 hr 20 min

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

Manasota Key sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Manasota Key today?

The sun sets at 6:50 PM at Manasota Key today (Thursday, October 29).

What time is sunrise at Manasota Key today?

The sun rose at 7:39 AM at Manasota Key today.

How many hours of daylight does Manasota Key get today?

11 hr 12 min of daylight, from 7:39 AM to 6:50 PM.

When is golden hour at Manasota Key tonight?

Golden hour at Manasota 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 7:22 PM.

When does it get dark at Manasota Key tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 7:13 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 7:41 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Manasota Key tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Clear sky (3% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Which direction does the sun set at Manasota 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 Manasota Key?

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

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

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Manasota Key is 5:37 PM on Tuesday, December 1, and the latest is 8:29 PM on Thursday, July 1.

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

Englewood Beach is the favorite spot at Manasota 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 Manasota Key?

Yes. The Charlotte County Parks live cam shows Manasota Key in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Manasota Key

Venice Beach sunset10 mi6:50 PM
Boca Grande sunset16 mi6:50 PM
Siesta Key sunset23 mi6:51 PM
Lido Key sunset27 mi6:51 PM
Captiva Island sunset33 mi6:50 PM
Longboat Key sunset34 mi6:51 PM

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