Beach Guide

Pismo Beach Sunset

Pismo Beach Pier · painted for this minute from Pismo Beach’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Mon Nov 2 · — PSTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · overcast at 100%

The sun goes down at

5:09 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 Pismo Pier. Golden hour starts at 4:32 PM.

Sunset Score · Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night. Thin high clouds (100%) that turn pink after the sun goes down; nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 5:04 PM · 9:30 PM

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🦋

Monarch Butterflies

Oct-Feb dusk

🪁

Pier Silhouette

at sunset

🦅

Pelican Flyover

at dusk

🔥

Bonfire Circle

after sunset

Know Before You Go

Pier walk

free

Public pier, open to fishing and walking

Best spot

pier end

Sun sets directly over the Pacific

Wildlife

monarchs

Butterfly grove 5 min south (Oct-Feb)

Length

1,370 ft

One of the longest piers on the coast

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Pismo Beach tonight?

Tonight, Monday, November 2, the sun sets at 5:09 PM at Pismo Beach. It sets over open water here, so that is when you will see it go. Golden hour starts at 4:32 PM, and the sky stays light until about 5:34 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10. Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Sunrise today was at 6:26 AM, which gives Pismo Beach 10 hr 43 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 6:04 PM.

Pismo Beach sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Pismo Beach: 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
Tonight5:09 PMfrom 4:32 PM5:34 PM100%3/10
Tue Nov 35:08 PMfrom 4:31 PM5:33 PM61%9/10
Wed Nov 45:07 PMfrom 4:30 PM5:32 PM1%5/10
Thu Nov 55:06 PMfrom 4:29 PM5:31 PM77%6/10
Fri Nov 65:05 PMfrom 4:28 PM5:30 PM0%5/10
Sat Nov 75:04 PMfrom 4:27 PM5:30 PM0%5/10
Sun Nov 85:03 PMfrom 4:26 PM5:29 PM4%5/10

Where to watch the sunset at Pismo Beach

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (252° on a compass), to the right of Pismo Pier as you face the water. The favorite place to watch is Pismo Beach Pier.

Tonight’s timeline for Pismo Pier Sunset is at the top of this page.

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 (299°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (242°). In June it drops behind land 8.0 miles away. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Pismo Beach

Golden hour tonight runs from 4:32 PM to sunset at 5:09 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 5:24 PM to 5:44 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.

Pismo Beach sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 4:52 PM (Sat Dec 5) and the latest is 8:22 PM (Tue Jun 29). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
November 20266:39 AM4:58 PM10 hr 20 min
December 20267:05 AM4:53 PM9 hr 48 min
January 20277:12 AM5:14 PM10 hr 3 min
February 20276:50 AM5:46 PM10 hr 55 min
March 20277:15 AM7:11 PM11 hr 56 min
April 20276:32 AM7:36 PM13 hr 4 min
May 20276:00 AM8:00 PM14 hr
June 20275:49 AM8:20 PM14 hr 31 min
July 20276:01 AM8:19 PM14 hr 18 min
August 20276:24 AM7:53 PM13 hr 30 min
September 20276:47 AM7:12 PM12 hr 25 min
October 20277:09 AM6:30 PM11 hr 20 min

Tips for a great sunset at Pismo Beach

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

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 Pismo Beach’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.

Pismo Beach sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Pismo Beach today?

The sun sets at 5:09 PM at Pismo Beach today (Monday, November 2).

What time is sunrise at Pismo Beach today?

The sun rose at 6:26 AM at Pismo Beach today.

How many hours of daylight does Pismo Beach get today?

10 hr 43 min of daylight, from 6:26 AM to 5:09 PM.

When is golden hour at Pismo Beach tonight?

Golden hour at Pismo Beach runs from 4:32 PM to sunset at 5:09 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 5:24 PM to 5:44 PM.

When does it get dark at Pismo Beach tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 5:34 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 6:04 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Pismo Beach tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Which direction does the sun set at Pismo Beach?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 252° 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 Pismo Beach?

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

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Pismo Beach?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Pismo Beach is 4:52 PM on Saturday, December 5, and the latest is 8:22 PM on Tuesday, June 29.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Pismo Beach?

Pismo Beach Pier is the favorite spot at Pismo Beach. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Pismo Beach

Avila Beach sunset6 mi5:09 PM
Morro Bay State Beach sunset19 mi5:09 PM
Cayucos Beach sunset25 mi5:09 PM
Santa Barbara East Beach sunset75 mi5:06 PM
Rincon Point sunset85 mi5:05 PM
Ventura sunset97 mi5:05 PM

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