Beach Guide

St. Simons Island Sunset

Pier Village · painted for this minute from St. Simons Island’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Mon Nov 2 · — ESTLIVE

Golden hour · the sun is 1.7° up · some cloud at 57% · low clouds 57% on the horizon

The sun goes down at

5:29 PM

T-00:05:00

St. Simons Island faces east, so the sun goes down behind you, over land, 9 min before the official sunset time of 5:38 PM. Face the water for the pink afterglow in the half hour after. Pier Village is in the view. Best light from 5:09 PM to 5:59 PM.

Sunset Score · Scattered clouds (56% cover): the best kind of sky, the clouds light up orange and pink. Low clouds (56%) along the horizon could hide the sun a few minutes early.

4 PM · 5:24 PM · 9:30 PM

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🐬

Sound Dolphins

at dusk

🦐

Shrimp Boats

before dusk

🎣

Pier Anglers

all evening

📸

Photographers

at the dip

🕯️

Lighthouse Beam

after dark

Know Before You Go

Beach access

free

free lots all along the shore

Dolphins

common

in the sound off the pier

Best spot

Neptune Park

west over St. Simons Sound

The Pier

free

fish or stroll over the sound

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at St. Simons Island tonight?

Tonight, Monday, November 2, the sun sets at 5:38 PM at St. Simons Island. St. Simons 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 5:03 PM, and the sky stays light until about 6:02 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 9 out of 10. Scattered clouds (56% cover): the best kind of sky, the clouds light up orange and pink.

Sunrise today was at 6:43 AM, which gives St. Simons Island 10 hr 55 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 6:30 PM.

St. Simons Island sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at St. Simons 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
Tonight5:38 PMfrom 5:03 PM6:02 PM56%9/10
Tue Nov 35:37 PMfrom 5:02 PM6:01 PM31%9/10
Wed Nov 45:36 PMfrom 5:01 PM6:00 PM100%3/10
Thu Nov 55:35 PMfrom 5:00 PM5:59 PM100%3/10
Fri Nov 65:35 PMfrom 4:59 PM5:59 PM100%3/10
Sat Nov 75:34 PMfrom 4:59 PM5:58 PM13%7/10
Sun Nov 85:33 PMfrom 4:58 PM5:57 PM58%9/10

Where to watch the sunset at St. Simons Island

St. Simons 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 Neptune Park 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 (297°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (241°). In June it sets behind the beach. In December it sets behind the beach.

Golden hour and blue hour at St. Simons Island

Golden hour tonight runs from 5:03 PM to sunset at 5:38 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 5:52 PM to 6:11 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.

St. Simons Island sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:24 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
November 20266:54 AM5:29 PM10 hr 35 min
December 20267:18 AM5:26 PM10 hr 8 min
January 20277:26 AM5:46 PM10 hr 20 min
February 20277:09 AM6:14 PM11 hr 5 min
March 20277:37 AM7:34 PM11 hr 57 min
April 20276:59 AM7:54 PM12 hr 55 min
May 20276:32 AM8:15 PM13 hr 44 min
June 20276:23 AM8:32 PM14 hr 10 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
October 20277:29 AM6:56 PM11 hr 27 min

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

St. Simons Island sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at St. Simons Island today?

The sun sets at 5:38 PM at St. Simons Island today (Monday, November 2).

What time is sunrise at St. Simons Island today?

The sun rose at 6:43 AM at St. Simons Island today.

How many hours of daylight does St. Simons Island get today?

10 hr 55 min of daylight, from 6:43 AM to 5:38 PM.

When is golden hour at St. Simons Island tonight?

Golden hour at St. Simons Island runs from 5:03 PM to sunset at 5:38 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 5:52 PM to 6:11 PM.

When does it get dark at St. Simons Island tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 6:02 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 6:30 PM.

Will the sunset be good at St. Simons Island tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 9 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Scattered clouds (56% cover): the best kind of sky, the clouds light up orange and pink.

Which direction does the sun set at St. Simons Island?

St. Simons 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 St. Simons Island?

No. St. Simons 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 St. Simons Island?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at St. Simons Island is 5:24 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 St. Simons Island?

Pier Village is the favorite spot at St. Simons Island. 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 St. Simons Island

Jekyll Island sunset6 mi5:38 PM
Amelia Island sunset36 mi5:39 PM
Neptune Beach sunset58 mi5:39 PM
Jacksonville Beach sunset60 mi5:39 PM
Ponte Vedra Beach sunset64 mi5:39 PM
Tybee Island sunset67 mi5:34 PM

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