Cars & Coast — Monterey Peninsula Car Culture Map
Santa Cruz · Monterey · Big Sur · Monday, October 26

Photographers toolbox

Golden and blue hour, where the sun sets against each viewpoint's view, fog and tide at the spot, and a calendar file to carry the plan. Scores are estimates; how they are made is at the bottom.

← Day before Day after →
Sun rises 7:25 AM, sets 6:16 PM. Moon Waning Gibbous, 99% lit, rises 6:26 PM, sets 8:08 AM.
Asilomar State Beach boardwalk, Pacific Grove
Sunset spot
7Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 245 to 295 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour7%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Dune boardwalk and tidepool rocks
Add to calendar Open on the map
Davenport bluffs
Sunset spot
7Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.6°
Spot faces 235 to 295 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour11 kt
Daylight low tidenone this day
Sea-cliff coast with offshore rocks and winter whale-watching headlands
Add to calendar Open on the map
Marina State Beach dunes
Sunset spot
7Good
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 245 to 295 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour10 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Tall dune crest over a wide surf beach
Add to calendar Open on the map
McWay Falls overlook, Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
Sunset spot · Big Sur turnout
7Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces 235 to 285 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour7 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
80-ft waterfall onto the cove beach
Add to calendar Open on the map
Nepenthe restaurant deck
Sunset spot · Big Sur turnout
7Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 235 to 285 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour7 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Cliffside deck 800 ft above the surf
Add to calendar Open on the map
Sand Dollar Beach
Sunset spot · Big Sur turnout
7Good
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:32 PM
Blue hour6:32 PM to 6:42 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces 245 to 295 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour5 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Crescent cove, the widest sand in Big Sur
Add to calendar Open on the map
Andrew Molera State Park
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour16 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Asilomar State Marine Reserve
Tide pool
6Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour7%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Boardwalk and beach stairs from Sunset Drive pullouts.
Add to calendar Open on the map
Big Creek Bridge Vista
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Jade Cove
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:32 PM
Blue hour6:32 PM to 6:42 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour5 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Lucia
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Partington Cove Trailhead
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour7 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Point Sur Lightstation View
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour16 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Willow Creek Vista
Big Sur turnout
6Good
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:32 PM
Blue hour6:32 PM to 6:42 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour5 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Garrapata State Park / Soberanes Bluff
Sunset spot
5Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 245 to 295 degrees (sun in view)
Fog at golden hour60%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Wildflower bluffs and rocky coves
Add to calendar Open on the map
Moonstone Beach Boardwalk, Cambria
Big Sur turnout
5Fair
Golden hour5:40 PM to 6:31 PM
Blue hour6:31 PM to 6:41 PM
Sun sets6:15 PM at 254.9°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hourn/a
Wind at golden hourn/a
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz
Sunset spot · Tide pool
5Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.6°
Spot faces 260 to 310 degrees (edge of view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tidenone this day
Sea arch framing the horizon
Add to calendar Open on the map
Pfeiffer Beach
Sunset spot
5Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 255 to 305 degrees (edge of view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour7 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Keyhole Arch — sun beams through Dec 12 - Jan 5
Add to calendar Open on the map
Pfeiffer Beach keyhole (Keyhole Arch)
Sunset spot
5Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 240 to 250 degrees (edge of view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour7 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Sun sets through the arch only while it sets at 240-250 degrees: mid-December to mid-January. Clear the horizon, check the tide and the surf.
Keyhole Arch: the setting sun lights the opening from mid-December to mid-January
Add to calendar Open on the map
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Vista
Big Sur turnout
5Fair
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:32 PM
Blue hour6:32 PM to 6:42 PM
Sun sets6:15 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hourn/a
Wind at golden hourn/a
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Ragged Point
Big Sur turnout
5Fair
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:32 PM
Blue hour6:32 PM to 6:42 PM
Sun sets6:15 PM at 254.8°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hourn/a
Wind at golden hourn/a
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
San Simeon Pier / W.R. Hearst Beach
Big Sur turnout
5Fair
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:32 PM
Blue hour6:32 PM to 6:41 PM
Sun sets6:15 PM at 254.9°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hourn/a
Wind at golden hourn/a
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
West Cliff Drive overlook, Santa Cruz
Sunset spot
5Fair
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.6°
Spot faces 255 to 305 degrees (edge of view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tidenone this day
Surf breaks and Lighthouse Point
Add to calendar Open on the map
Garrapata Beach tidepools
Tide pool
4Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour60%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Roadside pullouts on Hwy 1 near turnout 18; steep stairway down to the sand, then walk north to the rocks.
Add to calendar Open on the map
Soberanes Point / Garrapata Gates
Big Sur turnout
4Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour60%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Add to calendar Open on the map
Weston Beach, Point Lobos
Tide pool
4Fair
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces not set
Fog at golden hour60%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Park at South Lot, short walk on gravel path.
Add to calendar Open on the map
Garland Ranch Regional Park overlook
Sunset spot
3Gray
Golden hour5:41 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 265 to 315 degrees (sun out of view)
Fog at golden hour4%
Wind at golden hour7 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Carmel Valley ridgeline and oak hills
Add to calendar Open on the map
Hurricane Point pullout
Sunset spot · Big Sur turnout
3Gray
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:34 PM
Blue hour6:34 PM to 6:44 PM
Sun sets6:17 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 270 to 320 degrees (sun out of view)
Fog at golden hour0%
Wind at golden hour16 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Sweeping headland over the open Pacific
Add to calendar Open on the map
Lovers Point Park, Pacific Grove
Sunset spot · Tide pool
3Gray
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 285 to 335 degrees (sun out of view)
Fog at golden hour7%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Cypress point and calm cove; sunrise-flagged too
Add to calendar Open on the map
Point Pinos lighthouse pullout
Sunset spot · Tide pool
3Gray
Golden hour5:42 PM to 6:33 PM
Blue hour6:33 PM to 6:43 PM
Sun sets6:16 PM at 254.7°
Spot faces 265 to 315 degrees (sun out of view)
Fog at golden hour7%
Wind at golden hour8 kt
Daylight low tide5:37 PM, -0.6 ft
Oldest working West Coast lighthouse
Add to calendar Open on the map

How the shoot score works

  • It starts from the Sundown Oracle sunset score: low and high cloud plus visibility at sunset, from the regional forecast.
  • Fog at golden hour in the spot's own forecast cell: 80% or more takes 2 points off, 60% or more takes 1, 25% or less adds 1.
  • Facing: the sun setting inside the view the spot faces adds 1; just off the edge takes 1; out of view takes 3. Turnouts without a set facing are not scored on direction.
  • Golden hour is the sun between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 below; blue hour is 4 to 8 below. Sun and moon directions are computed, not forecast.

Places inside a Highway 1 no-stopping zone are never scored or planned. Forecast data: NOAA models via Open-Meteo, NOAA tide predictions; astral for sun and moon positions.

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