Golden Gate Sunsets

This map helps you find spots from which you can see the sun set right in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Viewed from the Bay Area, the direction of the sunset varies from 240.2° at the Winter Solstice to 300.7° at the Summer Solstice. These bearings are measured in degrees east of true north; in the winter, the sun sets more towards the south, and in the summer it sets more towards the north.

Between the 6th of September and the 4th of April each year, the setting sun can be seen right in the center of the Golden Gate from a series of viewpoints around the central bay. On October 5th and 6th the viewpoints are on Treasure Island; from October 7th to October 16th the viewpoints are on Alcatraz. Then between the October 17th and February 23rd, for 130 days each winter, the viewpoints march up and back along the East Bay shoreline. The exact spot from which the show can be seen moves by a few hundred feet per day.

You can use this map to figure out where to go. Look for the date you want in the side panel, and then click there and zoom in to find the corresponding marker. Or just browse the map for locations you're interested in and click the nearby markers to find out what days you can catch the sunset from there.