Winter is sunset season in Long Beach. The sun goes down before 5 p.m. for most of November and December, which means you can catch it after work, still make dinner and be home at a reasonable hour. If you're figuring out where to watch the sunset in Long Beach, here are 10 spots, from bluffs and piers to a hilltop and a rooftop, plus a table of winter sunset times so you don't show up ten minutes late.
Long Beach sunset times, November to February
These times come from timeanddate.com's Long Beach sun table, in local Pacific time. The "afterglow" column is the end of civil twilight, roughly when the glow fades and the sky turns dark blue.
| Date | Sunset | Afterglow until |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2026 | 4:49 p.m. | 5:15 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | 4:43 p.m. | 5:11 p.m. |
| Dec 4, 2026 (earliest sunset of the year) | 4:43 p.m. | 5:11 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 (winter solstice) | 4:48 p.m. | 5:15 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | 4:55 p.m. | 5:22 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 5:07 p.m. | 5:34 p.m. |
| Feb 1, 2027 | 5:23 p.m. | 5:49 p.m. |
| Feb 15, 2027 | 5:36 p.m. | 6:02 p.m. |
Two things surprise people. The earliest sunset isn't on the solstice: it lands on December 4. And by mid-January the evenings are already getting longer, a little over a minute a day.
Where the sun actually sets in winter
Long Beach's beaches face south, not west. In winter the sun sets in the west-southwest, so from the sand it drops toward the port and the Palos Verdes Peninsula rather than straight into open ocean. That's not a bad thing: the color spreads across the whole harbor, and the skyline, the Queen Mary and the water all pick it up. Spots with some height (a bluff, a pier, a hill, a rooftop) give you the widest view.
10 places to watch the sunset in Long Beach
1. The Gaucho Beach rooftop, for sunset with dinner
Yes, we're putting ourselves first, but only because it's the one spot on this list where someone brings you a drink. Gaucho Beach sits right on Alamitos Beach at 780 E Shoreline Drive, with the marina directly in front of the dining room and the rooftop, and the Shoreline bike and pedestrian path running past the door. The rooftop is a beachfront terrace with lounge sofas and white umbrellas, and rooftop service starts at 4 p.m. every day, which in winter gives you a good half hour or more before the sun goes down.
The team's advice: check the sunset time for your date and plan to sit down about an hour before it. That last hour fills up, especially Thursday through Sunday. If the weather turns, there's indoor seating at every service, and the dining room has an ocean view from every seat. The 6 p.m. Cocktails & Beats service picks up after dark. More on hours and parking is on the hours and location page.
2. Bluff Park, for benches and telescopes
Bluff Park runs along Ocean Boulevard from 20th to 36th Place, a strip of green above the beach with an ocean-view footpath, benches and telescopes. It's the classic Long Beach sunset walk. Pick a bench near the Lone Sailor statue at Paloma Avenue and stay put.
3. Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, for standing over the water
The Belmont pier at 39th Place stretches about 1,620 feet into the ocean. Walk out toward the end to get water on three sides, then turn around for the shoreline as the lights come on.
4. Hilltop Park in Signal Hill, for the big panorama
Hilltop Park, at 2351 Dawson Avenue, sits on top of Signal Hill, the small city surrounded by Long Beach. Visit Long Beach says you can see Catalina toward the ocean and, on a clear day, the Hollywood sign behind you. It's the highest viewpoint on this list, and it gets busy at sunset, so come early.
5. Lions Lighthouse, for the harbor shot
The Lions Lighthouse for Sight is a 10-story lighthouse at 200 Aquarium Way, on a small round peninsula in Rainbow Harbor. It was never meant for ships, but it's one of the city's go-to photo spots. Walk around it at sunset for the harbor, the skyline and the boats all in one frame.
6. Shoreline Village, for the Queen Mary view
The boardwalk at Shoreline Village looks across the harbor at the Queen Mary, which glows nicely at dusk. Add a spin on the carousel or a few rounds in the arcade, and grab something sweet from one of the snack shops while you wait.
7. The sand along the Shoreline path, for zero planning
The Shoreline Pedestrian Bikepath runs 3.1 miles along the beach from Alamitos Avenue to 54th Place. Walk out onto the sand anywhere along it, face west and you're set. It's free, and it's the easiest one on this list.
8. Rosie's Dog Beach, for a sunset with your dog
Rosie's Dog Beach, between Granada and Roycroft Avenues, is open to off-leash dogs daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. In winter that means a full sunset and afterglow before closing. Your dog won't care about the colors, but you will.
9. A late-afternoon harbor cruise, for sunset from the water
Harbor Cruises runs 45-minute narrated tours from Dock 2 in Rainbow Harbor, past the Queen Mary and the sea lions. Its posted schedule lists a 4:45 p.m. weekday departure and weekend departures through 6:15 p.m., which in winter put you on the water right around sunset. The schedule can change, so check before you go.
10. A lit-up surrey ride, for after the sun goes down
At Shoreline Village, Wheel Fun Rentals runs illuminated surrey night rides every day from sunset until 10 p.m. Watch the sun drop from the harbor, then pedal off along the waterfront.
Tips for a better Long Beach sunset
- Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early. The best color often comes just before the sun touches the horizon.
- Stay for the afterglow. The sky keeps changing for about 25 minutes after sunset (see the table above).
- Bring a layer. It's cooler by the water once the sun is gone.
- Park once. Near Alamitos Beach, Gaucho Beach recommends the Marina Green lot at 386 E Shoreline Drive, a large lot with nearly direct waterfront access.
- Plan dinner around the time, not the other way around. If you want a table with the view, book your time based on the sunset table above.
FAQs
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In December 2026, the sun sets in Long Beach between 4:43 p.m. (December 1–7) and 4:54 p.m. (December 31), according to timeanddate.com. The earliest sunset of the year is on December 4.
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For a wide view, try Hilltop Park in Signal Hill or the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier. For a classic walk, go to Bluff Park on Ocean Boulevard. For sunset with dinner and drinks, the Gaucho Beach rooftop on Alamitos Beach opens at 4 p.m. every day.
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Partly. Long Beach's beaches face south, so in winter the sun sets in the west-southwest, toward the port and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. You still get the color across the water, and higher spots like piers, bluffs and rooftops give the best view.
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Yes. Gaucho Beach, at 780 E Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, has a beachfront rooftop terrace with rooftop service from 4 p.m. daily. The team suggests sitting down about an hour before sunset.
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Gaucho Beach recommends checking the sunset time for your date and planning to be seated about an hour before. The rooftop's last hour before sunset fills up, especially Thursday through Sunday.
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Gaucho Beach recommends the Marina Green lot at 386 E Shoreline Drive, which usually has space even on busy weekends. The smaller lot directly in front of the restaurant fills quickly on weekends.
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December 4, at 4:43 p.m. Sunset times stay within a few minutes of that through mid-December, then slowly move later. By mid-February, the sun sets after 5:30 p.m.
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Rent an illuminated surrey bike at Shoreline Village (night rides run until 10 p.m.), walk the harbor lights around Rainbow Harbor, or catch a film at the Art Theatre on 4th Street.
Pick your night from the table, and we'll see you on the rooftop about an hour before the sun goes down.
Written by Adrián Amosa
