Navarre Beach is a beach in Escambia County, Florida. The nearest town is Navarre, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away (Navarre Beach lies S of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Navarre Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 62° ENE | 7:53 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:41 AM | 117° ESE | 4:52 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 11m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 06m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:49 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 12m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Navarre Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:07 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:19 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:16 PM – 4:16 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:29 PM – 3:59 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:26 PM – 2:36 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:57 PM – 12:37 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:15 PM – 10:35 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:37 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.01 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 76 | 78 | 83 | 89 | 97 | 101 | 99 | 100 | 99 | 97 | 86 | 78 |
| Low °F | 21 | 26 | 29 | 40 | 49 | 64 | 66 | 64 | 53 | 38 | 28 | 27 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.2 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 5.3 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Navarre Beach, 402 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Navarre Beach, closest first.
BeachBeachBeach
Scenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Navarre Beach?
What time is golden hour at Navarre Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Navarre Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Navarre Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Navarre Beach?
How far is Navarre Beach from Navarre?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.