Virginia Beach — a beach in Miami-Dade County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Key Biscayne, about 4.6 km (2.9 mi) away (Virginia Beach lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Virginia Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 63° ENE | 8:16 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 116° ESE | 5:35 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 32m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 42m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 18m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 46m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 24m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 44m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 36m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:26 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 03m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 54m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 33m |
Local time (America/Kentucky/Monticello), 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 Virginia Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:22 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:37 AM – 6:07 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 4:55 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.8 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.2 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.37 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (69%). August 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 | 81 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 82 |
| Low °F | 37 | 43 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 57 | 53 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
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
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Virginia Key, Biscayne Bay, 595 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Virginia Beach, closest first.
Beach
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
State Park
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Virginia Beach?
What time is golden hour at Virginia Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Virginia Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Virginia Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Virginia Beach?
How far is Virginia Beach from Key Biscayne?
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.