I've spent years of early mornings on the sand in Avila Beach, and people ask me the same question all the time: where should I go to watch the sunrise? Here are the spots I keep coming back to, when to get there, and where to park while it's still dark.
You don't need a camera for any of this. A warm jacket and a little patience are enough.
Why Avila is a sunrise beach
Most of the California coast faces west, so it's known for sunsets. Avila Beach is different. The beach faces south across San Luis Bay, so for a good part of the year the sun comes up over the water and the hills across the bay.
From October to February, the sun rises in the southeast, right over the bay. In late spring and summer it moves north and comes up behind the hills above town.
Most of my prints are from October through February. There's less fog, and the conditions are just a lot better for colorful sunrises. In May and June the marine layer often rolls in (locals call it May Gray and June Gloom), and some mornings the sun never shows at all.
Five places to watch the sunrise
1. The sand by Avila Beach Pier
If you only go to one spot, go here. The pier is the heart of Avila, and at sunrise the pilings turn into dark lines against the color. Walk down to the water at low tide and the wet sand reflects the whole sky.
Get down low and look under the pier, too. When the sun clears the hills it shines right between the pilings, and herons and curlews like to hunt around them in the morning.
Most of the pier is still closed for repairs, so watch from the sand on either side.
Prints from here: Red Sky Over Avila Pier, Pier Reflections at Sunrise, and Sunstar Through the Pilings.
2. The east end of the beach
Walk east along the sand, away from the pier, toward the cliffs at the end of the beach. In winter this is where the sun comes up, so you get the sun, the waves and the clouds all in front of you. On a good morning there are surfers out, too.
Prints from here: Orange Shoreline at Sunrise, Fiery Mackerel Sky, and Sunrise Surf.
3. The promenade on Front Street
If you don't want sandy shoes, stay up on the promenade. It's paved and easy to get to, there are benches and a railing, and it looks right out over the bay. It's a good choice for kids, grandparents, and anyone who wants to stay dry.
4. The pullout on the road to Port San Luis
This is where I send people who ask about my favorite spot (more on that below). Head west on Avila Beach Drive toward Port San Luis. Just past the bridge over the creek, the road runs along the bluff above the rocks. Pull off on the shoulder and you can look back at the whole town, the beach and the pier.
Prints from up here: Sunstar Over the Bay and Fiery Sky from the Rocky Shore.
5. Olde Port Beach and Harford Pier, Port San Luis
Keep driving toward the end of the road and you reach Olde Port Beach and Harford Pier. It's quieter than town and great for blue hour, the deep blue light before the sky turns color. I've caught the moon over the rocks here, and the first sun shining through the beach grass with Harford Pier on the horizon.
Harford Pier is open all the way out, so you can walk to the end and look back at the whole bay as the sky lights up.
Prints from here: Moon Over Olde Port Beach and Sun Through the Beach Grass.
My favorite spot, and why I don't send people there
My favorite place to shoot is out on the rocks at the west end of the beach, on the far side of the creek. From there you look back at town and the pier, with tide pools, rocks and moving water right in front of you. There's just a lot more going on in the foreground.
It's also the hardest spot to get to. You have to cross the creek in the dark and climb out onto slippery rocks with your gear. You can't do it at high tide or after a lot of rain, because the creek is too high to cross. I've been studying Avila for years, and some days I know better than to cross.
So this isn't a place I recommend to anyone. If you want that view without the risk, stop at the pullout on the road to Port San Luis instead. It's right above my spot, and you stay dry.
Prints from out there: Pink Sky Over Town and Tide Pool Glow.
The story behind Tide Pool Glow is in The cove that's almost always underwater.
When to get there
The sky starts to glow about half an hour before the sun comes up, and the best color is often in the 10 or 20 minutes before sunrise. If you show up at sunrise, you've usually missed the show. I try to be on the sand about 45 minutes early.
Here's roughly when the sun comes up in Avila:
- October: about 6:55 to 7:20 a.m.
- November: about 6:25 to 6:50 a.m., after the clocks fall back
- December and January: about 7 to 7:10 a.m.
- February: about 6:50 a.m.
- June: as early as 5:48 a.m.
Check the exact sunrise time and the tide the night before. Low tide gives you the best reflections on the wet sand.
Where to park before it gets light
It's dark, it's empty, and parking is super easy. In town there's free street parking on Front Street and the side streets; just read the signs for time limits. Along the road to Port San Luis you can park on the shoulder, and there's a big lot at Harford Pier. My parking guide on avila-beach.com has all the details.
There are restrooms by Avila Beach Pier, at Harford Pier and at the Olde Port Beach boat launch. No coffee shop is open when I get there, but they start opening when I'm done.
What I bring
My camera gear, plus buckets, gloves and trash bags. Once the light is gone, I pick up whatever trash I find on the way back to the car. If you're out there for the sunrise, take a bag with you and grab a few pieces on the way back. That's what #KeepAvilaClean is about.
Bring a warm layer, too. Even in summer it's cold before the sun comes up.
Take a sunrise home
Every print in this post was taken at one of these spots. If you catch a great sunrise out there, I'd love to see it.
