Sunsets are magical. So too is boat ownership. When you combine the two, good things happen. When you were boat shopping, you likely imagined the following scenario. Loading up a handful of your favorite people, anchoring in a secluded cove, and watching the sunset while floating on your favorite body of water.
What’s more, you can not only take in sunsets from your favorite local body of water, you can take the show on the road. What follows is our take on five of the best places in the United States to take in a sunset from your boat.
Horsetooth Reservoir. Fort Collins, Colorado
Horsetooth Reservoir, located eight miles west of Fort Collins, Colorado offers an incredible, scenic boating experience.
When the sun begins to set, look to the east and gaze upon miles of golden plains. To the west, there are the Rockies in all of their glory.
Forested peaks, granite cliff faces. On clear days, you can see peaks that stretch to nearly 13,000 feet. The views of the Front Range are expansive and about as beautiful as it gets.
It’s not just the sunsets that will keep you coming back. Horsetooth offers plenty of secluded coves to anchor up and take in the view.
A long, narrow lake, it’s 6.5 miles provide plenty of straightaways for tubing, skiing, or wakeboarding. Horsetooth’s proximity to metropolitan Denver makes for plenty of tourism opportunities for those traveling with their boat.
Shelter Island. San Diego, California
When it comes to unobstructed views of the sunset, few places compare with the West Coast. After all, nothing stands between you and the horizon except more than 5,000 miles of Pacific Ocean.
San Diego’s Shelter Island offers an incredible boating experience. Protected in the lee of Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument, Shelter Island is aptly named. Because it is sheltered, it’s typically a safe place to be on the water.
Home to the iconic Kona Kai Marina, it’s a great jumping off point for a day of bluefin tuna or yellowtail fishing. Kona Kai is also home to great restaurants and an upscale, finely appointed resort—complete with luxury accommodations, a spa, private beach, and even nightly bonfires.
When the sun starts to set, you’ll see why Shelter Island made the list. The sinking sun and the vast Pacific, as far as you can see.
Siesta Key, Florida
Siesta Key is such a nice, relaxing place that its name translates to “nap key.” In 2025 TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards® ranked Siesta Key the #1 Beach in the United States and the #4 beach in the world. Situated on a barrier island west of Sarasota, nothing stands between Siesta Key and the setting sun. You’ll get unobstructed views of the Gulf as far as you can see.
Siesta Key is home to an incredible variety of accommodations. Resorts, hotels, vacation rentals, you name it. The place is set up to make your stay relaxing and memorable.
The boating opportunities here are great, too. From chasing redfish and speckled trout in Sarasota Bay to popping offshore for some world-class grouper fishing, it’s all here.
Flathead Lake. Polson, Montana
When you imagine a pristine, natural wonderland—snow-capped mountains, ponderosa pines and juniper trees, herds of elk, even the chance to see a bighorn sheep or two—you might be envisioning northwest Montana’s Flathead Lake. The lake sits in the shadow of the Swan Range and the Mission Mountains.
The views and the natural setting are incredible. Mountains provide a unique element to the setting sun, especially for folks who come from flatter regions with less topography.
When planning your trip to Flathead Lake, there is a range of accommodation options. You can stay in Polson or Kalispell, Montana. There are plenty of state parks and national forests around the lake as well. These parks offer a range of tent camping and RV options for those so inclined.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Munising, Michigan
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offers an incredible array of natural beauty. When it comes to taking in a sunset from the water, it’s hard to compete with Pictured Rocks and Spray Falls.
A sunset at Spray Falls involves watching a golden stream of water cascade into Lake Superior. Turned gold by the last rays of the day’s sun, water plunges 70 feet in front of a sheer sandstone cliff. At the base of the falls, in 20 feet of water, lies a shipwreck from 1856—the Superior.
If you’re not up for trailering your boat, there are a variety of commercial cruise operations. These tours provide a unique vantage point for exploring the unique natural beauty that this part of the world has to offer.
Sunsets on Your Boat: A Couple Reminders
If you plan to take in the sunset from your boat, be sure that you’re prepared. Bring everything you need for a day on the boat—but don’t forget the nighttime boating necessities either.
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What’s more, you can not only take in sunsets from your favorite local body of water, you can take the show on the road. What follows is our take on five of the best places in the United States to take in a sunset from your boat.
Horsetooth Reservoir. Fort Collins, Colorado
Horsetooth Reservoir, located eight miles west of Fort Collins, Colorado offers an incredible, scenic boating experience.
When the sun begins to set, look to the east and gaze upon miles of golden plains. To the west, there are the Rockies in all of their glory.
Forested peaks, granite cliff faces. On clear days, you can see peaks that stretch to nearly 13,000 feet. The views of the Front Range are expansive and about as beautiful as it gets.
It’s not just the sunsets that will keep you coming back. Horsetooth offers plenty of secluded coves to anchor up and take in the view.
A long, narrow lake, it’s 6.5 miles provide plenty of straightaways for tubing, skiing, or wakeboarding. Horsetooth’s proximity to metropolitan Denver makes for plenty of tourism opportunities for those traveling with their boat.
Shelter Island. San Diego, California
When it comes to unobstructed views of the sunset, few places compare with the West Coast. After all, nothing stands between you and the horizon except more than 5,000 miles of Pacific Ocean.
San Diego’s Shelter Island offers an incredible boating experience. Protected in the lee of Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument, Shelter Island is aptly named. Because it is sheltered, it’s typically a safe place to be on the water.
Home to the iconic Kona Kai Marina, it’s a great jumping off point for a day of bluefin tuna or yellowtail fishing. Kona Kai is also home to great restaurants and an upscale, finely appointed resort—complete with luxury accommodations, a spa, private beach, and even nightly bonfires.
When the sun starts to set, you’ll see why Shelter Island made the list. The sinking sun and the vast Pacific, as far as you can see.
Siesta Key, Florida
Siesta Key is such a nice, relaxing place that its name translates to “nap key.” In 2025 TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards® ranked Siesta Key the #1 Beach in the United States and the #4 beach in the world. Situated on a barrier island west of Sarasota, nothing stands between Siesta Key and the setting sun. You’ll get unobstructed views of the Gulf as far as you can see.
Siesta Key is home to an incredible variety of accommodations. Resorts, hotels, vacation rentals, you name it. The place is set up to make your stay relaxing and memorable.
The boating opportunities here are great, too. From chasing redfish and speckled trout in Sarasota Bay to popping offshore for some world-class grouper fishing, it’s all here.
Flathead Lake. Polson, Montana
When you imagine a pristine, natural wonderland—snow-capped mountains, ponderosa pines and juniper trees, herds of elk, even the chance to see a bighorn sheep or two—you might be envisioning northwest Montana’s Flathead Lake. The lake sits in the shadow of the Swan Range and the Mission Mountains.
The views and the natural setting are incredible. Mountains provide a unique element to the setting sun, especially for folks who come from flatter regions with less topography.
When planning your trip to Flathead Lake, there is a range of accommodation options. You can stay in Polson or Kalispell, Montana. There are plenty of state parks and national forests around the lake as well. These parks offer a range of tent camping and RV options for those so inclined.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Munising, Michigan
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offers an incredible array of natural beauty. When it comes to taking in a sunset from the water, it’s hard to compete with Pictured Rocks and Spray Falls.
A sunset at Spray Falls involves watching a golden stream of water cascade into Lake Superior. Turned gold by the last rays of the day’s sun, water plunges 70 feet in front of a sheer sandstone cliff. At the base of the falls, in 20 feet of water, lies a shipwreck from 1856—the Superior.
If you’re not up for trailering your boat, there are a variety of commercial cruise operations. These tours provide a unique vantage point for exploring the unique natural beauty that this part of the world has to offer.
Sunsets on Your Boat: A Couple Reminders
If you plan to take in the sunset from your boat, be sure that you’re prepared. Bring everything you need for a day on the boat—but don’t forget the nighttime boating necessities either.
- Navigation and Spotlights— a sunset can turn dark pretty quickly. Check to make sure all your lights are working before you leave the dock.
- Warm Clothes—as we get into the fall, the sunsets can be even more beautiful. But temperatures can start dropping as the sun recedes below the horizon. Pack some extra jackets and maybe a blanket or two, especially if you have the kids aboard.
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