Is there anything better than holding a warm beverage and watching the sun dip behind the horizon as the clouds and sky change colors? If so, I want to know what! Sunsets are a daily light display that makes my jaw drop when all of the ingredients align; slightly cloudy, something interesting on the horizon, and a nice jacket to keep you warm after the sun disappears. Over the past seven years of vanlife, I have prioritized watching sunsets, often stopping everything I am doing to enjoy this daily gift. In doing so, I have had many evening where my mind is blown by the beauty while living on the road. So, here are a few of my favorite sunsets, with the locations, so you can go watch them for yourself!
La Jolla Shores, California
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/gC2vz2zN58rc5nC48
Best Season to watch: Winter
Heading to La Jolla Shores for a sunset bonfire, I arrived early to do some yoga and walk along the beach before everyone showed up. Ironically, as my feet squished into the sand and the sound of waves filled my ears, I forget that I was going to do yoga. Leaving my mat and towel at a fire pit to save our spot, I walked alone down the beach with my camera in hand. Walking, breathing, and admiring the variety of colors already showing in the sky, I lost track of time.
As I played with camera settings, experimenting with a long shutter-speed to get a motion blur effect, I zoomed in and out, directly pointed at the sun. Smiling and laughing, I was having a ton of fun by myself on the beach. I am sure the other people walking by must have thought that I was crazy! But that doesn’t matter, I was having a ball. As the blue and yellow was popping through the clouds, I was enamored by the process. Playing, just playing. No judgement, only permission to snap “bad” images as I played.
At some point, a buddy came down the beach to find me, “Hey man, you look like a lunatic playing with that camera, come hang out. The fire is going and the sun has almost set.”
The still reflection of the Grand Teton at sunset from Schwabacher Landing, Wyoming. Photo by Dalton Johnson
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/rwyrU3b7BwyGkkF37
Best Season to watch: Fall
From Schwabacher Landing, there is a reflection that shines bright at sunset in Grand Teton National Park. Seemingly rising out of no-where, the Teton Range stands tall, reaching towards the heavens. A mystical place that one should visit in this lifetime. Schwabacher Landing is an aging oxbow bend damned up by beavers, creating the still pools of water perfect for sunset reflections during the fall. Impressed by the natural beauty of this location, I set up a chair, made some food, and watched the sunset between the different peaks of the Tetons. “This is the life,” I thought to myself.
A surfer taking in the best sunset in Baja Mexico at Cerritos Beach, Baja Sur. Photo by Dalton Johnson
Cerritos Beach, Baja Sur Mexico
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/f2woF8HWvnnQuK3R9
Best Season to watch: Winter
One of the best parts about Baja Mexico is that it is a peninsula, which means you can watch both sunrise and sunset over the ocean depending on which beach you are camping on. While the beaches at the tip of the Baja Peninsula are best for catching both, I have grown to love and cherish the surf beach called Cerritos Beach. This sleepy, ex-pat community has been growing up in recent years, but the novelty of watching the sunset from the water while surfing remains one of my all time favorite sunsets to watch.
The swell was pumping and I was on a surfing trip with a few friends. We had stopped at Cerritos beach for the barrels and point breaks. The hoots and hollers were going off as we road wave after wave. The surfing line-up was friendly and there were plenty of waves for everyone. At some point, I was surfed out, so I put my camera into the water housing and was snapping images left and right. As the swell pumped, I was having a ball watching barrel after barrel getting filled with surfers. From wipe-outs to rides of a lifetime, everything was aligning.
Swimming in the waves passes the time like nothing else for me. Floating, dunking under waves, doing backflips, and blowing bubble rings underwater, being in the ocean brings me much joy. Without even noticing, the evening had past and the sunset was here. All but one surfer had taken a wave in, now it was just us and the sunset.
The sandstone of Castleton Tower glowing red during a spectacular sunset outside of Moab, Utah. Photo by Dalton Johnson
Castleton Tower, Utah
Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/6xCrDLrgpyTETnmf6
Best Season to watch: Spring
The light was fading as we all danced in the dirt lot where the van was parked. From below the tower, I could see the best view was going to higher up. “Hey all, I am going to launch my drone and watch the sunset light fade on the tower. Does anyone want to watch over my shoulder?” I asked my group of dancing friends.
“Yup! Yup!” I heard in response as the drone squealed high into the sky.
Looking over my shoulder I could hear the oohs and ahhs from the my friends. We were on a road trip around the Moab area to rock climb, site see, and just have fun as friends. As the sunset light faded into a deep red, the sandstone on Castleton Tower glowed. Snapping images with the drone, we all were silent as we watch the beauty unfold infant of us.
Conclusion
These sunsets have taken my breath away. All are unique and incapable of being repeated, but you can make memories of your own by visiting these locations for yourself. Wether you are planning your next road trip, or vacation, I highly suggest you check out some of these must see sunset locations. Better yet, go find a new place to explore for yourself, bring a camera, maybe a blanket and friend to cuddle as you watch the sunset. Your next gorgeous sunset doesn’t have to be far away, more than likely, your backyard will offer a spectacle. So, make sure to prioritize the daily light show that sunsets offer us.