Hunter's Moon 2026: Where to Watch It Rise (Beach People, Turn Around)

Every October the sky hands us a giant glowing orange ball, and every October a manatee somewhere tries to howl at it. This year that manatee is me, and I bought ears. You have six days to buy yours.

The when (circle it)

According to timeanddate.com's Sarasota moon phases, the full Hunter's Moon hits at 12:11 a.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 26. (The Old Farmer's Almanac says 12:12. We're not getting involved.)

Nobody's asking you to stay up until midnight, though. The good stuff is the rise:

• Sunday, Oct. 25: moonrise in Sarasota is 6:23 p.m., and sunset is 6:52 p.m. The moon is 98.6% lit.
• Monday, Oct. 26: moonrise is 7:04 p.m., just after the 6:51 p.m. sunset, at 99.8%.

Those times come from timeanddate's Sarasota moonrise and sunset tables. The Almanac agrees that Sunday evening is the night to look. A low moon near the horizon is when it looks its most orange and dramatic.

The twist: turn around

Here's the thing about our famous Gulf beaches: they face west. The moon rises in the east-northeast. So this Sunday you can watch the sun sink into the Gulf, then do a slow, dramatic 180 and catch the moon climbing over the island behind you. Two sky shows, one parking spot. Please don't spin into a stranger's beach blanket.

Where to watch (with real hours)

Siesta Beach. Sarasota County's beach hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and so is the main parking lot. The county notes that wet sand is open 24 hours, and Siesta Beach Accesses 3, 3B, 10, 11 and 13 are open around the clock for walkers (no parking there).

Lido Beach. Sarasota County lists park hours of 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Plenty of time for sunset, the moon and a leisurely howl.

Manatee Public Beach, Anna Maria Island. Manatee County lists it as open sunrise to 10 p.m. unless posted otherwise.

Venice Fishing Pier. The City of Venice says the pier is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, free, at Brohard Park. The night owl's pick.

Coquina Beach bonus. Fresh sand! The dredging and sand placement for the county's Coquina Beach repair project are done, and crews are on the last bit of pipeline removal and grading, with completion expected by the end of October. Most of the beach stays open around the work zone, so watch for the odd fenced-off patch.

Not yet: Anna Maria City Pier. It's still closed while the T-end gets its finishing work. The new walkway is done, and the city expects the pier open before the end of the year, with the new restaurant crew hoping for November. Next full moon, maybe.

Manatee manners (turtles are watching)

Sea turtle nesting season runs through Oct. 31, so moon night still counts. Sarasota County's turtle-friendly beach guide says flashlights and flash photography shouldn't be used on the beach after dark, and Manatee County's beach rules say no lights on the beach after sunset. The moon is doing the lighting. Let it cook. And fill in your sandcastle holes before you leave.

Sandy's sign-off

This Sunday, Oct. 25. Sunset over the Gulf, then turn around. Wear the ears if you've got them. I'll be the one howling slightly off-key. Awooo, Suncoast!