Sunrise in Chicago Today - Sunrise Time Today

Sunrise, sunset, golden hour and daylight hours for Chicago, Illinois

Chicago sits at 41.88°N, giving it a noticeable seasonal swing in daylight. Around the June solstice the city sees close to 15h 14m of daylight, with sunrise around 5:16 AM and sunset around 8:30 PM; around the December solstice that drops to about 9h 08m, with sunrise around 7:16 AM and sunset around 4:22 PM. Use the calculator below for sunrise, sunset, solar noon, and golden hour on any date of the year.

41.88°N, 87.63°W Time zone: CST/CDT (UTC-6/-5) Longest day: ~15h 14m (Jun 21) Shortest day: ~9h 08m (Dec 21)

☀ Best Places to Watch Sunrise & Sunset in Chicago

Chicago sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan, which puts the open water to the east — the reverse of most American coastal cities, and the reason sunrise-over-water is Chicago's specialty rather than sunset. The lakefront beaches and points face east and catch the sun coming straight up over the lake, while sunset works best from spots that look back west or northwest toward the skyline, since the sun goes down behind the city rather than behind the water. Chicago observes Central Time (CST/CDT), and the sunrise/sunset extremes here follow the U.S. daylight-saving pattern: in 2026 the earliest sunset falls around December 8, well ahead of the December 21 solstice, while the year's latest sunrise by the clock lands on October 31 — the day before clocks fall back for the season.

Montrose Point & Beach Sunrise

A wide, open beach on the North Side with a nature sanctuary at its point, giving an unobstructed line across the lake as the sun comes up, with the skyline visible to the south. Beach grounds are open 6am to 11pm; the paved Lakefront Trail itself runs 24 hours. Nearest transit: CTA Red Line to Lawrence or Wilson, then a bus or roughly a 20-minute walk east.

North Avenue Beach Sunrise

Chicago's busiest beach, with its landmark ship-shaped beach house, gives an open eastern horizon over the lake and a classic view back toward the downtown skyline. Beach grounds are open 6am to 11pm, so it's easy to arrive well before sunrise. Nearest transit: CTA bus routes along North Avenue or Clark Street, or a walk from the Sedgwick Brown Line stop.

Promontory Point, Hyde Park Sunrise

A limestone peninsula on the South Side that juts well out into the lake, giving a wide, quiet panorama with the skyline visible to the north — a favourite with locals looking to avoid the busier North Side beaches. Park grounds follow standard Chicago Park District hours (6am–11pm). Nearest transit: Metra Electric to 55th-56th-57th Street, or CTA buses along the South Side lakefront.

Adler Planetarium Point Sunset

The lakefront terrace beside the planetarium, on the Museum Campus peninsula, gives an open view of the Loop skyline across roughly a mile of water to the northwest — one of Chicago's best free skyline vantage points, especially as the sun goes down behind the towers. The outdoor grounds around the planetarium are generally accessible without a museum ticket, though it's worth checking current visitor policy if you plan to arrive well before opening hours. Nearest transit: CTA Red, Orange, or Green Line to Roosevelt, then about a 15–20 minute walk or a short bus ride.

Milton Lee Olive Park Sunset

A quiet, often-overlooked park just north of Navy Pier, with a cantilevered deck extending out over the lake for a wide view of the skyline to the northwest — a favourite for engagement photos and quiet sunset walks. The park is open daily from 6am to 11pm. Nearest transit: a short walk from Navy Pier or the Chicago Red Line stop.

Ping Tom Memorial Park Sunset

A riverfront park in Chinatown along the South Branch of the Chicago River, with a pagoda pavilion and open lawns giving a quieter, less-crowded view of the skyline reflected in the water as the light fades. Park hours are 6am to 10pm. Nearest transit: CTA Red Line to Cermak-Chinatown, a short walk from the park entrance.

◉ Best Times for Sun Photography

☀️ Longest day — around the June solstice (~Jun 20–21), with the earliest sunrise around June 14 and the latest sunset around June 27

❄️ Shortest day — around the December solstice (~Dec 21), but the earliest sunset actually falls around December 8, and the year's latest sunrise by the clock lands on October 31 — the day before daylight saving time ends

🕰️ Golden hour — the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low and the light is softer and warmer; blue hour follows sunset or precedes sunrise

🏙️ Chicagohenge — around the spring and autumn equinoxes (mid-March and mid-September), the sun lines up with Chicago's east-west street grid at both sunrise and sunset, framing the sun directly between the buildings along streets like Madison

📷 Quick Photography Tips

🎯A tripod is useful at the open lakefront points, which can be windy off the water, especially in the colder months

📷Shoot RAW and bracket exposures — the sun is far brighter than the lake or skyline around it, so blending frames in post gives cleaner results than a single exposure

🏙️A longer lens compresses the sun against the skyline from Adler Planetarium Point or Milton Lee Olive Park; a wide-angle suits the open lake horizon at Montrose or Promontory Point

⏱️Arrive 30–45 minutes early if you want time to choose a composition and set up your equipment

🕶️Never look at the sun directly through a viewfinder or unfiltered lens — use live view/screen framing when the disc is above the horizon

❄️Winter cloud, lake-effect snow, and haze can develop quickly around the lakefront, so check conditions again shortly before heading out

🕐 Timezone

Chicago operates on CST (UTC−6) in winter and CDT (UTC−5) during daylight saving time, which runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November — worth double-checking against whichever sunrise/sunset table you're using so the offset matches.

🌐 Other Locations

For sunrise and sunset times in any other city worldwide, visit our sunrise/sunset calculator on the home page.

✓ Your Chicago Sunrise & Sunset Checklist

Before You Go

Check today's exact sunrise/sunset times above, and confirm whether you're on CST or CDT for the date you're planning
Most beach and park grounds used here close by 11pm and open at 6am, but individual locations have their own hours — Ping Tom Memorial Park, for example, closes at 10pm. The paved Lakefront Trail itself stays open 24 hours if you need earlier access
Milton Lee Olive Park is open 6am to 11pm daily, the same as most Chicago Park District locations on this list
In winter, check the forecast again close to your visit — conditions off the lake can change quickly

What to Bring

Warm layers for lakefront points, where wind off the water makes it feel colder than inland, especially October through April
A tripod for the open beaches and points, which can be breezy
A longer lens for skyline shots from Adler Planetarium Point or Milton Lee Olive Park; a wide-angle for the open lake horizon at Montrose or Promontory Point
A Ventra card for CTA trains and buses

On the Morning or Night

Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to give yourself time to find a position and set up
Shoot RAW and bracket exposures to hold detail in both the sun and the lake or skyline
At popular spots such as Adler Planetarium Point and North Avenue Beach, clear evenings and weekends can get busy — arrive early for an unobstructed view
Around the equinoxes, plan ahead for Chicagohenge — check exact sunrise/sunset times and head to a street with an unobstructed east-west view of the skyline