The Best Places to See Stars: Where to Go for Amazing Stargazing

Mauna Kea, HawaiiThe summit of Mauna Kea volcano, nearly 14,000 feet above sea level, affords breathtaking views of the clouds below and clear skies above. A sacred landmark according to Hawaiian mythology, Mauna Kea is home to 13 observatories, including Onizuka Center for International Astronomy Station.

Stay: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Visitors to the 35,000-acre national park in southern Utah can see as many as 7,500 stars on a good night, especially when led by one of the park’s Astronomy Rangers. The well-organized Astronomy Night programs are open to all ages, but the hottest ticket is a Full Moon Hike. The annual four-day Astronomy Festival takes place each June.

Stay: The Lodge at Bryce Canyon

Denali National Park, Alaska

With Mount Denali as its centerpiece, this national park is larger than the state of New Hampshire, protecting nearly 10,000 square miles from development—and light pollution. And thanks to its northern latitudes, Alaska has long hours of darkness for much of the year in late fall, winter and early spring. (Note: during summer months, the midnight sun makes for a surprising lack of stars, so if seeing the night sky is the goal, avoid May through September)

Stay: Sheldon Chalet

Boundary Waters, Minnesota

Part of Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota, and straddling the Canadian border, the Boundary Waters is a massive expanse (totaling more than a million acres) of lakes, streams and bogs and boreal forests, hundreds of miles from the nearest major town. A canoe-lover's fantasy, it's home to more than a thousand designated canoeing routes.

Stay: Within the park, you'll likely be camping. Contact Indagare for our favorite Minneapolis hotels to bookend your trip.

Susquehannock State Forest, Pennsylvania

The eastern seaboard's population density makes finding top stargazing spots something of a challenge, but Susquehannock State Forest, in the Pennsylvania Wilds region, is an exception. It encompasses 265,000 protected acres, and gives travelers a chance to see the planets, tens of thousands of stars and the Milky Way, just over a four-hour drive from New York City and Philadelphia.

Palm Springs, California

This desert resort town east of Los Angeles is better known for its mid-century modernist architecture than its stargazing, but it places visitors within an hour to two registered dark sky reserves, Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego State Park. Both are some of the best places to see stars in Southern California.

Stay: Arrive Palm Springs

Baxter State Park and Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument, Maine

In northern Maine, these adjacent parks protect nearly 300,000 acres of woodlands—and the state's tallest peak—providing a dark sky sanctuary that's ideal for seeing stars.

 Related: Best Winter Vacation Ideas for 2020-2021: 25 Trip Ideas from Antigua to Zambia

Best Places to See the Stars Outside of the U.S.

Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Ireland Considered one of the top three Gold-tier reserves for stargazing, this region of southwestern Ireland offers views of star clusters and the Andromeda Galaxy without even the use of a telescope. Prehistoric relics here prove locals have been looking to the heavens for millennia. Stay: Sheen Falls Lodge or Park Hotel KenmareNamib Desert, NamibiaIn 2012 the NamibRand Nature Reserve was declared a Gold-tier International Dark-Sky Reserve, taking its place among the stars of astronomy destinations. The region offers the full array of visible astronomical phenomena, including auroras, airglows, the Milky Way, zodiacal light and faint meteors.

Stay: andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge in the Sossuslvlei Dunes

And for future planning, these destinations are currently closed to U.S. visitors but have some of the world's must incredible night skies:

Atacama Desert, Chile

People come to the proclaimed “driest place on earth,” 5,000 feet above sea level, to take in the striking topography and biological rarities. This unique ecosystem is home to several astrological observatories and ALMA, the groundbreaking radio telescope. 

Stay: Alto Atacama, Awasi or Explora Atacama

Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand 

From this dark-sky reserve—the largest in the world—the satellite galaxies known as Magellanic Clouds, the Southern Cross and even the Aurora Australis (the Northern Lights of the Southern Hemisphere) are all visible. The location, between Queenstown and Christchurch, makes this a great stop for those venturing around New Zealand’s South Island. 

Stay: Alpine Lodge at Minaret Station 

Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

This UNESCO World Heritage national park, which is home to Mount Everest, has extremely low light pollution and (obviously) high altitudes, making it ideal for stargazing. The Everest Base Camp trek, which takes up to two weeks, winds through the Himalayas, mountainside villages and Buddhist monasteries.

Stay: Yeti Mountain Home Lodges

Best Places to See the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are never a guarantee, and your best shot in the United States is Alaska. Besides that, these other destinations are are currently closed to U.S. visitors but are perfect for future planning.Denali National Park, AlaskaThe 49th state wows with spectacularly wild landscapes that make it one of the world’s great adventure destinations. A luxurious haven for adventurers, the five-bedroom Sheldon Chalet sits on the only privately owned land in the mountains of Denali National Park, offering unmatched views of Mount Denali’s summit—and the Northern Lights—from the comfort of your bed. When to Go: September to late-AprilFaroe IslandsThe archipelago of 18 islands set midway between the Norwegian Fjords, Scottish Highlands and Iceland features unreal landscapes of surreal mountains and cliffs, countless waterfalls, grass-roofed houses and dramatic oceans—and wintertime night skies that occasionally host the Northern Lights.When to Go: November to FebruaryFinnish LaplandThe northernmost portion of Finland sees Northern Lights on more than half the nights of the year. Visitors can go on nighttime expeditions via cross-country skis, snowmobiles, dog sleds and snowshoes, and sleep in funky hotels that feature glass igloos.When to Go: Late August to late AprilIcelandThe extraordinary island nation offers an otherworldly terrain that is ripe for expeditions and exploration and is a prime destination for viewing the Northern Lights. Favorite regions for seeing the phenomenon include the black-sand beach of Vík and Ásbyrgi Canyon in northern Iceland.When to Go: October to March, when days are shorter and there’s less sunlight.Northern NorwayDue to airflow coming in from the Gulf, temperatures in Northern Norway are slightly warmer than regions in Sweden and Finland that sit inland. Coupled with the existence of the charming

Lyngen Lodge, this region draws visitors who want to see the Northern Lights as part of a larger Scandinavian trip.

When to Go: Mid-November to early-March

Related: Our in-depth guide to seeing the Northern Lights

Contact Indagare for assistance in booking trips to the best places to see stars and the Northern Lights