The best places to see the breathtaking spectacle, the northern lights—which is created when electrically charged solar particles mix with gases in the earth’s atmosphere—are rural locations with minimal levels of light pollution, where auroras can glow the brightest. Along a ring known as the Aurora Oval, aurora hunters traditionally go to high-latitude locations above the Arctic Circle, such as Finland, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, and Alaska. Although there is never a certainty of a light display, the best chance of seeing aurora activity is in this region near the northern pole of the Earth. If the meteorological magic doesn’t materialise, try to use travel guides; they know more about these countries and they come from communities that have long had ties with this sight. They can add even more magical touches to your experience of seeing the northern lights.

Any to-do list for a voyage should include seeing the aurora borealis in the wild. However, figuring out where to see the northern lights is a complicated process; in addition to location, other factors that affect the sighting of this magnificent and somewhat extraterrestrial green and purple glow of the night sky are timing (December to March is ideal in many places; August through April in other parts), positioning (usually from latitudes 65 to 72 degrees North), and good old luck (a clear, dark, and cloud-free sky).

There is now more chance than ever to see this amazing show: Scientists, including NASA, estimate that activity will increase and that there will be more regular and intense northern light displays in 2024 and 2025. This implies that not only might tourists’ preferred aurora destinations shine brighter than before, but unexpected places like Scotland and Michigan are also showing up on the aurora map.

Here Are Locations To See The Aurora

While Kangerlussuaq is our favourite spot to see the Northern Lights, there’s no bad place to observe northern lights in Greenland. Everywhere is a spot on.
Greenland’s Kangerlussuaq
There isn’t a terrible spot to see the Northern Lights in Greenland; nevertheless, getting around this massive 836,300-square-mile landmass, which is home to only 56,000 people, can be difficult at times. Iceland, by contrast, is only 39,769 square miles. Travel to Kangerlussuaq in the country’s central-western region, which enjoys more than 300 clear nights annually, for the best experience in Greenland. This 540-person hamlet is accessible, with an international airport and frequently scheduled flights.

Norway’s Svalbard
Unquestionably, one of the greatest sites in the world to watch the aurora is northern Norway; nevertheless, the only inhabited location on Earth where you can see the northern lights at any time of day is Svalbard, an archipelago of Norway situated between the mainland and the North Pole.

Iceland’s Bláskógabyggð
We find ourselves struck by awe almost every time we see the surreal landscapes of Iceland, especially those with its signature light against the dark winter sky. While there are plenty of locations along the coastline ring road in this country where one can see the northern lights.

Sweden’s Abisko
Experience a Nordic fairy tale reminiscent of Frozen in northern Sweden by first booking a stay at the world’s first Icehotel (book here) or its sister honeypt, Icehotel 365. After that, go 70 miles northwest to Abisko National Park, Sweden’s best place to see the northern lights.

Finland’s Rovaniemi
There is no better spot to fulfil your fantasy of sleeping beneath the stars and the ethereal glow of winter than Finnish Lapland. In fact, there are many lodges and inns in the northernmost part of the country designed specifically for stargazing, as the Northern Lights may be seen there approximately 200 nights a year.

Alaska’s Fairbanks
Low rainfall and an inland location, combined with the area’s ideal placement beneath the aurora oval, make for many clear winter nights and fantastic viewing throughout the long aurora season (August 21 to April 21). There are a number of must-see viewpoint locations just outside the city, such as Cleary Summit, which has its own quaint Aurora Borealis Lodge (book here).

Michigan’s Upper Cape
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, encircled by pristine wilderness and the Great Lakes, offers hundreds of miles of unhindered views facing north along Lake Superior’s shoreline, as well as low levels of light pollution. (This is where activity usually appears on the horizon, unlike locations in the Aurora oval.)

Canada’s Churchill
Take a vacation to Churchill in any season and you can really experience it all: in the warm season, get up close and personal with beluga whales; in the autumn, go on a polar bear safari; and in the winter, enjoy a front-row seat to the northern lights (or visit in September, when all three can occasionally coincide). By mid-January, the heated tundra cars that are used to watch polar bears in the autumn are converted into aurora borealis cars, complete with open sky decks for the best views.

Finland’s Ylläs
Ylläs in Finnish Lapland is the ultimate destination for Mother Nature’s light display, in addition to being home to Finland’s main ski resort and the nation’s largest network of cross-country ski trails. The phone app “Ylläs Aurora” allows guests staying at the quaint lakefront complex Ylläksen Yöpuu (book here) to have access to their own northern lights alarm. It tracks the night skies and sends text alerts of aurora borealis sightings to help avoid those heart-stopping, “I can’t believe I missed it” moments while you’re asleep. Additionally, you can view live footage from the property’s Northern Lights Camera on a smartphone or tablet.

Norway’s Tromsø
As the biggest city north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is also known as theof the North,” therefore it’s hardly shocking that it’s also known as the “City of Light”—that is, the northern lights. Tromsø stands on such ideal aurora borealis real estate that city-viewing is possible, notably during the clearest and darkest of polar evenings (when night lasts more than 24 hours) in December and January. While darkness and little light pollution are often important to observing the show. Just remember to include plenty of vitamin D.

Scotland
The aurora’s dazzling green ribbons on these isolated Scottish islands appear to have a fairy-like charm, earning them the ‘name- “Mirrie dancers” in the native dialect of Shetland. Those visiting the most northern point of the UK can consult Wild Skies Shetland, a charity located in Unst that attempts to highlight the native skies through accessible applications, maps, and exhibitions. For the best chance of experiencing the aurora, visit between October and March.