10 Best Places To See The Northern Lights (PHOTOS)

Every traveler's life list should include viewing the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, one of nature's most spectacular phenomena.

From late November to March within the Northern Lights zone--latitudes 65 to 72 degrees--solar particles collide with atmospheric gases to create colorful curtains (near the South Pole, Aurora Australis are the Southern Lights).

Ideal viewing conditions are crisp, cold, clear, and cloudless skies with little light. You can see this most impressive light show--lasting from a few minutes to several days--in the following regions close to the Arctic.

We asked our friends at Fodor's to put together their top 10 spots to see the Northern Lights.--Lola Akinmade

 

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Alaska: View Northern Lights in the U.S.

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Northern Lights and stars in Alaska Why Go: Alaska's location within "the zone" means you're almost guaranteed to see spectacular light displays. Be sure to move further away from city lights of Fairbanks into the region's vast wilderness areas of Denali and the Yukon Territory. Insider Tip: Check the University of Alaska's Northern Lights forecast to help schedule your viewing trip. Best Viewing Locations: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Alaska Travel Guide Photo: Flickr: AlaskaCpl

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Northern Lights and stars in Alaska

Why Go: Alaska's location within "the zone" means you're almost guaranteed to see spectacular light displays. Be sure to move further away from city lights of Fairbanks into the region's vast wilderness areas of Denali and the Yukon Territory.

Insider Tip: Check the University of Alaska's Northern Lights forecast to help schedule your viewing trip.

Best Viewing Locations: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali

Plan Your Trip: Fodor's Alaska Travel Guide

Photo: Flickr: AlaskaCpl

comments(36)

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Sight

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Wow.

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Comments

[chedet]

04:19 AM on 01/30/2011

Palin, you lucky devil! I would just stay in Alaska if I were you. Such nice northern lights.

[nikanj]

01:46 PM on 01/29/2011

Not much auroral activity in interior alaska recently,
but Chena Hot Springs Resort is the classic destination
for out-of-town aurora watchers. Including young asian
couples who have taken the 'ancient' myth of conceiving
under the aurora (actually the myth is from Northern Exposure)
very much to heart. One evening in the dressing room, a young
woman pleaded with me, "I see Northen Lights tonight, please ?
Velly Impohtent !" Since it was cloudy, I assured her the lights
were there, just hiding behind the clouds. She was so relieved.

[Cara Watt]

06:01 AM on 01/28/2011

I grew up in the North Highlands of Scotland where they are a common occurence. I've since moved a couple of hundred miles south to Aberdeen where they are certainly more of a rarity.

As for the weather though...you've got that spot on!

[Prateek Panchal]

12:03 AM on 01/28/2011

Picture from Canada was looking very beautiful.

Thanks for sharing all.

http://www.Remarkablevacations.net

[spytheweb]

06:47 PM on 01/27/2011

I seen them when i was stationed at Loring AFB MA. Just outside of Limestone.

[spytheweb]

06:49 PM on 01/27/2011

Make that Loring AFB ME.

[anova9]

10:45 AM on 02/02/2011

In Maine??? I didn't know they were visible here!

[osofar]

06:44 PM on 01/27/2011

The Yukon is not in Alaska, it is in Canada...geeeeeeeezzzzzzz

[DeepBlueShe]

06:31 PM on 01/27/2011

Bob Marley ~ No More Trouble

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwHum9w-52c&feature=fvw

[Akimbo]

04:04 PM on 01/27/2011

"Best Viewing Locations: Calgary Ontario, Yukon Territory, Manitoba"

Perhaps the caption writers and copy editors at Huff Post need a lesson in geography. Calgary is a city in the province of Alberta - not Ontario. And BTW, realistically anyplace in Canada above the 53rd parallel and removed from city lights is a good place to see the Northern Lights.

[tragicallyblonde]

04:52 AM on 01/28/2011

9 out of the 10 places have wonderful, accrurate descriptions...then America has its turn to describe Canada. Hah! What a joke! Really?!?! We are right here..looming LARGE above you and you cannot bother to Google (map) us???

Whitehorse is not a town. It is a large, vibrant city, in the Yukon.
Also, it is NWT..North West Territories. You know..those fabulous diamonds that cost so much?!!
Manitoba.... home to Hudson Bay,Polar Bears and the REAL windy city, Winnipeg.
Calgary is the home of the world famous 'Stampede' and has as much Oil/Gas money as Texas.

http://www.blue-moon.ca/bc/P100-2512.html

Check out all of http://www.blue-moon.ca/ awesome northern lights

come visit us, we are right next door.

[1logicalthinker]

02:03 PM on 01/30/2011

tragicallyblonde wrote, "come visit us, we are right next door."

I have crossed the border by car at Blaine, WA, Fort Frances, ON; Sarnia, ON; Windsor, ON (both bridge and tunnel); Niagara Falls, ON; Yahk, BC; North Portal, SK; Grand Portage, MN; Edmundston, QB; and Cardston, AB. In additon, I've flown into Vancouver and Toronto, and crossed by water at Victoria, BC and Yarmouth, NS. Newfoundland is the only province I've not visited.

Canada is my favorite destination. The scenery is beautiful; the people are very, very, friendly, and we share a common language, though we define holiday differently, eh :)

From someone who grew up north of Canada, and I thank you to all of my Canadian neighbors. Thank you for your warm hospitality and for retaining so much of your natural beauty. Our country could learn so much from you, if only we were more civil ;)

[MCJanes]

08:19 AM on 01/28/2011

At least they mentioned places OTHER than British Columbia. Ever since the Olympics, HP has been obsessed.

Also, the views in Labrador are spectacular.

[jo smith456]

03:38 PM on 01/27/2011

AWESOME and MAGNIFICENT!!!

[Tee1up]

02:55 PM on 01/27/2011

There is no need to go that far north for equally impressive shows.

[PhotoZ]

02:38 PM on 01/27/2011

If you would like to watch the auroras in Alaska from the Poker Flat Rocket Range live webcam, go to http://salmon.nict.go.jp/live/aurora_cam/live_aurora_cam_e.html

[tragicallyblonde]

04:54 AM on 01/28/2011

Cool!

Way to go Japan!

[CHMB]

02:15 PM on 01/27/2011

Edmonton is further north than Calgary, you'd be better off going there. Or, you could go to Churchill and see the polar bears, too.

Gorgeous photos regardless.

[Jane Vorenkamp]

02:05 PM on 01/27/2011

Grand Marais in the UP, Northern Michigan on Lake Superior, has an incredible light show. I go as often as possible and it's soooooooooooo worth it!

[justanotherbushhater]

12:49 PM on 01/27/2011

Misspelling of the Norwegian town: Svolvaer, not Svovaer.

[MIKEBC]

12:32 PM on 01/27/2011

I love a good long-haul night drive on quiet northern roads and I've seen some amazing sights and seen ones moving and waving around, and I've talked to someone who lived in Churchill Manitoba and they said on good nights you can hear the northern lights crackle!

[wolfiegirl]

03:16 PM on 01/27/2011

I have a friend who lived in Alaska, and yes, you CAN hear them crackle. It's eerie.

[tragicallyblonde]

04:56 AM on 01/28/2011

sounds like twisting bubble wrap and flattening a plastic 2L pop bottle all at once! lol