As an astrotourism writer and dark-sky photographer, the author has stayed at some of the most incredible nightscapes around the world. For this piece, she drew on firsthand visits to these seven U.S. accommodations—overnighting in specialized lodgings like fiberglass igloos, geodesic domes, and DarkSky-certified glamping tents—to evaluate their dark-sky conditions and stargazing amenities. The fatigue should have put me to sleep as I tucked into bed at 3 A.M. on night six of my Alaska aurora hunt.
With a string of clear skies and strong northern lights, I’d barely slept a wink. Yet I had no intention of snoozing. It was time to cozy up for phase two of the night’s lights chase: admiring the lime and purple streamers from bed.
This fall 2025 trip was different than many of my previous aurora pursuits, which involved guided tours or long nights out in the wilderness. On this excursion, I overnighted exclusively in accommodations built for sky-watching—and as someone who pursues nocturnal wonder for a living, I can’t recommend this hack enough. I’ve experienced the world’s nightscapes in myriad ways for my astrotourism reporting and photography, including guided tours, DIY stargazing, and observatories.
Perhaps my favorite way to sky-watch, though, is from an accommodation built around the stars, whether that’s a hotel within a dark-sky park or clear-sky igloos to watch the northern lights from bed. Here are seven of the best places to stay in the U.S. for stargazing, with insights and tips from my own visits. For aurora hunters, Borealis Basecamp’s location is hard to beat.
It’s a quick 45-minute drive from Fairbanks, which connects to the lower 48 states via direct flights, but it’s still far enough away to avoid the city’s glow. The area lies in the northern hemisphere’s hub for northern lights activity, known as the auroral zone. And as I learned during my stay in September 2025, it’s built specifically for sky-watchers, with everything from expert lectures on lights chasing to accommodations with unobstructed sky views.
Borealis Basecamp offers two types of stays: fiberglass igloos and glass-walled cubes. I overnighted in an igloo and signed up for their complimentary northern lights wake-up call, although I didn’t need it. During my trip, a strong lights show started just after dinner.
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