Catching the northern lights has been on my bucket list for years, and I’m not alone. Well-traveled individuals easily check off things like historical monuments, festivals, and restaurants from their vision board but elusive naturally occurring phenomenons like the aurora borealis can be a lot harder to pin down.
There are a handful of destinations around the world that fall into what’s called the Auroral Oval — a ring-shaped, latitudinal zone consisting of Northern Canada, Alaska, and Scandinavia — where catching the spellbinding glow is most likely but there’s no guarantee that your trip will align with the natural lightshow.
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Here’s what to do and where to go to increase your chances of seeing aurora borealis activity:
The best time for spotting the northern lights
The best time – statistically speaking – to catch the northern lights is usually around the spring and fall equinoxes (the months of March and September). This is the time of year when clear skies, darkness, and solar activity align, increasing overall chances of a good viewing.
Why 2026 is believed to be a good year for seeing the northern lights
The aurora borealis is set to be unusually active this year due to how the sun is interacting with the earth’s magnetic field. The sun follows an approximate eleven-year activity cycle and the solar maximum – the peak period for sun activity – occurred over 2024 and 2025.
The period just after the solar maximum is believed to be especially good for spotting the northern lights. During this part of the cycle, the sun continues to send powerful bursts of energy toward the earth which can trigger geomagnetic storms. These storms are known for causing auroras to be brighter and more dynamic – and often reaching much further than usual from the polar regions.
The Best Places to See the northern lights in North America
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Churchill might be known as the polar bear capital of the world – where polar bears literally outnumber the sub-one thousand human residents – but the northern Manitoba town is also famous for its aurora borealis light show. The northern lights appear, on average, three hundred days per year in Churchill which has led to things like heated plexiglass “Aurora Dome” hotels available to rent.
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
BOOK THE AURORA CHASING TOUR WITH EXPEDIA
BOOK THE WILDING HOTEL FAIRBANKS WITH PRICELINE
Fairbanks is recognized as one of the best places in the world to catch the northern lights – and you don’t even need a passport to get there. The Alaskan tourism board says that the aurora borealis activity is visibly roughly four out of five nights on average but recommends booking a week-long stay to guarantee your chances. Booking an “aurora chasing” tour of the Arctic Circle with a professional photographer is a great way to experience the natural phenomenon while also ensuring you capture photo memories to take home.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
BOOK THE NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR WITH EXPEDIA
The capital of the Northwest Territories in Canada is another spot to all but guarantee you’ll spot the northern lights while visiting. Yellowknife boasts dark and incredibly clear skies come wintertime with the Aurora Village and Ingraham Trail common hotspots for sightings. Visitors will also notice tiny lighthouses sprinkled throughout the town that alert visitors and locals when the northern lights are active. Northern lights tours are popular in Yellowknife as well – and can be a great way to ensure you’re heading to the best viewing spots while in town.
The Best Places to See the northern lights in Europe
Saariselkä, Finland
BOOK THE NORTHERN LIGHTS VILLAGE WITH EXPEDIA
The Finnish Lapland – the northern area bordering Sweden, Norway and Russia – sees the northern lights upwards of two hundred nights per year and has become a hot spot for travelers hoping to finally see the phenomenon. The Northern Lights Village in Saariselkä is one of the best ways to experience aurora borealis activity; the charming resort offers high-end glass-domed aurora cabins so you can enjoy the light show directly from your bed.
Abisko, Sweden
BOOK THE GUIDED AURORA CHASE WITH HOTEL TRANSFERS WITH EXPEDIA
The northern lights can also be seen very regularly in the Swedish Lapland, particularly around Abisko and Kiruna. Abisko National Park is surrounded by mountains which helps ensure a clear sky in the area even when neighboring skies are cloud covered. The park also features a chairlift that goes up to the Aurora Sky Station where guests can enjoy panoramic views from the observation tower. Keep in mind that northern lights experts in Sweden recommend that aurora-chasers book a professional guide for increasing the chances of finding a clear patch to catch the colorscape.
Tromsø, Norway
BOOK THE NORTHERN LIGHTS CHASE WITH EXPERT AURORA HUNTERS WITH EXPEDIA
BOOK THE NORTHERN LIGHTS CRUISE WITH HURTIGRUTEN
Tromsø is located above the Arctic Circle which gives way to visible aurora borealis activity every other night during the peak season. The archipelago has dark, polar nights, with activity so strong that visitors often report seeing the northern lights easily from the downtown core but the best way to ensure a clear viewing is to choose a guided chasing tour, which’ll whisk you away from the town lights and into the best viewing locations. Keep in mind this is the Arctic Circle so having a cold-weather expert in your back pocket is recommended.
There’s also the option to book a cruise through Tromsø and the Arctic Circle with a Scandinavian cruise liner like Hurtigruten. This cruise line is so confident their guests will see the northern lights on the cruise that it offers a “second chance” promise of an additional six-day cruise for free.
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