Where to See the Northern Lights: One of the Most Surreal Experiences the World Has to Offer
Abisko National Park, Sweden
As with most other places, the best time to see the lights in Sweden is from winter through to spring. To see them, you’ll need a clear night with little moonlight.
It’s best to be as far away from cities as possible, as they can dilute the appearance of the lights.
Abisko National Park is the most famous location in Sweden for seeing the lights, as the sky over the Tornetrask Lake often stays clear even when the weather is bad. The gap in the clouds is known as the “blue hole” and is the perfect window to the Aurora Borealis.
Visitors can camp or trek through the park at night, or ride a chairlift up to the Aurora Sky Station. The lookout tower gives views of the park, and on good nights, the Northern Lights.
Fairbanks, Alaska
You don’t have to go all the way to Europe to see the unearthly phenomenon — Alaska is one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. The season for spotting the lights is from September through to April.
During this time, there are more frequent displays, and if you time it right you can get the milder weather and clear skies you need to see them.
The most reliable spot in Alaska to see the lights is in Fairbanks, the largest city in the interior of Alaska. The best part about spotting the lights from here is that you can soak in a hot spring gazing at the sky, ideal for anyone who is not a fan of the freezing cold.
Manley Springs and Chena Resort are the hot spots for this relaxing and awe-inspiring experience.
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Scotland, United Kingdom
The Aurora Borealis has a different name in Scotland — the Mirrie Dancers. Scotland is on the same latitude as some locations in Norway and Alaska, so it is certainly one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights.
Northern Scotland will give you a better chance of seeing the aurorae, but as long as the conditions are ideal — a clear sky with little light pollution — you can see them almost anywhere in Scotland. If the lights are especially strong, you can even see it from Calton Hill in Central Edinburgh.
Other favored locations can be explored when you visit the Scotland Highlands: Shetland, Orkney, Aberdeenshire and the northern tip of the Isle of Skye. Wherever you go, your chances of seeing the lights will improve if you stay up into the wee hours of the morning, maybe kept warm with a nip of Scottish whisky.
