The 5 Most Stunning Locations Where You Can See the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights otherwise referred to as the Aurora Borealis, are a beautiful display of the Earth’s natural lights cause by charged particles from the sun reacting with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere. The resulting colorful sight is one that makes people want to travel for miles to see. There are many stunning locations that you can visit specifically to see the lights if that is something you want  to do, and if you need help choosing which one to visit, here are just five destinations you can choose from:

 

Iceland

Iceland is a beautiful holiday destination regardless of the lights, thanks to the many once-in-a-lifetime sights you can see there. This means alongside seeing the aurora borealis, you can plan out a trip for you and your family, or even a trip with friends that is jam-packed with stunning sight-seeing opportunities like glaciers and waterfalls. Just be mindful that the best time of year to see the lights is between September and March, as otherwise, it does not get dark enough for you to see them.

 

Norway

As with most destinations to see the Northern Lights, you must plan your trip to Norway between mid-September and late March in order to make the most of it. The prospect of seeing the lights, combined with the stunning scenery and fjords, will have you desperately checking the school predictor for snowy days to find out if your kids will be off and free to go on a magical trip to Norway.

 

Greenland

Going to Greenland to see the Northern Lights is a good plan if you want slightly more leeway in the time of year that they are visible. Your best chance of seeing the stunning sight is if you head to the south of Greenland between mid-August and late April. Although you must also bear in mind that Greenland is a more expensive holiday destination so you must have saved enough money to pay for your trip.

 

Northern Ireland/Ireland

A less obvious holiday destination to see the aurora borealis is in Northern Ireland or on the north coast of Ireland. One of the best destinations to go is to Malin Head, the most northern point of the island in County Donegal, but there are plenty of other spots to visit all along the north coast if you want to see the beautiful lights. On a rare occasion, the lights can even be seen from the iconic Giant’s Causeway, making the iconic sightseeing destination even more special.

 

Canada

Best seen within the first few weeks of winter, the northern lights are a stunning sight to see when you visit Yukon in Canada. Whether you take a scenic route towards Fish Lake or watch them from the relaxing Takhini Hot Pools, they will provide you will memories to last a lifetime. To ensure you don’t miss them when visiting, there are apps and websites that forecast the lights so you know exactly where and when you can spot them.