Top Rated Star Gazing Trips

There are not many things as inspiring and magnificent as looking at a starry sky on a clear night. With warmer and romantic days coming up, it might be a great idea to surprise your partner and go look at the stars.

These are some top rated Star Gazing Trips.

1. Nevada

If you look at a light pollution map, you’ll notice that Nevada is almost completely black. That’s because Nevada is, again, one of the most rural states in the U.S., and has only two major cities. Whether you’re a full-flegged UFO hunter, or just a dreamer looking at the vastness of the universe, the odds of you seeing something in the sky are significantly greater in Nevada. A few of the best Nevada spots for Star Gazers would be:

• Great Basin National Park— Great Basin National Park, which turned 30 in 2016, is the only national park completely within Nevada’s borders. It is also one of the darkest places in the U.S. As a result, it is home to the FREE Great Basin Astronomy Festival, hosted each September at the park’s Lehman Caves Visitor’s Center. The skies are almost always clear, so visitors can check out stars, galaxies, five distinct planets and even satellites with out a telescope. During the festival, star gazers of all experience levels can learn about tools and techniques from astronomers and identify all types of other worldly space objects.

• ET Highway— For obvious reasons, this route is a great one for those who believe in life on other planets. Some of its hot spots include Area 51, the Little A’Le’Inn and the ET Jerky stand.
• Death Valley— Located in central Nevada, Death Valley National Park is surrounded by towns, but they’re all ghosted, so it is not polluted by light. It is, however, incredibly hot in its valleys, reaching 130 degrees, and earning its name. Nonetheless, it is 130 miles long and 12 miles wide with nothing in between but perfect places to set up camp and look up at the sky.

2. Uvalde County, Texas

Located about an hour and a half’s drive from San Antonio, Uvalde County, Texas, is a perfect place to take your budding romance for a night of stargazing with views of globular star clusters and other astronomical sites normally not visible from cities. It’s one of the only night skies in the U.S. that you can still see the Milky Way. And if you really want to spark some romance, take your love to Garner State Park and dance under the stars – since the 1940s, young folks have gathered at the park’s concession building for a nightly jukebox dance under the stars.

3. Wyoming

With little light pollution, a dry, arid climate, high elevations and easy access to the outdoors, Wyoming is one of the best states in the country for stargazing. Here are some places to make the most of the experience:

• Steam, Stars and Winter Soundscapes Tour  (Xanterra, Yellowstone National Park): So much of our experiencing something depends on our sight. This tour will turn on other senses for a unique adventure. While the snow coaches are heated, sightseeing stops, where passengers leave the coach, necessitate warm footwear and warm layered clothing.
• Family Stargazing in Grand Teton National Park (Four Seasons, Jackson Hole):Enjoy an evening of stargazing in Grand Teton National Park. Travel in the comfort of a Suburban to a prime-star viewing location where guests will enjoy wine, cheese, desserts and hot beverages while viewing the spectacular sunset. As the sun sets, begin to view galaxies, comets, nebula and double stars, planets, the moon and more. Our state-of-the-art Schmitt-Casgranian 11-inch telescope will offer awe-inspiring views. Additionally, during the warmer months, the resort hosts regular stargazing evenings (often with snacks and cocktails for adults) using the hotel’s state-of-the-art telescope.
• Devils Tower Experiences:America’s National Park Service sites contain some of the purest night skies in the world. To celebrate and share the beauty of Wyoming’s night skies, Devils Tower National Monument typically hosts a series of star parties October through December.
• Wyoming Stargazing: Based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming Stargazing offers a wildlife safari-type experience, only for the natural wonder of the night ski. Guests are transported to premiere stargazing locations in Grand Teton National Park, use state-of-the-art telescopes and learn about the exceptional skies above.