The astrotourism trend — travel inspired by the night sky — seems set to continue shining in 2026, with American travelers showing growing interest in building celestial events into their vacation plans. As this year’s total solar eclipse prepares to sweep across parts of countries such as Spain and Iceland on August 12, HomeToGo has seen a marked rise in search demand for stays in these destinations. Meanwhile, several U.S. states will offer views of a partial eclipse, sparking domestic curiosity as well:
Looking abroad, searches for Reykjavík in Iceland, and Spain's Balearic Islands and Cantabria — all of which sit in the solar eclipse's path of totality — with check-in dates surrounding the date of the phenomenon have more than quadrupled.
For check-in dates surrounding the solar eclipse, Massachusetts and Alaska — both states from which a partial solar eclipse will be visible — have seen year-over-year search increases of +322% and +133% among American travelers respectively.
While the eclipse is set to steal the spotlight this summer, it’s just one of many reasons to look up when the sun goes down. From annual meteor showers to planetary alignments, constellations, and crisp views of the Milky Way, the night sky puts on a show year-round — and you don’t have to travel light-years to find an incredible viewpoint.
Taking into consideration locations across the United States, HomeToGo has compiled a list of 30 top astrotourism destinations, ranked according to accommodation affordability and proximity to exceptional stargazing spots. These locales combine natural darkness, strong sky visibility, and great value — ideal for starseekers looking to spend less time traveling and more time marveling.
Keep reading to explore the full ranking table, an interactive map, and destination highlights for the five highest-ranking destinations — and discover where to find some out-of-this-world celestial displays this year.
Ranked: 30 Affordable Top Spots
for Superlative U.S. Stargazing
|
Rank
|
Destination
|
State
|
Price Score
|
Proximity Score
|
Total Score
|
Search Trend
|
Median nightly price per person
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | McCall | Idaho | 10.00 | 10.00 | 20.00 | 72% | $64.53 |
| #2 | Moab | Utah | 9.55 | 9.50 | 19.05 | 51% | $75.98 |
| #3 | Taos | New Mexico | 9.39 | 9.50 | 18.89 | 36% | $80.04 |
| #4 | Page | Arizona | 9.09 | 9.50 | 18.59 | 169% | $87.58 |
| #5 | Ruidoso | New Mexico | 8.99 | 9.50 | 18.49 | 28% | $90.25 |
| #6 | Ouray | Colorado | 8.71 | 9.70 | 18.41 | 74% | $97.44 |
| =#7 | Oro Valley | Arizona | 8.82 | 9.00 | 17.82 | 56% | $94.54 |
| =#7 | Bar Harbor | Maine | 8.52 | 9.30 | 17.82 | 28% | $102.08 |
| #9 | Broken Bow | Oklahoma | 8.11 | 9.70 | 17.81 | 91% | $112.60 |
| #10 | Santa Fe | New Mexico | 9.39 | 8.30 | 17.69 | 16% | $80.04 |
| #11 | Gatlinburg | Tennessee | 9.14 | 8.30 | 17.44 | 12% | $86.42 |
| #12 | Park City | Utah | 9.55 | 7.70 | 17.25 | 13% | $75.89 |
| #13 | Flagstaff | Arizona | 7.13 | 10.00 | 17.13 | 51% | $137.46 |
| #14 | Joshua Tree | California | 6.78 | 10.00 | 16.78 | 55% | $146.60 |
| #15 | Hocking Hills | Ohio | 7.45 | 9.30 | 16.75 | 41% | $129.34 |
| #16 | Asheville | North Carolina | 8.73 | 7.50 | 16.23 | 51% | $96.86 |
| #17 | Big Bear Lake | California | 7.44 | 8.70 | 16.14 | 125% | $129.66 |
| #18 | Estes Park | Colorado | 7.13 | 9.00 | 16.13 | 82% | $137.46 |
| #19 | Prescott | Arizona | 7.13 | 8.70 | 15.83 | 89% | $137.46 |
| #20 | Mammoth Lakes | California | 6.32 | 9.50 | 15.82 | 83% | $158.15 |
| #21 | Kalispell | Montana | 8.41 | 7.30 | 15.71 | 114% | $104.98 |
| #22 | St. George | Utah | 8.38 | 7.30 | 15.68 | 59% | $105.71 |
| #23 | Truckee | California | 7.37 | 8.30 | 15.67 | 63% | $131.48 |
| #24 | Albuquerque | New Mexico | 8.99 | 6.00 | 14.99 | 129% | $90.25 |
| #25 | Breckenridge | Colorado | 5.93 | 9.00 | 14.93 | 7% | $168.20 |
| #26 | Vail | Colorado | 5.93 | 8.30 | 14.23 | 16% | $168.20 |
| #27 | Mesa | Arizona | 8.64 | 5.50 | 14.14 | 34% | $99.06 |
| #28 | Bend | Oregon | 9.00 | 5.00 | 14.00 | 55% | $89.90 |
| #29 | Monterey | California | 7.05 | 6.70 | 13.75 | 23% | $139.57 |
| #30 | Jackson Hole | Wyoming | 5.00 | 8.70 | 13.70 | 88% | $191.79 |
30 Top Affordable Spots for
Superb Stargazing in the U.S., Mapped
More About The Top 5
Affordable Destinations for Stargazing in the U.S.
Payette National Forest near McCall
1. McCall, Idaho
Located by the Payette National Forest and Ponderosa State Park — part of the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve — McCall sits at more than 5,000 feet above sea level and offers easy access to some of the darkest skies in the United States. Its combination of affordable accommodation and proximity to prime stargazing conditions earned it the top spot on this year’s list.
Median nightly per person price for accommodation: $64.53
Night skies over Moab
2. Moab, Utah
Set between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks — both certified Dark Sky Parks — the night skies surrounding Moab are spectacular. Minimal light pollution, dry desert air, and wide-open horizons make it one of the most rewarding locations in the U.S. to spot planets, constellations, and meteor showers. With strong stargazing credentials and well-priced places to stay, it’s easy to see why Moab ranks second.
Median nightly per person price for accommodation: $75.98
Taos in New Mexico
3. Taos, New Mexico
At nearly 7,000 feet, Taos combines high-altitude clarity with low light pollution — ideal conditions for stargazing. Nearby, the Río Grande del Norte National Monument, Carson National Forest, and the Taos Plateau Wilderness offer access to some of northern New Mexico’s darkest skies. With great-value stays and remote starscapes close at hand, Taos stands out in this year’s ranking.
Median nightly per person price for accommodation: $80.04
The Milky Way, as seen from Page, Arizona
4. Page, Arizona
Perched on the Colorado Plateau near Glen Canyon and Lake Powell, Page offers far-reaching views and minimal light pollution — ideal for wide-sky stargazing. Its dry desert climate keeps conditions clear and consistent, so with reasonably priced places to stay, it’s a dependable pick for travellers chasing dark skies in the Southwest.
Median nightly per person price for accommodation: $87.58
Ruidoso in New Mexico
5. Ruidoso, New Mexico
Surrounded by national forest and tucked into the foothills of the Sierra Blanca range, Ruidoso combines high elevation and low light pollution for strong night-sky conditions. Open landscapes are easy to reach, and the town’s quieter setting makes it a great choice for travellers seeking dark skies without the crowds — and without overspending.
Median nightly per person price for accommodation: $90.25
Methodology: How This Guide Was Produced
Search Trends, Solar Eclipse: Insights are based on observed searches carried out via hometogo.com between January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025 with a check-in date during the week preceding the solar eclipse on August 12, 2026.
Search and Price Insights, Top 30 Stargazing Spots: Insights are based on observed searches carried out via hometogo.com between January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2025, with a check-in date during 2026.
Ranking: Information from sources such as DarkSky International was used to collate a list of destinations located in close proximity to areas renowned for their stargazing opportunities. A shortlist of destinations which had both, for stays during 2026 via hometogo.com, seen a year-over-year search increase of more than +5% and recorded a median nightly per person price for accommodation of under $200, was created. In order to rank these destinations, two data points were researched: the exact median nightly price per person for vacation accommodation and the destination's proximity in miles to a highly regarded stargazing area. After obtaining the raw data, each data point was assigned a representative numerical value between 5 and 10, with 5 representing the lowest data point and 10 representing the highest data point. The hypothetical "perfect score" would be 20 out of 20. The following equation was used in order to calculate this for every factor:
Score(i) = 5 · (x(i) - xmin ) / (xmax - xmin ) + 5
Price Score: Internal HomeToGo price data was used to find the median cost per night per person for vacation accommodation in each destination during 2026. The area with the lowest median nightly per person price for vacation accommodation was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining locations were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Data was collected in December 2025, prices are subject to change.
Proximity Score: The proximity of each destination in miles to its nearest highly regarded stargazing location was calculated. The area with the shortest distance to travel to a renowned stargazing location was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.