Looking to plan a spectacular stargazing vacation? Leave the lights of the city behind and check out our recommendations for cabins, farmstays, and home rentals where you can spend your nights looking up at the stars, planets, and even the milky way.
| 🏡 Vacation rentals available | 146,465 homes |
|---|---|
| 💳 Possible discounts | up to 38% |
| 🌙 Nightly prices starting at | $65 |
| ⭐ Popular amenities | Dishwasher, Crib and Washing machine |
| 🐾 Pet friendly homes | 39,219 homes |
| 🏊 Vacation rentals with pools | 28,116 homes |
We would suggest choosing from our incredible selection of Cabin and Cabin for Stargazing Vacations.
On average, you can get an incredible rental for somewhere between $313 and $423 and find discounts up to 38%!
Usually the size of a Cabin is 159 m² and may fit 7 guests on average which is ideal for large groups.
In the mood for a secluded starry getaway? HomeToGo has scoured lightyears of data to help uncover the best places to stay and stargaze this summer.
Examining certified Dark Sky Places from all over the country based on their historical average cloud cover, solitude (people per square mile), number of vacation homes available, and accommodation affordability (median nightly price), HomeToGo has ranked the top 17 towns to stay and marvel at the night sky.
So pack up your telescopes, grab your s'more kits, and get ready to jump into the 2023 Summer Stargazing Index!
See It and Believe It:
On a very dark night, there is approximately 2,000 stars visible to the naked eye—just a small fraction of the estimated three trillion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Stars and Showers A-Plenty:
On any given night throughout the year, regardless of the season, an observer beneath a clear night sky can expect to see between two to seven shooting stars per hour.
Above and Beyond:
The most powerful space telescope in existence is the James Webb Space Telescope. According to NASA, the Webb telescope is powerful enough to detect a bumblebee at the distance of the moon.
Westcliffe and Silver Cliff is Colorado’s first and only International Dark Sky Community, and the highest altitude IDSP-designated community in the world. With an estimated combined population of 1,155, these two towns are home to some of the best stargazing the country has to offer. The valley west of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff is a great place to see the stars due to its high altitude of 8,000 feet, creating a more united land and night sky experience.
Index Score: 33.30
Dripping Springs, has become a premier destination for stargazers. Its remote location and minimal light pollution create optimal conditions for observing celestial wonders. With high elevation and clear atmospheric conditions, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of meteor showers, constellations, and the awe-inspiring Milky Way.
Index Score: 32.80
Located between Melbourne and Orlando, Harmony, Florida, is a small residential community with around 1,000 residents. Despite its relatively close proximity to major cities, the unincorporated area boasts IDA-certified dark skies. This distinction allows residents and visitors to enjoy optimal conditions for stargazing. Over the years, Harmony has hosted Dark Sky festivals and parties, separate from Dark Sky Week, highlighting the town's commitment to preserving and celebrating its pristine night sky.
Index Score: 32.10
Flagstaff was designated the world’s first International Dark Sky City in 2001, which means the city holds a high standard when it comes to lighting and reducing this exposure to enhance the quality of stargazing. Locations within Flagstaff such as Sunset Crater Volcano and Lowell Observatory – the spot where Pluto was first discovered in 1930, offer unique experiences in observing the night sky and all that it contains.
Index Score: 32.00
Sedona, home to a population of over 10,000, is great for viewing the night sky year-round. Located within the Coconino National Forest, the town has a lack of big lights which makes for an excellent stargazing experience. Locations within Sedona such as Dry Creek Road and Fay Canyon give the opportunity of a lifetime to view these stars perfectly.
Index Score: 31.50
Situated on Lake Michigan's shoreline east of Chicago, Beverly Shores is often referred to as "The Island" due to its surrounding by Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the lake itself. Residents value its wild setting and, in recent years, have embraced dark skies as an integral part of the local environment. Through retrofitting and replacing light fixtures, the community has demonstrated its commitment to controlling outdoor lighting and attracting both residents and tourists who appreciate the town's dedication to preserving its natural nighttime beauty.
Index Score: 31.50
We used information from the International Dark-Sky Association to collate a shortlist of Dark Sky Places for which the geographical coordinates are publicly available and shortlisted the top 17 most searched on HomeToGo.com for stays between June 21st, 2023 and September 22nd, 2023. In order to rank these Dark Sky Places, we researched 4 data points: the size and population of the Dark Sky Place, the average cloud cover of the area, the number of accommodation offers in the area and the median nightly price thereof. After obtaining the raw data, we assigned each data point 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 40 out of 40. We used the following equation in order to calculate this for every factor:
Score(i) = 5 · (x(i) - xmin ) / (xmax - xmin ) + 5
Solitude: We used data from the International Dark-Sky Association to determine the size of each Dark Sky Place and population data from census.gov for the area or nearest town. The place with the lowest ratio of people per square mile was given a score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
Clear Skies: We used historical weather data from Visual Crossing Weather to analyze the last year (June 21st 2022 - September 22nd 2022) of data from the nearest weather station to each Dark Sky Place. The area with the fewest overcast or rainy days over the last summer was given a score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
Accommodation Availability: We used HomeToGo inventory data to find the number of accommodation offers in the vicinity of each Dark Sky Place. The area with the highest number of accommodation offers was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Data was collected in June 2023, availability is subject to change.
Accommodation Affordability: We used internal HomeToGo data to find the median price per night per person for a vacation rental in the area between June 21st 2023 - September 22nd 2023. The area with the lowest median nightly price per person for a vacation rental was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining locations were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Data was collected in June 2023, prices are subject to change.
