Best Places for Stargazing

Discover The Most Incredible Places to Gaze At The Stars

Exploring the natural beauty of the great outdoors doesn’t have to be restricted to daylight hours. In the darker hours, the skies above mountain valleys, lakes and forests come alive with moonlight and stars, which are simply breath-taking to witness.

The lack of light pollution in national parks and other unspoilt natural landscapes, provides the perfect conditions for gazing up at the stars and wonders of the cosmos.

As such, the areas of the world that provide spectacular sights on a walking holiday double up as fantastic stargazing locations too, and so we’ve asked our own Inghams walking experts to reveal which places they recommend for an incredible star-gazing experience.

As well as our experts’ insights on where to stargaze in Italy, Austria and Slovenia, we’ve also conducted a study that evaluates the best starry night experiences across all of the parks in the world that are officially listed as Dark Sky locations.

From eco-parks in South Korea to state parks in the USA and valleys in the UK’s own Wales, our latest index study evaluates which Dark Sky locations provide lovers of dark skies with the ultimate stargazing experience.

Inghams Insights - Our Experts Share Their Favourite Stargazing Locations

Before we get into the most unknown but best reviewed Dark Sky locations, we want to share some of the best places for stargazing according to Inghams’ own knowledgeable walking experts:

Vienna, Austria

Discover a charming and peaceful stargazing experience in Austria. Its Naturpark Attersee-Traunsee boasts official Dark Sky status and charms visitors with an average Google review of 4.8 stars, but our experts also know that Vienna is another brilliant location in this country for stargazing.

The city’s Star Garden Georgenberg: The Open-Air Planetarium is open to the public and is a truly magical way to feel closer to the magnificent wonders in the skies above.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Slovenia was the first country to pass a national law to curb rising light levels back in 2007 – making it a great destination on any stargazing fan’s travel list.

The scenery of Lake Bled only becomes more magical at night time. This pristine alpine settlement boasts crystal clear waters, breath-taking views of the Julian Alps and a medieval castle nestled on a tiny island in the centre of the lake; and at night time the sky is full of star constellations and is one of the best places in Europe to view the Milky Way.

Jungfrau-Aletsch Region, Switzerland

The Jungfrau region, which includes Grindelwald, Wengen and Murren, is located in the Bernese Alps and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

Its low levels of light pollution make it an exceptional place to observe the stars, and the daytime delights are just as thrilling; when the sun’s out you can soak up the beautiful crystal-clear waters of Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, or take a trip in the Jungfrau cog railway, which will take you to the highest railroad station in Europe.

Chamonix, France

One of our favourite stargazing experiences is the Overnight Glacier Experience at the Refuge de Montenvers.

A stay here gives you a chance to explore ice caves in the daylight hours, and then observe the incredible clear night sky with shooting stars and planets all visible whilst sitting on the edge of Mer de Glace high in the Chamonix Alps.

Inghams’ Starry Night Experience Index To unearth where in the world offer stargazers the best all round experience, we cross-referenced the 122 parks that have official Dark Sky certification with their Google review and search data, to see which Dark Sky parks offer the best experience to visitors, whilst still remaining relatively unknown.

Topping the list of the top 20 starry night experiences is Canada’s Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park which has an incredibly high review score of 4.9 on Google and 4.8 on All Trails, whilst still flying under the radar with less than 1,500 Google searches a month.  

The majority of Dark Sky parks are located in the USA, and they are well represented within our top 20, including North Carolina’s Mayland Earth to Sky Park and the UBarU Camp and Retreat Center in Texas.

However, Europe’s Dark Sky parks are also highlighted in our Starry Night Experience Index, showcasing some of the best stargazing locations on this continent from Switzerland’s Gantrisch Dark Sky Zone and the Elan Valley Estate in Wales.

1. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park

With its snow-capped mountains, glaciers and stunning rugged rock formations, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Canada is a beautiful place to explore during daylight hours, but the night time provides an experience that feels completely out of this world.

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park topped our index of Best Starry Night Experiences with an impressive 4.9 stars out of 5 on Google Business, and an All Trails score of 4.8.

Coupled with the fact that it remains fairly unknown in terms of Google search volumes, this Dark Sky park offers star gazers a peaceful and unforgettable adventure.

It’s been granted Dark Sky status thanks to the prioritization of resources that protect and conserve its dark skies, and according to UNESCO it provides ‘outstanding scenery’ as well as being ‘exceptionally rich in plant and mammal species’.

2. Yeongyang Firefly Eco Park

South Korea’s Yeongyang Firefly Eco Park is a remote yet accessible site in the valley of the Wangpi River, and its dark skies provide visitors with an incredible opportunity to view both the unique firefly displays across the Suha Bridge, as well as providing the perfect conditions to gaze at the stars above.

It’s a popular location for local amateur astronomers, and the park’s management go to lengths to conserve its dark skies in a way that helps in the conservation of its firefly population.

Yeongyang Firefly Eco Park was the first protected Dark Sky site in Asia, and it’s sure to build in popularity with stargazers thanks to its magical and heady mix of night time skies bursting with blazing meteors and showcasing the Milky Way at its best, alongside the bioluminescent display of the fireflies that it protects.

3. Aenos National Park 

Ainos (or Aenos) National Park is nestled on the Greek island of Kefalonia. Ainos is the highest mountain on the island and provides a spectacular viewpoint over the Ionian Sea, as well as helping stargazers feel like they are within touching distance of the celestial wonders in the night time sky above.

The park has a super high Google review score of 4.9, and is just as enchanting in daylight hours, with fir forests and roaming horses all adding to the mythological ambience of this Grecian paradise.

4. Mayland Earth to Sky Park & Bare Dark Sky Observatory

The USA’s first entry in our Starry Night Experience Index is found in North Carolina. The Bare Dark Sky Observatory welcomes amateur astronomers to use their own telescopes within the flat areas of the park, as well as offering the public the use of the Observatory’s equipment, including a custom-built Newtonian telescope.

The Earth to Sky Park invites visitors to explore its Moon Gardens which surround the Observatory, as well as a number of other gardens and trails, including the Pollinator Meadow which has a pathway shaped like butterfly wings.

With one of the highest Google review scores (4.9) but less than 500 Google searches a month, the Mayland Earth to Sky Park & Bare Dark Sky Observatory site shines as a hidden gem in the stargazing world.

5. UbarU Camp and Retreat Center

Located in Gillespie County, Texas, the UbarU Camp and Retreat Center offers a spiritual and educational way to both connect with, and discover more about, the nature and history of this area.

Previously run by a Quaker community, the park is now operated by the Unitarian Universalist Friends Retreat Foundation who are committed to protecting the nature and wildlife that thrive under dark skies.

The site’s observatory is used by young people attending UBarU’s summer camps, as well as for local community events, and during the day light hours visitors are encouraged to explore the grounds via the Memorial Trail.

6. Pickett CCC Memorial State Park & Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area

Pickett CCC Memorial State Park is found in the upper Cumberland Mountains of northern Tennessee and is going to great lengths to celebrate and make people aware of the importance of protected dark skies across the United States.

Dark places in the eastern United States are vanishing quickly and this protected site offers a New Year’s Eve hike (what better way to see in the new year than by soaking up the stars above in a beautiful outdoor setting!) as well as a Junior Ranger Camp for the local community, and a regular programme of stargazing events during the summer months.

It’s highly regarded by those who have visited with a score of 4.8 and 4.7 on Google Business and All Trails respectively, and with just 1,300 online searches a month, it’s one of the lesser-known Dark Sky locations around the world.

7. Hehuan Mountain

More walkers are turning their attention to Taiwan’s mountains; their height is equal to the Alps or Rocky Mountains and their beautiful alpine scenery is simply breath-taking.

Hehuan Mountain, also known as Joint-Joy Mountain, is one of the most popular with visitors thanks to its accessibility.

Although it’s easy to get to, the views are still unspoilt and pristine, showcasing Taiwan’s beautiful green slopes, forest firs and pretty alpine flowers.

Due to its island location and unique geological history, the fauna, flora and wildlife here are super diverse, ecologically speaking – with snow-capped mountains being a rare occurrence in a subtropical climate.

At night, the bright stars fill up the sky and provide an incredible ethereal scene that visitors want to revisit again and again.

8. De Borschplaat

Recognised by the European council as a Natura 200 nature reserve, this 40 square kilometre park is located on the island of Terschelling in the Netherlands.

Home to a lovely array of birds, nature lovers and amateur astronomers are invited to freely roam the site, exploring its grassy dunes, pale sandy beaches and marshlands – or setting up to view the beautiful constellations and planets that can be seen in the dark sky above.

Sometimes the site is closed to the public in order to conserve and protect wildlife and dark sky environments, but with both All Trail and Google reviewers giving the reserve  4.7 stars out of five, this nature haven in the Netherlands should be on every stargazer’s bucket list.

9. Elan Valley Estate

The UK’s first entry in our Starry Night Experience Index is found in mid-Wales. In the heart of the Cambrian Mountains, Elan Valley provides explorers with lots of exciting trails and outdoor activities that will immerse you in the gorgeous rolling hills and spectacular dams found here.

The dams in Elan Valley Estate supply the local area, and the valley has become of interest to visitors and locals as a place to enjoy and explore the beautiful natural Welsh countryside. The site’s Trust have gone to great care to protect and raise awareness of how fragile the night time environment is, setting up measures to keep the skies dark in this area.

10. Naturpark Attersee-Traunsee

Protecting areas in the Traun and Atterseer Flysch Mountains, the Naturpark Attersee-Traunsee is a joy to explore in every season, with fruit trees blossoming in spring, bright flowers covering the meadows in summer and changing colours of the forests in autumn.

Located deep in the foothills of the Alps, the dark skies here are the some of the darkest in Europe, providing phenomenal conditions for gazing at the planets, stars and meteors that glow in the skies above.

Methodology: For each official Dark Sky park location (122 park locations listed) we have recorded quality and popularity metrics including: each park's Google review score, All Trails score of the area's most popular trail and the number of average Google searches a month worldwide to gauge popularity. The quality metrics have been combined to create a weighted overall 'Best Starry Night Experience' scoreand cross-referenced against average monthly Google search volumes for that area. Locations with a weighted quality score of 80% or higher, and less than 1,500 searches a month, are included in the final rankings as they show the best Dark Sky parks in terms of reviews that are still relatively unknown/less busy according to Google search data. The top 20 locations from this shortlist (ranked by highest weighted quality score) are crowned as the Best Starry Night Experiences. Data correct as of March 2024.

Inghams Starry Night Experience Index (USA Only)