These Are Some of the Best Airbnbs to See the Northern Lights

The vacation rental site shares some of its most wish-listed Arctic homes in the U.S., Iceland, and Scandinavia.

The Northern Lights are a spectacle that requires not just going to the right destination, but quite a bit of luck since aurora activity, dark skies, and clear weather conditions all need to converge for nature’s colorful light show to emerge. But the good news for 2024? Experts say that chances are higher as the sun is reaching its solar maximum state.

Of course, finding the perfect home base to maximize the odds is part of the challenge, so Airbnb has released a list of its best listings to chase the aurora by sharing some of the most wish-listed homes in its Arctic Category. The vacation rental company said these stays “promise an experience of a lifetime under the celestial canvas in the north polar Alaska, Iceland, and Scandinavia.” 

As arguably the best spots for aurora viewing in the U.S., Fairbanks, Alaska — where the peak season runs from Aug. 21 to April 21 — is home to two of the top picks. The Cozy Alaskan Log Cabin sleeps four guests near Creamer's Field Waterfowl Refuge about five miles from downtown. A recent guest called it “cozy and welcoming” and said they “saw the Northern Lights from the field outside the cabin.”

Slightly more rustic, but still just a seven-minute drive from downtown, the Off-Grid Cabin on 100 Acres was a stunning experience, even for an Alaskan who visited from Anchorage. They said, “I have seen the Northern Lights quite a few times, but viewing them from a secluded wood-fired hot tub was nothing short of magical.”

Iceland’s northern reaches also had a pair of Airbnbs on the list. The one-bedroom Aska Modern Cabin in Reykjahlíð on Lake Myvatn was a dreamy stay for an American visitor who said, “We watched the sun go down right off the back porch with some hot cocoa, watched the Northern Lights, had a great night of sleep in their comfy beds.” Over in Akureyri’s two-bedroom Beautiful place with great view, visitors said they saw the aurora from the porch — and even right from the bed.

Over in Norway, at Vestvågøy’s  Waterfront Cabin, which can sleep seven, Malaysian guests said they saw the colorful displays every night of their stay, while a British traveler said the host was “really attentive and even advised us when the Northern Lights were out over Leknes.” In Salangen, at the three-bedroom Villa Hegge, guests raved about the various ways they’d seen the aurora, including “over the mountains from the veranda,” “dancing above the house,” and even “next to the fire eating salmon (like true Norwegians).”

The list is rounded out by two homes in Lapland, across the border from one another. The Bright and Modern Chalet in Kittilä, Finland, near the ski resort of Levi, sleeps seven guests in its four bedrooms, with one visitor loving that the host sent an email specifically about the Northern Lights.

Finally, the stunning one-bedroom Floating Glass Room in Jokkmokk, Sweden, just might be one of the most spectacular experiences in a “magical igloo boat,” as the host describes. A recent guest called it “a very fulfilling experience…to enjoy the removed stillness of the lake” and said that “the views from the panoramic glass window left us screaming with excitement at the arrival of the Northern Lights.”

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