10 Ways to Experience Night Tourism

Taking after-dark city tours and experiencing nature at night are some of the fresh new ways you can see the world.

By: Lynn Coulter

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Photo By: Nils Ribi

Photo By: Shutterstock/Taewafeel/EF Go Aheads Tours

Photo By: GREGPOSCHMAN

Photo By: Chris Hardy Photography/Bruce Munro Photography

Photo By: Nils Ribi

Photo By: Megan Koelemay/Natural Habitat Adventures

Photo By: Salty Aura/Tourism NT

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Photo By: Tourism Authority of Thailand

Photo By: Destination Toronto

See the Stars Come Out at Night (and Much More)

The world's a different place at night. Everything looks different, and you hear new sounds, spot nocturnal creatures and start to appreciate colors and lights — even artificial ones — in fresh ways. We've rounded up some of the best nighttime experiences around.

Shown here: the Milky Way, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and stars over Alturas Lake in Idaho's Sawtooth National Recreation Area

Penguin Parade, Phillip Island, Australia

Every day, the tiny penguins of Phillip Island, Australia, leave their burrows and dive into the ocean to fish. At sunset, they come ashore and parade home to feed their babies. Watch them waddle by from a grandstand, special underground viewing area or ranger-led tour. This ticketed attraction is in Phillip Island Nature Parks, about 90 minutes outside Melbourne. One way to see the penguin parade: book EF Go Tours’ Highlights of Australia: The Great Barrier Reef to Sydney.

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

For some of the best stargazing in the world, visit Tierra Atacama in San Pedro de Atacama, a desert village in northern Chile. The desert’s naturally dry conditions, lack of air pollution and altitude make it easy to see the stars, and the visibility is so clear that scientists travel from all over the world to study astronomy in San Pedro de Atacama. Early Atacameñans once “drew” the constellations, not with lines between the stars, but by imagining figures in the dark spaces between them. Look for them on a guided tour with Atacama Stargazing, offered by Tierra Atacama, an award-winning boutique hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. Tours are also offered by various local outfitters.

Light at Sensorio, Paso Robles, California

All 100,000 spheres at the Field of Light Sensorio, in Paso Robles, are solar-powered. Visitors walk through this 15-acre landscape in southern California to see the spheres, held on thin stems, as they subtly ”bloom” in waves and spirals of changing colors. Another art installation, Light Towers, shown here, is the work of the same artist, Bruce Munro. Sixty-nine towers made from more than 17,000 solar-powered wine bottles morph their colors to a musical score; they’re a tribute to South California’s wine country. Dates and times of operation vary, so check the website for details and tickets.

Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve

Go beyond our planet at the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve. Look for the Milky Way, Andromeda Galaxy, Space Station and other objects that aren’t visible during the day. Bring binoculars or a telescope for even better views. This is America's only Gold Tier reserve, the highest international ranking for night-sky quality. It includes the cities of Ketchum, Stanley and Sun Valley.

Shown here: the moon over Big Baldy Mountain.

Northern Lights, Churchill, Canada

Chase the Northern Lights in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, one of the best places in the world to see them. Also called the Aurora Borealis, the lights wash the late-night winter sky in green and pink and other colors. On the Northern Lights and Arctic Exploration tour, offered by Natural Habitat Adventures, you'll visit various heated locations to look for them. One outing is via snowcoach over a frozen creek to a remote forest cabin. You might also stop at an "Aurora Pod" with a glass top and sides for 360-degree views of the night sky. Churchill is a great place to see the lights, but they’re not guaranteed. Weather and other factors can affect them.

Field of Light Uluru, Northern Territory

Another of artist Bruce Munro’s installations, Field of Light Uluru, covers over seven football fields with 50,000 frosted-glass orbs held on stems. They sway gently as their colors change to deep violet, blue, soft white and ochre. As the sky darkens, the lights are silhouetted against Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, a massive sandstone landmark in Australia’s Northern Territory. You’ll have to book a tour or take a shuttle bus to see this paid attraction, but it’s self-guided when you arrive. Check the website for dates and times of operation.

Astra Lumina, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Astra Lumina in Tennessee is the first of the Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series in the United States. Located in the Anakeesta Theme Park in the Gatlinburg mountains, it invites visitors to walk through a forest at night as “fallen stars” release their energy. Eight different zones of lights, sound effects and projections make this a multimedia adventure. The forest path takes about 45 minutes to walk, and as the night goes on, the stars recharge and lift back into the sky. Astra Lumina requires an add-on ticket to the theme park. Check the park website for dates and times of operation.

Iquitos, Peru

A concert of animal and insect sounds cranks up every night on the Amazon River. On EF Go Ahead Tours' guided Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, you'll follow a naturalist into the pitch-dark rainforest in Iquitos, Peru, to experience nocturnal species like tree frogs, cicadas and caimans. You’ll hear their clicks, chirps, buzzes and hums along with the calls and shrieks of howler monkeys, birds and other wildlife. You might also see creatures that hide during the day, like shy snakes and honey bears.

Shown here: the floating home of an indigenous family in Iquitos.

Khao San Night Market, Bangkok

At night, crowds flock to Khao San Road (sometimes spelled Khaosan Road), in Bangkok, Thailand, where the Khao San Night Market sells everything from Thai street food to falafels and pizza. The road is closed to traffic 24/7; the market is open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. Grab a beer at an open-air bar, get inked with a tattoo, order a tailor-made suit, relax with a foot massage, or buy a handmade necklace or tie-dyed shirt. You’ll also find cheap lodgings, pharmacies, internet cafes and more. Live music, occasional break dancers, and lots of backpackers keep it loud and lively.

Nuit Blanch, Toronto

Every year from sunset on October 1 to sunrise on October 2, Nuit Blanche opens in Toronto, Canada. This free event features contemporary works by local, national and international artists displayed in the streets and unexpected public places around the city. If your time is limited, visit the city's BlogTO for a guide to Nuit Blanche (French for “white night"). In the past, BlogTO reported that crowds were the heaviest around 11 p.m. and thinned out by 2 a.m., so the best time to visit has been from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. (Some exhibits close before sunrise, however.) Nuit Blanche is expected to resume in 2023 for the first time since the Covid pandemic.