My bucket list of travel destinations is largely nature-inspired. Some of our favorite trips have included visiting U.S. national parks, backpacking to Havasupai Falls, witnessing the magic of synchronous fireflies in Smoky Mountain National Park and roadtripping around Iceland. For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of seeing the aurora borealis, aka “Northern Lights”. This November, we made it happen!
Being a natural phenomenon, the Northern Lights can never be guaranteed—but these considerations can significantly increase your chances of seeing them:
1. Go far north toward the Aurora Oval: Regions like Alaska, Northern Canada, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden offer the most consistent activity.
2. Visit during peak season (September–March): Long, dark nights are ideal. A waning or crescent moon is best, but strong auroras can outshine even a nearly full moon.
3. Prioritize darkness over everything: Seek out clear skies, minimal light pollution, and a wide open horizon.
4. Track KP + Bz in real time: KP measures storm strength; Bz (when negative/southward) “unlocks” visibility farther south. We used the Aurora and Hello Aurora apps. Bz can only be predicted ~30 minutes ahead, so real-time monitoring is key.
5. Be ready to stay up: Our Aurora Tour guide joked he didn’t realize how many auroras he slept through before he started leading night tours. The best show I saw on this trip was between 4 to 4:30 a.m. — if you want watch the sky to dance, you have to be awake for it!
2025–26 is predicted to be among the strongest aurora seasons in over a decade — we’re in the peak of Solar Cycle 25, and scientists say elevated solar activity until 2026 will lead to more frequent, intense Northern Lights across the Aurora Oval. So, if seeing the aurora is on your list, don’t wait. Start planning your trip now!
Below is our family’s 3-day itinerary to Fairbanks, Alaska. We chose Alaska for its easy access from the West Coast compared to more distant aurora destinations like Iceland or Finland, and it lined up well with our kids’ Veterans Day school holiday (11/8-11/11). For aurora travel, aim for at least three nights — the more nights you stay, the greater your odds of clear skies and a good show.
Day 1: Orange County, CA to Fairbanks, AK
We caught the first Alaska Airlines flight out of Orange County at 6:45 a.m., made a quick connection in Seattle, and landed in Fairbanks around 3 p.m. After picking up our rental car, we checked into our lodging for the trip: Wilding Fairbanks, a group of modern glass cabins with stunning panoramic forest and sky views. It was the perfect base for aurora viewing and quite a treat to be able to view the aurora from under the blankets in bed! Be sure to read it the end for a discount code!
For dinner, we drove 20 minutes into town and ate the Jazz Bistro on the 4th (a Cuban restaurant). We then stopped at a supermarket and picked up groceries since we planned to cook brunch in our suite each morning. Our first night was cloudy and snowy so we settled in and good night’s rest.
Here’s a room tour of our Deluxe Suite at the Wilding Fairbanks:
Day 2: Reindeer Walk, North Pole & Our First Aurora Night
Daylight is limited in November — sunrise around 9 a.m. and sunset just after 4 p.m. We had a slow, cozy morning in our cabin before heading out. We made brunch in our suite, since the Wilding has a kitchenette complete with a hot plate, toaster over, pots and pans and coffee maker.
After brunch, we roasted marshmallows around the firepit. If you’re never done s’mores in the winter, I highly recommend it! There’s something so special about sitting around a fire, sipping on hot chocolate and enjoying a toasty dessert when it’s freezing outside!
Running Reindeer Ranch
This was one of our family’s favorite activities in Fairbanks. The reindeer roam freely and walk alongside you through the birch forest. The experience is peaceful, educational, and truly magical. This experience can be booked directly via: RunningReindeer.com.
Here is a video I made of the experience:
Visiting North Pole, Alaska
About 30 minutes from Fairbanks, this tiny town has candy-cane striped streetlights and a giant year-round Christmas store called Santa Claus House. It’s kitschy but fun. After browsing the extensive holiday shop, we had dinner at the local Chinese restaurant, Pagoda, which came highly recommended by locals. The food was more Americanized style Chinese food and the menu was extensive – offering a delicious and comforting meal on the cold Alaskan night.
Aurora Tour with Electric Moose Photography
This tour was the main highlight of our trip. After all, we traveled to Alaska to see the aurora! I chose this tour because it came highly recommended in a Facebook travel group I’m in. It’s on the pricier side of tours (nearly $400 pp) – but you can book it on points. I used my credit card points through the Chase travel portal to book our tickets.
Around 8:45 p.m., our guide Nathan picked us up in a shared van (up to ten guests) and drove us about an hour into the wilderness. He set up a heated tent in an open clearing, creating a warm, comfortable base while we waited for the aurora. Nathan cooked fresh pizza on-site, kept everyone supplied with hot chocolate and chai, and explained the science behind the aurora using real-time data from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. While we waited, he snapped fun photos of each group and made sure we stayed cozy until the lights appeared.
The sky lit up between 12–2 a.m. We saw several waves of the lights and even some dancing patterns. Our 10-year-old had trouble staying awake after 1 a.m., but our 12-year-old stayed awake the entire time and absolutely loved it.
Here’s a video of the experience with time stamps:
We returned to our cabin a little after 3am – our bucketlist Aurora viewing checked off!
A Surprise late night Aurora Show
While the rest of my family went straight to sleep, I was still full of adrenaline from the aurora tour. Just before I was about to get into bed, I noticed a faint haze in the sky. Tip: The aurora is often faint to the naked eye but bright through long-exposure photos so I held up my phone to the sky and sure enough, there were the green bands of the aurora. Around 4 a.m., the sky exploded into the best aurora show of the entire trip. I woke up Jason up to view them, and let the kids sleep.
I finally went to bed at 5am, so happy and content.
Day 3: Chena Hot Springs, Ice Museum
While I’m glad we got to see the aurora together as a family, something to consider is that kids will probably go to bed earlier than the adults – so you will need to have energy to parent during the daytime. Jason and I both have experience pulling all-nighters on call for our jobs, so we can function on less sleep. An aurora trip may be easier as an adult trip, but each family can decide what makes sense for them. There are some other lodging options in the area, such as the Borealis Basecamp, where I’ve heard that the staff will come wake you up if lights appear. That may allow for a bit more rest.
This morning, we all slept in and enjoyed brunch in the suite. Our family loves ramen, so I made a big pot of noodle soup with some of our leftovers from the previous night’s Chinese dinner to warm us up before our outing.
Chena Hot Springs Resort
We drove out to Chena Hot Springs Resort for the perfect apres-aurora day. The geothermal pools are open year-round but are extra magical in the snow!
Tips for visiting Chena Hot Springs:
1. General admission is US $20 per adult (ages 18–59), US $18 for seniors, US $17 for kids 6–17, and free for under-6.
2. Kids are not allowed in the “rock pool” area (shown above) — that’s 18+ only. Our boys had to soak separately in the adjacent outdoor hot tub (below) while Jason and I checked out the rock pool. You can’t see this hot tub from the pool, so this is something to keep in mind if you have younger children. There is also an indoor pool and a couple more hot tubs.
3. Bring your own: flip-flops (the ground is icy + wet), towel — rentals are $5 if you don’t bring one, shampoo + conditioner (and maybe a hair dryer) if you want to shower there — amenities are basic.
4. Best time to visit: late afternoon to evening, so you can soak in daylight and catch the stars / northern lights if you’re lucky
While you’re there, you can also check out the Aurora Ice Museum on-site, and/ or stay for dinner — which is what we did!
Aurora Ice Museum
Located on the same property, this museum features ice sculptures and ice architecture created by award-winning carvers. The tour lasts about 45 minutes. We bought one ticket for the Apple Martini served in a carved ice glass — you can easily share it.
Overall, I’m not sure I’d drive an hour just for the museum, but paired with the hot springs, it’s well worth the stop. If you enjoy seeing ice sculptures, I recommend planning your trip around the World Ice Art Championships, which will generally runs from mid February to the end of March in Fairbanks.
We wrapped up our day trip to Chena Hot Springs resort with dinner at their restaurant, which we really enjoyed. The soups were fabulous and warmed us up, which was necessary as it was -5F outside.
Our Winter Car Incident – words of caution regarding winter driving conditions
I don’t love sharing negative travel moments, but this one feels important. As we were driving back to Wilding Fairbanks on Chena Hot Springs road, the road was very icy. We had been warned about this by the car rental agent and a friend who was a local.
Only 10 minutes from our final destination, our SUV spun out and slid off the road. We were lucky, the car wasn’t badly damaged. AAA came quickly and pulled us out, and we were able to drive back to our lodging. But it was scary. Jason grew up driving in winter conditions in Canada, drove cautiously slow, and we rented an AWD SUV — and still, this happened. If you aren’t fully comfortable with winter driving, please consider book tours or hiring a driver. Chena Hot Springs Resort does offer a shuttle service you can book. Purchase the extra liability insurance on your rental car. Go slower than you think you need to. What we experienced apparently is very common in the winter.
On the bright side, while waiting for the tow truck, we watched an incredible aurora show overhead — and it continued glowing all the way back to our stay. I captured this final image of the aurora through the car window. Nature, even in stressful moments, is full of magic.
Day 4: Breakfast & Heading Home
We enjoyed one last breakfast in our glass cabin before packing up and heading to the airport.
Seeing the Northern lights wasn’t just a bucket-list item — it was a meaningful, core memory, we’ll never forget. The cold, the unpredictability, the late nights, the travel to get here… all of it was worth it. While we did not squeeze in dogsledding, snowmobiling or ice fishing during our visit, those are some other fun activities you may be able to do if you visit Fairbanks during the winter!
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the aurora, I hope this blog post helps make it happen for you!
Travel Tips for Planning Your Own Aurora Trip
Flights & Lodging Discounts
Use the Alaska Airlines Companion Fare if you have the Alaska Atmos Visa card.
Save 20% off your stay at Wilding Fairbanks or Texas using code ADVENTURE20 .
Tours can be pricey, but you may be able to redeem credit card points via the Chase travel portal or Viator to save!
What to Pack for a Winter Aurora Trip
Our packing strategy was very similar to how we pack for our ski trips: lots of layers and clothing that stays warm even in wind and subzero temperatures. Wool is ideal, but affordable alternatives like 32 Degrees or UNIQLO HeatTech work well too.
Clothing Essentials:
Base layers: wool or synthetic tops and leggings Mid layers: fleece, lightweight puffy, or warm sweater Snow pants: insulated and waterproof Winter parka: the warmer, the better Accessories: hat, gloves, wool socks, and a neck warmer (huge help on windy nights) Insulated winter boots: waterproof with good traction Hand and toe warmers: especially helpful for long nights outdoors
Aurora Photography Essentials:
Tripod: a must if you want long exposures or time-lapse videos on an iPhone I used this compact MagSafe phone tripod that worked perfectly for 3–10 second exposure shots. Bring an extra battery pack — the cold drains devices quickly
Note: All opinions and recommendations expressed in this post are our own. Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.