Watch the northern lights

The northern lights are one among the world's most captivating and awe-inspiring natural spectacles. These swirling waves of color and light, also known as the aurora borealis, move through the heavens in vivid hues of green, yellow, blue, pink, and violet, putting on a bizarre show for onlookers. It's fascinating to watch the phenomena, which is created by sun particles colliding with atoms in the atmosphere, since the panels of light appear to dance across the dark winter sky.

When the solar conditions are favorable, Alaska is the best site in the country for witnessing the aurora borealis, which can be seen from a variety of locations throughout the state. Fairbanks, in Alaska's center core, is the finest area to base yourself for aurora viewing. You'll be directly beneath the Auroral Oval, a region of the Earth's atmosphere where aurora can occur directly overhead.

The aurora is visible around 200 nights per year in Fairbanks, although it is only visible during the dark winter months; the best time to visit Alaska for peak aurora activity is around the equinoxes in September and March. And the further north you go - toward and above the Arctic Circle - the more time you'll have to look for the Northern Lights. Plan ahead of time, bundle up, and give yourself at least three nights to maximize your chances of clear skies and aurora activity.

Best time to see: between August and April

Best place to see: Fairbanks, Pike's Waterfront Lodge, Aurora Villa, Arctic Dog Adventure Co., Chena Hot Springs Resort,...