For stargazers, it doesn’t get much better than this summer’s Perseid meteor shower: There’s a thin, near-to-new moon, which means dark skies with virtually no light obstruction. It’s visible across the Northern Hemisphere. And, when the annual meteor shower reaches this summer’s August 12 to 13 peak, the Perseids could produce about 100 meteors per hour, according to the Natural History Museum of London. Even better: Accommodations that are ideal for seeing the Perseids abound in the United States; many top stargazing hotels still have peak-timed availability.
Before we dive into the best U.S. hotels for watching the Perseid meteor shower, here’s some background on the shower itself, and some tips on how to watch it.
What is the Perseid meteor shower?
Like all meteor showers, the Perseids’ “shooting stars” are actually pieces of comet debris (in this case comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle) that slam into Earth’s atmosphere. The particles disintegrate during the collision but leave a glittery sky streak before fizzling.
During average years, the Perseids produce between 50 to 100 meteors each hour, according to NASA. This ranks it among the most active annual meteor showers visible in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s also known for its abundance of fireballs—large meteors that appear exceptionally colorful and vibrant with long tails when they hit Earth’s atmosphere.
Related: When the Best Meteor Shower of the Year, the Perseids, Peaks in 2024
How to see the Perseid meteor shower
The Perseids are most visible from the Northern Hemisphere. While the shower is visible from July 14 to September 1, it hits peak activity around midnight August 12 until dawn on August 13. It occurs near the constellation Perseus in the east to northeast sky. According to the American Meteor Society, it’s best to look around 45 degrees above the horizon, or halfway between the horizon and zenith (the highest point in the sky, located directly overhead). Telescopes and binoculars aren’t necessary, but give your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness for the full effect.
To see the Perseids in all their glory, you’ll need a scouting spot with open sky views, particularly to the east and northeast, that’s far from city lights. For that, we have you covered. Here are seven hotels with dark skies and stargazing amenities that still have mid-August availability.
1. Enchantment Resort
Enchantment Resort sit among Sedona’s otherworldly red rock landscapes.
Courtesy of Enchantment Resort
- Location: Sedona, Arizona
- Book now
Towering red rocks may be Sedona’s main draw, but the city’s often sparkly night skies are equally spectacular. In 2014, the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) certified Sedona as a dark-sky community. That means the Arizona desert town has minimal light pollution and often cloud-free night skies—the perfect recipe for catching the Perseid meteor shower. To enhance your viewing, book a stay at 70-acre Enchantment Resort.
At the 218-casita resort, set within the striated Boynton Canyon, there’s guided mountain biking and hiking among sandstone cliffs via the resort’s adventure hub, the Trail House. The fired adobe and concrete dwellings feature geometric-patterned throws and pillows. Enchantment’s Che Ah Chi restaurant offers a Southwest flavor immersion with such dishes as fresh-caught Sedona rainbow trout and braised elk osso bucco. For stargazers, these touches are appetizers to the main attraction: a night of meteor shower watching via the resort’s group or individual stargazing tours or a night beneath the cosmos on your private deck. From $464
2. Alila Ventana Big Sur
Alila Ventana Big Sur is ideal for dark sky gazing.
Courtesy of Alila Ventana Big Sur
- Location: Big Sur, California
- Book now
Veer off Big Sur’s scenic Highway 1 for a night of watching Perseid meteors on the redwood-filled grounds of Alila Ventana Big Sur. The 59-room property, a cluster of multi-room abodes set on a cliff above the Pacific, draws astrotourists with inky California coast skies that explode with stars each night.
Pair your Perseids viewing with farm-fresh bites at Alila’s ocean-facing Sur House restaurant or over sizzling s’mores at the property campfire. Or book cosmic yoga for a night of vinyasas beneath the soaring fireballs. Or view them in privacy in your own accommodations, be it the deck, hammock, or outdoor shower in the Big Sur Forest Shower Suite or the ocean- and meadow-view hot tub in the Pacific House Suite. From $3,045
3. The Green O
The Tree Hause accommodations at the Green O in Montana
Courtesy of the Green O
- Location: Greenough, Montana
- Book now
Catch the Perseids fireballs from your private hot tub amid pine trees at the adults-only Green O, a collection of 12 stylish stand-alone accommodations on the forested grounds of the Resort at Paws Up in northwest Montana. If you like feeling even closer to nature, talk to your Green O host to arrange a nocturnal Perseids picnic with blankets, locally sourced mozzarella pizza, and a bottle of wine anywhere on the resort’s 37,000 wild acres.
A prolific meteor shower may be the main draw for a mid-August visit, but daytime activities abound. There are on-site hiking trails, which begin steps from your door, horseback rides along the Blackfoot River, or hot air balloon rides over the majestic Swan Mountains. Cap off the day with an inventive eight-dish tasting menu in the Green O Social Haus, where rock-seared wagyu beef sourced from Hokkaido, Japan, and a gold-dipped honeycomb dessert await. From $4,214, three-night minimum
4. Missing Hotel
The Ukiyo domes at the Missing Hotel have their own hot tubs.
Courtesy of Missing Hotel
- Location: Marble Falls, Texas
- Book now
The idea behind Texas Hill Country’s far-flung Missing Hotel is to do as its name says: go missing. Guests spend their days hiking and mountain biking amid the property’s oak tree–shaded trails, and in August, nights beneath the Perseids in their private pools. This collection of 10 geodesic domes and glamping cabins point all eyes toward the sky. The domes provide nearly 180-degree panoramas of the surrounding forests and nightscapes, while traditional cabins offer a skylight for stargazing. Each cabin has its own soaking pool, while the Luna, Zephyr, and Ukiyo dome accommodations come with mini hot tubs.
The property doesn’t offer on-site dining, but the staff can provide fire starter, a grill top, and grilling tools for campfire dinners on private patio firepits. For the grilling adverse, there are restaurants in such nearby towns as Liberty Hill, a 15-minute drive away. Try Hell or Highwater Brewing for craft beer and Texas comfort food (think pork-stuffed nachos and fried-chicken penne pasta) or Agape BBQ, a relaxed backyard-style barbecue joint with brisket, pulled pork, and sausage. From $413
5. Chatham Bars Inn
A cottage at Chatham Bars Inn in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Courtesy of Chatham Bars Inn
- Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
- Loyalty program: I Prefer
- Book now
Cape Cod’s Chatham Bars Inn, a 217-room waterfront property, sits on a private strip of beach in Chatham, with all the makings for a seaside stargazing vacation. Join the weekly night-sky events with a resident astronomer or catch the Perseids on your own from the sugar-sand beach. In the inn’s ocean-view suites, you can sky-watch from your own private terrace.
The sea and stars are on display from every part of the inn, whether you’re dining on oysters and lobster at the Atlantic Ocean–facing Stars restaurant or taking part in a private beach clambake, complete with Chatham steamers and oysters, littleneck clams, cocktails, and s’mores. From $785
6. Open Sky
Open Sky sits under inky skies near Zion National Park, Utah
Courtesy of Open Sky
- Location: Zion National Park, Utah
- Book now
With its sandstone cliffs and canyons, Zion National Park is renowned for its towering red rocks and juniper-carpeted slopes. The park gained IDA certification as a dark-sky park in 2021, making it an ideal place to catch the Perseids at their brightest. Glamping retreat Open Sky, located 20 minutes by car from the entrance to Zion, enhances the meteor-shower experience with an opportunity to stay overnight in style.
Open Sky’s 12 canvas tents include the Star Seeker suites, beloved by stargazers for the bedroom’s oversize wall and ceiling windows, plus en suite telescopes. All accommodations have private patios for skygazing, too. Start your meteor-shower adventure at the outdoor and fairy-light-illuminated Black Sage, Open Sky’s on-site restaurant. Locally sourced offerings include Utah trout cakes and stacked tostadas stuffed with jackfruit. From $809; two-night minimum
