DarkSky International lists 250 certified Dark Sky Places in more than 20 countries across six continents—but most of them are many miles from civilization. A couple are even on sparsely populated islands or in the middle of the Namib Desert. Yet there are a few lights-out hot spots within or very close to cities, where you can stargaze near a downtown setting full of hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Naturally, these more populated night oases also come with some comforts you wouldn’t find on a remote island or in a desert. Imagine admiring the Milky Way in an open-air observatory with heated seats or spotting shooting stars between bites of nigiri. That’s what you’ll get in these six pampered astrotourism experiences in cities around the world.
Curl up in a heated seat in Flagstaff, Arizona
The first official International Dark Sky Place was actually a city. Flagstaff, Arizona, earned that early designation in 2001 after decades of dark sky preservation. It’s home to one of the oldest observatories in the USA, which was founded in 1894 to study Mars and is where Pluto was first discovered. Since then, the Lowell Observatory has become one of the world’s most luxurious astronomical experiences. Its rooftop serves as an open-air “planetarium,” with heated seats for year-round comfort, even in the snow. During the almost-daily Rooftop Stargazing Tour, experts guide visitors through the galaxy in a laser presentation.
Eat sushi under the stars in Bisei Town, Japan
A late-night culinary experience less than 10 miles from the center of Ibara, in Japan’s Okayama Prefecture, appeals to astrophiles and foodies alike. Hoshifuru Restaurant opens just one or two nights a year, turning a sprawling lawn in Bisei Town into an outdoor dining room with romantic lantern-topped tables. The chef makes a seven-course meal of wagyu sushi and other Japanese delicacies while diners sit under the constellations. But your trip doesn’t have to fall on the dates of the pop-up to soak in the nocturnal sights in the self-described “town of stars.” The Bisei Astronomical Observatory and Bisei Spaceguard Center are open year-round to the public.
Go on a stargazing safari around Jackson, Wyoming
Wild nature is easy to access from downtown Jackson.
Courtesy of Wyoming Office of Tourism
The local DarkSky International chapter in Teton County, Wyoming, offers a four-hour sunset safari and stargazing tour. First, an astronomer picks you up from your downtown hotel in Jackson and takes you on an elk- and bison-studded wildlife safari. Next, you’ll be treated to a sit-down dinner at either Dornans or Signal Mountain Lodge in Grand Teton National Park before heading to a stargazing spot of your guide’s choosing on the outskirts of town. There, you can spend up to two hours looking at star clusters and nebulae through the organization’s powerful telescopes.
Sip wine during your celestial viewing on a vineyard in Vicuña, Chile
Savoring a glass of Chilean wine is obligatory when you’re stargazing at the Centro Astronomico Alfa Aldea. The facility is set in the city of Vicuña, on a vineyard not far from the Gabriela Mistral Dark Sky Sanctuary, with the Andes Mountains all around. During night tours, visitors head into the dome, vino in hand, for a 3D movie about the universe (Spanish and English speakers welcome), then go outside to the outdoor amphitheater to spot celestial objects with the help of an expert and a telescope.
Have a beach bonfire under the stars near Shenzhen, China
Xichong Astronomical Observatory is near Xiyong Beach, a popular spot for stargazing.
Photo by DavidLeung6453/Shutterstock
On the coast of Shenzhen, one of China’s biggest megacities, Xichong is best known as a premier surfing destination. But after dark, the focus shifts from swells to the sky as locals and tourists claim their spots on the beach to light bonfires under the stars. Before you head down the wooden stairs to the water’s edge, though, get a closer look at the galaxy inside the Xichong Astronomical Observatory, steps from the shore overlooking the South China Sea.
Share the night with zoo animals in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Amsterdam’s ARTIS Park is a zoo located in the heart of the Netherlands’ glowing capital. Yet the park earned its Urban Night Sky Place accolade in 2025 because it turns out the lights at night to help the animals sleep. Sadly, it closes to visitors during that time, but you can still admire the cosmos during opening hours inside the 300-seat planetarium, which holds various presentations, including some in English, throughout the day.
