Look up and watch as cascades of green, white and red dance across the sky in one of the world's greatest natural spectacles, the aurora borealis. Northern lights vacations in and around the Arctic Circle highlight this phenomenon in the best possible way, allowing travelers to spend their days exploring and their nights chasing the colorful skies. For a globe-trotting adventure, select from a range of travel packages that feature destinations in the Nordic countries, including Norway, Finland, and Sweden. These aurora tours not only offer unimaginable opportunities for northern lights viewing, but they also put local culture at the forefront of the adventure. Travelers are treated to rides aboard scenic railways, visits to charming towns, and experiences that are unique to each location, such as dog sledding and ferry rides across frigid waters.

There are also vacations to see the northern lights within the United States, in the far reaches of Alaska, where the untouched wilderness is as abundant as the natural beauty. Alaska Northern Lights tours are often bookended by time in major cities, such as the Gold Rush-city of Fairbanks, renowned as one of the best places in the world to see the aurora borealis, and Anchorage, where culture and nature go hand-in-hand. In the heart of these tour packages, stays at cozy resorts or lodges take travelers further into the backcountry for even better viewing spots and plenty of traditional Alaskan activities. Travelers may venture to Chena Hot Springs, with its healing waters, or to Bettles Lodge, set deep in the Arctic, where there is zero light pollution. Regardless of where the holiday takes place, northern lights viewing is one of those momentous experiences that linger in your memories for years to come.