5 Destinations Where You Can See the Total Solar Eclipse

Grab your binoculars, protective eyewear, and as much rosé as you can pack in your cooler: For the first time in 38 years, residents of the continental United States will be able to glimpse a total solar eclipse. On August 21st, the sun’s surface will be completely blocked by the moon, granting lucky viewers the chance to glimpse the sun’s solar corona, which basically looks like an angelic halo of beaming light. The occasion also marks the first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse since 1918, and although the sun is almost 400 times larger than the moon, they appear the same size during a total solar eclipse because of the distance the earth is from both.

“The path of totality is relatively narrow, and we can only hope for good weather,” says Jim Zimbelman, a geologist at the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. “Many people have seen lunar eclipses and partial solar eclipses, but a total eclipse is completely different and much more special.”

The rare chance to see the total solar eclipse is location exclusive. The path of totality—otherwise known as the route where the solar eclipse is visible—begins near Oregon’s Pacific Coast and goes in a southerly slope through states including Wyoming and Tennessee, ending on the eastern shores of South Carolina. “When the eclipse begins and the light dims, the sky gets dark and birds go to roost; it’s then when you can see the sun’s corona and the brightest stars in the sky; it’s a phenomenon that only lasts for a couple of minutes,” says Zimbelman.

Even though the 2017 total solar eclipse is an ephemeral event, the next eclipse of this caliber isn’t expected until 2024, which will have an entirely new path, snaking in a downward curve from Montreal to Dallas. To celebrate the occasion in style, we’ve rounded up the states making the eclipse a travel-worthy affair—moon-inspired lattes, field trips, and hotel tailgate parties included.

Central OregonThe eclipse is set to arrive on the Oregon Coast at 10 a.m. PST, and the state has events planned from its capital of Salem to Madras in Central Oregon. Salem is hosting a weekend of events including concerts and expert astronomer talks, while wineries in the neighboring Willamette Valley offer oenophiles the chance to view the eclipse in the heart of Oregon’s wine country. Brooks Winery, positioned with delightful views of the Cascade Range, will begin August 21st with sunrise yoga on the winery’s outdoor patio, followed by a sparkling wine brunch where travelers will taste Brooks’s yet-to-be-released sparkling Riesling during a talk by professor Ethan Siegel, an astrophysicist from Lewis & Clark College. Farther into Central Oregon is Sisters, an outpost home to The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse. The boutique property is set to host Funk’s Solar Obscuration Celebration, a free two-day music festival featuring Chris Funk of The Decemberists as well as bands from Portland’s local music scene. After drinking your way through Bend’s bevy of craft breweries, head north to Madras, home to Oregon Solarfest, an event offering everything from helicopter tours to hot air balloon rides to celebrate the eclipse.

Jackson Hole, WyomingBuilt beneath the towering Teton Range of Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole has long been a skier’s paradise. This year, the path of totality comes directly through the frontier town at approximately 11:30 a.m. MST, making now the perfect time for a summer exploration of the areas plentiful trails and local culture. Jackson Hole has a multitude of events planned, but if you want to see the eclipse as close as possible, hitch a ride up the aerial tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort to reach the top of Rendezvous Peak. If you plan on visiting for an extended trip, book a room at Anvil Hotel; the boutique property has an all-day event planned on August 21st. From Moon Dust lattes to a moon flow yoga, enjoy cocktails and small bites during a tailgate from the property’s restaurant Glorietta Trattoria. The best part? Anvil will have a live music set during the day, and you even snag a take-away gift with professional time-lapse footage of the event. If you hope to learn more of the educational background on the total eclipse, join Amangani, Jackson Hole’s most luxurious resort, on an astronomer-led evening on the resort’s stargazing terrace: loungers and protective eyewear included.

St. Louis, MissouriAt 1:15 p.m. CST, the path of totality will reach St. Louis, Missouri. Eclipse-chasers can celebrate the occasion during a viewing event at Jefferson Barracks Park complete with free protective eyewear or at the Solar Eclipse Expo with presentations by eclipse experts and more than 20,000 square feet of exhibits. During a stay at the aptly themed Moonrise Hotel in the city’s Delmar Loop, you will be a short walk away from the Loop Eclipse Festival, where you can experience space-themed activities. If you prefer to view the eclipse without the crowds, venture to the hotel’s rooftop terrace, where a viewing reception will take place on August 21st, complete with hors d’oeuvres, lunar cocktails, and protective viewing goggles. But for the ultimate viewing experience, opt for a field trip to Bloomsdale, Missouri, with local craft brewer Schlafly Beer. Just an hour south of St. Louis, Bloomsdale is arguably the epicenter of the eclipse, and the brewer is taking over the Dew Drop Inn hotel to host an epic backyard barbecue (expect lawn games and live music). Schlafly even packaged its Helles-style lager in an eclipse theme—solar glasses included.

Nashville, TennesseeThe eclipse is expected in Nashville at 1:30 p.m. CST on August 21st, the largest city entirely within the path of the totality. Join Nashville locals at First Tennessee Park for science demonstrations and live music from the Nashville Symphony, and if planning an extended visit, opt for a night at Union Station Hotel, a landmark property housed in a restored 1900 railway station. The hotel is hosting an eclipse champagne brunch: enjoy decadent eggs Benedict and shrimp po’boys on the hotel’s veranda. But perhaps the best way to view the eclipse requires a quick, 20-minute drive north of Nashville to Lebanon: Nashville’s top chefs—think Henrietta Red, Bastion, and Merchants—are hosting an afternoon gourmand-approved feast at Wedge Oak Farm. To celebrate the eclipse well into the evening hours, venture to Henley, Nashville’s newest restaurant helmed by James Beard Award-winning executive chef RJ Cooper. Housed in Kimpton Aertson Hotel, the restaurant will host an eclipse-themed menu, featuring Southern fare and cocktails (two of which are Penumbra and Umbra, named after the sun’s outer and inner shadows).

Charleston, South CarolinaAt approximately 2:40 p.m. EST, the eclipse will finally reach the South Carolina coast. The city will host a [myriad of events], including the Solar Eclipse Festival at Yonder Field and live music at Pier 101 on Folly Beach. The most unique of them all is Eclipse on a Warship, hosted on the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier and warship museum located on Charleston Harbor. Learn from experts like Dr. Douglas Terrier, chief technologist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, before viewing the eclipse on the flight deck. For a weekend trip, book a stay at the The Restoration Hotel in Charleston. Join the property’s solar eclipse viewing party and watch as the moon completely covers the sun from one of the highest points in the city: The Watch: Rooftop Kitchen & Spirits. Indulge in Southern staples and enjoy panoramic vistas of Charleston while you wait for the rare spectacle to occur. To learn about the eclipse from a scientist, book a stay at the Belmond Charleston Place, where you can enjoy a dinner with astronomer Dr. Jon Hakkila, a professor of Physics and Astronomy at the College of Charleston and the campus director of the South Carolina NASA Space Grant Consortium.