Canada’s sprawling wilderness makes it a picture-perfect spot to cozy up, get dark, and appreciate nature’s wonders in the sky — with some areas even boasting views of the beautiful Aurora Borealis aka. the Northern Lights, it’s the perfect time to get into stargazing!
Astro-tourism (travelling for the purpose of seeing natural phenomena, see Unpack ’25’ travel trend) has grown 10% over the last year, and boasting some of the largest dark sky reserves in the world, Canada is an ever-growing attraction for those looking to stargaze.
Take advantage of all the exciting celestial events happening throughout 2025 and include these spots in your travel plans to see it in the best light (or well, not light)!
CasinoDays has determined Canada’s best destinations for stargazing based on number of posts, use of hashtags, and positive feedback from real travellers on TikTok.
1. Jasper National Park, Alberta
Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies is Canada’s most loved dark-sky preserve on TikTok with 17,800 posts using the hashtag #jaspernationalpark. The National Park sits on 11,000km making it the second largest dark sky preserve in the world!
The park is even home to a planetarium offering eye-opening experiences, and other top stargazing spots within the park include Pyramid Island, Jasper Lake, Old Fort Point, and Athabasca Glacier.
2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the ethereal Jasper Dark Sky Festival, which features everything from planetarium visits, painting, and talks to yoga under the stars. Keep your eyes out for this year’s event dates.
2. Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta
Garnering 4,713 posts on TikTok, Waterton Lakes National Park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, and shares a boundary with Glacier National Park in the U.S. (also an International Dark Sky Park). Waterton Lakes offers amazing views of the Milky Way, the moon, constellations, the Northern Lights, and even planets.
The best stargazing spots include Cameron Bay, Bison Paddock Loop, and Red Rock Parkway.
3. Elk Island National Park, Alberta
Alberta’s Elk Island National Park is the third most loved dark-sky spot on TikTok with 1,639 posts dedicated to the UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve. The park is one of Canada’s smaller sites sitting at 194km2.
The park holds stargazing events like Gateway to the Stars where attendees can learn about the night sky and gaze at star clusters while nestled around a campfire.
The best stargazing spots in the park include the Pavilion picnic shelter and the Astotin Lake area.
4. Fundy National Park, New Brunswick
With 1,007 posts using #fundynationalpark, the Park comes in fourth on the most loved by TikTok list. Covering 207km2, the national park is one of Canada’s smallest but still has plenty to offer including freshwater lakes, forests, rivers, and over 25 waterfalls.
The best stargazing spots in the park include Caribou Plain, Bennett Lake, and Herring Cove.
5. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario
This park is part of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve providing plenty of wonder and intrigue. With incredible views of the Milky Way stretching across the sky and the opportunity to catch glimpses of the Northern Lights if luck is on your side, Bruce Peninsula National Park is a haven for stargazers.
The best stargazing spots in the park include Singing Sands Beach and Cyprus Lake Campground and trailhead.
Canada’s upcoming astronomical highlights
Certain dates are celestial goldmines, and from the parade of planets to meteor showers, 2025 has lots on offer for Canadian night sky enthusiasts.
January 29, 2025 is the year’s first New Moon.
In February, the Full Snow Moon is on the 12th and another New Moon comes on the 28th.
March brings the first eclipse of 2025, a total lunar eclipse of the Worm Moon visible across North and South America, the western edge of Europe and Africa, and New Zealand on March 13/14. There will also be a Super New Moon on March 29.
April also brings some fun! In 2025, the Lyrid meteor shower will be visible from 16-25 April, peaking on 22nd. Although it’s far from one of the most active yearly meteor showers, the Lyrids can still dazzle – some meteors have bright dust trails that glow in the sky for several seconds.
Why not align your 2025 travel to seeing some amazing natural phenomena? Read more here!
