Top 10 US cities with the best nighttime tourism opportunities revealed
The 10 best cities for noctourism were selected based on the average year-round temperature, the amount of light, noise and air pollution; nightly hotel costs, night-specific tours and number of searches for the destination + tours.
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When planning a vacation or trip, you want to take advantage of every hour you can to sightsee and enjoy your destination — including at night.
Perhaps a moonlit walk on the beach or a short hike to stargaze is your style. Maybe you want to take a late-night city tour or check out the beautiful colors of the Aurora Borealis.
These types of nighttime adventures are called "noctourism," and new data from travel experts Holafly classifies the top 10 U.S. cities best for these noctourism opportunities.
The cities were ranked on a variety of factors, including: the average year-round temperature, the amount of light, noise and air pollution; nightly hotel costs, night-specific tours and number of searches for the destination + tours.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 19: People watch the night sky as Comet NEOWISE appears over the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on July 19, 2020 northwest of Los Angeles, California.
(David McNew / Getty Images)
Top 10 noctourism cities:
1. New Orleans, LA
Coming in first place for the best city for noctourism is New Orleans.
The Big Easy took the number one spot for its vibrant nightlife, with nearly 10,000 searches for "New Orleans tours" and nearly 300 night-specific tours. The city's 72 degree average year-round temperature makes it comfortable for visiting in the fall or winter, too.
New Orleans also takes the cake for the highest noise and light pollution on the board, but the average cost of a hotel stay per night is moderate at $228 per night.
Shops, bars and restaurants at night in Bourbon Street, French Quarter/Vieux Carré in the city New Orleans, Louisiana.
(Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
2. Denver, CO
Moving over to the Rockies, Denver grabbed the title of second-best city for nighttime tourism.
Denver's higher elevation and proximity to the great Rocky Mountains makes it a popular place for tours with 150 nighttime tours and 2,900 searches for Denver tours.
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The average nightly hotel cost is $169, and the city is on average cooler at 52 degrees.
The Mile-High City has moderate air, noise and light pollution scores as well.
Denver city skyline at night on Wednesday, August 27, 2008.
(Brian Baer/Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
3. Florida Everglades
The Florida Everglades took bronze as a noctourism destination.
With more searches for tours than any other city on the list and a balmy 79-degree average yearly temperature, the Florida Everglades are a great place to visit.
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The Everglades are known for their boat tours to see the native alligators and crocodiles that live in Everglades National Park.
The area also has low air, light and noise pollution with a moderate average nightly hotel cost of $269.
Wetland plants are seen at dusk on Earth Day at Everglades National Park, Florida, April 22, 2024.
(CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP / Getty Images)
4. Key West, FL
Staying in Florida, the number four city for nighttime tourism is Key West.
Key West has the lowest air pollution score of any city on the list and also has a very low noise and light pollution score.
With 1,900 searches for tours and 85 nighttime tours available, Key West's beautiful beaches and serene scene make it a perfect vacation spot all year.
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Watch out for hotel prices, though. Data shows the average nightly hotel cost is $627, higher than any other city on the list.
USA, florida, Key West, the sunset celebration on Mallory Square.
( Vittorio Sciosia/REDA/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
5. Savannah, GA
The fifth-best city in the U.S. for noctourism goes to the beautiful and historic Savannah, Georgia.
Savannah is known for its history, with ghost tours and beautiful architecture making it a fun city to visit.
Data showed there were 4,400 searches for Savannah tours, with a whopping 116 night tour options for visitors.
Another city with a nice average year-round temp of 68 degrees, Savannah has moderate noise, air and light pollution.
Pedestrians walk along River Street at night past the Savannah River Queen in Savannah, Georgia, U.S., on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015. Savannah, the oldest city and third-largest metropolitan area in Georgia, attracts millions of visitors to its cobblestone streets, parks, and notable historic buildings.
(Ty Wright/Bloomberg / Getty Images)
6. Big Island, HI
Next we take it out to Hawaii, the sixth-best night tourism city on the list.
Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii is another gorgeous destination with low noise, air and light pollution with stunning views.
You can find 55 night-specific tours in the city.
The Big Island is known for its volcanoes within Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
You can visit five volcanoes on the island, from Mauna Loa to Kilauea. There are five total volcanoes on Hawaii to visit.
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KAILUA KONA, HI - OCTOBER 13: The sun sets on October 13, 2017 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.
(Tom Pennington / Getty Images)
7. Merritt Island, FL
A city on Florida's Space Coast nabbed the seventh-best noctourism city in the country.
Merritt Island, Florida, only had 20 searches for tours and doesn't offer many night tour opportunities.
The island can offer great views, nice warm temperatures all year and a nightly average of $176 for hotels.
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Not to mention, it's the home of the Kennedy Space Center, where visitors can spend hours during the day looking at all the space history the center has to offer.
MERRITT ISLAND, FL - MARCH 17: The Artemis I Moon-bound rocket rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B for a dress rehearsal test at Kennedy Space Center.
(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post / Getty Images)
8. Joshua Tree, CA
We head out to the West Coast for the eighth city for noctourism.
Joshua Tree, California, known for Joshua Tree National Park, is located in the Mojave Desert of Southern California.
As its name suggests, the unique, spiky Joshua trees are the defining feature of this region.
The city had 4,400 searches for tours, but only offers six nighttime tours, the data shows.
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Temperatures year-round average 69 degrees and the area is low for air pollution, light pollution and noise pollution.
At night, Joshua Tree offers a clear, unfiltered view of the night sky, where you can often see shooting stars and the Northern Lights.
Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) illuminate the sky above Joshua Tree National Park during the Perseids Meteor shower in Joshua Tree, California, early on August 12, 2024
(Apu GOMES / AFP / Getty Images)
9. Terlingua, TX
The ninth-best city for night tourism is Terlingua, Texas in the Big Bend.
Terlingua is known for a 20th century mining town of the same name abandoned in the 1940s.
The town had 1,600 searches for tours, but only offers one night-tour experience.
Temperatures are a bit cooler, at 61 degrees average for the year, and light, air and noise pollution are low.
TERLINGUA, TX - OCTOBER 16: A full moon sets on October 16, 2016 in the Big Bend region of near Terlingua in west Texas.
(John Moore / Getty Images)
10. Flagstaff, AZ
The 10th city best for noctourism is Flagstaff, Arizona.
Located in north-central Arizona, Flagstaff is surrounded by mountains and desert.
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Low light, noise and air pollution, more affordable hotels and an average year-round temp of 47 degrees make Flagstaff a great spot to visit.
The city offers 16 nighttime-specific tours but has a low search volume for tours.
The Lowell Observatory's Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
(Abe Snider // Lowell Observatory / FOX Weather)
In addition to its terrain being a key feature of the city, it also experiences all four seasons.
Flagstaff promotes astrotourism as a prime feature; people love to stargaze and explore the night sky.