According to the 2023 Summer Stargazing Index, Arizona is home to six of the 17 best stargazing destinations in the U.S.
Fountain Hills is a community proud of its iconic fountain, beautiful scenery, and small-town charm and for being recognized as the world’s 17th International Dark Sky Community. Now, the community can celebrate being one of the Top 20 Stargazing Destinations in the country.
DEEPER DIVE: 15 must-see places for an Arizona road trip
HomeToGo, an online vacation rental marketplace, released its 2023 Summer Stargazing Index, which ranked the top 17 stargazing destinations in the U.S. Fountain Hills is number 16 on the list.
“Fountain Hills continues to be recognized as one of the very best places on this planet to gaze up at the others!” said Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey.
To come up with the ranking, HomeToGo analyzed various factors, including average cloud cover and population density, to indicate how secluded an area is and the accessibility of affordable accommodations. Additionally, it even considered and evaluated many different International Dark Sky Places (IDSP), which are considered top spots for stargazing thanks to their low light pollution.
Take a look at the complete ranking of the top U.S. destinations for stargazing:
1. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, Colorado
2. Dripping Springs, Arizona
3. Harmony, Florida
4. Flagstaff, Arizona
5. Sedona, Arizona
6 (tied). Kaibab Paiute Indian Reservation, Arizona
6 (tied). Beverly Shores, Indiana
8. Fort Davis, Texas
9. Dripping Springs-Wimberley, Texas
10. Torrey, Utah
11. Horseshoe Bay, Texas
12. Lost Creek, Texas
13. Borrego Springs, California
14. Village of Oak Creek, Arizona
15. Homer Glen, Illinois
16. Fountain Hills, Arizona
17. Ketchum, Idaho
“It’s great, and well-deserved, to have Fountain Hills be recognized as one of the top star gazing locations on the planet,” said Joe Bill, President, International Dark Sky Discovery Center. “As a dark sky oasis in the Valley of the Sun and the Town’s prestigious designation as the 17th International Dark Sky Community in the world, Fountain HIlls is the perfect location for the planned, nonprofit 23,000 sq. ft. International Dark Sky Discovery Center.”
To learn more about Fountain Hills dark skies, visit www.fhdarksky.com and check out the planned International Dark Sky Discovery Center at www.darkskycenter.org.
