Anyone done the aurora borealis?

[b0redom]

So it looks like there isn't a travel sub-forum, and there flippin' well should be! I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to get Mrs B0redom for Christmas, so I was thinking of going and seeing the Northern Lights (and no I don't mean Blackpool).

Anyone done this? We'd probably only spend the weekend away as junior b0redom 1, 2, and 3 would run the grandparents ragged!

Recommendations of places to stay etc?

[mudskipper]

So it looks like there isn't a travel sub-forum, and there flippin' well should be! I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to get Mrs B0redom for Christmas, so I was thinking of going and seeing the Northern Lights (and no I don't mean Blackpool).

Anyone done this? We'd probably only spend the weekend away as junior b0redom 1, 2, and 3 would run the grandparents ragged!

Recommendations of places to stay etc?

Visited Iceland with the objective of seeing the Northern Lights. Whilst I can thoroughly recommend Iceland, seeing the lights is very dependent on clear skies and ideal weather conditions. We were there 4 cloudy nights and ended up travelling for 6 hours to see a vague glow that could have been a street lamp.

So I'd suggest that, wherever you decide to go, you look upon seeing the Aurora Borealis as possible extra if you're lucky, rather than the purpose of your trip or you're likely to end up disappointed.


Edit: Iceland is ideal for a weekend - one day to do the Blue Lagoon and wander round Reykjavik, one day to do the 'Golden Circle' tour - geysers, waterfalls etc.

Edit Edit: We went in Feb, and it was flippin' freezing!

[Pondlife]

So I'd suggest that, wherever you decide to go, you look upon seeing the Aurora Borealis as possible extra if you're lucky, rather than the purpose of your trip or you're likely to end up disappointed.

This! I'd love to do it but it's so unpredictable you may well be spending a weekend in darkness and see nothing.

[TheFaQQer]

A mate of mine went somewhere to see them, stayed in an ice hotel, cost a fortune and never saw them.

I've seen them twice from Yorkshire though

[EternalOptimist]

I saw them many times as a youth but the missus and the rest of the clan are desperate to see them.

So far, I took the missus up to Tromso - zip
Took the whole family(40 of us) up to Harris 2 months ago for a week - zip
took the missus to keilder reservoir observatory- zip

it's really a matter of luck