The Best Places to See the Total Solar Eclipse on the East Coast

This April 8, Americans across the country are set to squint to the sky for the rarest of cosmic spotlights: a total solar eclipse.

While areas throughout the continental U.S. will experience partial visibility, a few lucky regions are within the path of eclipse totality, meaning the moon will entirely block the sun. On the East Coast, this includes areas around Erie, Pennsylvania; Buffalo, New York; Burlington, Vermont; Lancaster, New Hampshire; and Caribou, Maine. 

Since our part of the world won’t experience another total solar eclipse until 2044, this is the year to order those eclipse glasses and get out there. Along with the best spots for stargazing in New York, New England, and Washington, DC, here are cool festivals, gatherings, and prime destinations to experience the 2024 total solar eclipse on the East Coast.

Erie
As one of the first East Coast locations expected to experience eclipse totality, Erie will be home to the Total Eclipse Festival happening at Lake Erie Speedway. You can watch the eclipse from a proper fair-like festival with rides and inflatables. Sure, you'll be sharing that bouncy house with some kids, but if there were ever a day to let your inner child run amok, it's eclipse day. Rev your engines for a day of beer, live music, and monster truck shenanigans. Plus, there’s enough on-site parking for more than 1,400 cars.
 

Waterford
As delightful as goats are, even they can't overshadow the once-in-a-lifetime 2024 eclipse. That said, the folks at Port Farms know how to throw a themed shindig, and they've gone all out with goat visits, ropes courses, campfires, and all-day live music for Eclipse on the Farm. The property also has its own onsite brewery, Poverty Knob Farmhouse Ales, so expect eclipse-themed flights to pair with food from local cafes and food trucks—all a la carte. Tickets are sold per vehicle, and—although the venue does not allow tent camping—there's an overnight RV option. The first 1,000 guests get free eclipse sunglasses.

Buffalo
Grab a beer stein, meet up in the biergarten, and bear witness to the astronomical wonder in Buffalo, a location that’s expected to experience eclipse totality. Hofbräuhaus German beer hall promises live music from German bands, Bavarian food, and a steady flow of Hofbräu beer brewed on site. Lederhosen is optional, but you might as well go for it since Hofbräuhaus Buffalo pays homage to the original Hofbräuhaus in Munich. Your reservation guarantees a spot for the limited-seating, a la carte event, and monumental sing-a-longs are a sure thing. Will there be eclipse merch? Of course!
 

Booneville
To embrace the celestial event’s profound universal power, watch the eclipse at the Solar Eclipse Celestial Celebration at sanctuary and healing center Restore Forward. Located on traditional Haudenosaunee territory, guests can expect activities like astrology talks, foraging walks, healing sound sessions, yoga, and guided inner shadow work. Tickets include one RV parking spot or campsite for the two-day event, and there will also be live music and performances from local artists. Proceeds will help its founding organization, the Black Women's Blueprint.
 

Mumford
One of the more unique eclipse-viewing locations in the Rochester area is a 19th-century historic village, the Genesee Country Village and Museum. With 600 acres, a gallery, a nature center, and 68 historic buildings, it's a fabulous location for the landmark cosmic event. The total eclipse is the big shadowy finale to the three-day Solar Spectacle festival, which features events set inside a mobile planetarium,19th-century celestially themed goodies, and both modern-day brews and historical craft beers. The best part is that guests can reserve tickets to hang out in specific buildings or spend the afternoon tailgating on site.

Shelburne
The only shadow you'll likely see on Eclipse Day 2024 is that of the moon, so Shelburne Vineyards decided to run with that theme. Moonshadow: An Eclipse Viewing Experience uses the vineyard as the backdrop for an improvised live performance by Marie Hamilton on harp and Tom Pearo on looping electric guitar. Event admission includes live music, eclipse glasses, and plenty of freedom to explore the vineyard, patios, and tasting room, which will serve a la carte wine and cider flights, charcuterie boards, and cheese plates.

Lancaster
You'd think that a retro motel in the eclipse's totality path would be as good as it gets. Then Lancaster Motel swoops in with its out-of-this-world agenda: The two-person Total Solar Eclipse Hotel Package includes three nights, three meals a day, live music nightly, multiple tastings, a sip-and-paint session, eclipse glasses, and swag. The owners are putting oodles of love into the circa-1955 motel's ongoing renovations. The rooms have a modern minimalist vibe, and the motel’s crown jewels are the Compass Rose Cocktail Bar and the Waypoint Cigar Lounge. Watch the eclipse from the outdoor patio (or in the observation room if the weather is bad). During the festivities, guests can also chat with special guest astrophysicist Dr. Brad Moser.

Franconia
Mix a bit of reggae beach party vibes with skiing and eclipse totality, and you've got yourself a pretty incredible day. The area's totality experience is expected to be 99.4%, and everyone is blissed out making plans for a snow-covered beach party. At Eclipse Fest, Boston band Dub Apocalypse will perform its instrumental dub reggae, and you can visit local artists' tables. For those who don't ski, the Aerial Tramway runs from 2 pm–5 pm. Admission is free for Cannon Mountain season pass holders, and non-pass-holders can purchase a full-day lift ticket or—if not skiing—a tram-event combination ticket.

Pittsburgh
Although locations in the path of totality will be flooded with people, the Connecticut Lakes region of New Hampshire has plenty of lakeside cabins. Sure, you'll see other eclipse enthusiasts (and likely moose), but you can watch from an Adirondack chair outside a cozy cabin. Rentals such as At Bear Tree, which sits along the shores of 1st Connecticut Lake, offer a beautiful landscape plus a bit of solitude for those who eschew big crowds. Intrepid visitors can access the nearby Mt. Magalloway Trailhead for a two-mile hike and watch the eclipse from the trail's fire tower.

Millinocket
Nestled in Millinocket, The Healing Lodge welcomes visitors to watch the eclipse from the balcony. The organization is part of Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, which celebrates and supports four local tribes, including the Penobscot Nation. Join in Wabanaki traditions, drumming, and eclipse festivities. Admission cost includes a mocktail hour, food, traditional music, and eclipse sunglasses. Millinocket is known for its proximity to Mount Katahdin, so you'll also find plenty of cafes for hungry hikers. Check out Appalachian Trail Cafe in hopes they're serving the fan favorite, Raspberry Fluff Stuffed French Toast.
 

Presque Isle
Way up in the northeast corner of Maine, you'll find the western hemisphere's largest 3D scale model of the solar system, extending over 100 miles. Best imagined as a bit of a scavenger hunt, amateur astronomers can follow the Maine Solar System Map from one stop to the next, ending at the sun at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. In anticipation of eclipse tourism, the city has designated five "star parks" for prime eclipse viewing. In addition to the area's lodging, visitors can check out nearby REI x Hipcamp campsites like Triple T Tree Farms.

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