People watch the solar eclipse sweep across the United States for the first time in 99 years on the coast … [+]
“All the hotels for the eclipse were sold out months ago. It’s too late.” This is a common refrain from people who book rooms months in advance and want to feel good about it. It’s accurate.
Staying within the path of the April 8 total solar eclipse (which stretches from Texas to Maine in the US) may seem like a last-minute challenge, but there are still plenty of options. Prime locations near the centerline of the road are commonly reserved or command astronomically high prices, but with a little inside knowledge and resourcefulness, you can find a haven where you can enjoy this celestial spectacle. Easy to find.
Here are 11 ways to discover hidden gems, find alternative accommodations, book an eclipse hotel, and witness nature’s spectacular experience.
1. Commit to a metropolitan eclipse
This is one of the most urban eclipse paths in years. Of the approximately 40 million people who will witness this eclipse from within its total path, it is estimated that approximately 10 million will witness it from just 10 cities. These include major cities like Dallas, Austin, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Rochester. A quick search will find affordable city center hotels in Indianapolis ($1,000 for two nights), Rochester ($800), and Dallas ($800).
2. See it in the suburbs
Downtown hotels are popular. Therefore, if your perfect path allows, stay away from them and stay in the suburbs. You can stay in an airport hotel for $500 or a Super 8 along the interstate for $300. You can always drive to observation events and beautiful spots on the day of the solar eclipse. A quick search will show you that the Dallas-Fort Worth area has many affordable hotels and motels away from the city center for as little as $300.
3. Use convenient new online maps
The Eclipse Company has announced a beautiful and user-friendly solar eclipse map. It’s the only online map that combines details about cloud cover, light pollution, eclipse duration, and phenomena, as well as information about local parks and event viewing locations. Select any location and instantly search April 7th to 9th on Booking.com. It will save you a lot of time and you might even find a bargain.
4. Use Expedia, but be careful
Expedia launched the awkwardly named “Eclipse Hotels” on April 8, 2024, an online search hub that maps available hotels along the total path. This is one of the easiest ways to check prices, and you may find some bargains, but be careful as you will be identifying hotels along your entire route. Cross-reference attractive hotel addresses on interactive Google Maps to confirm your reservation.
5. Find a location away from the center line
The strange thing about a total solar eclipse is not how long it lasts, but that it actually happens. Once we embrace that, the possibilities of a 115-mile-wide road become apparent. The highest prices and lowest availability are on or very close to the center line of the total path. The total duration may be maximized at these locations, but you still get 90% of the total maximum duration and 60% of the distance between the centerline and the edge. Once again, the Eclipse Company’s maps make it easy to explore totality and find hotels.
6. Lower your expectations
Of course it’s an expensive hotel, but don’t expect luxury at this stage. Perhaps you are used to boutique hotels and the finer things in life. Well, the only good thing about April 8th will be the solar eclipse itself. The condition of the motel room doesn’t matter at all once. An alternative is to sleep in your car (which eclipse chasers tend to do anyway).
7. Increase your budget
Of course, you could put a zero or two on the end of your budget instead of lowering your standards and booking a cheaper motel room. That way you can solve all your problems at once. Whether you can afford it or not is another matter, but know that there are many extravagant and other ways to view this eclipse right now, and we are looking for participants.
8. Please be patient
The internet age has been a boon for well-organized and knowledgeable people. Eclipse Chasers are such people. They prepare their celestial schedules years in advance, book second rooms, and once accommodations become available, they often start planning five years in advance. However, with the advent of “Cancel Later” rooms, I often end up doing this multiple times. For eclipses like this one, where there is a chance of cloudy weather, many eclipse chasers will book rooms in multiple locations with the intention of canceling the day before.
Top tip: Rooms become available right before the eclipse, so be patient and keep checking back. You’re not alone in your search.
9. Take a day trip off the boardwalk.
There is no need to continue on the path of wholeness. Sure, it would be great to wake up and be sure to see the eclipse, but it might also be beneficial to be mobile, as well as being cheaper and much more accessible just outside the path. The important thing is that you need wheels. You will also need to be prepared to wake up very early on April 8th. Think about what time you can be hungry. Now plan to subtract 2 hours and drive to 3 separate locations. Please check the weather forecast for April 7th and make your decision.
10. Use social media
Some hotels announce last-minute room releases on their social media feeds and often require phone calls rather than online reservations. Also, if you join a Facebook group, members may frequently post about having to cancel hotels or accommodations or suggesting changes to their reservations.
11. Book a room on April 8th
Immediately after the eclipse, rooms are likely to be empty as people head home to avoid traffic jams. Robert Long, general manager of TownePlace Suites Texarkana and Courtyard by Marriott Texarkana, said in an email that “most eclipse reservations will be made on the evening of April 7, and visitors will check out on the day of the eclipse. We expect that,” he said in an email. .
Check main feed Click here for basic information about when, where, and how to experience the North American total solar eclipse, and why you should walk the path of a total solar eclipse on April 8th.
I wish you clear skies and big eyes.
