As many travellers head to the States to experience the mere moments of the solar eclipse, here’s what shouldn't be missed in the US towns and cities along the way...
On April 8 2024, the Great American Eclipse will strike a path from Mexico to Canada via a great swathe of the United States. After this, the contiguous US will have to wait another 20 years to experience an eclipse, so it’s an event well worth travelling for.
Still, the longest duration of totality anywhere along the route is 4 minutes 28 seconds, so you’ll need plenty more to pack into your itinerary. To give you some inspiration, we reveal the top experiences in some of the US cities in the path of totality.
Downtown Fredericksburg in Texas (Alamy)
German settlers founded Fredericksburg in the 1840s and the culture is alive and well. You’ll find fine examples of 1800s German vernacular buildings in this Hill Country town, including the octagonal Vereins-Kirche (Society Church), which now houses historic exhibits and local photographs. You can also get a taste of German heritage at watering holes such as Altstadt Brewery (known for its German pilsner and kölsch) and Otto’s German Bistro (for schnitzel and bratwurst). This is Texas wine country, too: head out on Wine Road 290 for the state’s finest pours.
Watch the eclipse: Join locals at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, home to photogenic Live Oak Creek.
Totality begins: 13:32 p.m. CDT
Outside Dallas Museum of Art (Shutterstock)
Dallas’s artistic clout is often underrated – but this Texan city is home to the largest urban arts district in the country, spread out across 20 blocks. The crown jewel is the Dallas Museum of Art, whose 25,000-piece-strong collection includes works by Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, plus a fine store of Islamic, African and Indigenous art. You also shouldn’t miss the Nasher Sculpture Center, with offerings from the likes of Henri Matisse and Auguste Rodin. Explore the area on a 90-minute guided walking tour.
Watch the eclipse: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is hosting a three-day event that includes astronaut meet-and-greets and expert talks.
Totality begins: 1:40 p.m. CDT
Beavers Bend State Park is located near to Broken Bow (Alamy)
A bucolic location encompassing Beavers Bend State Park is the first draw of this little Oklahoma city. Before the arrival of lumbermen from Broken Bow Nebraska, Choctaw peoples settled here after a gruelling journey on the ‘Trail of Tears’, which saw the Native peoples removed from their original lands in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. You can learn more at the Gardner Mansion Museum: this interesting site, built in 1884, was once home to Choctaw chief Jefferson Gardner and is now filled with Native American artefacts and historic exhibits. Look out for various historic markers retelling Choctaw history around town.
Watch the eclipse: Beavers Bend State Park is a prime viewing spot.
Totality begins: 13:45 p.m. CDT
Bathhouse Row is a line of old bath houses constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s (Alamy)
The Natural State’s Hot Springs National Park may be small in size, but it still packs a punch when it comes to both history and nature. The highlight is Bathhouse Row, a string of eight ornate bath houses constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Make time to soak in the mineral-rich thermal waters of Buckstaff Bathhouse, which has been in continuous operation since 1912. Beyond the bathing, there are 26 miles of hiking trails wiggling through the forest, plus epic views from the switchback-filled Hot Springs Mountain Scenic Drive.
Watch the eclipse: The National Park is gearing up for visitors in large numbers. There’s also a ‘watch party’ at the Mid-America Science Museum.
Totality begins: 1:49 p.m. CDT
Little Rock Central High School is a National Historic Site (Alamy)
The Arkansas capital has plenty going for it, from the buzzing River Market district (packed with shops and restaurants) to the elegant capitol building, with its gold-plated cupola. It also has several poignant sites on the US Civil Rights Trail. Among them is the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, which remembers the Little Rock Nine – African American students enrolled at the school from 1957, whose entrance was originally blocked by Governor Orval Faubus and the National Guard. There are tours of the school plus a museum and visitor centre. There’s also a memorial at the Arkansas State Capitol.
Watch the eclipse: The eclipse will be the headliner of a free three-day concert at the First Security Amphitheater.
Totality begins: 1:51 p.m. CDT
Illinois' Garden of the Gods Recreational Area is home to dramatic rock formations (Alamy)
Illinois’ stellar backcountry is often overlooked, but the city of Carbondale provides the perfect base from which to explore it. A regional highlight is the Garden of the Gods Recreational Area, part of the Shawnee National Forest (and not to be confused with Colorado’s epic natural phenomena of the same name). Trails snake through dramatic rock formations and woodland, with panoramas served up from stellar viewpoints (follow the mellow 0.25-mile observation trail for great vistas).
Watch the eclipse: You can still nab tickets to the Southern Illinois Crossroads Eclipse Festival at the Saluki Stadium.
Totality begins: 1:59 p.m. CDT
Paducah is now known as 'Quilt City' (Alamy)
You might never have heard of Paducah, Kentucky, but there are a great many reasons to visit. First and foremost, it’s one of just nine UNESCO Creative Cities in the USA, celebrated for its rich crafts and folk art scene. It has earned the nickname “Quilt City” for its time-honoured quilting tradition, which is celebrated at the National Quilt Museum, while the LowerTown Arts District is a hub for creators of all kinds. Sculptors, painters, potters and photographers showcase their work at the Yeiser Art Centre too.
Watch the eclipse: Celebrate with the X Marks the Spot Downtown Festival, including live music, arts and crafts, and themed street food.
Totality begins: 2:00 p.m. CDT
Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is housed in an impressive building (Shutterstock)
It’s well worth tuning into Cleveland’s soundtrack. This is where the first ever rock and roll concert took place (the Moondog Coronation Ball) and where the term ‘rock n roll’ was first coined (by local radio DJ Alan Freed). That sweet-sounding history is celebrated at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, whose exhibits include everything from stage outfits to iconic instruments and notes featuring hand-scribbled songs. Beyond the museum, Cleveland is filled with snug jazz clubs and old-school indie joints like Grog Shop.
Watch the eclipse: Total Eclipse Fest will be hosted by the Great Lakes Science Center and include the immersive “NASA Village” with exhibitions, simulators and talks.
Totality begins: 3:13 p.m. EDT
Buffalo is a short distance from Niagara Falls, and has a lively music scene (Shutterstock)
Almost 400 miles northwest of the Big Apple, this Upstate New York city draws visitors with its proximity to Niagara Falls. It’s just a short 30-minute hop from the city to see the mighty cascade, where the Ralph C Wilson Jr. Welcome Center recently opened. Back in the city proper, you should explore Buffalo’s unsung music scene. Highlights include the Colored Musicians Club and Jazz Museum, which is undergoing a major expansion. Buffalo’s Mohawk Place is also a favoured spot for indie fans.
Watch the eclipse: Head to the Solar Eclipse Extravaganza at Buffalo River Fest Park for science presentations and live music.
Totality begins: 3:18 p.m. EDT
Cycle the Island line Trail in Burlington (Alamy)
Arranged at the edge of mammoth Lake Champlain, Burlington is an ideal springboard for outdoor adventures. Top activities include cycling the Island Line Trail, which spools out from Burlington Harbor Marina and traces the lake’s eastern shore. Don’t miss a sunset schooner tour, either – Whistling Man Schooner Co. is a trusted operator. Beyond the natural bounty, the Shelburne Museum bursts with fine art, vintage toys and Americana, plus a preserved 19th-century lighthouse.
Watch the eclipse: Science and nature museum ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is organising eclipse programming, including a live stream of the phenomena’s whole route.
Totality begins: 3:26 p.m. EDT
Moose can be spotted in Baxter State Park (Shutterstock)
Cute-as-a-button Millinocket is best known as a gateway to some of Maine’s most spectacular wildernesses. Some 18 miles northwest, you’ll find Baxter State Park, replete with forest-covered mountains, lakes and wildlife including moose and black bear. Then there’s Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, known for its rich Indigenous history (it spans the ancestral homelands of the Penobscot Nation) and panoramas of mighty Mount Katahdin, the tallest peak in Maine. Millinocket itself is an old paper-mill town with a few worthy pit stops to refuel, including Knife Edge Brewing, a craft brewery and pizzeria.
Watch the eclipse: The town is gearing up for the fun Millinockeclipse foot race on eclipse day.
Totality begins: 3:31 p.m. EDT
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