The first total solar eclipse visible from the United States in decades is just 40 days away, and travelers have been searching for places to stay to catch a glimpse of the event. Hotels in states like Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Idaho, and Kentucky are seeing the largest increase in hotel searches when compared year over year, according to search data from Hotels.com. Because these states are along the eclipse’s path, they’ll offer optimum views for travelers from across the country.
When compared to the same time last year, Nebraska’s searches have increase 325 percent, Kansas has seen more than a 200 percent increase, and Missouri searches are up nearly 160 percent. Following closely behind are hotels in Idaho and Kentucky, with searches increasing more than 130 percent compared to last year.
Thomas Hettinger, Ph.D. Astronomy & Astrophysics and a member of the Hotels.com team, commented, “Total solar eclipses are special events in the Universe. In addition to requiring a moon at just the right distance with just the right size, a planet must also have a star at just the right distance with just the right size. You don’t want to miss this rare and easy opportunity to view such a wonderful cosmic performance.”
