O Canada! Chase the northern lights in these Canadian Airbnbs

Key Takeaways

  • The Great White North gives guests the perfect chance to catch the northern lights, in peak season from now until April, from these spectacular stays.
  • Steeped in tradition and culture, northern Canada is home to many Indigenous cultures, allowing guests to immerse themselves in Indigenous communities found in the north.
  • With Guest Favorites and the Arctic category, finding the perfect stay in the north has never been easier.
A northern Canadian cabin basking in the northern lights.

Key Takeaways

  • The Great White North gives guests the perfect chance to catch the northern lights, in peak season from now until April, from these spectacular stays.
  • Steeped in tradition and culture, northern Canada is home to many Indigenous cultures, allowing guests to immerse themselves in Indigenous communities found in the north.
  • With Guest Favorites and the Arctic category, finding the perfect stay in the north has never been easier.

With 2024 poised to bring the best auroras in 20 years, it’s never been a better time to experience the Great White North which have some of the world’s best views of the northern lights. Peak viewing season runs from now until April, with many of Airbnb’s northern Canadian listings offering guests the chance to see the dazzling light display in the night sky.  

Guests can explore more than 23,000 global Arctic Category listings,1 including those in northern Canada, to find the perfect cozy winter escape. 

Finding the perfect northern getaway with Guest Favorites 

Guests looking for standout stays in northern Canada can also leverage Airbnb’s Guest Favorites collection which features the 2 million most-loved homes on Airbnb based on ratings, reviews, and reliability data from over half a billion trips. Guest Favorites feature excellent reviews rated above 4.9 stars and Host cancellations and quality-related customer service issues below 1 percent, on average.

Airbnb’s curated collection of some of the most-loved northern Guest Favorites is the perfect inspiration for anyone in search of a winter wonderland. 

Aurora Lodge Houseboat (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories)

The northern lights are on full display once the sun sets in this 2,200-square-foot houseboat on Vee Lake.

The northern lights above a houseboat on Vee Lake.

Beautiful cabin & spectacular view (Whitehorse, Yukon)

This secluded ranch overlooking Łu Zil Män (Fish Lake) is the perfect spot for a wintery northern escape.

The northern lights on an A-frame in winter.

Black Spruce – Red Door – Landscape Hotel (Whitehorse, Yukon)

Featuring a 10’x10′ window and a custom sauna scribed into the granite rock, this off-the-grid home gives guests a cozy winter escape and spectacular view.

An off-the-grid cabin nestled in the winter forest at nighttime.

Magundy Getaway (Faro, Yukon)

This off-grid log cabin, custom-built by the owners, is the perfect vacation hideaway nestled in the Magundy River valley with a view of mountains to the south.

Green northern lights shooting up behind a dimly lit home.

Kluane Skyline (Haines Junction, Yukon)

This beautiful, modern 3-bedroom house is nestled into the forest on 3 acres of private land with a stunning view of the mountains.

A cabin deep in the forest, with mountains in the distance.

Northern Lake Yukon Cabin (Crag Lake, Yukon)

This stay, located in a valley near Surprise Mountain, is ideal for watching the northern lights, giving a striking view of the auras.

A dock with Muskoka chairs overlooking a quiet lake.

Houseboat-Stay on the Bay (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories)

Located on Great Slave Lake, this houseboat is steps away from ski trails, an ice castle, dog sleds, coffee shops, an outdoor skating rink, and of course the aurora borealis in the night sky.

Green Northern Lights swirl above a houseboat.

Docked Houseboat (Yellowknife, Northwest Territories)

This newly-renovated houseboat on Great Slave Lake is in the heart of Old Town, offering a spectacular view of the northern lights right from the comfort of home.

Entire Cabin at Lake Laberge (Whitehorse, Yukon)

Located on the banks of Deep Creek, this cabin offers guests miles of trails to explore, a frozen lake, and the crisp clean air of winter. Be sure to pack some snow gear!

Northern Lights above a circle of chairs around a firepit

Immersing yourself in Indigenous culture

One of the experiences guests appreciate most about travelling on Airbnb is finding listings in communities that help them live like a local. According to a recent survey, 65 percent of Airbnb guests in Canada and the US said staying with a host made them feel closer to the local culture than in a hotel or resort.2 And with 88 percent of Canadians wanting to support and partake in Indigenous travel experiences3 Canada’s territories offer guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in Indigenous culture found in destinations like the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. 

A recent analysis found that travel to Indigenous communities through Airbnb has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. From January to September 2023, the number of nights booked for listings within Indigenous communities increased more than 60 percent in Canada compared to the same period pre-pandemic.4

All listings included in this article are intended to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not endorse or promote these listings or any other accommodations or experiences on the platform.

1. As of Sept 30 2023.
2. According to a survey of Airbnb guests in the US and Canada over the last 12 months ending October 2023.
3. Data provided by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada from a survey of Canadian residents from October 14, 2022–November 2, 2022.
4. According to Airbnb data analyzing the increase in the number of nights booked within Indigenous communities in Canada from January 1, 2019–September 30, 2019 compared to January 1, 2023–September 30, 2023.

Media Assets