Have fun kids
If you’re taking your kids to see the eclipse, they’ll need distractions. What’s better than an indoor water park like the one at Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio? Near the centerline of the eclipse path, it’s in a good location, and its viewing party will offer free wolf ears for the kids and mooncakes for everyone. A family suite that includes unlimited park access averages nearly $330 a night. You can also find kid-friendly activities if you’re willing to travel back in time. Kinmundy Log Cabin Village in Kinmundy, Ill., will open its grounds to visitors April 6-8, and while you won’t be able to stay in one of the 19th-century log cabins, you can explore them, with some occupied by volunteers who reproduce pioneer life. There will be a bonfire nightly and food trucks on site on April 7th and 8th. Camping and parking for all three days is $150. At the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford, New York, the third largest living museum in the United States, experience life as it was in New York State from 1790 to 1900. From April 5 to 7, you can watch a magic Lantern display, write a celestial-themed poem and sample 19th-century eclipse-themed treats for $17. On the day of the eclipse, $250 will get you and a load of friends into the viewing area. Individual tickets start at $55.
Take care of yourself
Add some aahs to your oohs with the Moon Shadow Package at La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio, which includes an evening reception, a complimentary bottle of bubbly and a screening party, starting at $3,500 for three nights for two . Or how about a 15-day Panama Canal cruise — with a chance to watch the eclipse at sea near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico? Interior staterooms are still available for $1,199 on Emerald Princess, departing Los Angeles on April 5. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to hit the highway in a luxury RV, which becomes an asset if the weather takes a turn for the worse and clearer skies are just a few hours’ drive away. Spot2Nite.com offers packages starting at $625 a night that combine RV rentals with campgrounds from Texas to Ohio.
Fly the dark skies
The best thing about viewing an eclipse from an airplane? “You don’t have to worry about the clouds because you are high above them. And at 35,000 to 40,000 feet, you see the eclipse in a much clearer, transparent sky as opposed to ground level,” said Joseph Rao, associate and visiting lecturer at the Hayden Planetarium and an avid eclipse hunter who has seen 13 total — five in an aircraft. Delta Air Lines advertises nonstop flights from Austin (sold out) and Dallas-Fort Worth to Detroit. Southwest Airlines (which holds raffles to win a seat) also offers scheduled flights along the route. The disadvantages of an air-clipse? “You’re experiencing the event in a kind of sterile environment,” Mr. Rao said. Also, the angle of the sun in the sky at the time of totality may not line up with the view from a standard airplane window, which could limit some passengers’ ability to see it unless pilots squish or set a special course — as Few reportedly did during the 2017 total eclipse.
Find out before you go
Note the center line: When choosing your spot to view the eclipse, remember that the closer you are to the middle of the path, the longer the eclipse will last. As you plan your trip, consult an eclipse map for the main points.
Factor in motion: In the United States, there are about 32 million people who live along the path of the eclipse, and many more will be headed for it. Give yourself extra time.
