Special Report

15 Cities Where You Can See the Total Solar Eclipse

John Harrington, Joseph Gedeon

Published: August 17, 2017 11:08 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 9:03 am

Eclipse-mania is sweeping the United States. From Oregon to South Carolina, 14 states will experience a total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. It will be the first event of its kind in the continental U.S. since 1979.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, fully or partially blocking the sun. During the duration of the over two-hour eclipse, observers should not look directly at the sun without appropriate protection — except during eclipse totality, when the moon fully blocks the sun. Eclipse totality will last approximately two minutes.

While partial eclipse will be visible in other countries, eclipse totality will span only the continental U.S.

Click here to see the 15 cities where you can see the total solar eclipse.

24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of the 15 cities and towns with 50,000 people or more in the approximately 60-to-70 mile-wide prime viewing area of the total eclipse.

In the geographical regions that will experience the singular astronomical event, airlines, hotels, colleges, and entrepreneurs are looking to cash in during a time of year when business is usually slow and college students have not yet returned from summer vacation.

Eclipse chasers are paying $1,000 for a round-trip ticket to Nashville from New York. Nashville is the largest city within the path of eclipse totality. To mark the occasion, Nashville, also known as Music City, has posted an eclipse-themed playlist on its site for visitors.

In college towns such as Corvallis, Oregon; Columbia, Missouri; and Murfreesboro, Tennessee, campuses were offering vacant dormitory rooms for visitors and scheduled lectures about the celestial event.

Entrepreneurs in Lincoln, Nebraska, are selling a commemorative T-shirt showing the nation’s 16th president with an image of the eclipse affixed to his trademark stovepipe hat.

If you aren’t lucky enough to experience the total solar eclipse on Monday, fear not. The next one will occur on April 8, 2024, and will cross through 13 states (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine).

24/7 Wall St. determined the 15 largest cities and towns in the path of totality, documented by NASA, which is the swath of the United States where the total solar eclipse can be viewed. The cities and towns selected all have more than 50,000 people and were chosen because they have the transportation and hospitality infrastructure to accommodate an influx of visitors. Major cities such as Chattanooga and Knoxville in Tennessee and St. Louis were just outside the path of eclipse totality and did not make this list.

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1. Corvallis, Oregon
> Local Time and Duration:10:16-10:18 a.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 54,462
> Best place to watch: Crystal Lake Sports Field

Corvallis is in the heart of the Willamette Valley, at the end of the storied Oregon Trail. The city is within 90 miles of the Portland metropolitan area as well as home to Oregon State University. The region expects about 500,000 people to view the solar eclipse.

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2. Salem, Oregon
> Local Time and Duration:10:17-10:19 a.m.
> Weather report:Clear
> Population:164,543
> Best place to watch: Peace Plaza/Capitol Mall

Salem, the capital of Oregon, has scheduled an eclipse-viewing event at the city’s Peace Plaza. The city is also offering free NASA viewing glasses on a first-come, first-served basis. Salem expects anywhere from 250,000 to 500,000 people to view the eclipse.

Source: Thinkstock

3. Idaho Falls, Idaho
> Local Time and Duration: 11:33-11:35 a.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 58,374
> Best place to watch: Snake River Valley

Idaho Falls, the largest city in eastern Idaho, has been designated as an a “Official NASA Observation Site’’ for the eclipse. The city expects 100,000 to 500,000 visitors for the event.

Source: Paul W Thompson / Shutterstock.com

4. Casper, Wyoming
> Local Time and Duration: 11:42-11:45 a.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 58,817
> Best place to watch: All Day Downtown Festival – Downtown Casper

Located in western Wyoming, Casper is the second-biggest city in the state. Casper officials estimate tens of thousands of visitors could descend on the city for the eclipse. Along with the downtown festival, another place to view the eclipse is the Grand Teton National Park. The infusion of visitors might help boost the Wyoming economy, which has been struggling because of its dependence on energy production.

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5. Grand Island, Nebraska
> Local Time and Duration: 12:58-1:01 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 48,520
> Best place to watch: Stuhr Museum

Grand Island, birthplace of actor Henry Fonda, is in the southern half of Nebraska and the home of the Nebraska State Fair. Eclipse viewing will be held at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer.

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6. Lincoln, Nebraska
> Local Time and Duration: 1:02-1:04 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 269,726
> Best place to watch: Haymarket Park

Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska and home to the University of Nebraska. The city’s libraries are all hosting eclipse-viewing events. Eclipse enthusiasts can purchase a President Lincoln T-shirt with an eclipse image on his stovepipe hat.

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7. Kansas City, Missouri
> Local Time and Duration: 1:08-1:09 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear/ risk thunderstorm
> Population: 475,361
> Best place to watch: City Market

Kansas City, which borders Kansas but is the largest city in Missouri, is known for its jazz and barbecue venues. The last time there was a total solar eclipse in Missouri was in 1869. In Kansas City, viewing parties will be held at City Market and at Kansas City’s Science Center, among other locations.

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8. Columbia, Missouri
> Local Time and Duration: 1:12-1:15 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 119,098
> Best place to watch: Cosmo Park

Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, is expecting up to 400,000 visitors for the rare celestial event. A year ago, 65% of Columbia’s 3,700 hotel rooms were booked for visitors coming to view the eclipse, according to Expedia.

Source: dustin77a / Shutterstock.com

9. St. Joseph, Missouri
> Local Time and Duration: 1:06-1:09 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 76,096
> Best place to watch: Rosecrans Memorial Airport

The California Gold Rush and the arrival of the railroad spurred growth in this northwestern Missouri city in the 19th century. It is also where outlaw Jesse James was killed in 1882. An eclipse observation event is planned at the city’s Rosecrans Memorial Airport.

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10. Nashville, Tennessee
> Local Time and Duration: 1:27-1:29 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 654,596
> Best place to watch: Mayor’s Viewing Party at First Tennessee Park

As one of America’s music meccas, Nashville is used to tourists. But because Tennessee’s biggest city is in the path of eclipse totality, it is even busier than usual. According to Google Flights, if you were to book a round-trip flight leaving Friday and returning to New York City Tuesday, the ticket would cost you well over $1,000. And because it is Music City, Nashville’s website offers an eclipse playlist.

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11. Clarksville, Tennessee
> Local Time and Duration: 1:25-1:28 p.m.
> Weather report: Some clouds
> Population: 149,190
> Best place to watch: Roxy Regional Theatre Eclipse Party/ Liberty Park

Clarksville, located in the northern part of Tennessee, plans a free viewing party at Liberty Park, where guest speakers courtesy of Austin Peay State University will discuss the eclipse.

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12. Murfreesboro, Tennessee
> Local Time and Duration: 1:29-1:30 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 126,121
> Best place to watch: Middle Tennessee State University

One of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, Murfreesboro is located in the center of Tennessee. Murfreesboro is home to Middle Tennessee State University, whose physics and astronomy departments will host viewing events for the eclipse.

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13. Greenville, South Carolina
> Local Time and Duration: 2:38-2:40 p.m.
> Weather report: Clear
> Population: 67,453
> Best place to watch: Up on the Roof bar / Paladin Stadium

Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville is listed among the best downtowns in America by business and general interest publications. The city’s Trailblazer Park will host an eclipse-viewing event as will Furman University.

Source: Thinkstock

14. Columbia, South Carolina
> Local Time and Duration: 2:42-2:44 p.m.
> Weather report: Risk thunderstorm/ some clouds
> Population: 133,393
> Best place to watch: Finlay Park / Congaree National Park

South Carolina’s capital city is one of the lucky East Coast areas in the path of eclipse totality. There will be 120 events going on across Columbia the weekend before the eclipse.

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15. Charleston, South Carolina
> Local Time and Duration: 2:46-2:48 p.m.
> Weather report: Risk thunderstorm/ some clouds
> Population: 135,524
> Best place to watch: Joseph P. Riley Park / Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

One of the oldest cities in America, Charleston is routinely ranked the best city in the U.S and Canada — even winning the World’s Best City last year. This year, Charleston will be one of the first places to experience the total solar eclipse — an event 38 years in the making.