Camping After Dark: The Rise of Astrotourism
Stargazing is having a moment – and your campground can own the night. Clear, crisp evenings in autumn often deliver some of the best sky-watching of the year in many parts of North America thanks to drier air and reduced haze, making fall a prime window to promote after-dark programming and overnight stays built around the night sky (BBC Sky at Night Magazine, 2025).
Clear Autumn Skies Equals Clear Business Opportunity
As a campground or RV park owner, you’re constantly looking for the next big thing to attract guests and stand out from the competition. The answer lies just above you: the vast, dark sky. The rising trend of astrotourism, or dark sky tourism, presents a stellar opportunity to expand your offerings and boost your revenue this shoulder season.
What is Astrotourism
Astrotourism is “travelling to observe astronomical phenomena with a preference to travel into dark sky areas away from the effects of light pollution” (Pásková et al., 2020). It’s an experiential form of travel that pulls people away from the light-polluted skies of cities and suburbs, offering them a chance to reconnect with the universe. For outdoor hospitality businesses, this is a good opportunity to create a new revenue stream.
Astrotourism/Dark Sky Tourism is Gaining Momentum
Interest is there already: after the blockbuster 2024 solar eclipse, travelers are still chasing celestial experiences (Travel Weekly, 2025). In 2025, popular wellness-forward offerings include full-moon hikes and yoga under the moonlight (LAist, 2025). These are low-cost, high-delight activities you can run on property.
The audience is larger than you might think. According to KOA’s 2025 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report, 33% of campers and 26% of leisure travelers say they’re interested in viewing night skies on their trips – direct demand you can convert into shoulder-season occupancy, ancillary spend and repeat visits (KOA, 2025).
Why Investing for Astrotourism is a Smart Business Move to Make Now
The demand is already here since interest in the cosmos has skyrocketed. Now is the perfect time to start planning your astrotourism strategy because as we head into autumn, the night sky often becomes exceptionally clear.
Business Advantages that Astrotourism Bring
- New, bookable reasons to stay overnight: Night-specific activities (meteor-watch parties, constellation tours, telescope rentals) turn what might have been a day-use visit into a multi-night booking. U.S. public-lands programs have shown how protecting and interpreting night skies supports local economic development through astrotourism (U.S. National Park Service, 2025).
- Wellness and “noctourism” trends: Media and tour operators report surging demand for after-dark experiences – from stargazing to aurora trips, since the 2024 eclipse, and wellness outlets highlight the restorative appeal of awe under dark skies (Travel Weekly, 2025).
- Sustainability storytelling that resonates: DarkSky International’s guidance links astrotourism with responsible lighting and community well-being – a great marketing tool for your website, onsite signage, and grant applications (DarkSky, 2024).
- Low Implementation Cost: Unlike building a new pool or activity course, the main attraction – the night sky – is already there. Your initial investment can be as simple as marketing your dark skies and creating designated viewing areas.
- Sets You Apart: In a crowded market, offering specialized astrotourism packages can become your unique selling proposition (USP), making your campground a destination rather than just a stopover.
Turn Your Property into a Stargazing Destination
The good news is that you don’t need a Ph.D. in astrophysics to cater to this market. With a few thoughtful additions, you can transform your campground into a haven for amateur astronomers and curious stargazers alike.
- Assess Your Lighting: Walk your property at night. Are there bright, unshielded lights creating unnecessary glare? Switch to dark-sky-friendly fixtures that point light downwards and use warm-colored bulbs. This not only improves the view but also reduces energy costs.
- Create a Designated Viewing Area: Set aside an open space away from RV lights and buildings. Equip it with benches, flat pads for telescopes, or even reclining “stargazing chairs.”
- Educate Your Guests: Provide information about the night sky. This can be as simple as a brochure with a map of the current constellations or a QR code linking to a stargazing app.
Programs You can Launch this Fall (and Keep Year-Round)
The growing trend of astrotourism is attracting new explorers to remote, dark-sky locations where the stars shine at their brightest. Capitalizing on this trend is not just about offering a patch of dark land. It’s about curating an unforgettable nocturnal experience that guests will travel for.
Full-Moon Hikes
Mark each full moon on your event calendar; pair a short, ranger-led walk with a hot-cocoa station. National and local examples show strong turnout and easy operations.
Moonlight Yoga or Sound-Bath Sessions
Host 45 to 60-minute gentle classes on a deck or lawn (BYO mats), then offer warm beverages at your camp store. These are trending in destination markets and approachable for all levels.
“Milky Way 101” Star Parties
Provide red-light headlamps, a few binoculars, and one mid-range telescope; train staff with reputable stargazing guides for seasonal highlights (National Geographic, 2024).
Quiet-Hours Night Walks
Combine wildlife etiquette, light-pollution tips, and constellation spotting using simple printable planispheres.
A planisphere
Sky-Themed Overnight Packages
Bundle a premium campsite or cabin with a s’mores kit, star chart, and late check-out.
Offer a Fresh Point of View
“Noctourism” can deliver a fresh point of view (Travel and Leisure, 2025). Many visitors see the same view during the usual hours, but few go after sunset. You can offer hiking after dark or, if your guests are feeling more extreme, hot-air ballooning in the predawn hours.
A Quick ROI Math You will Love
A modest star-party night (50 guests @ $10 program fee + 15 cabin upsells @ $20 “night-sky kit” + 10 late check-outs @ $15) yields $1,100+ incremental revenue before the lift in occupancy – recurring every clear weekend in fall. Layer in social content and PR hooks (e.g., “Dark Sky Weekend”), and you’ve built a durable, bookable product tied to wellness and sustainability trends. You can do your sample ROI here.
Elevate Your Astrotourism Offerings with Vacavia Cottages & Cabins
Many of the best locations for stargazing in the US are in remote areas, away from city lights. Because of this, you need to provide accommodations that match the unique experience guests are seeking. While a tent or an RV spot is great, offering comfortable, all-weather lodging can significantly increase your appeal, occupancy rates, and nightly revenue. This is where Vacavia Cottages and Cabins can help you shine.
Vacavia’s pre-manufactured park model cabins, cottages, and tiny homes are perfectly suited for these environments, allowing you to build your accommodation offerings with minimal site disruption.
Here’s how our cottages/cabins and tiny homes can help your business thrive in the astrotourism market:
Enhanced Guest Experience: Our cabins provide the comfort and amenities modern travelers expect. Features like large windows can be marketed as “stargazing windows,” offering a private viewing experience.
Low Upfront Costs & Fast ROI: Expanding your lodging with traditional construction is expensive and time-consuming. Our park model cabins, cottages and tiny homes offer a high-quality, durable solution at much lower cost, allowing you to see a return on your investment much faster.
Durability and Low Maintenance: Built to withstand the elements, our units are designed for the rigors of high-turnover rental use, ensuring they remain a valuable asset for years with minimal upkeep.
A Turnkey Accommodation Solution: We deliver fully assembled units directly to your site, ready to be connected to utilities. You can start booking guests and generating revenue almost immediately.
Fully Customizable Units: We understand that there is no cookie cutter solution for every business, that is why our units can be fully customized down to the smallest finishes, to fit your unique business needs. See this customized cabin of one of our satisfied customers.
Conclusion
Astrotourism aligns perfectly with campground and RV-park strengths: outdoor space, flexible programming, and a guest base hungry for meaning and wonder. With clear fall skies, responsible lighting, and careful event planning, you can create memorable experiences for everyone.
Explore our tiny homes and discover how you can elevate your property, expand your business, or simplify your lifestyle.
References:
BBC Sky at Night Magazine. (2025). Autumn astronomy season is here! This is what you should be observing in the night sky over the coming months. https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/autumn-astronomy-best-night-sky-targets
Pásková, M., Budinská, N., & Zelenka, J. (2021). Astrotourism–Exceeding Limits of the Earth and Tourism Definitions? Sustainability, 13(1), 373. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13010373
Travel Weekly. (2025). Travelers are over the moon for astrotourism. https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Astrotourism-demand-is-looking-up
LAist. (2025). Hike and do yoga this weekend — under the full moon. https://laist.com/news/los-angeles-activities/hike-yoga-full-moon-elysian-park
Kampgrounds of America. (2025). 2025 Camping & Outdoor Hospitality Report. http://koa.uberflip.com/i/1534018-2025-koa-camping-outdoor-hospitality-report-vlr/37
U.S. National Park Service (NPS). (2025). Night Skies: An Economic Value. https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nightskies/economic.htm
DarkSky. (2024). DarkSky International’s Principles of Responsible Astrotourism. https://darksky.org/news/darksky-internationals-principles-of-responsible-astrotourism/
National Geographic. (2024). A practical guide to stargazing. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/a-practical-guide-to-stargazing
Travel and Leisure. (2025). Why ‘Noctourism’ Is the Hottest Travel Trend of 2025. https://www.travelandleisure.com/noctourism-and-how-to-sightsee-after-dark-11726687