Many people know that Canadian lands are among the best places to see the aurora borealis, but you don't have to go to the far north to see it - you can visit a small town in the Canadian prairies that offers views of the northern lights almost year-round.

With 2024 expected to witness some of the strongest northern lights activity in a decade, this is the perfect time to plan a trip.

The city of Churchill is located in Manitoba, a small town on the shores of Hudson Bay, and the city is famous
for polar bear and beluga whale sightings.

The city offers amazing opportunities to capture photos of the northern lights, and it is said to be one of the top three places in the world to see the aurora borealis, where the lights can be seen for up to 300 nights each year, on average.

Travel Manitoba tourism company says that some of the best times to see the northern lights in Churchill are February and March, when the days are shorter and the winter sky tends to be clearer.

However, the northern lights can also be seen during the beluga whale season (from June to September) or the polar bear season (October and November).

The tourism company explained that the lights often appear green, but they can sometimes glow in shades of red and purple.

While Churchill definitely offers some of the best opportunities to see the aurora borealis, you don’t necessarily need to go all the way there to see the northern lights, as they can also be seen outside other towns and cities in northern Manitoba such as Thompson, Flin Flon, and The Pas, all of which are about 6-9 hours from Winnipeg.Spruce Woods Provincial Park.

The park designated as a dark sky preserve, located about two hours from Winnipeg, provides excellent conditions for viewing the lights.

Where can I see the northern lights in Canada?

While the northern lights can mostly be seen in the northern regions of the country, they can often appear in the southern areas, sometimes reaching Vancouver or southern Ontario.

But to see them in the far south, there must be an increase in solar activity, and fortunately, 2024 is expected to witness a peak in solar activity between January and October, meaning better chances to see the aurora borealis.