Midnight Sun

My husband is a sun lover. He wakes to the natural sunrise and enjoys long summer days over the short days of winter. If it’s cloudy outside, he is miserable. When there is the slightest break in the clouds, he’ll exclaim, “The SUN is coming out!” and his mood will visibly improve.

A typical San Diego sunset.

We enjoy soaking in sun-rays at the beach (with sunscreen, don’t worry Mom!) and watching sunrises and sunsets as often as we can.  

The sun setting in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

So, what would it be like to experience a full day of sunlight where night never falls?

Sunrise in Miami, Florida.

This is our dream.  During the summer solstice north of the Arctic Circle, the sun circles the sky without setting for entire 24-hour periods!

A beautifully sunny day in Maui, Hawaii.

Where are the best places to experience the midnight sun?

We did a little research (thank you, Wikipedia). The locations that experience this natural phenomenon in the Northern Hemisphere are certain areas of Canada, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and Alaska. In Finland’s northernmost point, the sun does not set at all for 60 days during summer! That’s two full months of continuous daylight! Of course, the North Pole has the most continuous sun (6 months) but that might be just a little too adventurous for us, what with Santa Claus, the Fortress of Solitude, and who knows what else…)

Finland has a lot to offer sun-seekers, and their Visit Finland website describes the beauty and uniqueness of experiencing 2-months of midnight sun.

Photo from Visit Finland website.

But the northernmost place in mainland Europe is in Norway. Their Visit Norway website explains many areas and milestones for chasing the midnight sun in Norway.

Photo from Visit Norway website.

So, some day we will journey in the middle of June to experience the longest summer days possible, including full days of glorious sunshine!

What would you do in a day without night? There is only one way to find out.