The Case for After-Dark Adventures

When planning a vacation, you likely think about all the daytime activities you want to do: exploring ancient artifacts, shopping, or lounging by the pool. With this mindset, you could be missing out on some of the most memorable excursions: nocturnal adventures. 

Planning your vacation around after-dark activities — called “noctourism” or nocturnal tourism — is expected to grow in popularity throughout 2025, according to the results of a Booking.com survey. It makes sense: More people are looking to experience the beauty of the cosmos, like the Northern Lights or the solar system, and avoid the intense heat that can make summer travel miserable — especially in countries where air conditioning is not the norm.

Another contributing factor: Travelers want to break away from the pack. “One of the biggest trends in travel in 2025 continues to be getting as far away from crowds as possible, and the result is a whole world of nighttime adventures,” says Melissa Biggs Bradley, the founder of Indagare, an Equinox Circle partner and members-only, boutique travel-planning company.

Before you book your own up-all-night trip, here’s what to keep in mind — straight from travel planners.