The Union Station Hotel Nashville will hold a viewing party.
From Oregon to South Carolina, the solar eclipse taking place on Aug. 21 will track southeast, inspiring travel operators along its route to celebrate the nearly two-minute syzygy — or alignment of the sun, moon and earth.
In the Willamette Valley of Oregon, Brooks Winery plans to hold a Solar Eclipse Party, including an outdoor yoga class, brunch and a tasting of its new sparkling riesling in anticipation of the total eclipse passing over the vineyard around 10:30 a.m.
The eclipse will peak in Perryville, Mo., about 80 miles south of St. Louis, just after 1 p.m. Buses will shuttle guests of host hotels in St. Louis, including the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel (from $109), to an eclipse watch for $25 a person.
As the shadow passes over Nashville, guests of the Union Station Hotel Nashville can attend a champagne viewing party on the veranda with special glasses for watching the eclipse and other amenities provided (rates from $478.21 a night with a two-night minimum stay).
In Charleston, S.C., the King Charles Inn will hold a lunch lecture by an astrophysicist and a viewing party aboard a tall ship in Charleston Harbor (rates from $397 a night with a three-night minimum). The HarbourView Inn will hold a rooftop viewing party with an astronomer on hand to answer questions (rooms from $532).
If hotels on the route are hard to find, or inflated, consider camping. A six-day rafting trip departing on Aug. 18 from Mountain Travel Sobek on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho will coincide with the eclipse (rates from $1,995 a person). A seven-day rafting trip on the Main Salmon River in Idaho with OARS, departing Aug. 15, will feature a guest astronomer (rates from $2,682 a person).
