Our Stargazing Tour
Join us for an unforgettable evening under the star-filled skies of the San Bernardino Mountains. Our expertly guided tours combine state-of-the-art telescopes with passionate storytelling to reveal the hidden wonders of the cosmos. Whether you're a curious beginner or an experienced stargazer, our tours offer something special for everyone.
What to Expect
Embark on a profound journey through the cosmos, set against the backdrop of the San Bernardino National Forest. Your experience begins with an immersive walk down a scale model of our solar system, offering a tangible perspective on the vast distances between our neighboring planets.
From there, the universe comes into sharp focus as you peer through our high-powered telescopes at breathtaking stars, nebulae, planets, and distant galaxies. Our expert-led tour of the night sky connects wonder and knowledge, weaving fascinating scientific insights with timeless stories in a way that captivates guests of all ages.
We conclude the evening with a deep dive into the true scale of our universe and the wonders it holds. It’s a transformative experience you’ll never forget.
What's Included
Tours Hosted May through October
- 2-hour guided experience
- Professional-grade telescopes and equipment
- Expert astrophysics-educated guide
- Reclined seating
- Stunning photographs from the telescope viewings emailed to you the following day
Our Location
Our stargazing tours take place in the San Bernardino Mountains, specifically at Keller Peak, conveniently situated between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear. This elevated location, perched at over 7,000 feet above sea level, provides a crisp, accessible view of the cosmos that makes the stars feel remarkably close.
Why The San Bernardino Mountains?
What truly sets the San Bernardino Mountains apart is the balance they strike between dark skies and accessibility. Keller Peak rises above much of Southern California’s haze and light pollution, revealing a sky where the Milky Way faintly stretches overhead on moonless summer nights and constellations emerge with striking clarity. While only a couple of hours from Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, the mountain sky feels worlds away—far darker and steadier than what most visitors have ever experienced, yet without requiring an all-day drive to the desert or remote wilderness and located near the already popular resort communities of Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear. This makes it an ideal location for immersive stargazing that feels both special and attainable.
The mountain environment itself enhances the experience. The elevation helps lift us above much of the haze and atmospheric turbulence common at lower altitudes, creating darker, steadier skies than those found closer to the coast or valley floors. Unlike harsher desert locations, the San Bernardino Mountains offer comfortable temperatures and a setting where guests can relax and stay engaged throughout the evening. It’s a place close enough to escape for a night, yet far enough to remind you just how vast the universe really is. You'll truly feel like you're amid the stars.
Our Astronomy Guide
Brandon Holloman
Brandon’s fascination with the night sky began early, shaped by science fiction, documentaries, and a lifelong habit of looking up and asking questions. That curiosity led him to UCLA, where he earned a degree in astrophysics and developed a deeper understanding of the universe. Having spent most of his life in Lake Arrowhead, the mountains and their night skies have always felt like home—and a natural place to share astronomy with others.
Over the past few years, Brandon has taught and guided astronomy in informal learning environments, working with kids of all ages, families, and adult audiences. During his time as an instructor at AstroCamp, as well as with another stargazing tour company, he discovered that his greatest passion lies not just in learning about the universe, but in helping others experience it for themselves. He has a talent for breaking down complex ideas into clear, engaging explanations, making astronomy approachable without ever losing its sense of wonder.
Amid the Stars grew out of Brandon’s belief that outer space is defined as much by its mysteries as by what we already know—and that there is always something new waiting to be discovered. He sees astronomy not as a distant or abstract science, but as something deeply connected to humanity’s future and our place in the cosmos. Alongside his work as an astronomy guide, Brandon is also an aspiring author and has written two science fiction novels, blending scientific insight with imaginative storytelling.
Our Telescopes
Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25"
Unistellar Odyssey Pro
The Celestron NexStar Evolution 9.25" is a Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope (often called an SCT), a design prized by astronomers for its ability to deliver sharp, high-contrast views in a relatively compact form. An SCT uses a combination of mirrors and a correcting lens to fold a long light path into a shorter tube, allowing the telescope to gather a large amount of light while remaining stable and precise.
Celestron's NexStar line of telescopes features a motorized mount, allowing the telescope to find and track objects on its own. Once you align after turning it on, all you have to do is tell what to look at, and it will not only find it, but remain focused on it, even as the object travels across the sky.
With its 9.25-inch aperture, this telescope excels at revealing detail across a wide range of night-sky targets. Planets like Saturn and Jupiter show striking features—the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s cloud bands, and its largest moons—while the Moon’s craters and mountain ranges appear crisp and three-dimensional. Under darker mountain skies, the telescope also brings distant star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies into view. Guided by an experienced astronomy guide, this telescope allows guests to appreciate not just what they’re seeing, but how these objects fit into the larger story of the universe.
The Unistellar Odyssey Pro is a smart telescope designed to make the wonders of the universe immediately accessible. Unlike traditional telescopes that rely solely on an eyepiece and the observer’s eye, a smart telescope uses a sensitive digital camera to collect light over time. The Odyssey Pro automatically stacks and enhances this incoming light in real time, revealing detail and color that would otherwise be difficult to see, working even in areas affected by light pollution. The result is a clear, richly detailed view of deep-sky objects.
What truly sets the Odyssey Pro apart is its exclusive electronic eyepiece—something no other brand of smart telescope currently offers. Instead of viewing objects on a phone or tablet screen, guests look directly into an eyepiece, experiencing an immersive view that feels much closer to traditional stargazing while benefiting from modern technology. This makes it exceptionally well suited for casual astronomy events, where guests can take turns at the eyepiece and immediately see galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters with impressive clarity.
The Odyssey Pro also handles all of the technical work behind the scenes. It automatically locates, tracks, and centers celestial objects on its own, allowing users to focus entirely on the experience rather than the mechanics. Because it performs well even under light-polluted skies, it’s an ideal introduction to astronomy for newcomers—offering a rewarding glimpse of the deep sky without requiring prior knowledge, perfect conditions, or a steep learning curve.
Amid the Stars has partnered with Unistellar. If you want one of their telescopes for yourself, visit Unistellar.com and use the promo code UNI-AMIDSTARS to get a 5% discount on your purchase.