AP Photo/Haakon Mosvold Larsen, NTB Scanpix

by Jamie Hale | The Oregonian, OregonLive

On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will streak across the United States, making first landfall in Oregon and crossing the Midwest and southeast before heading out over the Atlantic Ocean.

There will be plenty of places to watch it along the path of totality – the area where viewers can see the total solar eclipse – but it's not hard to whittle things down to a tidy list of 12 great places to see it.

For this list, I considered “best” to mean places that either have favorable weather, big events, sizable cities or are particularly significant along the path of the eclipse. If you haven’t made plans to see it, you should get on that right away – hotels are booked, campsites are gone and millions of people are expected to travel for the big event this August.

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1. Oregon coast

The 2017 eclipse will make first landfall on the Oregon coast, where people will be gathered to get a first glimpse of “the shadow.” Weather is hit-or-miss on the coast, but you can bet that people will pack all towns in the path of totality anyway – Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport and Waldport are all in line.

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

2. Central Oregon

Because of its favorable August weather, wide-open skies and abundance of public land, central Oregon is widely considered to be one of the very best spots in the U.S. to view the eclipse. The big scene will be in Madras, which is nearly at the center of the path of totality, but you can expect big crowds at the Painted Hills inside the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument as well.

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Flickr/Zechariah Judy

3. Eastern Idaho

The path of totality will primarily cross over national forests of central Idaho, but it will emerge on the eastern side of the state, where crowds will likely gather in Idaho Falls, the fourth-largest city in the state known for beautiful LDS temple. The mountains to the west make a phenomenal backdrop, and could also be a destination for more adventurous eclipse watchers.

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4. Grand Teton National Park

There are few places as glorious as Grand Teton National Park, which just so happens to be in the path of totality for the 2017 eclipse. It's one of the few national parks that will see the total eclipse, and is unique in that all 310,000 acres of the park will be in the path. Park rangers are anticipating the "busiest day ever" and while all lodging is booked, the park will hand out backcountry passes one day in advance.

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5. Casper, Wyoming

Home of the Wyoming Eclipse Festival and the 2017 AstroCon, Casper has some big things coming. The city is almost directly in line with the center of the path of totality and should get a full two-and-a-half minutes of shadow time. It's also a Wyoming hub of history, arts and outdoor opportunities.

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6. Nebraska

People driving Interstate 80 across Nebraska will be treated to a rare scenic moment on the morning of August 21, as the total eclipse crosses the state, including a long stretch of the freeway. Part of it also crosses over the famed sandhills, a unique ecosystem that would make a nice setting for the cosmic event.

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Creative Commons/CosmiCataclysm

7. Columbia, Missouri

Kansas City and St. Louis are both on the edge of the path of totality, but the fourth-largest city in Missouri, Columbia, is smack in the middle of it. Locals have organized the Show Me Totality party to celebrate, with live entertainment and special events. It's also worth stopping by the Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and Shelter Gardens while you're there.

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Creative Commons/Explorecdale

8. Carbondale, Illinois

Known as the "crossroads of the eclipse," Carbondale is special in that it will experience both the 2017 total solar eclipse AND the 2024 total solar eclipse. Assign your own significance and consider making a trek to the southern Illinois town that's home of Southern Illinois University and on the edge of the Shawnee National Forest.

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9. Blue Sky Vineyard

Found just 20 miles southeast of Carbondale, Blue Sky Vineyard is a Tuscan-style winery that on August 21 will get quite a treat: the greatest duration of totality for the eclipse. The exact point where the darkness of the eclipse lasts a whopping 2 minutes and 40 seconds, according to NASA, is practically on top of the vineyard, which will be hosting a big event all weekend.

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Flickr/Derrick Brutel

10. Nashville, Tennessee

Music City will be hopping for the eclipse, packing thousands into what is already the largest city in the path of totality. Events are already planned at state parks, local museums and more. There's even an event at the Nashville Zoo, where animals will likely exhibit strange behavior as the morning sun suddenly goes dark.

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Flickr/A. Duarte

11. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The most popular national park in the United States should expect to see even more traffic for the eclipse. The western side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be in the path of totality, including the famed Clingmans Dome and part of U.S. Route 441, the primary road through the park that will run along the northern edge of totality.

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Flickr/James Willamor

12. Charleston, South Carolina

Those who want to wish the 2017 eclipse a fond farewell can do so in Charleston, South Carolina, the coastal town on the far eastern side of the eclipse's path over land. There will be events galore on the day of the eclipse, including rides into the Charleston Harbor, where you can bid the shadow bon voyage as it carries on into the Atlantic.

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AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu

MORE ECLIPSE COVERAGE

Eclipse chasers flocking to Oregon: A dedicated group travels the world to see total solar eclipses, but why do they do it?

Where and when is it happening?: Still unsure where or when the solar eclipse is happening in Oregon? Here are the details – and a map – to help you out.

5 ways to safely view the eclipse: Scientists are urging safety for first-time eclipse watchers. Here are 5 ways to see it without ruining your vision.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB