Sunbathers and surfers seek Coquimbo's sunny climate and snow-white beaches but its endlessly clear skies makes this one of Chile's top 10 places to view the Milky Way and solar phenomenon, notably, the Cerro Tololo Observatory is the 6th largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The region's history also is most intriguing. Erosion from sea level changes revealed numerous dinosaurs and 4,000-year-old petroglyphs. It also created the fertile Elqui Valley which today produces world-class wines and brandy, the secret ingredient in Chile's infamous pisco sour. Let your spirit fly at a mixology class then toast the heavenly skies.