When we talk about the north and the Arctic, most of us picture snow, ice, and the northern lights, with a few polar bears and a narwhal thrown in for good measure. I for one think of dog sleds, biting winds, and the endless dark of winter — I’ve certainly never thought of the far north as a summer destination. I turned to Instagram to prove myself wrong and was schooled — very quickly — on the fact that when the sun barely sets, there’s a hell of a lot to see, explore, and do at the top of the world. Check out some of these ‘grams to see what the rest of the world is missing.

A post shared by Matthew Lee (@contrailsphotography) on Jun 28, 2018 at 2:49pm PDT

Descending into Iqaluit, in the province of Nunavut in Canada, looks almost tropical.

A post shared by McKayla Crump (@funkmastacrump) on Jun 25, 2018 at 2:43pm PDT

When the sun never sets, you can enjoy a midnight paddle like it ain’t no thang. This is the Kenai River, Alaska at 11:00 PM.

A post shared by Connor Gould (@connorrgould) on Jun 6, 2017 at 6:09pm PDT

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories comes alive with blues and greens.

A post shared by Lucas Tiefenthaler (@lucas_tiefenthaler) on Jul 5, 2018 at 10:18am PDT

That summertime glow lights up Trondheim, Norway.

A post shared by c a r i n a (@carinakampe) on Jul 5, 2018 at 2:22pm PDT

Those long, almost neverending, sunsets in Sweden aren’t too shabby, either.

A post shared by Tim in Alaska (@timthetoothninja) on May 23, 2018 at 1:39am PDT

So, sunset rainbows are a thing. This was taken at 11:30 PM outside Fairbanks, Alaska.

A post shared by Chad Bruce (@chadbrucee) on Jun 16, 2018 at 7:57am PDT

The Bahamas. No, wait. It’s another view from Nunavut.

A post shared by Julian (@julianglobetrotter) on Jul 5, 2018 at 8:04am PDT

You can hang out in the bustling metropolis of Longyearbyen, Norway, the northernmost city in the world.

A post shared by Scalia 🌏 | Scott & Kahlia (@scalia_worldwide) on Jul 1, 2018 at 3:07pm PDT

Waking up at Kathleen Lake, Yukon Territories looks alright.

A post shared by Frank Stelges (@frankstelges) on Jun 22, 2018 at 11:27am PDT

The famous Dalton Highway in Alaska under the midnight sun.

A post shared by @ekaterina_kartavova on Jun 19, 2018 at 3:37am PDT

Lofoten, Norway manages to look foreboding and tropical at the same time.

A post shared by 'B' 27 | Alberta | 🇨🇦 (@brookewillson) on Jun 12, 2018 at 8:18am PDT

Hiking Nares Mountain in the Yukon brings crazy views of glacial lakes and still-snow-capped mountains.

A post shared by Stephanie Devina, J.D. (@ladyofjustice) on Jun 15, 2018 at 5:33am PDT

Purple midnight sunsets at the North Pole, Alaska sound like a bucket-lister to me.

A post shared by Chanette Bruun (@chanettebruun) on Jul 1, 2018 at 8:35am PDT

As does island hopping in northern Norway.

A post shared by Ivan (@ivan_crx) on Jul 5, 2018 at 5:32am PDT

You could literally paddle between glaciers, like this guy did at the Spencer Glacier in Alaska.

A post shared by Daniel Kordan (@danielkordan) on Jun 26, 2018 at 11:58am PDT

Or you can cruise among mighty giants in Greenland.

A post shared by Pam Butcher (@alaskapam213) on Jul 3, 2018 at 10:12pm PDT

Kick back on the seemingly endless stretch of sand at Bishop’s Beach outside Homer, AK.

A post shared by Finnish Lapland FilmCommission (@filmlapland) on Jul 4, 2018 at 6:02am PDT

You can hold the sun that barely sets in the palm of your hand in Lapland, Finland.

A post shared by CaLo Linares (@calholinares) on Jul 4, 2018 at 11:44am PDT

And just outside Longyearbyen, we’re back to looking strangely tropical.

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