A Snob’s Guide to Winter in New England
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With all due respect to Sugarloaf, Stowe, and the rest of the northeastern slopes, the no-holds-barred snow-sport vacations are best saved for bigger mountains and more powdery snow. But even those who refuse to step into skis outside of Vail and Verbier must admit that New England holds a certain all-American appeal the glitzier spots just can’t replicate—and all those weather-beaten barns, crumbling stone walls, and stately old Colonials are just as charming when shorter days and snowfall arrive. There’s no better cure for cold-weather cabin fever than a bucolic weekend away, and New England has just the ticket. Here, we’ve assembled a collection of the region’s best wintertime getaways. Read on, then get ready to shake off those midwinter blues.
Vermont
The Green Mountains are just as appealing under a blanket of snow, and nowhere more than at Twin Farms, the 28-suite all-inclusive resort in Barnard. Last fall the property tacked on eight luxury treehouses to its lodging offerings, cementing its status as the ultimate adults-only woodland retreat. This is the kind of place that’s a destination unto itself, and with a lengthy roster of on-property activities—including snowshoeing, ice skating, fat tire biking, and visits to the property’s very own onsen, plus Michelin-starred dining—no one would blame you for never setting foot off the grounds.
If you’re itching to explore the region, book a horse-drawn sleigh ride with Kedron Valley Stables, or opt for a backcountry snowmobile tour. And if you don’t mind a bit of exploring, rural Vermont is a surprisingly fruitful shopping destination: Find stunning handcrafted furniture and pottery at Shackleton Thomas, heirloom-quality wooden puzzles (who knew a puzzle could be a luxury item?) at Stave Puzzles, understated, rustic tableware at Farmhouse Pottery, and beauty and home products with a natural bent at Echo Market.
Newport, Rhode Island
It’s best known as the onetime summer playground for Gilded Age robber barons, but Newport makes a fitting wintertime escape for 21st-century vacationers, too. Check into Gardiner House, which opened in 2023 on Lee’s Wharf—its 21 cheerful rooms are a bright, breezy counterpoint to the grandeur of Newport’s palatial estates. Said estates, are, of course, a must-see; stroll the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk and flit through the Breakers, the Elms, Rosecliff, and Château-sur-mer to gape at soaring rooms and intricate architectural details dreamed up by the likes of Stanford White and Richard Morris Hunt. Continue the history-and-culture tour at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, the oldest continuously operating library in the U.S., which dates back to 1750. Need to work up a sweat? Head to the International Tennis Hall of Fame—the museum galleries closed for renovations, but you can reserve time on world-class indoor courts, or play on the country’s oldest court tennis space. Dining possibilities abound, but White Horse Tavern, dating back to 1673, is obligatory, and a stop at Beaucoup Café for espresso and a little home decor shopping wouldn’t be amiss, nor would a seafood stop at Midtown Oyster Bar. If you’re vacationing with a crowd, book one of the igloos at The Reef—it’s a fun novelty experience and the only way to make waterfront outdoor dining in the dead of winter appealing. Leave space in your suitcase for a little boutique-hopping: easygoing, West Coast-inflected decor at Wald & Sea, colorful and classic tableware at Homeport, and apparel and accessories from the likes of Shoshanna and Lele Sadoughi at Monelle.
The Berkshires
This bastion of creative energy gets a little less busy when Tanglewood goes quiet and the lights dim at Barrington Stage and Jacob’s Pillow, but James Taylor himself will be the first to tell you that the Berkshires are especially dreamlike under the stillness of snowfall. For winter visits, it’s all about spa-going and museum-hopping, starting with a stay at Miraval Berkshires in Lenox. There’s a full slate of activities on property, including pilates, reiki, and meditation workshops, but leave time in your busy massage and sound bath schedule to explore the region a bit.
Edith Wharton’s home, the Mount, is immersive and worth a trip even if you aren’t an Age of Innocence superfan, and the 45-minute jaunt up to Mass MOCA and the Clark Institute is a required field trip for first-timers. If the winter weather cooperates, spend a few hours wandering the old carriage roads in Kennedy Park, or visit Hilltop Orchards for cider donuts and snowshoeing.
A retail therapy hotspot this is not, but Le Trianon has a museum-quality collection of fine art and antiques dating back to the 16th century, while Design Menagerie would be right at home in any big city with its tight edit of pieces from brands like Il Bisonte and Lola Hats. Book a table at least once at Prairie Whale, a defining player in the region’s food movement since it opened in 2012, and depending where your meandering takes you, stop by No. Six Depot for house-roasted coffee, Berkshire Mountain Bakery for artisan breads, Hot Plate Brewing for beers on draft, and Pizzeria Boema for wood-fired Neopolitan-style pies.
Midcoast Maine
The rambling seaside vacation compounds have long since shuttered for the season, but that’s good news for visitors hoping to explore this rugged stretch of Maine sans crowds—and dine their way through the region’s excellent restaurants. Make the Norumbega in Camden your home base: the turreted castle by the sea has year-round charm, and cozy nooks and fireplaces abound.
When you can manage to drag yourself away, hit the road and find something wonderful to eat: In Camden, Thai-ish Long Grain and the newly opened Winona’s are gems, as are wine bar First Fig, cocktail bar Paper Plane, and weekends-only bakery The Place. Make a special pilgrimage south to The Alna Store whenever you can—dinner is the real star, but brunch is no less delicious or delightful.
In between destination dining, squeeze in some shops and galleries. In Camden, swing by Jessie Tobias Design for artisanal housewares and objets and Swans Island Company for blankets and linens handmade in Maine. In Rockland, the Farnsworth Museum is home to 15,000 works that highlight artists who’ve lived and worked in Maine, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art has a small but strong collection. The town is also home to Arctic Tern Books, where the highly curated selection of intriguing, often under-the-radar finds will give you a new appreciation for the art of book buying.
Connecticut
In the Litchfield Hills, Mayflower Inn & Spa from Auberge Resorts Collection is the kind of hotel you plan a vacation around, and even moreso when cold weather gives you a plausible excuse for spending most of your stay hunkered down on the 58-acre grounds. On property, wend your way from spa to outdoor sauna to pool, squeezing a few yoga classes, tincture-blending courses, or wellness workshops as the mood suits.
If you can steel yourself enough to brave the world beyond, make your way to the Woodbury Sugar Shed to get a front-row look at maple syrup making and take a spin around the farm store, and book a tour at the Litchfield Distillery, where you can sample your way through the label’s collection of whiskey-focused spirits. This corner of Connecticut has several excellent shops worth a visit, particularly for design-minded travelers. Start in New Preston, where Eleish Van Breems Home stocks Nordic furnishings old and new, Privet House is chock full of upscale-eclectic furniture and home accessories, and Plain Goods has both singular vintage home finds and understated apparel. In Litchfield, snag a sculptural, ceramic lamp at Dumais Made, and stock up on wallpaper and fabric at the flagship store of Sister Parish. Grab dinner at Community Table, where the rotating weekly menu is a love letter to local agriculture, or book a prix fixe dinner at the similarly local-centric tasting menu spot Ore Hill. The Litchfield Hills love letter continues at Arethusa al Tavolo, where ingredients from the restaurant’s next-door dairy appear across the menu. Before you leave town, swing by Bantam Bread Co., which has been making artisanal breads and pastries since 1996.
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