4 Unique Winter Weekends

Hut-to-Hut Camp

You don’t have to be a “hut nut”—or take on the Tour du Mont Blanc—to experience the traditional European-style adventure of hut hiking. Just reserve one of the Maine Huts and Trails’ off-grid eco lodges along the 80-mile trail system in western Maine’s Kingfield/Carrabassett Valley Region. New to the hike-and-stay concept? Spend your whole getaway at one hut and enjoy fat tire biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. For even more scenery, book three huts and traverse the trails between them. And don’t let the name fool you—these spacious and modern “huts” are equipped with woodstoves, hot showers, bunk beds, and composting toilets. From mid-December until the end of March, full-service days for overnight guests are available Thursday through Saturday and include robust family-style dinners and breakfasts, as well as bagged lunches for the trail.

mainehuts.org

Sleep in a Treehouse

Located on a forested finger of land that rises above the curving Back River tributary in Georgetown, the three minimalist dwellings that comprise Seguin Tree Dwellings—Madawaska, Isle au Haut, and Souhegan (all rentable on Airbnb)—contain expansive windows offering unobstructed views of the water through the conifers, as well as well-appointed amenities one wouldn’t expect to find in the treetops. From chunky jute rugs and L.L.Bean bathrobes to king-sized beds and private, wood-fired cedar hot tubs (one of which is accessible via a Neverland-like rope bridge), the inviting treehouses are perfect for a weekend filled with books, card games, and easy meals prepared in your own mini-kitchenette. Reset at a yoga class during the week in Seguin’s Gathering Space, or arrange a private class during a weekend stay.

seguinmaine.com

Book a Luxury Spa Weekend

With stunning ocean-view rooms, four distinct dining options, and a year-round, outdoor hot tub set above Cape Neddick’s moody cliffs (including a heated pathway to get you there), you don’t have to wait for the summer season to splurge on a visit to Cliff House Maine. In fact, winter’s snowy months might be the optimal time to indulge in the resort’s 9,000-square foot spa, where you can warm up in the circuit of saunas and steam rooms, nourish dry skin with treatments using high-quality organic botanicals, and recharge your system by booking a personal training session or fitness class. Unwind before and after your treatments and sessions in the Seaside Sanctuary, where you’ll find chaise lounge chairs, loose leaf Rishi teas, and sweeping vistas of the Atlantic.

cliffhousemaine.com

Take a Portland Music Tour

Portland is awash with exciting music venues and emerging artists experimenting with new sounds. From the venerable State Theatre, where you’ll find a mix of popular touring indie bands and local folksy favorites, to the intimate jazz bar Blue, to the offbeat favorite Space Gallery, it’s easy to create a show-filled weekend. If you’re visiting during one of the solstices or equinoxes, welcome the new season at the outdoor concert series Vigorous Tenderness, which showcases marginalized voices in classical music and takes place in stunning locations around the greater Portland area. Perhaps the best part about catching a gig (or several) in Portland is indulging in the pre-concert dining and post-concert cocktail options dotting this small yet renowned foodie town. New and exciting spots open year after year, including most recent late-night favorite The Danforth (by the innovative cocktail team behind Death & Co.), which is open nightly until 1AM.

statetheatreportland.com; portcityblue.com; space538.org; @vigorous.tenderness; thedanforth.me

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