Cozy Glamping Getaways Perfect for Winter Weekends

Camping isn’t just for those lazy, hazy summer days, you know. What could be lovelier than hunkering down in a cozy sleeping bag on a chilly night, with snow-filled fields or forests just outside your tent?

Sleeping somewhere that isn’t an actual tent, that’s what. Winter is where glamping really comes into its own. You can snuggle under blankets in a well-insulated yurt, take refuge in a treehouse or hibernate in a hut. And, of course, there are those places that never really get cold, but can be too unbearably hot for camping in summer.

Pack your weekend bag with layers, unlock a Zipcar and escape to one of these gorgeous glamping getaways.

 Books, blankets, hot choc… All the essentials for a warming winter getaway.

Winter wonderland yurts

Just north of Vancouver, the Canadian town of Whistler was made for winter weekend breaks. And why be tucked away in a hotel when you could have the snow-dusted trees and views of white-capped peaks right outside the door of your yurt at Riverside Resort? Yes, we said door. This is a tent with a door. Really, it’s barely a tent at all, especially since it’s filled with cozy rugs, blankets and cushions. You can camp here in summer, too, but there’s something special about breathing in that crisp mountain air. Just don’t forget to pack fleecy layers and mittens.

Yurts look even more welcoming with a dusting of snow, don’t you think?

Tiny-home living in Austin 

OK, you won’t find wintry landscapes here in Austin, Texas. What you will find is mild weather and a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. Because this hip collection of tiny homes, from repurposed beach huts and Airstream trailers to “intelligent” cabins where everything is controlled by Alexa, is part of a community of people who were once homeless. Charity Mobile Loaves & Fishes started out with a truck taking food to people on the city’s streets, and developed into a village of affordable housing and support for the chronically homeless. The Community Inn holiday rentals, which can be booked via Airbnb, help support the charity. So you get to do something good—and stay somewhere quirky-cool at the same time.

Cabin in the woods

There are just four cabins at Ash Grove Mountain Cabins & Camping, tucked within the natural reserve of DuPont State Forest in North Carolina—which makes a glamping getaway here feel completely secluded and remote. Each wooden lodge has all the facilities required for total hibernation, including fireplaces, kitchens and TVs. But there’s a much more interesting show outside the windows. Wander around the creeks and gorges, scouring the landscape for white squirrels (camouflaged in the snow). Or huddle—and toast s’mores—around the central bonfire pit.

North Carolina’s DuPont State Forest provides a lovely, tranquil setting.

Sphere in the skies

Well, hanging from the trees, actually. Free Spirit Spheres is a collection of three fantastical treehouse pods suspended in the leafy canopies of Vancouver Island’s coastal rainforest. It’s perfect for summer, of course, but these striking sleepers are warm and cozy enough for a winter glamping getaway, too. Think thick blankets, electric heaters and facilities for making hot drinks. You might need that to keep your digits warm as you peek out over the serene, snowy landscape. And you don’t need to be an expert climber to sleep here. The spheres are accessed via wooden staircases and bridges.

Geo dome in the Catskills

New York State isn’t just about summer holidays in the Hamptons, as this unusual Airbnb rental proves. The otherworldly pod looks like it’s just been beamed down from outer space.  The incongruous setting—a farm grazed by fuzzy merino sheep, angora rabbits and goats (all the softies)—just adds to its unique appearance. Guests have to bring their own beds or blow-up mattresses, but other home comforts, including a claw-foot tub, outdoor kitchen and fire pit, come with the property.

The Catskills Mountains make a glorious backdrop to a winter glamping getaway.