110 Coziest Winter Towns in America for a Magical Getaway

Alex Parker Studies • December 2023

As the colder months approach, it’s wonderful to plan a getaway to a cozy winter destination. Ice skating on a charming ice skating rink while admiring Christmas lights, enjoying beautiful mountain views, having a delicious cup of hot chocolate by a bonfire, and Christmas shopping at quaint shops, there is a lot to do during winter in America’s small towns.

But which are America’s coziest winter towns?

To determine this, the travel experts at New York Travel Guides conducted a study to find the 110 coziest winter towns in America for a magical getaway.

We gathered data to compare 575 small towns in America across three categories: (1) popularity during winter with the general public and photographers, (2) cozy weather, and (3) cozy activities and atmosphere.

See our methodology to learn more about how we ranked the small towns.

Results

Below, you can find a table with the data for each of the 110 coziest winter towns in America for a magical getaway, including the scores for each category.

Rank	Town	State	Winter popularity score (general public and photographers)	Cozy weather score	Cozy activities and atmosphere score
1	Leavenworth	Washington	86.8	92.1	100.0
2	Breckenridge	Colorado	92.6	91.5	97.3
3	Stowe	Vermont	92.3	92.5	96.3
4	Vail	Colorado	76.4	100.0	96.7
5	Aspen	Colorado	69.8	94.9	97.1
6	Lake Placid	New York	91.6	89.5	88.5
7	Portsmouth	New Hampshire	78.9	80.2	95.5
8	Frankenmuth	Michigan	70.7	78.7	98.9
9	Petoskey	Michigan	83.8	98.7	88.3
10	Stillwater	Minnesota	80.2	73.3	94.8
11	Ketchum	Idaho	67.9	93.6	94.8
12	Helen	Georgia	71.9	64.5	99.6
13	Frisco	Colorado	74.0	83.0	94.5
14	Gatlinburg	Tennessee	79.9	66.4	94.9
15	Lititz	Pennsylvania	71.4	71.8	96.8
16	Big Sky	Montana	70.1	95.5	91.7
17	Crested Butte	Colorado	72.8	92.3	90.9
18	Deadwood	South Dakota	69.5	81.5	94.7
19	Bayfield	Wisconsin	71.7	89.4	91.0
20	Galena	Illinois	73.4	73.5	93.9
21	Jackson	Wyoming	76.4	84.0	90.1
22	Santa Claus	Indiana	100.0	66.5	84.7
23	Easton	Pennsylvania	86.6	75.3	87.7
24	Bar Harbor	Maine	69.1	81.9	92.4
25	Glenwood Springs	Colorado	77.9	77.7	89.2
26	Astoria	Oregon	75.6	64.6	92.8
27	Pella	Iowa	67.9	72.2	93.9
28	Jim Thorpe	Pennsylvania	71.0	70.2	92.6
29	Cedarburg	Wisconsin	79.1	78.0	87.6
30	Telluride	Colorado	78.6	94.4	83.8
31	Kennebunkport	Maine	74.6	78.6	87.2
32	Cape May	New Jersey	73.7	68.7	89.8
33	Chelan	Washington	75.5	78.0	87.0
34	Wallace	Idaho	71.0	86.3	86.7
35	Ellicottville	New York	70.2	99.0	83.6
36	Red Wing	Minnesota	78.5	75.5	85.3
37	Dahlonega	Georgia	71.3	64.4	90.7
38	Chester	Vermont	71.4	86.9	85.4
39	Lake Geneva	Wisconsin	68.9	77.2	88.4
40	Marble Falls	Texas	96.0	63.8	80.8
41	Sandpoint	Idaho	91.4	82.8	78.2
42	Woodstock	Illinois	81.0	73.5	84.4
43	Hood River	Oregon	74.2	72.7	87.2
44	Stockbridge	Massachusetts	70.7	81.1	86.6
45	Oxford	Mississippi	85.1	64.5	84.4
46	Rockport	Massachusetts	77.5	79.1	83.7
47	Bristol	Rhode Island	73.2	75.1	86.1
48	Estes Park	Colorado	69.2	78.2	87.0
49	Snowmass	Colorado	69.2	94.9	82.9
50	Stroudsburg	Pennsylvania	74.1	75.6	85.4
51	Nevada City	California	72.5	68.0	87.4
52	Occoquan	Virginia	92.1	69.1	79.2
53	Newburyport	Massachusetts	90.6	82.7	76.1
54	Camden	Maine	76.1	81.0	82.0
55	Poulsbo	Washington	70.9	66.2	87.1
56	Montpelier	Vermont	69.3	80.9	84.2
57	Whitefish	Montana	71.6	82.1	82.8
58	Holland	Michigan	78.4	85.6	79.2
59	McCall	Idaho	79.0	98.5	75.7
60	Middleburg	Virginia	69.7	69.6	85.9
61	Pagosa Springs	Colorado	73.5	87.9	80.0
62	Red Bank	New Jersey	78.8	67.6	82.5
63	Excelsior	Minnesota	68.1	77.1	84.3
64	Ouray	Colorado	68.8	88.4	81.2
65	Leadville	Colorado	68.9	83.4	82.1
66	Jacksonville	Oregon	74.9	63.8	84.2
67	Madison	Indiana	78.8	69.3	81.1
68	Manitou Springs	Colorado	70.4	72.7	83.5
69	Cambridge	Ohio	83.6	69.4	78.7
70	Shepherdstown	West Virginia	77.6	72.1	80.3
71	Tecumseh	Michigan	70.0	72.9	83.0
72	Ashland	Oregon	75.7	64.8	82.4
73	Saugatuck	Michigan	68.1	85.6	80.0
74	Doylestown	Pennsylvania	73.7	71.8	80.8
75	Silverton	Oregon	71.3	95.6	76.2
76	Houghton	Michigan	76.6	78.3	78.1
77	Saratoga Springs	New York	74.0	81.6	77.7
78	Berlin	Maryland	79.4	67.7	78.6
79	Chautauqua	New York	81.9	88.0	72.7
80	Nantucket	Massachusetts	68.8	71.1	81.5
81	Port Angeles	Washington	68.6	64.0	83.2
82	Maysville	Kentucky	86.7	65.2	75.9
83	Steamboat Springs	Colorado	73.0	90.1	75.2
84	Canton	Mississippi	75.9	63.9	79.9
85	Ferndale	California	69.9	63.9	82.2
86	Bardstown	Kentucky	71.4	67.8	80.3
87	Waynesville	Ohio	68.0	70.8	80.7
88	Livingston	Montana	69.8	74.2	79.2
89	Angola	Indiana	80.0	75.0	74.7
90	Skaneateles	New York	70.1	93.3	74.4
91	Batesville	Arkansas	69.8	65.6	80.8
92	Blowing Rock	North Carolina	70.9	71.9	78.8
93	Pendleton	South Carolina	99.1	64.8	69.3
94	Baker City	Oregon	72.5	71.0	78.3
95	Eureka Springs	Arkansas	74.4	67.8	78.2
96	Fredericksburg	Texas	73.0	63.8	79.6
97	Hudson	New York	79.3	72.5	75.1
98	Essex	Connecticut	80.4	72.9	74.5
99	Belfast	Maine	72.7	81.0	75.5
100	Lexington	Virginia	75.9	68.4	77.0
101	Woodstock	Vermont	70.5	85.2	74.9
102	Mystic	Connecticut	79.1	71.1	74.5
103	Solvang	California	76.1	63.7	76.9
104	Clinton	New Jersey	72.8	73.1	76.0
105	Chester	Connecticut	72.0	72.9	76.1
106	Fairfield	Iowa	67.9	71.8	77.8
107	Virginia City	Nevada	68.2	78.5	76.0
108	Jonesborough	Tennessee	69.7	66.2	77.6
109	Salida	Colorado	68.5	69.8	76.6
110	Decorah	Iowa	71.8	74.7	73.8

Map

The 110 coziest winter towns in America for a magical getaway are shown on the map below.

Top 20 Coziest Winter Towns in America for a Magical Getaway

Below, you can find information about each town that made the top 20.

1. Leavenworth, Washington

Modeled after a German Bavarian village, Leavenworth, WA, which was founded in 1906, is America’s coziest winter town for a magical getaway. The town offers many options for winter fun, including skiing, taking a sleigh ride, enjoying authentic Bavarian food, strolling the town’s beautiful streets, and Christmas shopping at unique stores. In addition to that, Christmas lights are on daily from Thanksgiving through February, and the Christmastown festival takes place from November 24th to December 24th, which includes live entertainment, Santa photo opportunities, Gingerbread house displays, and much more.

2. Breckenridge, Colorado

Breckenridge, CO, known for the Breckenridge Ski Resort and surrounded by scenic mountains, is one of the coziest winter towns in America. The town is a popular place for skiing, but there are other fun things to do during winter in the town. From riding the Gold Runner Alpine Coaster to seeing a performance at the Riverwalk Center to taking a scenic gondola ride, the winter activities will surprise you. Many winter festivals and events take place in Breckenridge, such as the annual International Snow Sculpture Championships.

3. Stowe, Vermont

Stowe, also called “The Ski Capital of the East”, is a cozy town in Vermont with a history that dates back to the year 1763. One can choose to do any of the town’s winter activities, including ice skating at the Ice Rink at Spruce Peak Village Center, learning to snowboard, and riding the scenic Gondola SkyRide to the top of Mt. Mansfield where you can have food while enjoying a mesmerizing view at the Cliff House Restaurant. The Stowe Winter Carnival also takes place during the winter season, which is an event with ice carving competitions, stargazing, and many other activities.

4. Vail, Colorado

The mountain town of Vail, CO, home to the Vail Ski Resort, is one of the country’s coziest winter towns to visit. With wonderful events during the winter season, such as the Vail Film Festival, the Vail Kris Kringle Market, and the Vail Skating Festival, there’s much to experience in the town. One can also take a scenic gondola ride, do a ski tour, go Christmas shopping at hundreds of unique shops, relax at a spa, or do any of Vail’s other fun winter activities.

5. Aspen, Colorado

Founded in 1881 and named for the large number of aspen trees in the area, Aspen, CO, is a wonderful cozy mountain town to visit in winter. In addition to skiing, there’s much more to do in the town. From riding the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster to doing a snowcat dinner ride to enjoying a guided snowshoe tour, the town offers many fun winter activities. Lots of events also take place in Aspen, such as the annual Wintersköl event, which is a four-day festival with concerts, fireworks, and more.

6. Lake Placid, New York

Lake Placid is a cozy winter town in New York that is known for hosting the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. From ice skating at the historic outdoor Oval to relaxing at one of the town’s spas, there’s much to do in the town. In addition to that, the town is home to luxury resorts and cozy places to stay, with many offering mesmerizing views of the lake and the surrounding Adirondack mountains.

7. Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Established in 1623 and situated on the Piscataqua River, the small town of Portsmouth, NH, is a cozy winter destination. There are many things to do in winter in the town, including ice skating and shopping at local shops. The annual Gingerbread House Contest and Exhibition is also great to attend. In addition to that, the town’s quaint houses, when covered in a layer of snow, add to the town’s charm during the winter season.

8. Frankenmuth, Michigan

Frankenmuth, also known as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria” for its German heritage, is one of America’s coziest winter towns for a magical getaway. From ice skating at the outdoor Frankenmuth Ice Rink to seeing incredible Christmas lights during a driving light tour to enjoying the town’s 7-minute musical tree show during which you can see beautiful lights and listen to Christmas songs, Frankenmuth has a lot to offer during the holiday season. In addition to that, one can shop at unique shops on Main Street and see Bavarian architecture.

9. Petoskey, Michigan

Petoskey, MI, is one of the country’s coziest winter towns for a magical getaway. One can do the Aonach Mor Moonlight Dinner experience at The Highlands during the winter season. This experience includes taking a sleigh ride, enjoying the warmth of a bonfire, and having a three-course dinner illuminated by candlelight. Besides that, there’s much more to do, including ice skating at an ice skating rink and visiting a local brewery.

10. Stillwater, Minnesota

Stillwater, MN, known as “the birthplace of Minnesota”, is one of America’s coziest winter towns. During the winter months, the white snow on Stillwater’s beautiful, historic buildings adds a lot of charm. Furthermore, the annual Hometown for the Holidays event takes place in Stillwater. During this event, there’s a gingerbread house making contest, there are costumed Victorian carolers, and there’s much more to do and see.

11. Ketchum, Idaho

Founded in 1880, the mountain town of Ketchum, ID, is one of the country’s best towns for a cozy winter getaway. Besides skiing, there’s much more to do in the town during winter, including spending time at a spa while enjoying views of the surrounding mountains, listening to live music, ice skating at the Christina Potters Ice Rink, and taking a cozy horse-drawn sleigh ride.

12. Helen, Georgia

Helen, Georgia, is a cozy mountain town in the Blue Ridge Mountains with gorgeous Bavarian architecture. With its beautiful decorations, unique shops including a Christmas shop, and great events during the winter season, Helen is great for a magical winter getaway. Some of the events that take place during winter are the annual Christkindlmarkt and the town’s annual Christmas parade.

13. Frisco, Colorado

The town of Frisco, CO, is one of America’s coziest winter towns. From skiing to taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride to shopping at local shops on the town’s quaint Main Street to having a drink at a cozy coffee shop, there’s much to do in Frisco during the winter. The annual Wassail Days also take place in Frisco. During this event, one can sample wassail, see fireworks, meet Santa, and listen to carolers on Main Street.

14. Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Gatlinburg, TN, is a mountain town that’s amazing to visit during the winter season. You can do the Gatlinburg Winter Magic Lights Tour during which you can see millions of twinkling lights and light displays throughout the town. Besides that, there’s much more to do. From shopping for local arts and crafts at quaint stores to ice skating at an indoor ice skating rink to enjoying live music to riding the scenic Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway, the winter activities in Gatlinburg are wonderful.

15. Lititz, Pennsylvania

Lititz, a town in Pennsylvania that was founded in 1756, is one of the coziest winter towns in the country. The historic town looks magical when covered in a layer of snow and there’s much to do during the winter season, including going to Christmas in the Park, during which you can see the lighting of the Lititz Christmas Tree and listen to Christmas carols, going to a cozy coffee shop, and shopping at unique shops. You can also attend the annual 10-day Fire & Ice Festival in the town, during which you can see ice sculptures, enjoy delicious food from food trucks, listen to live music, and do much more.

16. Big Sky, Montana

Big Sky, MT, known for its ski resort, is a cozy town with a lot to do during winter. Whether you want to take a horse-drawn sleigh ride, have fun while ice skating, or attend a magical winter event, you can do so in Big Sky. One of the town’s most special events is the Enchanted Forest event, during which more than 10,000 beautiful lights guide you along a trail through the trees. You can also see Christmas Eve fireworks and a spectacular parade going down the Andesite mountain during the Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade & Fireworks.

17. Crested Butte, Colorado

Founded in 1880, the ski town Crested Butte, CO, is great for a cozy winter getaway. In addition to skiing, there’s much to do during the winter season, including shopping at the quaint shops on Elk Avenue, ice skating at the Big Mine Ice Arena, and taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride. The annual Alley Loop Nordic Marathon, a ski race and costume party, is also great to attend during winter.

18. Deadwood, South Dakota

Deadwood, SD, founded in 1876, is one of America’s coziest winter towns for a winter getaway. There’s a lot to do in the town during the winter, including ice skating at Outlaw Square and having a cup of coffee at one of the town’s cozy coffee shops. In addition, the town’s historic buildings, when covered in a layer of snow, add to Deadwood’s charm during the winter season.

19. Bayfield, Wisconsin

From seeing beautiful holiday lights to having a cup of coffee at a cozy coffee shop, such as Wonderstate Coffee, to attending a holiday event, the historic small town of Bayfield, WI, is a great destination for a cozy winter getaway. One of the best winter events is the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, during which you can see beautiful holiday lights and listen to music.

20. Galena, Illinois

With a lot of things to do during the winter season, the town of Galena, IL, is one of America’s coziest winter towns for a magical getaway. The town’s historic 19th-century buildings, when covered in snow, make for an enchanting winter wonderland. From having hot chocolate at a cozy cafe to attending a holiday concert, there’s much to discover during winter. You can also go to the Galena Holidaze Festival and enjoy Christmas carols, shop for holiday items, and have local food.

Methodology

To determine the 110 coziest winter towns in America for a magical getaway, New York Travel Guides compared 575 popular small towns in the country across three categories: (1) popularity during winter with the general public and photographers, (2) cozy weather, and (3) cozy activities and atmosphere. These categories were then assigned a weight based on the importance of each category. A description of the categories and their weights can be found below.

For each of the 575 small towns in the country that were analyzed, we gathered data for all categories from the data sources listed below. A standardized score was calculated for each category, with a higher score representing a better outcome, which we then used to calculate the overall weighted score for each town to rank the 575 small towns in our sample and determine the 110 coziest winter towns in America for a magical getaway.

Popularity during winter with the general population and photographers (25%)
The score for this category was calculated by calculating the relative search interest in each small town during the months of December, January, and February, and the relative number of posts shared by photographers on Flickr during the months of December, January, and February in comparison to other months of the year.
Cozy weather (15%)
The score for cozy weather was calculated based on the average high temperature, the total snowfall in inches, and the number of days with snow during the months of December, January, and February.
Cozy activities and atmosphere (60%)
This score was determined based on several factors related to cozy activities and the atmosphere of each town, including the presence of Christmas and/or winter festivals, the total number of historic performing arts theaters, the total number of cozy restaurants according to reviews, the total number of cozy coffee shops, an assessment of each town’s cozy appearance, and the total number of cozy places to stay according to reviews.

Data sources: Flickr, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Google Search, National Register of Historic Places, Google Maps, Yelp, Tripadvisor, Google Trends, Booking.com

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