A Winter Weekend for Two Near Sunday River

· Getaway

Steaming hot tub on the deck of a black modern cabin in snowy woods near Sunday River, Maine

The best romantic winter getaways in Maine run on a simple rhythm. Ski hard in the morning, eat well in town, then retreat to a cabin where the sauna is already warming up. Here is how to plan that weekend for two in Bethel and Newry, the mountain towns that sit at the foot of Sunday River.

Snow-covered black cabin in the woods near Sunday River, Maine
The Cabin at Bear River in Newry, after a fresh snowfall.

Why western Maine in winter

Winter strips the mountains down to the essentials: snow, quiet, firelight, and the person next to you. Sunday River opens its lifts in late November and runs into April, so ski season covers every winter date you might want to celebrate, Valentine’s Day included. Bethel is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Portland and just under 3 hours from Boston, which is close enough for a Friday arrival and far enough to feel like you really left.

Friday: arrive, unpack, slow down

Drive in before dark if you can. Western Maine roads are plowed, but a cabin is best found in daylight the first time. Pick up groceries in Bethel for a breakfast you can linger over, then check in and do nothing for an hour.

Light the fireplace. Start the sauna, which takes 30 to 40 minutes to come up to heat. Pour something warm. When it is ready, take your first round: sauna until you cannot stand it, a few breaths of cold night air on the walk to the hot tub, then soak under the stars. Dinner can be simple tonight. You came here to slow down.

Cedar barrel sauna in the snow at a private cabin near Sunday River
The private barrel sauna at The Cabin at Bear River.

Saturday: ski Sunday River, then dinner in Bethel

Get to the mountain early. Sunday River spreads across eight connected peaks, so even a busy Saturday has room to find quiet runs together. Ski until your legs tell you to stop, then head back to the cabin for a second sauna round while the light fades. Nothing loosens tired ski legs like heat, cold, and a long soak.

For dinner, book ahead. Bethel punches well above its size for a special night out. The Elizabeth on Main Street is the town’s special-occasion room and has run a Valentine’s dinner in past years. Modern Barn, Mayville Union House, and Mountain Social Kitchen & Bar are all strong date-night picks. On Valentine’s weekend, reserve two to three weeks out. For what else is happening in town this season, see our guide to Bethel and Sunday River from December through February.

Fireplace corner with a sheepskin-draped chair in a Japandi cabin near Sunday River
The fireplace is where the evening ends.

Sunday: snowshoes, coffee, and one more soak

If you are not skiing again, drive about 14 miles north of Bethel on Route 26 into Grafton Notch State Park. The road is plowed all winter. Strap on snowshoes and walk to Screw Auger Falls, where the Bear River drops 23 feet through a granite gorge that winter turns into sculpted ice. It is short, easy, and almost always empty in January and February.

Two pairs of snowshoes leaning on a snowy cabin wall in western Maine
Snowshoes ready for Grafton Notch.

Back at the cabin, take one last hot tub soak before checkout. You will be talking about coming back before you hit the highway.

Where to stay: cabins built for two

We design, build, and host our own cabins here, and three of them were made for exactly this weekend.

The Cabin at Bear River, Newry. A Japandi-inspired one-bedroom on 3.5 private acres, about 10 minutes from Sunday River. A private sauna, a six-person hot tub, a fireplace, radiant heated floors, a king bed, and floor-to-ceiling windows that turn snowfall into the main event. Featured in Maine Home + Design, and dog friendly if your pup is part of the plan. Guests have celebrated anniversaries, a honeymoon, and a wedding night here.

King bed facing floor-to-ceiling windows and snowy woods at The Cabin at Bear River
The bedroom at Bear River, looking out on winter woods.

Alpen at HAVN, western Maine. A Swiss-Nordic cabin above a mountain brook on 39 private acres, 15 to 20 minutes from Bethel and Sunday River. Classic and timeless, made for après-ski: a cedar sauna, a hot tub, a fireplace, radiant floors, and a turntable with a curated shelf of vinyl for the slow part of the evening.

Rendering of Alpen at HAVN, a Swiss-Nordic cabin with sauna, hot tub and fire pit in the Maine woods
Alpen at HAVN (rendering).

Skog at HAVN, western Maine. Alpen’s mid-century Nordic sibling, set back in the trees with big picture-frame windows and a kitchen designed for cooking together. Same sauna, hot tub, and fireplace ritual, with a little more personality.

Rendering of Skog at HAVN, a mid-century Nordic cabin with sauna and hot tub in the trees
Skog at HAVN (rendering).

HAVN welcomes its first guests this winter. Until opening, code PREBOOK takes 20% off any stay booked before launch. Both cabins are reached by a gravel drive with a descent, so bring all-wheel or four-wheel drive in winter.

See all of our romantic cabins in Maine, or book direct for the best rate.

A few planning tips

  • Book Valentine’s and Presidents’ Day weekends early. They are the first winter dates to fill around Sunday River.
  • Pack swimsuits, warm slippers, and a robe. The walk from the sauna to the hot tub is the best 20 feet of the weekend.
  • Hydrate between sauna rounds, and save the wine for after.
  • Stay three nights if you can. A second full day with nowhere to be is when the weekend really starts to feel like a getaway.

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