The Infatuation Winter 25

You can do shots of pisco with your waiter and slurp leche de tigre as a chaser at Celeste, a fun Peruvian restaurant in Somerville just 15 minutes from Downtown Boston. Settle in at the bar and watch as your ceviche gets doused with lime juice in the kitchen. Those garden gnome-sized flames from the stove are sure to keep you warm.

Sludge is flowing through the streets, and you’re one canceled DoorDash order away from ditching the city to live off the land. You could join a commune, or you could take a few deep breaths in the Vermont countryside at Sugarbush Farms. After your tour, pop into their country store for some fresh cheese and homemade cookies that’ll carry you through hibernation season.

Sure, the window for ideal skiing conditions on the East Coast is shorter than ramp season, but if you’re looking for slopes within two hours of NYC, the Catskills are your best bet. After your legs are jello from scraping down the ice, thaw out with a mezcal toddy and pakora-fried radishes at Nat’s Mountain House.

The food at Tigre is fine, but the manatee-spotting opportunities are exquisite—particularly during the winter months, when these sea spuds are commuting up and down Little River like they’re late to something. Come for Sunday brunch, when visibility is best. Sit outside, and listen for the distinctive snort of the manatees coming up for air.

Guessing how many cucumbers are in Mi Compa Chava’s aguachile verde is a bit like trying to figure out how many pairs of underwear you actually need on vacation: futile. But this exercise is way more fun, plus it involves way more shrimp. Grab a stool at the counter, order a round of Pacificos, and hit your gourd quota for the entire year.

A trip 9,600 feet above sea level to the Breckenridge Distillery is a fun alternative to zooming down the slopes, even if you don’t actually know the difference between bourbon and rye. After the tour, stick around and try their espresso vodka or cask-finished whiskeys as your tour guide tells you about the epic wipeouts he saw as a lifty.

Instead of spending your hard-earned vacation days pizza-french frying your way down the bunny hill, adventure lodge-side for a little hot toddy time of your own. The Handle Bar is Jackson Hole’s answer to gorgeous views, fancy bar snacks, and aprés ski cocktails, without any of that pesky snowsport business.

The fireplace is always on at this cozy wine bar, but they only serve fondue on Tuesday nights, when Brooklyn dwellers emerge from their one-bedrooms in pursuit of red wine and hot cheese. Stay up late, even though it’s Tuesday. Order another bottle because it’s $32. It’s like being in a chalet in the Swiss Alps after a long day of skiing. Or so we imagine.

Being outside in a bathing suit during a Canadian winter: scary. Simmering like a root vegetable in a hot tub on a boat: very calming and not scary at all. Once you’re nice, soft, and wrapped back up in your robe, find a spot at Bota Bota’s restaurant, La Traversée, to drink a martini and crack open that book you packed for the last three trips.

There will likely be a wait at this classic Creole spot, but it’s worth it for their shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake. You’ll get a soft slice of savory cake that’s creamy, cheesy, and absolutely not a dessert. Just don’t try to get into the pick-up truck parked outside when you leave—that’s Jacques-Imo’s signature decoration, not your ride.

Portland isn’t exactly Siberia in the winter, but it’s not Miami, either. Escape the sleet by drinking infused vodkas at Kachka for a couple of hours. The horseradish is sinus-clearing, and the herbal sea buckthorn is a dreamy combination of mint and dill. And yes, they all go great with some pelmeni.

The serenity experienced inside Maneki’s private tatami rooms is comparable to catching Mt. Rainier on a clear day, or hugging Buoy the sea-troll at a Kraken game. Shoot this Japanese spot a text to book, and then sip Sapporo in socks while someone periodically drops off spicy tuna rolls, lacy gyoza, and broiled cod collar.

Never discount the power of posting a sunny patio pic in the dead of winter. This year, Si! Mon is the place to do it. Their lush Venice patio will make every East Coast friend question their life choices, while the Panamanian menu with tuna tostadas and banana-leaf-wrapped kanpachi will validate yours.

Winter is objectively the best time to go to Disney World: there are less screaming children, and the humidity won’t turn you into a miserable mess while you wait for the Ratatouille ride. Ditch the Dole Whip and grab some perfectly greasy cheeseburger spring rolls before hopping on the Jungle Cruise.

You’re at an all-inclusive in Nassau, thinking to yourself, “How many mediocre burgers can I eat here?” Stop right there and head to Dino’s for a beer and some conch salad that’s packed with just the right amount of lime and pepper. It’s right by the airport, which makes it the perfect place to start and end your Bahamian vacation.

If your mood largely relies on natural light, it can be tough when the sun keeps clocking out before 5pm. But that’s where Provaré comes in—based on (highly unscientific) research, this Creole-Italian spot’s lights emit approximately 127k lumens, a.k.a. the brightness of the sun. Plus, the chicken parm, throwback jams, and refreshing cocktails are just as invigorating as vitamin D.

You’re not coming to this flower-bombed gazebo smack-dab in the middle of the Bellagio Conservatory for the food—you’re coming to be gawked at. Bring the Leo in your friend group who will love the attention from rubbernecking tourists, and order the lamb chops (which, actually, are quite good).

Finish a relaxing visit to one of the best spas in New Mexico, Ten Thousand Waves, at their Japanese restaurant, Izanami. Your finger tips might be little raisins, but they’re still capable of holding a glass of unpasteurized sake and using chopsticks to eat some miso molé gyoza.

A stroll through acres of lush greenery at the Vallarta Botanical Gardens is a nice break from getting sand in every crevice of your body at the beach. Finish your hike with lunch on the outdoor balcony of their restaurant, Hacienda de Oro, where you can enjoy excellent tortilla soup while chirping away with the hummingbirds and chachalacas.

Skip dinner at the Peninsula Grill in Charleston—the only thing you need to eat here is their famous coconut cake. You’ll still need to adhere to the business casual dress code, but how often do you put on a blazer just for a 12-layered cake? All the steaming and pressing will be worth it for the best sweet treat in the city.

Shelter from the brutal Midwestern cold and soak up some sun at Union’s heated rooftop solarium like you’re a tree eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. Fill up on the spicy chicken eggs benedict, because unlike a plant, you can’t make a meal out of sunshine.

Stirrups Restaurant has huge windows and a terrace right in front of the World Equestrian Center’s grand outdoor arena, where horses gallop around and practice show jumping. Ask for a table outside during brunch so you can watch Seabiscuit’s cousins hop over oxers. Just please don’t offer them any of your avocado toast.

Robert Redford literally built this cabin in the middle of the mountains—yes, even the stone fireplace. It’s a lovely spot to cozy up with some steak and buttermilk mashed potatoes while admiring the tree in the dining room.