When winter gets wicked cold, you may be tempted to hunker down under a blanket. But the North Shore offers dozens of opportunities to explore all the area has to offer while keeping totally toasty. We’ve picked 25 of our favorite ways to stay seasonally snug, even as the wind blows cold outside:
1. Thaw your hands over a hot oven while you learn to knead and shape sourdough, or assemble the perfect chicken pot pie at one of Appleton Farms’ culinary workshops.
2. Score a seat on the fireside couch at the bar in Gloucester’s Beauport Hotel for an afternoon snack and a drink. Views of the windswept harbor will make your perch seem all the cozier.
3. Book a seat in Let’s Sauna’s wood-fired, mobile sauna to work up a sweat (perhaps after a cold-weather dip in the ocean).
4. Alfresco dining may not seem like a sensible winter option, but patio heaters, firepits, igloos, and available blankets can make eating outdoors a cozy seasonal adventure. Check out our article on winter igloo dining. Also check out nshoremag.com for more alfresco ideas.
5. Gather some friends and rent a firepit at Riverwalk Brewing Co. in Newburyport to enjoy local craft beer and good times with friends, while the flames ward off the cold.
6. Steaming broth, warming spices, and perfectly chewy noodles: A bowl of ramen at Salem’s Kokeshi will make you forget about the snow and ice.
7. It’s impossible to stay chilly in front of the superheated furnaces used for glassblowing at the North Shore Glass School in Salem. Sign up for a one-off workshop or enroll for a four-week immersive class.
8. Dance your way through winter with ballet, jazz, or tap classes in a beautiful vintage ballroom at Gloucester’s MAGMA.
9. Lose track of time at Andover Bookstore as you search the shelves for your next page turner and read a few sample pages in front of the venerable shop’s crackling fire.
10. Hot soup is one of the best parts of winter. Swing into Gloucester’s Common Crow Natural Market to choose from its daily hot soups, made from scratch with natural and organic ingredients, or stock up on its refrigerated options.
11. Book a spa weekend at the Briar Barn Inn for a day of relaxing facials, massages, and foot soaks, followed by an evening sipping wine by the fire.
12. Snuggle up with some furry friends as a volunteer at Cape Ann Animal Aid. Sign up for a drop-in volunteer day or come aboard for a longer six-month stint for more heart- and hand-warming time with the pups and kitties.
13. Heat up from the inside out with spicy dan dan noodles at the acclaimed Sichuan Garden in Woburn. Then dream of sunnier climes was you wash down your food with a tropical cocktail from the award-winning in-house Baldwin Bar.
14. Clam chowder is a summer staple, but a steaming bowl enjoyed in a snug booth at Woodman’s may be even more delicious in the winter.
15. Warm up your muscles in a new way with a class on the trapeze or aerial silks at Seaside Circus in Gloucester.
16. Sample some of the winter beers offered by North Shore breweries, like BareWolf Brewing’s Zest, infused with four different citrus flavors, or the coconut porter at Andover’s Oak & Iron.
17. Wrap yourself in supersoft luxury with a classic Scottish-made cashmere sweater or shawl from Newburyport-based apparel brand Billie Todd.
18. Envelop your home in flickering light and inviting aromas with a candle from Rockport Candle Co., in seasonal scents like “Sweatah Weathah” and “Cocktails by the Fire.”
19. Snuggle into a new scarf, gloves, or hat from the colorful and fun selections at WKND in Beverly or Shine Boutique in Newburyport.
20. Spend an afternoon in heated competition at The Castle in Beverly. Order some hot fries and cold milkshakes, then choose from hundreds of available board games and let the battle begin.
21. Treat yourself to a new sweater from the wide selection of colors, materials, and styles at Andover boutique SoleAmour.
22. Explore the innovative winter coffee specials the North Shore’s rich cafe culture has to offer. Consider a Snickers latte from Plume Cafe in Newburyport, or a vanilla-and-almond inflected sugar cookie latte from Honeycomb in Hamilton.
23. Make your own warmth by knitting or crocheting a blanket. Gloucester’s Coveted Yarn and Salem’s Circle of Stitches offer yarns in every color, weight, and softness, as well as classes and drop-in sessions for those new with their needles.
24. Go on a hunt for the best hot chocolate in the area. We’re partial to the version at A&J King in Salem, where chocolate ganache is whisked into hot milk from Richardson’s Farm.
25. Escape to Plum Island. At Blue—the inn on the beach, you can and while away a weekend napping by the fire and soaking in the hot tub while the waves crash just feet away.