Well Intentioned: A Winter Wellness Guide to Upstate New York
![Stay warm this winter with some time at Hotel Kinsley in Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/hotel_kinsley_restaurant_interiors_017.webp)
Artsy towns blend with steamy spas, hot tubs and hunker-down hotels when you hit the road and head to the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Slushy sidewalks. Biting winds. Looming blizzards. The Big Apple might have a certain romance in winter, but the cold season can be stressful. Upstate, it’s a different story. North of NYC is the Hudson Valley, packed with laid-back hotels, cozy restaurants and sparkling, snow-capped mountains. It’s dream road-trip territory. If feeling small helps you put everyday worries into perspective, mighty Niagara Falls and Letchworth State Park – the so-called Grand Canyon of the east – await further west. Ready to relax? Here’s where to find winter wellness in Upstate New York.
1. Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture
Natural Feature
![A young girl looks closely at a leaf amid crops at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, Tarrytown, Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/sb-101.webp)
Once part of the Rockefeller Estate, today this 1930s farm is a non-profit education center and a shining example of slow, sustainable food culture. Visitors can tour the farm (including the greenhouse and innovation labs) to learn all about low-impact agricultural practices and seasonal eating, before settling in for an unforgettable meal at farm-to-table fine-dining restaurant, Blue Hill.
2. The Roundhouse
Hotel
![A stylish lounge with seats by a fireplace at the Roundhouse hotel in Beacon, Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/lounge-hotel-at-the-roundhouse-pat-furey-photography.webp)
3. Hotel Kinsley
Hotel, Luxury
![A double bed behind two soft seats in a room at Hotel Kinsley, Kingston, Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/hotel-kinsley-.webp)
This design-centric hotel is spread across four historic buildings, each featuring rooms decked with bold colors, vintage prints, snow-white Frette bedding and mini Smeg fridges. There are plenty of yoga and pilates studios around town if that’s your thing (try the Yoga House), while cross-country skiers will love winter birdspotting along the nearby Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. At the end of the day, hunker down in the cozy wood-paneled bar, or relax in the petite infrared sauna.
4. Windham Mountain
Ski Resort
![A view overlooking the valley as two skiers go downhill at Windham Mountain, Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/wp6517.webp)
5. The Salt Den
Spa
Halotherapy – which involves spending time in a Himalayan salt cave, breathing in briny air – is said to reduce inflammation and soothe respiratory and skin conditions. But even if you take these claims with a large pinch of the proverbial, chances are you’ll still find a sense of calm at this wellness center on the outskirts of Albany. Ocean sounds, warm blankets and twinkly lights make for a meditative 45 minutes.
6. Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa
Resort, Spa Hotel
![A room containing a bed, sofa and fireplace opens out through glass doors towards a lakeside porch with mountain views at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, Lake Placid, Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/b45d1245.webp)
If your ideal winter getaway features worn leather armchairs, log fires and mountain views, this lakeside hotel will leave you smitten. It’s a cozy place to return after a day spent skiing at nearby Whiteface Mountain, of 1980 Winter Olympics fame. Keen skiers can even take a lesson with an Olympic medalist. Off the slopes, warm up in the spa’s hot tub and sauna, or treat yourself to a CBD massage or reiki treatment.
7. Letchworth State Park
Park
![A walker crosses a railroad trestle bridge over the Upper Falls at Letchworth State Park, Upstate New York](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/depositphotos_106592730_xl.webp)
8. Niagara Falls
Natural Feature
![A couple admire the frozen American Falls from the bank of Niagara River in Canada (not Upstate New York)](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/egdgc6.webp)