Sweater Weather: 3 Unexpected Winter Getaways

When temperatures drop, forsaken Fire Island might as well be Greenland, but other Northeastern beach towns keep their doors open in winter -- slowing down without shutting down. There's still fun to be had in Ogonquit, Provincetown and Rehoboth Beach.

P-Town Never Stops
Tourism in Provincetown is brisk throughout December, with young and old turning out for the Wicked Winter Wonderland fright maze. Activity peaks during First Light Provincetown, Dec. 29 - Jan. 2, which features concerts, a holiday market and indoor farmers market, as well as fireworks and a well-attended "Polar Bear Plunge" at high tide the afternoon of New Year's Day, says Town Manager David Panagore.

Inspired by holiday markets in France, The Canteen Holiday Market is "a magical place where you can buy all local gifts, eat hot holiday foods, drink hot wine and cider, and share the holiday spirit with all slices of life in Provincetown," says Rob Anderson, one of the market event organizers and owner of the popular restaurant Canteen.

"The vendors are all local people," Anderson continues, "and include woodworkers, jewelers, a leather working, painters, a caricature and comic book artist, a candle maker, a local antique collector, T-shirt maker, someone who sells foot cream, and a local kombucha maker."

Early in 2017, MLK, President's Day and Valentine's Day Weekends are perfect for romantic getaways, with affordable spa retreats and restaurants offering prix-fixe discounts. Popular inns and restaurants like The Watership, Bayside Betsy's, Atlantic House (a favorite of Tennessee Williams), and the historic Crown & Anchor, billed as "a lively inn and gay entertainment complex," will be open for much of the winter, including Feb. 24-26 for the annual Snowbound Leather Weekend IX, organized by Watership owner Richard Conley.

The Maine Event
Just over an hour's drive from Boston, charming Ogunquit is almost as busy in fall as in summer, says Chamber of Commerce President Karen Arel. "It's a great time to be here. We're a year-round community."

Most accommodations stay open during the winter, including the Beachmere, Juniper Hill, Meadowmere and Norseman Resort (with rooms that open directly onto the beach), as are the town's mixed, but LGBT-leaning bars --MaineStreet and the Front Porch Piano Bar and Restaurant, known for its strong drinks and entrees like lobster risotto and "chicken under a brick."

"We started off as exclusively gay, but now we're more of a mixed, gay-friendly crowd -- the only nightclub and dance club in town," says Normand Paquin, primary owner of MaineStreet, which features two dance floors, large decks and room for up to 700 revelers. During the winter and spring, MaineStreet hosts karaoke on Sunday nights, monthly women's tea dances and bear tea dances on Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. A Santa Bear Tea Dance is set for December 10.

On New Year's Eve, Mainestreet is hosting "The Great Gay Gatsby" 1920s-theme event and, in March will host a "GEAR Event" (wrestling singlets, etc.) featuring popular 'Testosterone' DJ Ron Hamelin.

Rehoboth: B&B's and Tax-Free Shopping
The beach is daunting, the bandstand empty and the rides at Funland closed, but Rehoboth's legendary boardwalk is open and there are still accommodations for residents of Washington, D.C. and Baltimore looking for romantic getaways.

The chic, LGBT-owned Rehoboth Beach House and the Shore Inn are popular, as is Bewitched and BEDazzled B&B , which features four rooms dedicated to old Hollywood (Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis and Judy Garland) and a nine-room house with rooms honoring characters from gay-friendly sitcom "Bewitched," including ones dedicated to Samantha and the first Darren, Endora, The Kravitzes (its the front room, better for spying on neighbors) and Uncle Arthur (Paul Lynde).

One of the last three B&Bs in Rehoboth (there were more than 20 at one point), it is owned by Inez Conover and her wife, Unity Church minister and popular LGBTQ wedding officiant Sharon Marquart.

"For most gay couples, our animals are our children. So we're very dog-friendly and have a dog park and run that's open 24 hours," says Conover. Her B&B also features a large deck, sunken Jacuzzi and complimentary breakfast adapted to each guest's dietary restrictions.

Most bars and restaurants -- including the popular Blue Moon - stay open year-round and there's another enticing reason to schedule a visit during the holiday season: Delaware is tax-free. So make time for shopping at the town's small businesses and outlets, including Brooks Brothers and Nautica at the Tanger Outlet.