How to Do a Cozy Winter Cabin Getaway Near the Bay Area — on a Budget

There are five miles of trails throughout the park, including the accessible 1.4-mile Discovery Trail, which is an easy stroll that tours you through the main grove.

Closer to San Francisco, Marin County’s Samuel P. Taylor State Park boasts four cabins, each accommodating five people. This park’s location makes it the perfect quick overnight to get away from the city, especially if you’re planning to explore nearby Point Reyes National Seashore for the day.

Some of the cabins at both state parks have electricity, covered porches and even small heaters – but every spot is different, so be sure to check your reservation ahead of time. At both state parks, potable water, showers and bathrooms are available in the campgrounds. Bring sleeping bags and sleeping pads (as no mattresses are provided), and any kitchen supplies you might want for cooking.

Reservations: Cabin rentals at Hendy Woods and Samuel P. Taylor range from $35 to $100 per night and can be made at ReserveCalifornia.com. Be aware that most cabin sites are booked up on weekends, so consider a midweek reservation if you can swing it.

Explore the snow at Tahoe’s front and backcountry cabins

The most accessible option here is the Clair Tappaan Lodge, located in Norden just off Highway 80 near Boreal Resort, Donner Ski Ranch and Sugar Bowl Resorts. This bunk-style lodge, which dates from the 1930s, offers communal dining and a rustic feel, plus options for bagged lunches if you’re heading to the slopes for the day.

But you don’t have to be a resort skier to get the most out of the stay — the lodge rents snowshoes, cross-country skis and sleds for any snowy outing. What’s more, there’s a quiet library to unwind after a long day in the cold, said Andrew Parkhill, the lodge’s general manager.

The Peter Grubb hut, one of the Sierra Club’s primitive huts in Tahoe’s backcountry. (Courtesy of Hipcamp/Sierra Club)

“It’s really a great option for people that are looking to do something different and be in the mountains, sharing the camaraderie of what the mountains bring,” Parkhill said. “Whether that’s a beautiful view, or watching the snow fall or having a great day on the hill — be it snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or downhill skiing — and just coming back and talking about it.”

Seeking even more adventure? The Sierra Club also has primitive huts in Tahoe’s backcountry that are accessible only by snowshoe or cross-country ski. Perhaps the easiest to get to is the Peter Grubb Hut, which is around a 3-mile hike from I-80. But before you book, make sure you’re seriously prepared: not only are these huts unstaffed, with not much in the way of amenities, but they also require expertise in traveling on snow to get there.

But if you’re ready for the challenge, the juice may be worth the squeeze. Akin to winter backpacking — just with an added roof over your head — the reward for your trek is a remote ski lodge with a wood-burning stove, an outhouse and all the new adventure friends you’ll meet once you get there.

Reservations: The huts and lodge can be booked on the Clair Tappaan Lodge website or, starting this week, on Hipcamp.com. Spots are $82 per person per night in the lodge and $55 in the Peter Grubb or any other backcountry hut.

Overlook the ocean from a unique hostel

Run by the same hostel company, HI Point Montara Lighthouse and HI Pigeon Point Lighthouse not only have their own grounds to explore, but are close to some of the Bay Area’s wildest stretches of coastline.