The fireplace is crackling and outside there’s almost always a blanket of bright fresh snow. Locals take midday walks bundled in thick scarves and down jackets; their breath like clouds in the crisp air.

There’s a white steepled church, of course, and more than one local pub where everyone knows everyone.

Hallmark movie set? Sure, but here in New England, it’s a within-a-drive real life experience.

There are countless classic New England towns to visit for a true winter vibe. Even when cold and snow are in short supply (not the case up north as of yet this year; knock wood), we are a hotbed of winter hamlets. And while I’ve yet to find a northern winter town I didn’t bond with, there are favorites. Consider these for a deep dive into that Hallmark Movie life. You might even meet that city career woman who just arrived in town only to fall in love with the local ski patroller.

Mount Washington Valley: There’s a reason the Valley (https://www.visitmwv.com/) scores top rankings for ski towns in national publications: It’s beautiful, accessible and has shops, restaurants, winter activities and lodging choices to satisfy just about every type of human (there’s even Haunted castle you can stay in at the Adventure Suites (https://www.adventuresuites.com/index.php).

The main ingredient, though, is the setting. Mount Washington looms high over the valley, embracing it like a hug. On bluebird days, the stark white of the peak offset by the winter blue sky just makes it all spectacular.

There are B and B’s, beautiful classic hotels like the Eastern Slope Inn (opt for the rooms out back; it’s like a little winter neighborhood),

And while parts of North Conway can feel a bit developed, overall, the quaint and lovely spots make up the majority of the scene.

There’s skiing: Four ski areas in the Valley itself and others nearby and plenty of Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. Must experience moments include Apres at Black Mountain’s Alpine Cabin. If you don’t ski, for a nominal fee you can ride the chair up and back for their champagne, fondue and live music (https://www.blackmt.com/), a meal at Delaney’s Hole in the Wall and/or Horsefeathers, Tuesday night Hoot Night at the Wildcat Tavern to mingle with locals and catch the impressive pool of local talent, and a ride up Mount Washington itself on the Snowcoach (https://mt-washington.com/guided-tours/snowcoach-tour/)

Stowe, Vermont: Is there a New England town more quintessential than Stowe? The first settlers arrived in 1793 and the first lift-accessed skiing debuted in 1937, and the town has grown organically to become a top winter destination.

And while the roads can be a little, well, busy at peak times, you can find your places to settle into all that beauty. Up on the mountain, skiers and riders can find one of the best hills in the east, and non-skiers can enjoy a gondola ride to a mountaintop meal.

The key scene in this Hallmark setting has to be Spruce Peak at Stowe (https://www.sprucepeak.com/) where you can ice skate under the lights (and often catch Olympians carving their routines there), sidle up to a roaring fire at WhistlePig Pavilion, or just meander around and take it all in.

There’s also the must-visit Von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort (https://www.vontrappresort.com/tours.htm), the long-standing Stoweflake Mountain Resort (https://stoweflake.com/) where you can relax all day at their beautiful spa, tons of breweries and all kinds of shopping and dining. Under the peak of Mount Mansfield and in view of old-school churches and shops, you’ll find it easy to get into your mountain movie role.

Rangeley, Maine: It’s not a short drive there from most places, but gosh is it worth the extra miles. Kingfield sits in Maine’s Western White Mountains, a quick drive from Sugarloaf and just down the road from Saddleback Ski Area.

Kingfield is a true hamlet; folks snowmobile or snowshoe to and from dinner and in a cozy few blocks you’ll find amazing dining (truly world class), a lake for winter sports fun and beyond it, what feels like endless miles of untouched nature to explore.

Sit down at one of the great foodie spots and you’re bound to make a new friend. What’s more Hallmark Movie than that?

Mount Washington Valley has busy spots, but just as many quaint New England locales like the J-town Deli in Jackson, where locals go to get coffee, food and the local news. (Photo Moira McCarthy)
A Stowe must-do is the skating rink and village at Spruce Peak, where you can skate, dine, shop and soak in the winter. (Photo Moira McCarthy)