This Illinois Airbnb’s Hot Tub Will Make You Say Yes to a Winter Stay

If Illinois is feeling a bit drab this winter, I get it. The months between the new year and the spring thaw can get a little lackluster, especially when we’re blessed with heavy gloom and a brown winter instead of snow and sunshine. But the outdoors still beckon, and I promise you’ll feel better if you find a way to embrace it. One of my best winter survival hacks is to find a steaming hot tub where I can soak beneath evergreen trees. I can’t think of a better spot than Shawnee National Forest for finding that perfect winter getaway in Illinois.

I fell head-over-heels for the A-frame stay at Sunrise Hill Cabins from the minute we arrived. Three cozy abodes snuggled into a vast, welcoming lawn tucked between Illinois’ biggest old-growth forest and a sparkling, private lake. Serenity is at its peak here, with nothing but bird song and swaying trees to greet you. And one of my favorite aspects of these Shawnee Forest cabins is that they are family-friendly. I find that so many stays like this forget kids need nature, too. At times, it feels like more than 75 percent of nature retreats are couples-only, so I’m eternally grateful that Sunrise Hills Cabins lets us bring our kids. 

Shawnee National Forest is so far south; it’s less than an hour to the Kentucky border. This means it’s not likely you’ll encounter snow here, and you might even experience weather 10 degrees warmer than more northerly places in Illinois. Winter temps typically hover in the mid-40s around Makanda, plenty warm to enjoy nearby hikes if you’re feeling the urge to explore and connect more deeply with the surrounding trees. Many of Illinois’ most beloved hikes, waterfalls, and rock formations are easily within day-trip range, some less than five minutes away. We especially loved Giant City State Park, including the kid-friendly Giant City Nature Trail and the difficult trail to Red Cedar Falls. Additionally, Garden of the Gods is just 90 minutes away.

But even if your idea of a winter getaway in Illinois looks more like cuddling up with a good book and staying cozy close to the threshold, these A-frame cabins with hot tubs know how to write that story, too. The coziness is next level, with a vaulted ceiling, a master bedroom loft, floor-to-roof picture windows, wood floors, and nature-themed decor. There’s even a kitchenette, an outdoor bbq, a fire ring, and of course, a bubbling hot tub beneath string lights and a picturesque evergreen. 

Sunrise Hills Cabins is the kind of place where time slows down, the seasons soften under the cover of a canopy, and winter doesn’t feel so bad. In fact, it might even feel slow and cozy, healing and regenerative, in ways that winter was always meant to be. After all, this is the time when nature embraces reality, hunkering down and waiting for the spring renewal. Sometimes all we have to do is embrace it, place ourselves in a position to forget the bustle beyond the forest, and instead choose to mingle with true winter, as deer and woodpeckers might do. 

Looking for more winter getaway ideas? Maybe Only In Your State's AI-powered itinerary planner can help!