When you first get to Leavenworth you may think you left America by some very bizarre mistake. In the middle of the Cascades is this little Bavarian village where you feel that you have been transported to Germany and Europe. Many people in the town speak German, and period actors dressed in Liederhosen sing and play the accordion in the streets. You will enjoy strolling around the downtown area and seeing all the little shops and tasting local wines. Learn about Leavenworth in its museums, enjoy a great nightlife and dine at some of the finest German and Austrian restaurants. With its location in the heart of the gorgeous Washington cascades, just outside of town are opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, bird watching and more.
Make sure to bring your camera on your walk around town. Every building is frosted with Bavarian details. On Commercial and Front streets, you can enjoy polka music playing in the background while shopping for bratwurst, cuckoo clocks, and other German-themed items such as Hummel figurines, imported lace, and nutcrackers. Downtown Leavenworth is also a wine-tasting hub. You can wander from one tasting room to the next and sample wines from all over Washington.
To learn about Leavenworth's history, visit The Upper Valley Museum on Division Street, located in a beautiful historic home. Nutcracker fans will love The Nutcracker Museum on Front Street, showcasing over 4,000 nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes. A bronze Roman nutcracker dated between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D., found in 1960, is on display.
Keeping in line with the town's Bavarian theme, some of the finest German and Austrian restaurants in the Pacific Northwest are right here in Leavenworth. Spicy bratwurst, hand-carved venison and finely crafted lagers are just some of the pleasures you can expect. Don't like Wiener Schnitzel? You have plenty of other options. There's pizza, fast food, Mexican and Italian foods. Stop by Leavenworth's Gingerbread Factory on Commercial Street and eat delicious gingerbread houses, homemade cookies, cakes, other baked goods. Nightlife in Leavenworth is all about music. There are many musical performances and festivals in the small Front Street Park downtown.
If you are looking to get outside the town on your stay, the vast area surrounding Leavenworth provides four seasons of activity and adventure. Popular activities in the cascades are snowmobiling, cross-county skiing, hiking and rock climbing. The area is also a mountain biker's paradise. From easy rides on meandering dirt roads to grueling climbs up mountaintops with spectacular views, the Leavenworth area has some of the best mountain-biking routes in the state. Bikes can be rented at Der Sportsmann and Das Rad Haus, both on Front Street. Rafting season is open approximately from April to July. Shoot the whitewater rapids of the Wenatchee River and challenge the 21 miles of Class II-IV rapids. This area, between Leavenworth and Cashmere and Monitor, is located in eastern Washington, on the eastern edge of Leavenworth, off Hwy 2.
For birdwatchers, the Leavenworth area is a highlight of the Great Washington State Birding Trail, and selected by Audubon as having some of the best birding hotspots in the state. Waterfront Park and the Wenatchee and icicle rivers offer a watery oasis for birds and other wildlife. Look for Gray Catbird, Veery and Bullock's Oriole, Belted Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Wood Duck and Osprey. Bird hunting is also available. Discover more about birds and celebrate International Migratory Bird Day at the Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival, one weekend in May each year.
A variety of fishing is available within a 20-mile radius of Leavenworth & the Wenatchee River in the high mountain lakes. You can enjoy catching premier game fish like steelhead, as well as lake trout. A fish hatchery on Icicle Road has a mile-long interpretive trail with information on the hatchery. In the winter the trail turns into a cross-country ski trail. There are approximately 2,500 miles of forest trails which provide access to campgrounds, trailheads, scenic vistas, woodcutting and berry picking areas, lakes, and streams. In the winter, snow-covered roads are used for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Past the fish hatchery, up Icicle Canyon Road about 15 miles, you'll find the Icicle Gorge River Trail, an easy 4-mile loop trail along the banks of beautiful Icicle Creek. This is the prettiest hike in the area. Don't miss it. The trailhead is just past the Chatter Creek Ranger Station.
Horseback riding is available at the stables at Lake Wenatchee State Park and on Icicle Road near the fish hatchery. Golfers can play 18 holes at the Leavenworth Golf Club on Icicle Rd.
There are no chain hotels/motels in this little Bavarian Village, but there are plenty of inns/B&Bs and lodges. The Abendblume Inn is a little romantic B&B on Ranger Road that has a triangular tub for two, heated marble floors and all guests have access to the indoor and outdoor spa. The Run of the River on East Leavenworth Avenue is all about the outdoors and nature. Walking sticks, day packs, and picnic hampers are always ready for a day's outing, and the innkeepers offer tips on where to go and what to do in the area. The Hotel Pension Anna on Commercial Street has an annex that's actually a renovated church built in 1913. Rooms have original details like ornately carved headboards, fifteen-foot ceilings and a choir loft. Parents can really enjoy themselves here since babysitting is available at the hotel. The Sleeping Lady Resort on Icicle has a really cool boulder-lined swimming pool.
For a very outdoors-oriented stay, Mountain Home Lodge is located 2 1/2 miles up a very steep, narrow road that is only paved in its lower stretch. In winter, guests are taken up the unplowed road on Snowcat. Forty miles of cross-country ski trails are the main attraction in the winter. Cross-country skis and snowshoes are provided. There are also guided snowmobile tours. In summer, hiking and mountain biking are the big draws, and bike rentals are available. Guest rooms are individually decorated with themes that reflect the area's activities. If you want to rough it, Tumwater, with 84 campsites, is the biggest campground in the Leavenworth area, but it's always full on summer weekends. Up Icicle Road on the west side of Leavenworth, there are seven other campgrounds to choose from.
Leavenworth is located in central Washington state, off U.S. highway 2. The town is accessible by bus, train or plane. From Pangborn Airport in Wenatchee, you can rent a car, limo or taxi, or use public transportation. Leavenworth is located 120 miles from Seattle and 275 miles form Portland, Oregon.
Come visit this little gem of a town to relax and just take in the sites of this unique place. You will definitely be talking to your friends about it and showing off your photos when you return to the real world!