Leavenworth, it's "worth" your time!

Just in case you like SNOW in the winter, savory bratwursts, a touch of Bavaria, lazy days, and endless hiking in the summer - meet Leavenworth. After a recent visit there, I think it is "worth" your time:)

East of Seattle about 115 miles on U.S Highway 2, deep in the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, lies the town of Leavenworth. It is a mountain town, on the eastern slopes of the Cascades, along the Wenatchee River. I didn’t know what to expect when going to Leavenworth. At first glance one will feel like they stepped off the plane – or out of the car – right into Bavaria. If you don’t know, Bavaria is a region in the south east of Germany. This is all new to me as I had never been there – Leavenworth, that is. Bavaria is a place of happy memories for me from a trip many moons ago. Right off the bat I thought it was a fun combination: deep in the woods, a Bavarian town, and the outdoor lifestyle at its best.

Leavenworth is a great place for families and people with plans for year-round adventure. 

We visited in the winter, which fits our family ethos well: we love sliding on the snow. Fortunately, there are many places in Leavenworth to go sledding – from little tot slopes right in downtown, to larger slopes just a few blocks away. We spent hours on the ragged edge of disaster sledding on the steep hill at Enchantment Park. The whole family got into the fun. We caught air, crashed into trees, videoed, made new friends, and cheered each other on. We had forgotten how fun sledding truly is! One odd side note: When we left Enchantment Park we saw a sign that said “no sledding.” And yet, everywhere we looked people were sledding! Note to Leavenworth community – what is up with that? More on snow sliding adventures later.

Eating is a major part of Leavenworth. We had a great time at a classic Bavarian Brat House called “Munchen Haus.” It is a bratwurst paradise – for those who love them. We ordered the curry brat, jalapeno-cheddar brat, and the Big Bob Brat, in addition to some really great hot dogs. They had more flavors of mustard than I could count. We stood in line for 20 minutes in well-below-freezing weather to order. Brrr! As if we weren’t cold enough: once we got the food we barely found seats outside – the restaurant is all outdoors! In a mountain town! (They do have a plethora of propane heaters over the tables and chairs.) So we sat outside and gobbled those yummy brats and dogs down in the freezing cold. They were very good – definitely worth it – and warmed my happy traveler heart. It was a memorable meal and a must-do in Leavenworth. The meal was easily topped off with a Bavarian classic: The super-big pretzel.

The town was decked out in Christmas lights when we were there. It was beautiful. The trees were all lit up in town. Lights like that warm your heart and soften the cold and reflect the snow. It’s a beautiful town by night. So not only were the stores and restaurants lit up, but also the town park with huge trees were covered in lights. 

One of the great things about Leavenworth is that it is just 45 minutes from Stevens Pass Ski Resort. Steven’s Pass is a great all-around mountain. It has great runs for beginners, fast cruising runs for intermediates, several terrain parks for those who want to practice their aerial jumps and rail slides, and really challenging terrain for those who want to ski the steep stuff. I was already a fan of Stevens Pass going into this trip and am glad that the powder hounds got their fill on the way there and on the way home. Leavenworth makes for a great home-base for a ski vacation to Stevens. (And just a couple miles out of town there’s a local, old-school, rope-tow ski area, too!) For those not so into sliding down the hills on snow – be it downhill skiing or sledding – there are plenty of outdoors things to do around town including a plethora of pathways and trails for walks and cross-country skiing (many along the gorgeous Wenatchee River), and snowshoe trails are just outside of town. And as you would expect, summer brings it’s own outdoors activities.

After my recent visit, I encourage folks to make it to Leavenworth in Summer or Winter. Why not enjoy the great outdoors and eat some tasty Brats? Also, never fear because Starbucks is here! Yes, a Bavarian Starbucks awaits you in the midst of the forest, around the bend. I am so thankful for my visit to Leavenworth. It provided a lot of laughs, great food, stunning beauty, and quality family time. Looking ahead: I look forward to visiting this little Bavarian destination in the mountains again!