Leavenworth

When I first moved to Washington, everyone said I needed to see

Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park
Paradise at Mt. Rainier
The Tulip Festival in Skagit Valley, and
Leavenworth in the Wenatchee region.

Leavenworth is a German village about 3 hours east of the Seattle region. You really feel like you are in Germany here with the sky-high mountain range surrounding the town, the German-themed buildings, and hanging plants on all of the lamp posts.

What to Do

Shopping

Along the main section of Leavenworth are so many places to shop. This took up a lot of our time and we didn't hate it! We recommend the shops Posy, The Plant Ally, The Hat Shop, Remedy, and Paprika.

Hiking

There are so many trails in this area. You can check out the All Trails website to view what type of trail you are looking for to narrow it down. One of the locals recommended the Hidden Lake trail for a shorter but beautiful hike.

Find your favorite German Pretzel

See below for more on where to eat!

The Gorge Amphitheatre

The Gorge Amphitheatre is about an hour and a half away from Leavenworth. It is well-worth the drive and effort to catch a concert if you are so lucky! We saw The Lumineers play, and it was magical listening to their song “Angela” while the sun was setting on the Gorge and the Columbia River.

Where to Eat

Rhein Haus

This restaurant had the best scenery. We were very lucky to get a spot with a great view for people-watching. This place was runner up for best German pretzel as we really liked the cheese sauce. The pretzel was really good too - the large pretzel is humongous so we decided on the small. This may have been a tie if we got the large!

Stein

The logo for Stein is so good, we couldn't help ourselves to purchase some of their memorabilia. I especially liked the slogan with Big Foot "Not all who wander are lost." We loved their selection of beers, and the Currywurst appetizer. In case you didn’t know, currywurst is sausage with a curried ketchup on top. It is delectable, and was especially delicious with Stein’s apple slaw.

The Loft

*Winner for best German pretzel!* This pretzel was melt-in-your-mouth good. The dough recipe is made by a local bakery and they bake it fresh. One of my friends ordered the pretzel but we not-so-secretly kept picking off bites as it was hard to stop eating it! I didn't even take a picture since it smelled so good!

Bavarian Bakery

Be sure to get here early in the day to get your first pick at the freshly baked goods here. Most of us took a loaf of bread home.

Where to Stay

Squirrel Tree Resort

For an affordable but cozy stay, the Squirrel Tree Resort is your best pick. It is newly renovated (as of 2022). The bed was extremely comfortable, and we loved the dark stone shower. They also have a restaurant with an outdoor patio that we wish we had tried out in the evening. But, watch out for the massive moths outside the hotel! They were beautiful… This resort is about 20 minutes from the downtown area so make sure you choose your DD!