As long as Steven’s Pass isn’t snowed in, Leavenworth, Washington is one of the more convenient weekend getaways for people living on both sides of the cascades. Unless I’m mistaken, Leavenworth was once a logging town, that has since re-invented itself as an alpine village in the Cascades, complete with building facades typical of German and Austrian alpine architecture. Many of the restaurants specialize in German cuisine like schnitzel and wurst of various types. Most of the shops are geared toward tourists looking for knick-knacks and food stuffs.
The town also knows how to celebrate every holiday with beer and entertainment, starting with Oktoberfest and continuing through the calendar year. They usher in the Christmas season the weekend after Thanksgiving, continuing celebrations into the New Year and beyond.
Since moving to Seattle in 2004, I visited Leavenworth exactly 3 times. Each of those 3 times a celebration was in progress. These weren’t planned excursions to join in celebration. Our trips were intended to get out of the house for the day without driving more than 100 miles, which is exactly what we did on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
The drive through Steven’s Pass is gorgeous in late November, especially if you’re lucky enough to get a break in the clouds so that sun shines on all the snow covered conifers. We stumbled onto a celebration announcing the Christmas season this time around, complete with a parade of children and a performance of alp horns. Sadly, I left every camera at home as I started the day only planning to get coffee.
Whether you live in the greater Seattle area or or simply passing through, Leavenworth makes a great destination that’s only a day drive from anywhere around Lake Washington. You will find a fun faux German experience anytime you go, but be sure to check out their event calendar if you want specifics on any given weekend.
