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Willkommen to Leavenworth!  If you are looking for picturesque panoramic mountain views, one of a kind shopping with hidden treasures around every corner, incredible restaurants with cuisine that will please the pickiest of palates, never ending wineries and tasting rooms and activities for all ages, then look no further than the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, WA. We visited here recently, along with our Auntie Kathy and had some great times.

The beauty of Leavenworth is unsurpassed.  Nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth is a German themed town where every business and storefront must adhere to the Bavarian theme no matter how corny it may look.  From McDonalds to Starbucks, all the buildings resonate the small-town feel.  The entire downtown area is easily walkable and has the Wenatchee river on one side and the beautiful mountains on the other but watch out for the local wildlife. 

Some of the more popular stores include the Hat Shop, Monaco’s Corner Store (which has every kitchen gadget you can think of), the Nutcracker Museum, the Cheesemonger (try the Vampire Slayer), the Old Time Photo Shop (which is so fucking fun) and Kris Kringl (a shop that has Christmas decorations all year long because who doesn’t need more Christmas shit).

Leavenworth has many restaurants to choose from that will delight your tastebuds and clean out your wallet.  If you are craving Italian food be sure to go to Visconti’s and sit on the balcony overlooking main street.  For Latin food, South is the place to be.  Order a chip and dip sampler and some tomatillo tacos for some fresh southern flavor.  Gusav’s is an extremely popular place serving salads, sandwiches and burgers.  Or you can always opt for a polish sausage at the Muchen Haus.

Wineries are abundant in Leavenworth, and we took full advantage.  Some of our favorites include Icicle Ridge Winery, Goose Ridge Winery, Stemilt Creek and Ryan Patrick Vineyards.  All of these wineries have tasting rooms in the downtown area within a two block radius and serve some delicious local wines in addition to having very helpful staff members that will walk you to the door after you are shitfaced.  Stemilt is our favorite and we ended up there twice and bought a case of wine.

To keep yourself entertained in the summer, you can partake in some river rafting (try not to die), mini-golf, trail hiking (see above reference about wildlife) and the famous Leavenworth Summer Theater.  In the winter, head on up to the Leavenworth Ski Hill, take a horse drawn carriage sleigh ride and enjoy the Christmas lighting ceremony every weekend in December.  If beer is your drink of choice the Leavenworth Ocktoberfest is for you!  A month long celebration that includes live entertainment every weekend at the centrally located gazebo and all the beer and brats you can eat.

We stayed at the Worldmark condos, which are just two blocks from downtown.  There are lots of hotels located close to the downtown area.  Parking can be a challenge so the closer you can stay to downtown the better off your feet will be.

All in all, we had a great time seeing all the sights and tasting all the wines.  Because Leavenworth is pretty close to our home we plan on visiting again soon.  Let us know if you’ve been here recently and what your favorite spots were.