The ultimate four-season guide to Leavenworth, WA

Wildflower hikes

As the snows recedes and the sun raises tender meadow grasses, hikers can expect to find an abundance of alpine wildflowers at their feet. The earliest to bloom are typically the glacier lilies, often seen peeking up through the last couple inches of snow.

As the temperatures in the valley warm, the big, bright yellow arrowleaf balsamroot makes its grand entrance, joined by purple lupine and the reddish-orange Indian paintbrush. Lace up your boots and go walking among the wildflowers on one of Leavenworth’s many area trails (our pick: Stuart Lake).

Taste Leavenworth

Leavenworth is host to a gaggle of tasty options all year ’round — from traditional Bavarian schnitzels at Andreas Keller Restaurant to modern Latin fare at South and wood-fired pizzas at Sulla Vita — but April ushers in a whole month dedicated to delicious experiences that celebrate Leavenworth’s culinary offerings.

Not least among these “Spring Sensations” is Taste Leavenworth, a two-day culinary crawl across downtown that features Leavenworth’s staple crop: organic pears (the town is the country’s top producer). Get ready to indulge in locally sourced pear cider, pear sausage, pear chutney, pear chocolate, and much, much more. All in the name of cultural study, after all.

Maifest: The welcoming of spring

In a colorful Bavarian tradition dating back to the 10th century, Leavenworth celebrates the end of winter and the coming of spring — and Mother’s Day — with Maifest, a free weekend of “oompah” music, Bavarian food, and dancing around Leavenworth’s towering white and blue maipole.

Don your dirndl, hoist your lederhosen, and join the crowds of festival-goers as they eat (sausage), drink (German ale), and be (very) merry! This is one festival where people-watching just doesn’t cut it.

Film festivals

Cinephiles converge on Leavenworth for the annual Vox Docs Film Festival the first week of March to watch both independent, locally produced and nationally recognized, award-winning documentaries at the Icicle Center for the Arts. The 2019 lineup includes Free Solo, the Oscar-nominated film following Alex Honnold’s attempt to free climb Yosemite’s 3,000ft El Capitan.

And celebrating its seventh year in 2019, the Leavenworth Mountain Film Festival treats moviegoers to short films with a focus on outdoor pursuits and the natural world — fitting for a mountain village surrounded by the landscape of adventure. The first night of the festival is casual, but the second is a dress-to-the-nines and come-ready-to-rock-the-red-carpet fancy-schmancy affair.

River rafting and kayaking

Leavenworth sits on the banks of the Wenatchee River, arguably the best river for rafting in Washington. Thrill-seekers take to the waters in early spring as the winter snowmelt swells the flow and creates conditions for some exciting and challenging whitewater.

Later in the season and into the summer, the Wenatchee calms enough to allow the younger and/or less-experienced to enjoy a rafting, kayaking, or floating adventure.

Outdoor theatre

The cast takes the stage as the sun sets behind the not-too-distant mountains, a backdrop slowly being painted orange, then pink, then purple. Seeing Leavenworth’s legendary annual outdoor production of The Sound of Music is a beloved summer tradition for many of the 20,000 patrons who’ll attend a show at Leavenworth Summer Theater.

The 2019 season, which runs from July 5 to September 1, also features Hello, Dolly! and The Pirates of Penzance.

Plain and Lake Wenatchee

The headwaters of the Wenatchee River spring from the placid, pristine, glacier-fed Lake Wenatchee, a large alpine lake and state park popular with hikers, stand-up paddleboarders, boaters, swimmers, and windsurfers. There’s great lodging in the area — B&Bs, cabins, vacation homes — if you’re the stay-close-to-nature type.

The five-mile-long lake is surrounded by more than 500 acres of camping and is a short drive from Leavenworth, just outside the tiny town of Plain — it’s here where you can stock up on picnic supplies at one of the local markets, or make the quick pilgrimage out to the Old Mill Café for a Texas-style breakfast and the 59er Diner for milkshakes.

Stevens Pass Mountain Resort

When the snows have melted and all the skis, snowboards, and snowshoes have been packed away for the warm season, the popular mountain destination of Stevens Pass transforms into a downhill mountain biker’s dream.

The trails are accessed via special chairlifts retrofitted to transport bikes, and there are routes for novice and experienced riders alike. Shredding the mountain in full summer glory is an amazing way to enjoy the adventurous landscape of Stevens Pass; the main season runs from June 22 to September 30.

Village Art in the Park

Founded in 1966, Village Art in the Park is the Pacific Northwest’s longest continually running outdoor art show — it’s been a May-through-October showcase for local amateur and professional artists for over five decades.

During spring and summer, Leavenworth’s downtown corridor becomes an open-air gallery — with hundreds of vendors — free for guests to browse and enjoy.

Leavenworth’s golf courses

Tucked into a bend in the Wenatchee River — with towering mountain views in all directions — the Leavenworth Golf Course is perhaps the most picturesque course in Washington…and it’s mere moments from downtown Leavenworth. Grab your clubs (or just rent ’em), and don’t lose your ball against the backdrop of these mountains.

Or you could opt for the Kahler Glen and Enzian Falls putting course instead. This may sound like a round of putt-putt with the kids, but it’s actually an 18-hole, champion-designed course that abuts waterfalls and mountain goat territory. (And guests of Enzian Inn and Alpine Rivers Inn golf for free!)

Fall colors

There may be evergreen trees absolutely everywhere, but when autumn rolls around, the landscape of Leavenworth is punctuated by vibrant bursts of red and yellow and orange. The many deciduous trees that have blended in with the ubiquitous green all spring and summer begin their yearly transformation. This makes the drive through the Cascade Mountains and into Leavenworth especially Instagram-worthy.

Fall festivals

Leavenworth’s annual Oktoberfest is exactly what you would (and should) expect from a Bavarian-styled village with a penchant for celebration. Yep, the best darn Oktoberfest this side of Munich happens right here the first three weekends of October. Don’t miss the opening ceremony procession and the official tapping of the keg by Leavenworth’s mayor.

The other big’un? The Autumn Leaf Festival is Leavenworth’s longest-running event, originating in 1964 — the year Leavenworth adopted its Bavarian theme. It was created to highlight the gorgeous changing of the leaves and the coming of fall; don’t miss the parade on Saturday featuring the Royal Lady atop the festival’s famous float.

Farmers markets

During the summer and early fall, farmers, artisans, makers, and chefs converge on Lions Club Park to sell locally produced food, crafts, and art. Over 30 vendors display Leavenworth’s best local fares and wares with live music and free family activities at each Thursday farmers market (4-8pm, June through October). Come curious and hungry, and bring the fam for this beloved community gathering.

Winery tours & wine tastings

The climate of central and eastern Washington is uniquely suited for grape growing, so it’s no surprise Leavenworth has more than its fair share of wineries and tasting opportunities. Icicle Ridge Winery produces estate-grown ice wines among its award-winning roster and has a beautiful tasting room just outside of Leavenworth at the actual home of the founder and grower, Louie Wagoner.

Utilizing estate-grown grapes as well as grapes from other Washington vineyards, Eagle Creek Winery is another family affair and a true labor of love. If you can’t make it to the vineyard, visit their tasting room in downtown Leavenworth. There are many, many tasting rooms in town — Goose Ridge Estate Winery, Boudreaux Cellars Tasting Room, WooHoo Winery Tasting Room, Baroness Cellars, Ryan Patrick Wines, Hard Row to Hoe, and Winegirl Wines, to name just a few.

Village of Lights

During the fall and winter holiday season (from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day), downtown Leavenworth is a dazzle of 500,000 Christmas lights wound in impossible clusters up the massive trees in the central square. The snow bathes in the shine of the white, blue, red, and green lights, and kids sled and squeal down these colored embankments while every other person has their phone out preserving the snow globe moment, because people need to see this.

Bundled clusters of locals and visitors stroll from shop to shop, ducking in to buy some sweets or a fire-grilled sausage, then heading back out into the square to play and people-watch. And Santa takes time out of his busy schedule to show up from time to time, too!

Leavenworth Ski Hill

It started with a giant ski jump. In 1928, the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club was formed and, boy, did they go big or go home. Leavenworth became a ski jumping destination of renown, and the US ski jumping championships were held in Leavenworth five times.

The reeeeally big jump that those historic competitions took place on was dismantled in 1978, but you can get airborne at Leavenworth Ski Hill on some still-pretty-big ones. If staying firmly on the ground is more your style, explore the miles of groomed Nordic (cross-country) ski trails, or try fat biking or tubing. The historic Ski Hill lodge is still warmed by a crackling fireplace and is the perfect place to recharge between jumps.

Leavenworth for lovers

What’s more romantic than snuggling up with bae in a horse-drawn sleigh? Leavenworth knows just how darn romantic it is, especially in winter, and leans into it with wine and chocolate pairings Feb 10-18 at participating tasting rooms (among other things — check out this long list of events and deals).

Stroll arm-in-arm from room to room, sipping a variety of local wines while nibbling on handmade chocolate — add a roaring fire and some gentle snowfall, and you have yourself the perfect V-Day.

Snowshoeing and wildlife walks

Looking for a low-key adventure in the middle of a silent winter scene? How about ambling through snow-blanketed forests and crossing open meadows with sweeping views of the Cascades while snowshoeing along Icicle Creek? There are many places to enjoy the peaceful solitude of snowshoeing, including the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club and the Plain Valley Ski Trails.

On Thursdays during January and February, the Wenatchee River Institute hosts free, guided snowshoe walks along the riverfront trail in downtown Leavenworth, snowshoes provided. You can also book a guided snowshoe experience with Blue Sky Outfitters.

Bavarian Icefest

Bundle up and get ready to celebrate all things frosty, cold, and frozen. From ice fishing to live ice carving, from smooshing to a snowball toss, Bavarian Icefest features a ton of family-friendly games, events, and activities, culminating in a fireworks show Sunday night. It runs Saturday and Sunday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, so you’ll have plenty of time to recover on Monday.