5 Reasons to Visit Downtown Leavenworth in Winter
*Disclosure: I only recommend products/services that I would use myself & all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission which in turn helps fund my next adventure! Please read the Privacy Policy for more information.
Thousands of visitors travel to Leavenworth each winter, and it’s for a good reason. This Bavarian-style village is tucked away in the Cascade Mountains in Washington state and was just ranked as one of the most festive towns in the United States. Leavenworth is a beautiful place to visit all year long, but they really know how to put on a show during the holidays. The best way to describe downtown Leavenworth in winter is like this: you’re walking down a snow-covered street, lined with colorful, Bavarian-style buildings with a cup of hot cocoa or mulled wine in hand. Big snowflakes are falling all around, Christmas lights are twinkling everywhere, and the backdrop features stunning snow-covered mountains tops. It’s like stepping onto the set of a Hallmark movie! Need I say more? If that wasn’t enough reason to book your visit, then keep reading for the top reasons to visit downtown Leavenworth in winter and to learn about other top things to do in Leavenworth this Winter season!
Leavenworth averages 96 inches of snow each year, making it the perfect winter wonderland destination in the Pacific Northwest! During winter, the low temperatures are down in the low 20’s, with December and January highs hovering right above freezing. Because of its’ central location, Leavenworth is a great day trip option from Seattle or Tacoma. To get there from either of these cities, you can take either Snoqualmie Pass or Stevens Pass. Both offer beautiful scenery but be sure to check the WSDOT website for the most up to date tire and chain requirements during the winter months. If you’re visiting Seattle and don’t want to rent a car on your own, you can book a small-group day trip to Leavenworth that includes hotel pickup and drop-off and lasts about 9 hours. Also, be sure to stop at Snoqualmie Falls if you’re taking the route through Snoqualmie Pass. It’s a great pitstop and the waterfall is beautiful at all times of the year!
Seattle to Leavenworth: 2 hours and 15 minutes or 118 miles
Tacoma to Leavenworth: 2 hours and 40 minutes or 145 miles
The 5 Best Reasons to Visit Downtown Leavenworth in Winter
1. The Village of Lights
Starting the day after Thanksgiving, downtown Leavenworth turns into the Village of Lights, where the towns’ festive lights stay on through February! The annual Christmastown festivities take place from Thanksgiving through Christmas, followed by Winter Karneval in January, and they round out their magical display with Love from Leavenworth in February. The town of Leavenworth goes above and beyond with scheduling special activities for all three of these winter festivals. During Christmastown, you can expect to see live entertainment including carolers, choirs, and bands performing at Front Street Park, photo stations including photos with Santa, and intricate gingerbread houses and even Santa costumes from around the world on display throughout town! Winter Karneval features a firework show over MLK weekend, ice carvings, and traditional German Fasching carnival entertainment. The events calendar for February’s Love from Leavenworth isn’t as packed as the prior months, but the town adds a loving twist to the lights during this time and is the perfect place for a romantic getaway. There is live entertainment throughout the month, as well as local wine and chocolate pairings around town.
2. The Nutcracker Museum
This small museum is truly in a league of its’ own. With what started as a passion to share the history of nutcrackers, quickly grew to one of the most fascinating museums in the area. The Nutcracker Museum has over 9,000 nutcrackers on display, with some dating back to between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D.! The Nutcracker Museum is open daily from 11am to 5pm, and only costs $5 for adults with discounted tickets for seniors, active military, and children under 16 years of age. Plan to spend 30-45 minutes inside the museum and be sure to stop by the gift shop downstairs to grab a souvenir or nutcracker imported from Germany for yourself! Our entire group really enjoyed the museum and it’s really interesting to see how nutcrackers have transformed over the centuries.
3. Leavenworth Reindeer Farm
If you do anything in Leavenworth, make sure it’s visiting the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm! This was hands down the most magical experience I’ve had in Washington and I can’t wait to go back and bring my nephews. The Leavenworth Reindeer Farm is less than 5 minutes from downtown Leavenworth and is open year-round, but of course, visiting during the winter months makes for the most magical experience. The Leavenworth Reindeer Farm offers various tour packages where you can get up close, and personal with the reindeer and feed them inside their enclosure. During December, you can even snap a picture with Santa after your tour! This is one of the most popular activities in Leavenworth in December so be sure to book your tour far in advance. Time slots start filling up 2-3 months ahead of time, so if this is something that’s high on your list, be sure to book it first. I recommend starting your day off at Leavenworth Reindeer Farm, then making your way to downtown Leavenworth to shop and explore the village. Plan on spending about one hour here and grab some hot cocoa on your way out at the gift shop.
4. Festive Shopping
Downtown Leavenworth is full of cute little shops ranging from bookstores to clothing boutiques, bakeries, toy stores, and more! After you grab a bit of authentic German food, get yourself a cup of hot mulled wine or hot chocolate and start exploring. All of the store facades are so charming and there is something here for everyone. The shops in downtown Leavenworth also make a great place to get some Christmas shopping done with unique, one-of-a-kind stores like the Hat Shop, The Wood Shop, Krampus Kave, and Boulder Bend Glassworks. There are, of course, a few Christmas stores in town that are well worth the visit and will get you in the holiday spirit any time of the year.
5. Sledding at Front Street Park
This one is specifically for the kids, but anyone who is a kid at heart can participate as well! In the center of downtown Leavenworth, there’s a small hill at Front Street Park where you can sled or tube down, or just have a good old fashioned snowball fight. It’s the perfect way to wrap up your day with friends or family in downtown Leavenworth!
Other Leavenworth Winter Attractions
Since Leavenworth Washington is located in the North Cascade Mountains, its surrounding area is a winter playground and there are tons of activities to do from snowshoeing to snowmobiling! If you’re visiting Leavenworth for more than a day, be sure to check out some of these exciting activities.
Sleigh Rides
To complete your time in this magical winter wonderland, schedule a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow-covered forest. Through Leavenworth Sleigh Rides, you can book private 1-horse sleigh rides or shared 2-horse sleigh rides where you’ll have the entire row to yourself. Sleigh rides last about 45 minutes and there’s a stop along the way for hot apple cider. Bring a blanket and bundle up for a unique experience in Leavenworth in winter!
Snowshoe at Lake Wenatchee State Park
Lake Wenatchee State Park has 12 miles of snowshoe trails that take you around the lake that ices over in the peak of winter. This state park even offers snowshoe rentals, but they only have a limited amount so call early to reserve them. If snowshoeing isn’t your thing, you can also bring your sled and sled in certain areas of the park or go cross country skiing. Regardless of the activity, the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful!
Skiing or Snowboarding
If the slopes are calling your name, be sure to stay in Leavenworth for a few days to enjoy all of the winter activities. The most popular nearby slop is Stevens Pass, but there is also Mission Ridge Ski and Board Resort, as well as Leavenworth Winter Sports Club that have ski trails and tubing parks.
Snowmobile Tours
Snowmobile tours or rentals are a great option for adults or families visiting with older kids. Guided tours from Leavenworth Snowmobile Tours can range from 1-4 hours or you can choose to rent a snowmobile for the day if you’re a more seasoned driver from Leavenworth Snowmobile Rentals. I’ve only driven a snowmobile once, in Iceland, and it was a blast! If you’re up for the adventure, I highly recommend this activity, and I plan on going on a tour myself next time I visit Leavenworth!
Happy travels!
- Tess
Tess Arnold
Hi! I’m Tess, founder of TravelingTessie.com, and not only do I love to travel, but I love immersing myself in new places and finding off the beaten path experiences wherever I go! I’ve lived in 4 different states & traveled to 13 countries and counting. I believe that tourism is meant to benefit both visitors and locals alike—and I want to bring that idea back into the travel industry by highlighting companies run by locals such as tours, hotels, restaurants, and more. On Traveling Tessie you can find hidden gems in top destinations around the world, travel tips, detailed city guides, and tons of inspiration for your next trip! If you love travel as much as I do, then please join me on this journey! I hope you enjoy my content as much as I enjoy providing it for you!
