Leavenworth, Washington

You do not have to go far from downtown Leavenworth to find an oasis of serenity and lush nature. Just downhill from Commercial Street, you will find one of the best-kept Leavenworth secrets - Waterfront Park. Follow the path that trails along the cool Wenatchee River, shaded by the quiet, dense forest. You can just sit on one of the many benches, enjoy the peaceful views and feel the stress melt away.

The spring is the perfect time for birdwatching, and the fall is when the salmon make their arduous journey upstream. All along the river you will find small beaches, perfect for a quick dip in the Summer. If you want to know more about this lovely park, look out for the many informational signs posted along the path. The entire trail is about three miles of easy hiking.

Only a few steps from the buzz of downtown shops, galleries and restaurants, you will find the true heart of Leavenworth - Front Street Park. With a lovely old-fashioned gazebo at its heart and a traditional Maibaum (maypole), Front Street Park offers lovely green lawns for family picnics, old trees that provide shade during the hot summer days, and endless festivals, parades, celebrations and concerts.

It is as lively in the Winter as it is in the summer - you can see kids barreling down on their sleds or strolling with their parents and enjoying the enchanting Christmas lights. Front Street Park hosts “Art in the Park,” an art festival which features artists' tents exhibiting their works. The gazebo is a popular stage for performing arts or concerts and boasts a picturesque background for tourists taking photos.

Who would have guessed that humans are so fond of nuts that they started inventing devices to crack them to get to the delicious morsel inside some few thousand years ago? The fascinating Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum contains more than 6,000 tools invented solely for cracking nuts, dating back to the Roman times all the way to today.

They are made out of many different materials and there are a number of variations such as the tiny wooden toy soldier we recognize from the popular ballet, Asian Betel cutters, European carved wooden figures, the precious ivory, ebony and porcelains figures, the elaborate Victorian silver nutcrackers, and so many others. Some are very ornate and others are crude, but they all show the history of human ingenuity and artistry, and love for nuts. The collection, probably the biggest in the world, was gathered by George and Arlene Wagner, who opened the museum in 1995 and donated the entire collection, as well as the building, to the city.

Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, 735 Front St, Leavenworth, Washington 98826, Phone: 509-548-4573

Tucked away in the magical foothills of the Cascade Mountains is the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm, a lovely family-run reindeer farm and a unique destination to visit while in Leavenworth, Washington. The farm welcomes guests year-round to its grounds, offering one-of-a-kind tours as well as educational experiences to all. Additionally, trips to the farm allow people to get up close and personal with the farm’s majestic inhabitants. Tours of the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm are open to all guests and typically last an hour. It is, however, important to remember that tours at the farm must be booked ahead of time. Don’t forget to wear closed-toe shoes when you visit.

10395 Chumstick Highway, Leavenworth, Washington 98826; Phone: 509-885-3021

About 16 miles from downtown Leavenworth, you will find the trailhead for the Icicle Gorge Trail, a well-travelled, popular trail in the magnificent Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Hiking this easy trailis a great way to spend a day enjoying the breathtaking beauty of the Icicle Creek Valley. The trail offers fantastic views of Icicle Gorge, the turbulent and rapid Icicle Creek and the surrounding mature forest filled with birds and wildlife.

The trail follows the creek on both banks, one fairly bare and other densely forested. There is a small bridge about half way, a perfect spot to enjoy the view and take some great photos. The entire loop takes about three hours and even kids will find it fun. You will not see many icicles, the name came from the poor pronunciation of the native name of the creek - Nasikelt.

Sleeping Lady Resort is a beautiful luxury mountain resort about 3.4 miles from Leavenworth in the Wenatchee Valley. It's a great place to stay while you are exploring the area. The Organic Garden is a serene place where resort guests can take a stroll, relax on a bench to enjoy birds and wildlife, or have a cup of tea in the lovely gazebo. The Organic Garden is a fully certified produce, flower and herb garden on 2 acres of fertile grounds surrounded by a magnificent mountain backdrop.

Everything that grows in the garden is used in Sleeping Lady's restaurants and hotel. The garden has been certified organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and it follows strict organic gardening techniques such as using natural fertilizers, rotating crops regularly to improve the soil and introducing beneficial insects such as bees and ladybugs for pollination and natural pest control.

7375 Icicle Rd, Leavenworth, Washington 98826, Phone: 509-548-6344

Eagle Creek Ranch is a family-owned and operated, four-season horse ranch that can be found amidst the Cascade Mountains. The historic ranch is surrounded by one of Washington's greatest outdoor nature preserves, the Wenatchee National Forest.

Guests can explore the ranch as well as the national forest on a horseback ride through the forested foothills during the spring and fall. In the winter, the ranch transforms into a scenic valley that can be experienced on a horse-drawn sleigh. The experience is fun for the entire family and beginners will be given a basic course before they begin while children can ride rope-led horses.

Eagle Creek Ranch, Leavenworth, Washington 98826, Phone: 800-221-7433

Since 1982, Leavenworth Ski Hill has been a central location for winter activities in the area. Families flock here for the affordable, and sometimes free, activities and events. Local children start learning young with the many skiing programs that are offered, and visitors from all over come to create memories in the historic Ski Hill Lodge.

Other than skiing and snowboarding, guests can snowshoe, enjoy the only ski jump on the west coast, or visit the Lt Michael Adams Tubing Park for some tubing fun! The extensive interconnected trails combined with modern facilities make for a world-class Alpine and Nordic experience at Leavenworth.

10701 Ski Hill Drive, Leavenworth, Washington 98826, Phone: 509-548-5477

Dating back to the 1800s, Mountain Springs Lodge is steeped in family heritage and rich tradition, making it a centerpiece to the pristine natural beauty that surrounds it. Renovated and introduced as the Mountain Springs Lodge and Conference Center in 1990, visitors travel from far and wide to experience the lodge and its history.

Retaining the panoramic view of the high Cascades and the openness of the vast meadows around it, the lodge blends in with its environment. Visitors can enjoy themselves by relaxing at the lodge, cooling off in the rock-sculptured pool, walking through the meadows, horseback riding through the forest groves, or hiking through the wilderness trails. The lodge can accommodate fly-fishing lessons, tubing, kayaking, and rafting alongside partner companies.

19115 Chiwawa Loop Road, Leavenworth, Washington 98826, Phone: 509-763-2713

Those interested in the beer brewing process will enjoy a visit to Icicle Brewing Co in downtown Leavenworth where you can taste some really good local brews while seeing how they're made. Head brewer Dean Priebe is the magician behind the brewery and he has managed to combine the clear, pure waters of the Icicle River with fresh, carefully picked ingredients, to come up with delicious and original lagers and ales.

Relax on their light, pleasant outdoor patio or in the rustic tasting room, and watch the magic happen in the Company Production Facility just across the room. Watch the stainless steel tanks that are full of future ale or lager and imagine under your feet the cool cavern storing already made beer. Feel free to ask questions, or even better, have a seat at the bar, try a few different brews, grab some of the pub's locally sourced dishes or enjoy one of the many regular events at the pub.

935 Front St, Leavenworth, Washington 98826, Phone: 509-548-2739