Hotels in Leavenworth

Leavenworth: Bavarian Village in the Cascades

Leavenworth, Washington sits in the Wenatchee River valley at the eastern foot of the Cascade Mountains, roughly 120 miles east of Seattle via US-2. The town reinvented itself in the 1960s by adopting a Bavarian Alpine theme — half-timbered storefronts, cobblestone plazas, and a calendar packed with German-style festivals. Oktoberfest each October and the Christmas Lighting Festival in December draw crowds numbering in the tens of thousands to Front Street and Bavarian Village.

Where to Stay

Hotels cluster along Highway 2 and within the Bavarian village core. Visitors seeking quieter surroundings book properties along the Icicle Road corridor, which runs southwest toward Icicle Creek and trailheads into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Summer brings hikers, rafters, and rock climbers; winter fills lodges with cross-country skiers heading to Leavenworth Ski Hill, operational since 1938.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Drive US-2 east from Seattle (approx. 2 hrs) or Spokane (approx. 2.5 hrs); no commercial air service in Leavenworth.
• Parking: Use the free lot off Ski Hill Drive and walk into the village center — street parking fills by 10 a.m. on festival weekends.
• Seasons: Book at least 6–8 weeks ahead for Oktoberfest and Christmas Lighting weekends; shoulder months (April, May) offer lower rates.