WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO DO IN LEAVENWORTH
Leavenworth is an iconic and famous town in Washington that I’m sure you’ve heard of. The entire town center is modeled on a German Bavarian village as part of a civic initiative that began in the 1960s to increase tourism! There are festivals and things to do year-round, which make it a must-visit destination all year long. What makes Leavenworth SO unique is that the entire city had to basically be in on this marketing initiative. You’ll notice all the businesses, hotels, and restaurants have the old school German type fonts on their signs and even corporate locations in the city have it too such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, 76 gas stations, and Safeway!
Where you absolutely need to stay while visiting Leavenworth
When you’re looking for a place to stay while planning your trip to this beautiful little gem of a city, look no further than Icicle Village Resort. Just minutes from bustling Front Street, the resort offers 161 hotel rooms, suites, and condominiums and boasts over 9,200 square feet of event space. To say this resort is vast is an understatement. The resort offers a variety of activities year-round, from revitalizing treatments at the Alpine Spa to the Junction Activity Center, complete with mini-golf, basketball, disc golf, and an indoor game room. Yes, they have a full mini-golf course for guests to enjoy right on the property.
Disclaimer: This article is in partnership with Icicle Village Resort, but as always, all opinions and thoughts are my own. This post also features some affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your love and support!
What are the rooms like at Icicle Village Resort?
Icicle Village Resort offers a wide variety of accommodations in their vast village setting, from hotel rooms to 3-bedroom condos with stunning views. The variety of room styles and floorplans allows guests of all types to feel comfortable and happy. All guestrooms feature one king or two queen beds with pillow-top mattresses, a Keurig coffee maker, a microwave, a refrigerator, cable TV, and a hairdryer. We were in the Fireplace King room which was very spacious and included a queen-size sofa sleeper and a cozy fireplace.
I think my favorite part of the rooms was the big bathroom plus a separate sink and vanity outside the bathroom which is always a biggie when multiple people share a room. In addition, the resort provides many complimentary amenities for guests that you won't find elsewhere such as complimentary breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi throughout your stay, Seattle's Best coffee and assorted teas in the lobby each day, a fitness center, and two pools.
Is Icicle Village Resort Dog Friendly?
We didn’t bring our pups with us this time but if we wanted to Icicle Village Resort would have welcomed them with open arms. Dog-friendly rooms are available upon request — however, they are limited to the first floor (31 available rooms) and subject to availability. Included in the $30 dog-friendly guestroom fee is a fun welcome amenity at check-in that includes a delicious treat, waste bags, and a new toy plus dishes for food and water in the room upon arrival. Learn more about their dog policies here.
Where is there to eat at Icicle Village Resort?
JJ Hills Fresh Grill serves Northwest cuisine with Bavarian favorites seven days a week. We had the opportunity to enjoy JJ Hills for dinner and it was great — especially if you’re looking for some authentic German food. We started with a peach cider and then their bartender’s choice drink of the day which happened to be a spin on a grapefruit splash. It was vodka-based and very refreshing. We were very hungry from a long day of driving from the Bellingham area and decided to get some appetizers to chow down on as well! Now, if there’s a soft pretzel on the menu, you can bet I’m going to order it — especially if it comes with a grain mustard. Oh my gosh sign me up baby! So naturally we started with that and the garlic fries served with a garlic aioli.
For our entrees, we went with the Smothered Chicken Schnitzel which included bacon, mushroom, onion, apple, swiss cheese, green peppercorn demi, sauerkraut, and creamy mashed potatoes, and the Chimichurri Steak Frites which is a 10oz thin-sliced flat iron steak, house-made chimichurri, french fries, and garlic aioli. I love sauerkraut and grew up eating it a lot so I was excited to try it with the schnitzel and it didn’t disappoint especially with the mashed potatoes. Andrew had the Steak Frites and said the steak with the house-made chimichurri was perfection.
What to do in Leavenworth while you’re visiting
Leavenworth might be a small little Bavarian town in Washington State but there is a plethora of things to do while you’re visiting. From floating the Wenatchee River in the heart of the town to walking down the iconic Front Street where you’ll find Bavarian-themed restaurants, shops, and bars, you’ll experience what truly makes Leavenworth so special.
Take a stroll through Waterfront Park
When we first arrived in Leavenworth, we wanted to get outdoors and explore after a long drive from Bellingham to stretch our legs and just walk around a bit. Waterfront Park is a great place to start to walk alongside the Wenatchee River and experience the gorgeous scenery. We parked at Enchantment Park and then walked along the Enchantment Trail which is great and ends up alongside the river. There are black bear sightings in the area so just be prepared for that. We talked fairly loud when we were walking in areas with bears and didn’t see any while there. Overall, just educate yourself on bear safety and be bear-aware.
Experience Leavenworth from a bird’s eye view at the Adventure Park
I’m sure if you’ve heard of Leavenworth then you’ve heard about the viral mountain coaster on the side of the mountain right in the heart of the city. Leavenworth Adventure Park is conveniently located just a short walk from Leavenworth’s downtown area at the entrance to Tumwater Canyon. The park contains 3 main attractions: Tumwater Twister Alpine Coaster, Alpine Ascent Climbing Wall, and Gems of The Enchantments Mining Sluice. The 8,500-square-foot Guest Service Center includes a viewing area, party space, food, and merchandise. For a 2 coaster ride ticket, it’s $36 per adult, and for a 1 coaster ride ticket, it’s $20 per adult. Find additional ticket prices here. We were gifted two 2 coaster ride tickets and immediately got in line to ride when we got there. Everyone gets in the same line whether you’re a 2 ride ticket or a single-ride ticket. We must have gone at the most popular time of day because we waited about 35 to 45 minutes in line for our first ride which was kind of a lot of time to wait for a ride that takes about 8 minutes to go down.
However, once we were on the coaster it was a blast. The coasters have breaks you get to control so you decide what speed you want to go while soaring down the mountain. Andrew ended up going full speed the entire way down and said it was a little scary but super fun. I, on the other hand, ended up going a little slower but then full speed sometimes. It was a little bit of an adjustment to get the hang of but once you did it was easy to control. To be completely honest, it’s a little pricy for what it is especially with a long wait. I would recommend coming right when they open or right when they’re closing for their last rides of the day where you don’t have to wait in line long and it makes the price a lot more worth it and gives you more time to explore Leavenworth. When we finished our first ride the line was so long down the stairs that we opted to not use our second ride and went to town to see more of what makes Leavenworth so special. They also charge $8 for a single digital photo and $15 maybe if you buy two which I thought was kinda steep but if you really think about this place like you would a Disney Park or even Six Flags, it’s not terrible pricing for a fun experience because riding down the mountain was awesome. I just want to always be completely honest in my reviews.
Sip on Washington wine at Rocky Pond Winery
Located quite literally right next to Icicle Village Resort, the brand new Leavenworth Rocky Pond Tasting Room is open Wednesday-Sunday. We walked from our room across the parking lot and were at the cutest little tasting room with views of the mountain coaster, delightful and knowledgeable staff, and of course delicious wine. We opted for the tasting so we could try a variety of their unique Washington wines which is $25 for 5 wines. The Riesling ended up being our favorite and might even be one of my all-time favorite Rieslings I’ve ever had. It’s safe to say we left with a bottle of that one. We ended up visiting on a Sunday and every Sunday Rocky Pond has live music from 3:00 - 5:00 PM which was such a treat. We enjoyed a beautifully arranged wine tasting with lovely live music in the background and it was just lovely. Whenever we visit Leavenworth again, we’ll be back for a glass of Riesling.
Take a walk along the iconic Front Street
Front Street is basically the heart of Leavenworth where most of the excitement is because it’s the hub of restaurants, bars, shops, and more! The street is closed to drivers making it available for visitors to walk in and enjoy everything that makes Leavenworth so special. We decided to grab a German beer from Stein and grab a table outdoors to people-watch and take in this special little city, which I highly recommend you do. There was live music we could hear a couple doors down and everyone was out with their dogs so we had a great time looking at them all as they walked by. In addition to Stein, I recommend München Haus for traditional Bavarian food and Crepe Cafe Sisters for crepes in the morning or afternoon.
Is breakfast included at Icicle Village Resort?
A breakfast buffet is included at Icicle Village Resort each day and is pretty great! I’m typically not a breakfast buffet girlie but they had fresh eggs, potatoes, fruit, bacon, sausage, and even pancakes. I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed some fresh orange juice and coffee alongside our breakfast. If you want something lighter, they have bagels, muffins, and a couple of cereal options too. I would recommend sitting outside if you’re visiting during the warmer months because it feels amazing and you have a pretty great view of the Leavenworth Adventure Park coaster.
Overall, we had such a lovely time at Icicle Village Resort, and highly recommend this property when you’re looking at places to stay in Leavenworth. We can’t wait to come visit during the holiday months when Leavenworth turns into a Christmas village and we’ll definitely be staying at Icicle Village Resort again.
XOXO