Weekend in September

August 2nd, 2011

Front Street in Autumn

It’s August already. The “end of summer” blues are just around the corner. I can feel it coming like a train climbing Stevens Pass. If you’re like me you’re probably spending time online or perusing your favorite travel magazines, looking for inspiration for a weekend getaway to celebrate the cooler weather of fall, or to eke out the last few rays of summer. Leavenworth, Washington is my favorite place for a weekend getaway anytime of year, but in the golden days of late summer and autumn the Bavarian village is at its best.

You can find out what’s happening in Leavenworth by checking in with the Accidental Bavarian Event Calendar. Click on the month you’re looking for and every event that we’ve found and that businesses and festivals have alerted us to is listed here. You can also check in with TNBT (The Next Big Thing) where we list events happening for the following two weeks or so. If you look at September’s events now you’ll find the Leavenworth Quilt Show, and Leavenworth’s original festival, the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival. One of our favorite itineraries is to arrive on a Sunday, enjoy festival activities and then enjoy the quiet side of Leavenworth on Monday and Tuesday. Or use the event calendar to plan a visit without a festival, if crowds aren’t your thing. Though once September starts, there are festivals in Leavenworth every weekend until Oktoberfest ends on October 15th.

Use the key word search in the Event calendar to find other stuff to do during your visit. You can find special events like concerts, a Night at the (Nutcracker) Museum, wine tastings, winery tours, the county fair and live music. You’ll also find links to ongoing events like the Leavenworth Community Farmers Market, on Thursdays and Village Art on the Green.

Cascade Mountains in the fall

For places to stay on your long weekend check our Stay page. You can search for a favorite place or one friends have recommended or look by category. If you’re looking for a weekend cabin then check with Comfy Cabins for cabin and condo rental listings. Follow them on Facebook and they’ll post about any last minute openings for a spontaneous getaway, sometimes with a booking discount or special offer.

Looking for traditional German food while you’re in Leavenworth? Check our German Food page for some of our favorites. You’ll find places like Munchen Haus with outdoor seating, savory flavored grilled sausages with all the trimmings like housemade sauerkraut, and German beers on tap. Or sit at a window seat in Café Christa, overlooking the Gazebo, and enjoy German specialties like Jaeger schnitzel, mit spaetzl und apfelrotkraut. Jori also has German beer on tap and a fine selection of German wine.

You’ll find lots of other kinds of European and America fare in Leavenworth. Check our Eat page for ideas for everything from gelato to pizza. You’ll find Italian, Asian, cafe fare and lots of chocolate. Scotte and I usually can’t find time to eat all of our favorites during a weekend visit. That’s okay we always know we’ll be back soon. And we never leave without a stop at the Cheesemonger’s Shop and Fudge Hut for continuing enjoyment once we’re home.

Be sure you make time this fall to visit one or more of the many fruit orchards strung out throughout the Wenatchee Valley. The Cascade Foothills Farmland Association has interactive growers maps. You can also request an AgTourism Driving Map. Visit orchards that have been cultivated by the same family for generations, vineyards producing fine Washington wines and wine tasting rooms in Leavenworth and the surrounding area.

Plan a weekend in Leavenworth. Visit Accidental Bavarian for places to stay and eat and things to do during the months of September and October. It’s just the thing you need to bridge the gap between summer and autumn and chase away the back-to-school blues. And be sure to check back frequently. We’ve got some surprises planned for fall.

Summer romance in Leavenworth

July 5th, 2011
Summer sunset

Romantic sunset

Leavenworth is our favorite place for romance. Anytime of the year you’ll find special spots to share, romantic dining, lovely and romantic places to stay. Here are a few ideas. Tell us about yours.

• Book a fireplace suite at Pine River Ranch Bed and Breakfast
• Buy cheese and sausage from Cheesemongers Shop for a picnic
• Take a walk in the tree-lined paths on Blackbird Island
• Take pictures of the area for memories to last a lifetime
• Sit on a bench and people-watch while holding hands
• Take a telescope or binoculars and find a dark place to stargaze
• Steal a kiss in the gazebo in Front Street Park

A romantic walk

A romantic path on Blackbird Island

Especially for summer:
• Share a gelato
• Visit an orchard, like Nicholson Orchard. Pick fresh fruit and take lots of photos
• Take in a local farmers’ market
• Pack a picnic lunch. Drive into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and hike to a quiet picnic spot
• Take an evening walk along the Wenatchee River in Waterfront Park. Watch for wildlife
• Pack a light supper picnic and go to outdoor Summer Theater
• Tour local vineyards and taste local wines

For more Leavenworth romance check out our Romance page.

Please tell us about your favorite romantic places and things to do in Leavenworth at info@accidentalbavarian.com.

July and August in Leavenworth

July 1st, 2011

July starts with a bang today. The Leavenworth area is worthy of a visit any time of year. In summer it really shines. The weather in July and August is more temperate than that of the Lower Wenatchee Valley. Highs are usually in the 80’s or 90’s with an occasional 100º day (but it’s a dry heat). Because of the surrounding Cascade Mountains, sunset comes a little earlier than on the coast and the nights cool quickly. One visit in July or August just might turn Leavenworth into your family’s favorite summer playground.

Check out some events and activities in July and August. You can enter a keyword in the search box on our Events page to find specific events. For instance, enter Gazebo in the search box and find groups and acts that are scheduled for the Gazebo in City Park on Front Street.

For upcoming events in the near future, visit our TNBT (The Next Big Thing) page.

The Leavenworth Summer Theater opens their summer season tonight (July 1) with Sound of Music at the Ski Hill Amphitheater. Read more about Sound of Music and the rest of the season, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and My Fair Lady in this previous post.

Freedom Fest: Free, fun faith event to celebrate freedom and our country. July 2 & 3.

Kinderfest: A family friendly fun time.

Front Street activities and Gazebo entertainment throughout July and August. Featuring entertainers such as: Alpen Folk, Happy Hans, Kerry Christensen-Master Yodeler, Johnny V, and the Smilin’ Scandinavians. Free musical entertainment occurs Saturdays and Sundays through the summer. Visit the Chamber of Commerce website for details on entertainment throughout the village. You can search for specific events on your vacation dates.

Visit our Sports and Recreation page for links to:
Tubing and Rafting
Golf
Fishing
Hiking and climbing

Beginning today, July 1, use of Washington State lands requires a Discover Pass. This will include, State Parks, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife areas and water access points, and Dept. of Natural Resources recreation sites.

And before I forget: Happy Canada Day! to our friends north of the border.

Bloggers love to blog about Leavenworth, Washington

June 28th, 2011
City Park, Front St., Leavenworth, WA

Leavenworth, Washington

I love reading blogs! I subscribe to a wide variety of blogs, in subjects ranging from writing, to blogging, recipes, travel and theology. I read blog posts everyday from the Pacific NW, the West Coast, all over the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. And doesn’t count posts from blogs like Lonely Planet, which come from all across the globe.

Some of my favorite bloggers I discovered because they wrote about Leavenworth, Washington. Scotte has a Google Alert set notifying him of any new news item from, or about, Leavenworth. He passes along blog posts he knows I’ll find interesting. If the blog post is particularly entertaining, intriguing or well-written, I’m likely to subscribe to their blog feed.

On my iPad, I use the app, FeeddlerRSS. This app allows me to follow all of my subscriptions in one place, syncing with Google Reader, and all RSS subscriptions. On my iPhone I use the MobileRSS free app. The two apps sync together so I only have to add my subscriptions to one.

Here are some of my favorite blogs. Some are Leavenworth area specific, but most are cover a variety of subjects and came to my attention because they wrote about Leavenworth at least once.

Cakespy. I know I’m coming late to the dessert buffet with this one. Writer and illustrator, Jessie Oleson is based in Seattle and has written on sweet goodness available in bakeries and sweet shops from all over. Cakespy.com describes the mission better than I can: “Cakespy.com is a Dessert Detective Agency dedicated to seeking sweetness (literally) in everyday life. We do this by writing about bakeries, conducting baking experiments, and picking the brains of bakers and food artists, and finding awesome products for lovers of baked goods.” The site is filled with whimsical artwork, and a link to coloring pages drawn by Jessie O for Taste of Home Magazine. Two recent posts at Cakespy caught my attention: Via Delicious, Via Dolce Gelato, Leavenworth, WA; and Sweet Sandwich, Bavarian Waffle from The Danish Bakery, Leavenworth, WA. Be sure you check out the link to Cakespy’s upcoming book, CakeSpy Presents: Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life.
Thanks, Cakespy for visiting and writing about Leavenworth!

The iconic Willkommen in Leavenworth sign on US Highway 2

Willkommen in Leavenworth

Northwest Cheapsleeps-favorite places for budget travelers. Love travel and like it cheap, cheap, cheap? So does Lauren, a midwesterner transplanted to the Pacific NW. Follow her to get cheap travel tips. You’ll find campground ideas, hostel and motel reviews, restaurant and farmer market reviews, and itineraries for inexpensive weekend travel. Cheapsleeps found me on Twitter. So, I started following her blog.

Sometimes I find interesting articles and posts in unlikely places. This post, The Restaurant Business That Changed the World, on the Restaurant Marketing Ideas Blog, gives a really good thumbnail history of Leavenworth from a different perspective.

Looking for blogs especially about Leavenworth? Check out the blog at Icicle Creek Real Estate for Leavenworth real estate news and information. Whether you’re buying or selling or simply curious about the possibility of relocating to the Leavenworth vicinity, Geordie and Allyson’s blog will give you all sorts of information including upcoming events in Leavenworth.

At this blog and on the rest of the website we work to give you this most up-to-date and complete information about what’s happening in Leavenworth and the surrounding area. If you have suggestions that would make Accidental Bavarian and this blog more helpful please let us know. You can leave a comment or send an email to info@accidentalbavarian.com.

Washington State Scenic Byways & Road Trips

June 24th, 2011
Washington State's Scenic Byways and Roadtrips

New Publication

The new publication from Washington tourism, Scenic Byways & Road Trips, is a a full color, full-sized travel guide, now available from ExperienceWA. Washington State is unique in its diversity. Travel from the Mountains to the Sound or take any of the mountain pass greenways and byways. Travel a coastal byway or be mesmerized by the rolling hills of the Palouse Scenic Byway.

The road through the Palouse

The Palouse Scenic Byway

The travel guide includes State Scenic Byways, National Scenic Byways and All American Roads. To be designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, a route must not only have natural beauty and breathtaking vistas, but also must demonstrate varied historical, cultural, archeological and recreational qualities. Beyond the designation of National Scenic Byway (of which there are five in Washington State) a byway can be further set apart as an All American Road.

All American Roads

An All American Road is named such when it’s determined that no other road exists like it and it is scenic enough to be a destination in and of itself. Two of the 31 designated All American Roads are in Washington State. These are: Chinook Pass Scenic Byway and the International Selkirk Loop.

Stevens Pass Greenway

The Stevens Pass Greenway is a designated National Scenic Byway and is a part of the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway. Leavenworth is at the heart of both routes. We have traveled the Cascade Loop and use the Stevens Pass Greenway often. The Stevens Pass Greenway follows the route of the old Great Northern Railway. It follows closely the routes of the Skykomish and Wenatchee rivers. Along the route you’ll find small communities, waterfalls, and day hike trails. The planner lists the drive-time for the greenway as 2 hours for a 90 mile stretch. There are a number of roadside produce stands, orchards and wineries and vineyards along the drive. You can also download a pdf of a Leavenworth itinerary at Savor Washington, the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Culinary AgriTourism program.

The 440 mile Cascade Loop is described as, “a love letter to Washington.” It follows the Columbia River to Lake Chelan, treks through Winthrop and the Methow Valley. You’ll find amazing mountain views and journey right down to the Puget Sound at Whidbey Island. Our choice would be to start and end in Leavenworth. Visit the Cascade Loop Association for more information on the communities along the route.

The Cascade Loop is also home to a series of electric-car fast-charging stations. Read more about the Plug-in Stations and the first of the stations installed at Stevens Pass.

Washington State Scenic Byways & Road Trips is a great resource. Send for the free publication, or download the pdf if you’re not into the paper thing, and get all kinds of ideas for road trips and weekend getaways. Make Leavenworth your home base and explore Washington State and all of its beauty and diversity.

Dry Falls State Park, Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway

Dry Falls State Park, Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway