Welcome to Leavenworth

Leavenworth is a small community in the Eastern Cascades on US2 which runs west to east through Washington from its junction with Interstate 5 in Everett to its junctions with US97 east of Leavenworth and north of Wenatchee and Interstate 90 near Spokane.  It was once an active lumber town and the headquarters for the Great Northern Railway but struggled economically after the railroad moved its headquarters to Wenatchee.

In the early 1960s Leavenworth re-invented itself on the model of a Bavarian village and made a successful transition based on tourism emulating traditions originating in Bavaria. The Leavenworth Oktoberfest is a very popular event attracting many visitors.  This is followed by the Christmas Lighting and Ice Fest which is particularly scenic when snow is present.  The Leavenworth Festhalle is a festival hall used for a variety of events throughout the year.  The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum has a collection of over 5,000 nutcrackers with one around 2,000 years old.  Projekt Bayern (Project Bavaria) was formed in 1996 to carry out projects to promote the Old World Bavarian theme in Leavenworth and make it more authentic and true to the original on which it was based.

Where Projekt Bayern works to create a man-made attraction, the Barn Beach Reserve works with nature.  It is part of a 50-acre greenbelt, a popular stop on Audubon's Great Washington Birding Trail, and the home of an environmental learning center, the Icicle Arts festival, and the Upper Valley Museum.

The Leavenworth Choral Festival, one of many annual events in the town, celebrates spring and good music.  The Salmon Festival celebrates the return of the salmon to the Wenatchee.

Skiing at the Leavenworth Ski Resort, whitewater rafting on the Wenatchee River, golf, hiking and mountain biking are among the many outdoor sporting activities that visitors can enjoy.

The web sites for the City of Leavenworth, the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce and Leavenworth Echo are additional sources of information for travel planning.

Transportation:   Greyhound/Northwestern Trailways and Amtrak provide bus services through Leavenworth.

Airports:   Wenatchee-Pangborn Memorial Airport provides commercial passenger and general aviation services. It is about 28 miles / 45 km east of Leavenworth. 

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