What to Eat + Do in Leavenworth, Wash. AND How to Survive the Crowds

Bring a sled for some free fun on the little hill in town center of Leavenworth.

I really loved that Darling Husband and I booked our second December trip to Leavenworth,Wash. After being novices the first year, we had much more insight into what we wanted to do and where we wanted to eat.

On Saturdays and Sundays during the holidays, tour buses bring THOUSANDS of cheerful Christmas lovers into the tiny town. Saturday is especially busy because of the Christmas Tree Lighting at 4:30 p.m. Streets are closed so there is enough room for everyone to walk. Store lines for the cash register wind throughout and the wait for lunch takes an hour or more. Bring your patience and these tips.

Friday is your new favorite day

Both years, Dane and I stayed in Leavenworth Friday-Sunday. In 2014, we tried to do lunch and shopping on Saturday. This was a mistake. This year, we knew that our high priority spots to visit and eat needed to be visited Friday night when there are FAR fewer people in town. Planning this way saved us a lot of wait time and stress in 2015.

Have a refuge

In 2014 the weather was clear and freezing. This year we had a damp, cold, rain-snow mix. The effect the rain-snow had was amazing. All of the thousands of people bussed in had nowhere to get out of the rain. They huddled under overhangs and spent mindless hours looking at Christmas ornaments to stay dry. Dane and I headed back to our room at the Bavarian Lodge to watch a Christmas movie or do puzzles. This was definitely an advantage.

Bring a sled

Wake up early in the morning and bring your sled to Town Square. I love sledding and getting there before all of the kids made me feel safe (I’m not one who wants to run over kids). The hill is small enough for wimps like me. And even when there was no snow in 2014, they trucked snow in for the sledding hill. FREE!

Make reservations, and do so early

Thankfully, I love dinner reservations and tend to make them rather than not. We enjoyed Italian dinner at Visconti’s in 2014 and at Watershed Café in 2015. The line for a table at Visconti’s that night was insane. I felt terrible for the hungry families that waited for hours. Watershed in 2015 said it only took dinner reservations at 6 and 8 p.m. It was far more mellow than Visconti’s, but not as family friendly. Definitely perfect for a romantic date. Visconti’s food was good, but they definitely hustled us out. Watershed had a great menu, but was pricey and only had one waitress for the entire dining room. She did her best, but service was very slow. $$$$

Don't miss the Priebe Porter and pretzel at Icicle Brewing Company.

BEST Friday night grub

No dinner reservation needed Friday evening. At 4 p.m., go to Icicle Brewing Company and order a pint of their Priebe Porter and a soft pretzel with real butter, salt and Beecher’s cheese. Then walk over to Munchen House and sit at a fire table while enjoying German sausage, chili and more beer, of course! $

Lunch - skip it

We had lunch at Bavarian Bistro & Bar in 2014 and at Andreas Keller Restaurant in 2015. Skip Bavarian Bistro & Bar. We waited an hour or more. Andreas Keller was timed perfectly – 11:30 a.m. – food was great (Schnitzel cordon bleu), but EXPENSIVE!!! Pack some sandwiches and eat in your room. Save your money for dinner. $$$-$$$$

Set a budget for Kris Kringl

My most favorite shop in Leavenworth is Kris Kringl. It has every Christmas ornament, decoration and trinket you never knew you needed! In 2014 I went a little crazy and we ended up buying three Snow Village houses, characters for those houses, and a Christmas ornament for everyone in my family. This year, Darling Husband and I took inventory of what we needed and purchased one Snow Village house and one character. Phew. $$-$$$$

Two glasses of joy and some wine tasting at IRW Uptown.

For when you’re feeling classy

My most favorite Saturday after-lunch refuge in 2015 was the Icicle Ridge Winery tasting room (called IRW Uptown). OMG. The décor – cushy white banquettes, huge antler chandeliers, white, black and gold everywhere AND good wine! Dane and I spent a couple of hours trying the wine flights (red for me, white for him) and followed that up with a glass of their sparkling JOY. We brought home the Christmas Cab, which was delicious. And their Riesling was the best I have ever tasted. $$$$

The most swanky tasting room I have ever been in. I'm in love!

For when you’re feeling brave

Head out of town five miles to the Lt. Michael Adams Tubing Hill. $18 will get you a pass to tube as much as you want down a death-defying, steep hill on tubes that they wax. Dane enjoyed himself. I was a wimp who enjoyed watching him almost toss his cookies. $

Watch your loved ones fly down an icy hill! They do let you try it for free once to see if you like it. I didn't even get that far. 

Verdict: The second December trip to Leavenworth was a success. We stood in line and waited far less than in 2014. We did not renew the second year because we feel like we’ve done it. On to somewhere new! But, I highly recommend a weekend trip for Christmas-loving couples. It’s very expensive, so set a budget, do as much on Friday as possible and enjoy!