Christmas in Leavenworth - Olivia Michelle

Christmastime in Leavenworth is the prettiest (and busiest) time of year to visit. Good news is that Leavenworth leaves their incredible Christmas lights and decorations up from the end of November through February. This Bavarian town is one of my absolute favorite towns in Washington and we have visited during every season. Here’s what to expect when you visit during the holiday season.

Christmas Lights & Decorations
Leavenworth is a gorgeous Bavarian town at the base of mountains that truly makes you feel as though you’ve transported from Washington into Europe. Leavenworth is known for their over the top Christmas lights and décor all over town. You can expect to see tons of holiday decorations, Christmas themed activities, live music, and characters making appearances. The lights and decorations stay up through February. During the month of December you can go in the Community Center to see Santa and Mrs. Claus and participate in FREE crafts and activities. We visited right after Christmas so we missed seeing Santa but we did catch Elf walking around.

Weather
Expect it to be cold, and when I say cold I mean VERY cold. Average temperatures during winter are highs around 34 degrees and lows of 21 degrees. When we visited it was between 12-18 degrees daily. We wore multiple layers, had snow gear and hand warmers. There are many snow activities here so you will want to bring your snow gear. Also note that you will need snow chains traveling to Leavenworth if you do not have an all wheel drive. The town itself stays covered in snow during the winter and chains are required to travel through the snow passes.

Sledding & Tubing
If you have your own snow sled or tube, bring it! The most popular spot to sled is the hill in the center of town by the pavilion. Aurora had a blast (even though it is small) and there are kids there playing all day. If you would rather rent a tube or sled and go down a real hill, check out Leavenworth Ski Hill. They have options available for sledding, tubing, and winter sports. You can also check out Wenatchee State Park for winter snow sport options at the Sno-Park. There are cross country ski trails, a groomed sledding hill, snow shoe trails and camping options.

Sleigh Rides
There is nothing more spectacular than riding in a sleigh pulled by horses through a white winter wonderland. It was snow as far as the eye could see. There are quite a few places to choose from for horse drawn sleigh rides. We went with Icicle Outfitters. They were a lot more reasonably priced than other sleigh rides and had openings. We only booked like three weeks out so most places were already sold out. Pack a blanket or two to bring along for the ride! After you can enjoy complimentary hot cocoa, apple cider and a heated tent to warm up.
Read my full post about Icicle Outfitters HERE.

Leavenworth Reindeer Farm
By far my favorite activity in Leavenworth is visiting the reindeer farm. During the winter season you can feed reindeers and see Santa! On select dates you may also catch Princess Anna or Elsa. Make sure to book tickets ahead of time since time slots fill up and dates sell out fast. They also have quite a few different Christmas themed photo spots.
Read my full post on the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm HERE.