48º | Occasional showers | 56% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:57 a.m. | Sunset 4:31 p.m. | High tides 10:32 a.m. and 12:16 a.m. | Low tides 4:31 a.m. and 6:31 p.m.
🚗 Let’s take the scenic route
The ultimate road trip to Leavenworth, WA
Who needs the Alps when all this is a short drive away? | Photo via Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce
The hills are alive with the sound of yodeling and clinking steins. We’re going on a road trip to the Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth.
Though known mostly for its Oktoberfest and Christmas-time festivities, the quaint hamlet tucked into the Cascades has plenty going on all year long. Whether you want to go paddleboarding on Icicle Creek, ride a roller coaster, or grab a beer-soaked brat, here are all the details on how to have an unforgettable time in this central Washington paradise.
📍 Essential info
Drive time: ~2 hours
Year city was established: 1885
Est. population: 2,383
🎟️ Experience
Outdoorsy activities
There are several easy day hikes and biking trails within 20 miles that offer eye-popping views of the Enchantments and other natural wonders. You can also rent paddleboards, rafts, and tubes for floating on one of the nearby rivers or lakes.
Leavenworth Adventure Park
One of the town’s newest features is a family-friendly amusement park that features the state’s first alpine roller coaster, which has a self-braking system so you can go at your own pace.
Alphorn Serenade
Rock that lederhosen and enjoy these big horn-tooting Saturday performances through September.
München Haus can be a bit of a sausage fest, but in a good way.
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Photo via München Haus
🌭 Eat
München Haus
Here’s where you’ll get the full-fledged Leavenworth beer garden experience at its best and wurst.
Watershed Cafe
Try the famed “million dollar” meatloaf drenched in a cabernet green peppercorn gravy. It’s so money.
Yodelin Broth
Those who want a break from the brats can head here and find soupy seafood dishes with Asian flavors. There are a couple of hearty vegan options, too.
We’re not sure we would leave once getting into this hot tub.
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Photo via Vrbo
🏨 Stay
Mountain view cottage | $262 per night
Ah, our stress is already melting away looking at that private hot tub.
Obertal Inn | $129+ per night
Located conveniently downtown, this quaint spot also bakes fresh strudel for guests and allows dogs.
Skate Like a Girl | Tuesday, Aug. 15 | 3-6 p.m. | Pier 62, 1951 Alaskan Way, Seattle | Free | Roll by early for a skateboarding clinic open to all ages and genders.
Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi | Tuesday, Aug. 15-Wednesday, Aug. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle | $36 | The Grammy Award-nominated guitarist covers Jimi Hendrix’s hits through a rhythmic “touch-tap” jazz method.
Wednesday, Aug. 16
Fresh Air: Seattle Happy Hour | Wednesday, Aug. 16 | 4-9 p.m. | Patagonia Seattle, 2100 First Ave., Seattle | $25 | Enjoy a leisurely three-mile bike ride over to Metier Brewing Company in the Central District for a refreshing finish.
Seattle Opera: “Das Rheingold” | Wednesday, Aug. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle | $67-$299 | Check out Wagner’s dramatic work about gods and golden rings.
Thursday, Aug. 17
Movies at Marymoor: “Up” | Thursday, Aug. 17 | 7 p.m. | Marymoor Park, 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, Seattle | $10 | Enjoy a performance by the stilt walkers of Cirque Cadia and a screening of Pixar’s sweet animated classic.
Empowered Dating Workshops | Thursday, Aug. 17 | 7-9 p.m. | Rainier Hair Studio, 5619 California Ave. SW, Seattle | $45 | Counselor + author Kate Mageau leads a session that delves into discerning healthy relationships from toxic ones, setting up dating profiles, and more.
Friday, Aug. 18
“Arctic Highways” Opening and Program | Friday, Aug. 18 | 6-8 p.m. | National Nordic Museum, 2655 NW Market St., Seattle | $25 | Meet Tomas Colbengtson, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, and Matti Aikio — three of the artists who worked on this new exhibit from the Circumpolar North.
Kiss of a Killer: an Improvised Film Noir | Friday, Aug. 18-Saturday, Aug. 19 | 7-8 p.m. | Unexpected Productions, 1428 Post Alley, Seattle | $12 | Grab a moody-looking trenchcoat as you dive into an off-the-cuff performance inspired by old school pulp fiction novels and movies.
Saturday, Aug. 19
Architectural Walking Tours | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Center for Architecture and Design, 1010 Western Ave., Seattle | $22-$25 | The two-hour tour shows off Seattle’s unique designs in neighborhoods like Queen Anne, Columbia City, and South Lake Union.
Columbia City Night Market | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 6-10 p.m. | Downtown Columbia City, 3702 S. Hudson St., Seattle | Free | Grab some bites and peruse the pop-up market that takes over South Hudson Street under twinkling lights.
Excessive heat and lingering smoke from the Sourdough fire has created hazardous conditions in Seattle. The Air Quality Index was “moderate” in parts of the city on Monday — potentially dangerous for those with respiratory conditions. Winds should lower temps and push out the rest of the smoke by Thursday. (MyNorthwest)
Community
Speaking of the heat, City Hall is open through Thursday as a cooling center for those living outside. The King County Regional Homelessness Authority has also activated a response to the extreme heat that includes increased street outreach and supplies.
Closing
The owners of Youngstown Coffee and HeartBeet Cafe announced they will soon shut down all three of their shops in West Seattle and Queen Anne due to financial challenges. All three businesses will close on Saturday, Sept. 30, so there’s still time to bid them a fond farewell. (West Seattle Blog)
Sports
They’re not in the Big Ten quite yet, but UW scored high marks on the AP college football preseason poll. The Huskies are ranked No. 10 in the country on this prestigious list that assesses the quality of each school’s team. They’ll begin the season on Saturday, Sept. 2 against Boise State at Husky Stadium. (ESPN)
Cause
Snacking on musubi did some good this weekend — local Hawaiian-Korean fast-casual restaurant Marination raised nearly $40,000 in two days to support Maui wildfire relief. Other Seattle restaurants like Tutta Bella and Ba Bar have also joined the effort, donating proceeds of their sales to help various aid organizations. (KING 5)
Traffic
The Seattle Department of Transportation plans to install traffic cameras at three new locations in early September. There will be one to monitor the bus lane on the West Seattle Bridge, one at the Boren Avenue and Howell Street intersection in Capitol Hill, and another at the three-way intersection of Denny Way, Stewart + Yale Streets.
Outdoors
The fish supply at the Ballard Locks is going swimmingly. More the 24,000 salmon have already been counted this year, a healthier number for the species which hit a low of 16,000 in 2019. Both sockeyes and Chinook are floating through this August in high quantities. (My Ballard)
Biz
Gear up, cyclists. Scooter share company Bird now has rentable e-bikes around town as part of the Seattle Department of Transportation’s electric scooter + bike pilot program. The company has started out with 200 bikes for its expansion alongside other brands in the city’s program like Veo, LINK, and Lime. (GeekWire)
Environment
Good news for local whale watchers: the southern resident orca population has likely grown. The Center for Whale Research reports two births and no deaths over the past year, though the census still needs to be finalized. Apparently, the newest whale calves appear to healthy and “rambunctious.” (KUOW)
Health
Washington state recently purchased the Cascade Behavioral Health facility in Tukwila that closed in July in hopes of boosting the state’s mental health resources. The building could provide at least 100 beds for patients who need psychiatric support, with the possibility of expanding Washington’s treatment options. (Crosscut)
Sports
⚾ Root, root, root for the home team
Northeast Seattle Little League squad preps for World Series
This Williamsport stadium is a field of dreams for Little League teams around the world. | Photo via Little League Baseball and Softball
The Mariners are cool and all, but our baseball fandom is now focused on a few small stars.
In case you missed it, a team from Northeast Seattle representing all of Washington made it to the Little League World Series — the pinnacle tournament for young baseball players ages 10 to 12.
This is the first time in the Seattle league’s history that a team has made it this far. Here’s all you need to know to cheer ‘em on.
Their first World Series game is against New England this Thursday, Aug. 17, at noon. Watch on ESPN.
Team manager Christian Shewey is a dentist who was once drafted by the Mariners.
They’ve got some pop. In three World Series qualifying games, Northeast Seattle outscored their opponents 33-1.
If they make it all the way, mark your calendars for Sunday, Aug. 27 for the final game of the Series.
I had a chance to check out the Seattle Opera’s production of Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” this weekend— and it was wild. “Lord of the Rings” fans should watch out for Easter eggs, but don’t sleep on the impressive staging. Now I want to go live in a German castle or maybe just one of those Leavenworth cabins.
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