Leavenworth’s Best Hotels & Areas (My Guide for 2026)

Best Neighborhoods & Areas to Stay in Leavenworth

Leavenworth is a small town and doesn’t have distinct neighborhoods the way larger cities do. Most hotels and attractions are found in the city center. There are also amazing accommodations outside the downtown area. 

The area further north of town is remarkable for its natural beauty and has several lodges and vacation homes tucked away in the woods. There is also the nearby city of Wenatchee, which has the most budget-friendly stays in the area.

Downtown Leavenworth

👉 Best Area For First-time Visitors | ✨ Best Downtown Leavenworth Hotels: Bavarian Lodge • Hotel Pension Anna • Hotel Leavenworth

The center of Leavenworth is the best place to start any trip to this corner of the Cascades. Many popular hotels in Leavenworth, like Bavarian Lodge, are located downtown and are built and decorated to be in line with the town’s Bavarian atmosphere.Hotel Leavenworth is a great choice for a more budget-friendly, centrally located stay.

There’s much more than hotels in downtown Leavenworth, though. Restaurants and beer gardens abound, offering a variety of hearty dishes. There’s a wide variety of boutique stores, offering everything from artisan cheese to exotic goods from Asia, and, of course, gift stores. 

Different festivals occur throughout the year, most notably Oktoberfest on weekends in October and various seasonal festivities around Christmas.

Downtown also has some great parks. Waterfront Park is perfect for a peaceful stroll in the woods. Front Street Park functions as a town square for Leavenworth and the city’s Christmas tree stands here in winter, adding to the holiday cheer.

Pros of Staying in Downtown Leavenworth:

• Lots of awesome restaurants, bars, and gift shops
• Luxurious resorts to Old World, Bavarian-style lodges

Cons of Staying in Downtown Leavenworth:

• Hotels here book up quickly in peak summer and Christmas seasons
• Streets get crowded during peak seasons
• Limited or tight parking at some properties

Leavenworth Outskirts

👉 Best Area For Families | ✨ Best Leavenworth Outskirts Hotels: Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort • Wedge Mountain Inn • Icicle Village Resort

There are several great hotels on the edge of town, such as Icicle Village Resort. It’s a great choice for many reasons. One is that the property has a year-round outdoor pool and hot tub. Some rooms feature mountain views, and it’s one of the more affordable hotels in Leavenworth outside the city center (as well as the closest to town).

Hotels in town tend to be expensive, so if you’re looking to save some money, Wedge Mountain Inn is a great option. It features an outdoor pool and is just over 4.5 miles away from the city center. All of the rooms have balconies, too, which is not common for hotels in this price range. 

There are also great attractions on the outskirts, such as the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm and Icicle Ridge Winery. This part of town tends to be quieter and is a great place to stay if you like being right on nature’s doorstep.

Pros of Staying on the Outskirts of Leavenworth:

• Close to nature
• Very peaceful surroundings

Cons of Staying on the Outskirts of Leavenworth:

• Most restaurants and bars are further away
• You’ll need a car to get between most lodgings and attractions

North of Leavenworth

👉 Best Area For Outdoor Atmosphere | ✨ Best Hotels North of Leavenworth: Squirrel Tree Resort • Tivoli Chalet • Beaver Valley Lodge

The area north of Leavenworth proper is a great place to go if you love being out in nature. Most lodgings here are vacation rentals, so they won’t provide breakfast and other familiar hotel amenities. Having a cabin overlooking the Wenatchee River all to yourself is worth making your own breakfast, though!

Options up here are often quite limited, but if you manage to find an open slot for a private home tucked away in the woods, you’re in for a treat! Many places are log cabins or feature a cozy outdoorsy aesthetic. There are several great hiking trails north of Leavenworth, as well as the spectacular Lake Wenatchee State Park.

Squirrel Tree Resort is a good option if you can’t afford a private house or are having difficulty finding one for your intended travel dates. The property offers simple hotel rooms and features a restaurant and lounge, complete with a game room (pool, darts, and a foosball table).

Pros of Staying North of Leavenworth:

• Super cozy vacation home rentals
• Stunning natural beauty

Cons of Staying North of Leavenworth:

• Limited options for accommodations
• You’ll need a car to get here and to local attractions

Wenatchee

👉 Best Area For Budget Stays | ✨ Best Hotels in Wenatchee: Cedars Inn • avid hotel Wenatchee • SpringHill Suites

Wenatchee is the best option for visitors who want to visit Leavenworth without spending a lot on hotels. Located just 23 miles away, it’s a quick drive and the money spent on gas will still leave you spending less than most hotels in Leavenworth itself.

Of course, there are great things to do and see here, too. There are great outdoor activities year-round, from hiking trails and water sports in summer to skiing and snowboarding in winter. There are also several museums, breweries, parks, and the bustling Pybus Public Market — the best place for farm-fresh food, artisan goods, and more.

Cedars Inn is one of the most affordable properties in the area, offering 3-star accommodations in a central location. SpringHill Suites is a little more expensive than other properties in Wenatchee, but its studio apartment rooms may be more accommodating than standard hotel rooms for families or longer stays.

Pros of Staying in Wenatchee:

• Best prices in the area
• Lots of options for food, drink, and shopping

Cons of Staying in Wenatchee:

• Further from Leavenworth attractions
• Traffic can be bad during rush hour

Tips for Staying in Leavenworth

Save Money by Visiting in the Off-Season

Leavenworth is one of the most popular weekend getaways from Seattle. The town is busy year-round and cheap hotels are few in number. Summer is the peak season and, as you can imagine, October is busier here than in most places.  

Skiing also attracts a lot of visitors in the winter, but the “off-season” here spans from November to February. There will be a slight increase around Christmas time, though.

Visit Leavenworth around Christmas Time

The above tip shouldn’t deter you from visiting in December, however. The Christmas season is when the town really shines (literally and figuratively). Christmas lights adorn the town, and a local choir carols across downtown for the first three weekends of the season.

Christkindlemarkt is one of the best Leavenworth attractions. It starts the season off on Thanksgiving weekend with a Bavarian-style holiday market and seasonal festivities. Christmas lights often stay up until Valentine’s Day, so if you’d rather skip the holiday crowds, you have some options.

Other Ways to Get to Leavenworth

If you are staying in Wenatchee, buses run regularly between the two towns. The Wenatchee Valley Shuttle service runs from Columbia Station, as well as other stops throughout town.

Columbia Station is also a stop on the local Amtrak route. Amtrak also has a stop in Leavenworth, connecting it with Wenatchee and Seattle. 

Reserve Rooms in Advance

The lodges and (more often) vacation homes outside of town get booked up rapidly. It’s no secret that going to Leavenworth is one of the best activities in Washington State. 

Hotels in Leavenworth itself also fill up quickly, especially in summer, during October weekends, and around Christmas. It’s a good idea to make reservations well in advance, especially if you want to stay in a cabin north of town.

Special Diet? No Problem!

Many restaurants in Leavenworth offer German cuisine, famous for its meat-based dishes. At the same time, many also have vegan and gluten-free options. Beer gardens will also often have plant-based brats. 

There are also a small number of other international restaurants if you want to change things up a little and try something other than German dishes. I’ll admit I had to laugh when the first restaurant I saw upon arriving in Leavenworth was a Mongolian grill!

Go Brewery Hopping

How could Leavenworth live up to its Bavarian theme without good beer? Like many of the best places to visit in Washington, Leavenworth sports several independent breweries with excellent libations on tap.

Old World favorites such as pilsners, ambers, and lagers stand alongside the ever-present IPA of the Pacific Northwest. Some places also have ciders on tap for gluten-free visitors (or anyone, for that matter), as well as a selection of the best local wines.

🍺 Love a Good Pint? See our list of the top breweries in Seattle.

FAQs

How many days should I spend in Leavenworth?

Three days is a good amount of time to spend in Leavenworth. This gives you time for outdoor activities and checking out a variety of local restaurants and beer gardens.

What do people go to Leavenworth for?

People go to Leavenworth for skiing, hiking, river rafting, and more. They also go for the Bavarian atmosphere, whether in restaurants, lodgings, or festivities.

Where should I stay in Leavenworth?

Where you stay is determined by what interests you most. The city center is the best overall place for most visitors. Some people may prefer to stay in a secluded cabin or lodge further out in the woods north of Leavenworth for more peace and quiet.

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Thanks for reading my guide to where to stay in Leavenworth! Next up, check out our guide to the best small towns in Washington.