One good thing about doing my Best of 2013 post (besides the sheer thankfulness for my year) is that it reminds me of all the great posts I still have yet to share with all of you! It’s kind of overwhelming–there’s a lot I still want/need to blog! I have yet to share my experience seeing pandas, that one time I got stuck in a rainstorm on the Great Wall of China, roller-skating in Bruges, finding a new-found love of beer in Belgium, diving in Cozumel, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, wine tasting in Napa…you get the picture.
But, for today, I will share one of my highlights from Christmas with you (straight from my Christmas Bucket List!):
Our day trip to Leavenworth, Washington (state), high up in the Cascade Mountain Range. (Click the link to get all the information you need if YOU want to visit!)
When I first discovered Leavenworth (via a friend’s summer stop and the subsequent Facebook photos), I was enchanted with the idea of a Bavarian mountain village in the United States. While maybe it’s not the same as an ACTUAL Bavarian village, it’s still a fun idea that’s stuck with me since.
As I was spending Christmas in Olympia with E’s family, so it seemed like the opportune time…and when they all wanted to join, so much the better! December is an ideal time (besides the weather) because, like any good Bavarian town, Leavenworth goes all out for the Christmas season.
It ended up being a three-hour drive from Olympia (it’s a bit closer to Seattle, if you’re in the area), which is retrospect is a bit long for a day trip, but I thought it was worth it anyway. (You’d have to ask E and his family if they agree!)
One thing I WOULD be prepared for? It. was. FREEZING. I’m not sure I’ve ever been that cold–and I grew up in Montana, where we would never have snow/cold days, but we’d just stay in at recess when it hit 20 below.
It was around 26 degrees in Leavenworth, but it felt way, way colder. I was definitely freezing all day and for about two days after, so be prepared! I also wasn’t dressed as warmly as I should have been, which I regretted.
Luckily, there was an abundance of eggnog lattes, mulled wine (DELICIOUS!), hot cider, and hot cocoa to keep us warm.
We wandered the adorable town all day, before seeing the Lighting Festival at around 4:30 p.m. After that, we grabbed a cup of soup and hit the road because we were frozen down to our bones.
If you go, they have several weekends in December with the Lighting Festival, which I highly recommend. It’s also very crowded though, so be prepared, and if you can, spend the night so you can wake up to the adorable village! Looking at their website, there is also a Bavarian Icefest in January, and I know they have a Oktoberfest celebration–so there are reasons to visit year-round! Plus, you can ski in the winter, hike in the summer, and watch what looks like a fabulous 4th of July.
I’m starting to sound like I work for Visit Leavenworth (which I don’t) so here are some of my favorite pictures from the day!
{daytime scenes from the main walking street in town / check out those mountains! / E and his family / the lights after the Ceremony / the two of us, freezing our butts off and wearing mismatched anything to keep us warm!}
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