By Jessie Swider, Reservations Agent
Leavenworth wouldn’t be Christmastown USA if the festivities stopped on December 26. The fun continues into the New Year, making January a great time to plan your Leavenworth getaway this winter. Here are our Top 5 Reasons to Visit Leavenworth in January.
1. Snow
While our little mountain town typically starts seeing snow in late November, January’s lower temps and increased precipitation mean that most years you can count on ringing in the new year with amazing snow conditions for whatever outdoor winter adventure you have in mind. Whether it’s downhill skiing at Stevens Pass or Mission Ridge, snowmobiling the backcountry, or taking it easy on a romantic sleigh ride. January is the month for you!
Fun fact: On January 6, 2022, Leavenworth received a record-setting 36 inches of snow in under 24 hours!
2. Festive Fun
If you didn’t make it to town in December to see the stunning Leavenworth Village of Lights Christmas displays, have no fear! The lights stay on throughout January for the Chamber of Commerce’s Village of Lights: Winter Karneval. Entertainment each weekend includes live ice carving, fire dancers, a town-wide pub crawl, and best of all, a fireworks show on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend! It’s the only time fireworks are set off in Leavenworth and they are beautiful over the snow.
Fun fact: There are over half a million lights illuminating downtown Leavenworth from Thanksgiving to the end of February.
3. Smaller Crowds
Bumping shoulders with your fellow merrymakers may be part of the fun in December but we all know the downside to that includes increased traffic, waits at restaurants and, of course, harder to find parking. That’s why January is one of the best months to visit. When the holiday crowds disperse you have just a little bit more of the town to yourself. Don’t get us wrong, it’s still busy and downtown is bustling but many folks find the crowds much more manageable. Even locals will brave the tourists for the fireworks!
Fun fact: December weekends are the busiest days for visitors for the whole year. January weekends aren’t in the top 25.
4. Activities Inside and Out
By the end of December, a lot of you have probably had your fill of Christmas carols and Hallmark movies and while Leavenworth keeps the lights on, January offers a refreshing array of arts and entertainment options. We’ve hinted at some of the great outdoor things to in Leavenworth in January, and those need a blog of their own to fully cover, but if you prefer a quiet day in there’s no shortage of options. For those who enjoy a warm cup of cocoa over a day on slopes, The Icicle Creek Center for the Arts kicks off the new year with film showings and concerts as well music and dance classes. On the edge of downtown, The Wenatchee River Institute continues to provide stimulating nature-centric educational programs for all ages (with some outdoor excursions too!) Lastly, be on the lookout for the return of other fun favorites like trivia or bingo nights at some downtown bars and restaurants after the December craziness subsides.
5. Lower Rates
This reason speaks for itself. We get it, with those large crowds, lodging gets more expensive around the holidays, but there are great deals to be had in January and February. So enjoy some peak-season entertainment at shoulder-season prices. What are you waiting for! Check out our next blog article Homes We’d Love to be Snowed-In At for our team’s top picks for wintertime lodging.Â
Fun fact: Mid-week dates are great for budget-savvy travelers AND you get even smaller crowds.
January Sounds Pretty Good Right?
Those are five great reasons to experience Leavenworth in January and really there’s no reason not to visit in January. So if you’re thinking about planning a post-holiday trip, we’ve got you covered. Reach out to the Love Leavenworth team and we can help make staying in Leavenworth the easiest New Year’s resolution you’ve ever set.