Although Leavenworth is only a two and half hour drive away from Seattle, it feels like a completely different world. This small town is surrounded by the mountains and the Wenatchee River. This was an old logging town that started to dwindle after the railroad got re-routed in 1925. In the 1960s, city leaders decided to make this a themed town to help attract more visitors and given its location surrounded by mountains, Leavenworth became a Bavarian village. It seems to have worked as today, Leavenworth sees more than 2.5 million visitors a year. Here are some tips and things to do while you are exploring the Bavarian town of Leavenworth.

Mount St. Helens ranks within the top 50 deadliest volcanic eruptions and many still remember the day it erupted. Although the surrounding area is starting to be rejuvenated, you can still see signs of destruction from that day many years ago. With only a day, you can explore the area to see the devastation and how much the area is recovering.

Despite the fact that the North Cascades National Park is one of the least visited national parks, this park has a lot to offer and is often underrated. Made up of countless mountains and nearly 500 lakes, it offers spectacular scenery. Whether you want to go on a few mile hike, or prefer not to walk more than a few hundred feet from the car; North Cascades offers something for everyone.