Leavenworth is a small town of approximately 2000 people a two-hour drive east of Seattle in Washington State. Although it has existed as a town for over 100 years it became famous in the 1970s, when facing a decrease in population, the town adopted a Bavarian theme to attract tourists. The bet paid off, and Leavenworth has become a great all year round destination for those looking for the flavor of Germany without traveling to Europe.

I visited recently and was very impressed by the authenticity of the building exteriors. The town also offers numerous sitdown restaurants and outdoor beer gardens to enjoy authentic German food. One can also browse an amazing nutcracker museum! On weekends, there is live German folk music performed in the main gazebo by locals. June also features an annual accordion festival. Other annual delights include a tree lighting ceremony and Christmas market in December as well as an extensive Oktoberfest.

I stayed across from the downtown core in a hotel called the Bavarian Lodge. It was extremely convenient as parking is an issue in the crowded downtown core which is comprised of only about six square blocks. The only challenge I faced was from the weather as central Washington State regularly has temperatures in the high 30s during the summer months. Leavenworth also offers impressive views of the nearby mountains which serve to bring people into the village during the winter months for skiing.  Hiking, rafting, kayaking and swimming are also on offer.

There is a lot of shopping to be had here as well. Specialty stores sell German style clothing, baked goods, sausages and cheeses. There is also a lovely tea shop and local wineries offer tastings on every corner. As Leavenworth is located in the US, there is also an abundance of tourist shops selling all variety of souvenirs. The only disadvantage of this charming village is the fact that no one speaks German!

Munich is a city of around 1.5 million inhabitants found in the southern portion of Germany in the state of Bayern or Bavaria. Bavaria is Germany’s largest state by landmass and is the heartland of tradition in Germany.  In this region it is not uncommon to see people wearing traditional clothes or Trachten on their way to festivals throughout the year.  In the countryside, the Catholic Church’s bells ring out on Sunday mornings to call people to worship and neighbors still greet each other with a friendly Grüss Gott!

Oktoberfest recently marked its 200-year anniversary, as it began as a Royal wedding celebration in 1810. However, since the early 1900s it has been more of a festival of the various breweries found in this part of the world. In fact, beer drinking, eating and traditional German Blasmusik are at the center of the celebration. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 7,000,000 liters of beer are consumed annually from specialty Krüge, or beer mugs, in the various beer gardens.

Traditional German food is also consumed in enormous quantities. Some of the more popular dishes include Hänchen (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), and many varieties of sausages or Würste,  eaten with mustard and large bread pretzels, or Brezel, (pictured above).  Common side dishes include dumplings, cooked cabbage and potato pancakes.

Local families make day visits and children enjoy carousel rides and other family entertainment. Many wear their traditional clothes that comprise of Lederhosen for men and Dirndl for women. People sit outside for hours enjoying the weather, socializing and people watching.  Once the sun sets, the younger crowds take over, drinking and carousing late into the night. Smaller Oktoberfests are also held in German communities around the world. The Alpen Club in Vancouver holds its own festivities in the first weeks of October every year.