How To Have An Epic Time Hiking, Eating, Drinking, And Exploring Your Way Through Wenatchee, WA

Published May 3, 2021

Do you love spending time outdoors taking in beautiful sights, hopping between wineries and breweries, and eating some delicious food? If so, you’ll want to read on to learn about a ton of awesome things to do in Wenatchee, WA, a sample itinerary, and plenty of additional tips and suggestions for how to plan your perfect getaway!

Where is Wenatchee?

Wenatchee is a city located in central Washington, east of the Cascade mountains. The distance from Seattle to Wenatchee is approximately 3 hours, and from Spokane to Wenatchee is also about 3 hours. You may have heard of the popular Bavarian town of Leavenworth, which is only about 45 minutes from Wenatchee (we’ve included some great Leavenworth suggestions in this post, too!).

When is the best time to visit Wenatchee?

You could visit Wenatchee any time of year, but you’ll want to plan your trip based on what kind of activities you’d like to do. This itinerary is based off of our visit the first weekend in May, which is an incredibly beautiful time to visit Wenatchee with all the wildflowers and fruit trees in bloom! The weather for us was around 70 degrees, mostly sunny, and a bit windy at times.

Summers are hot and dry, but would be great if you’d like to do some more serious hiking in the surrounding mountains or engage in any water activities. Interested in snow sports? Then winter’s the best time for you! There are so many things to do in Wenatchee, you really can’t go wrong!

Where to stay for your Wenatchee getaway?

We planned this trip really last minute, so jumped on an available camp site at Lake Wenatchee State Park. It’s a great spot to camp and Lake Wenatchee is a beautiful place to explore in itself! That being said though, the campground is about an hour from Wenatchee and 30 minutes from Leavenworth, so there are definitely closer places you could stay if you’re worried about the drive. Although it’s worth noting that the drive along the river heading toward Leavenworth from Lake Wenatchee State Park is gorgeous!

In addition to your typical campgrounds, of which there are many in the area, this resource has some other unique options that caught our eye, such as a farm or winery stay! You could also stay at a hotel or Airbnb in either Leavenworth or Wenatchee. This treehouse is a bit off the beaten path in Peshastin but looks SO cool and made our list of 10 Incredible Washington Airbnbs to Inspire Your Next Getaway.

If you decide to base yourself in Leavenworth — we have been eager to check out Loge Leavenworth, which has a riverside location and a downtown location (both within walking distance of downtown Leavenworth). It is geared toward outdoors-lovers and offers some unique amenities, such as fire pits and free bikes available to borrow! We’ve also stayed at Leavenworth Village Inn in the past and had a good experience.

For ultimate convenience and a Wenatchee-focused itinerary (like we’ve included below), staying in Wenatchee would require the least amount of driving. There are a number of chain hotels located in the downtown area, or if you’re looking for somewhere with a bit more charm and a riverfront location, Warm Springs Inn & Winery looks like a great option!

Sample Wenatchee itinerary

For our Wenatchee visit, we left after work on Friday and got to camp just after dark. Shane had to work on Sunday afternoon, so we packed our entire adventure into just one day! It was an awesome day, but if you have the full weekend for your visit, I’d suggest splitting this up across two days. We’re including all of our stops below in the order that we did them, plus some timing info in case you want to go crazy and pack it all into one day like we did!

Pick and choose what sounds most appealing to you, and/or customize your trip by adding on or swapping for some of our additional suggestions listed below!

Selfie of Shane and Katie at Sauer's Mountain — Still smiling despite the 4 a.m. wake-up call!

Stop 1: Sunrise hike at Sauer’s Mountain

We left camp at Lake Wenatchee at 4:30 a.m. and drove 40 minutes to Sauer’s Mountain.
When we arrived, there were 2 other cars there. The parking area is small, so we were glad we chose to get there super early. The parking area was totally full by 9 a.m., so you’ll want to come with a Plan B in mind or try to go on a weekday instead. The trailhead is generously located on private property — respect designated parking areas and do not park outside them.
The trail climbs pretty steadily with some areas of rolling hills. It’s narrow the entire way with loose dirt / sand and minimal tread. If you’re like me (Katie) and are afraid of heights and unsure-footed, hiking poles would be helpful. I didn’t have mine but there were several points I wish I did. Anyone without a fear of heights / slipping on loose dirt would find this a totally manageable trail. It’s really not too bad, but just a heads up on that aspect!
About .5 mile into the hike, you’ll come to a fork. We recommend taking the option to the left on both the way up and down for better views, and to avoid some parts of the trail that are the most steep and narrow (especially if there are others on the trail – passing is difficult if you take the other section of trail).
We hiked the full 3 miles (one-way) to the top of Sauer’s Mountain which was beautiful if you’re eager to get a good hike in. If you’re just visiting for the flowers, you’ll see plenty within the first 1.5-2 miles!
As previously mentioned, this trail is on private property and only accessible thanks to the property-owner who built it and allows visitors. Be extra careful to follow Leave No Trace principles and keep your dog on leash the entire time (we read a report that the owner is considering closing the trail because of unleashed dogs nabbing his chickens!).
No bathroom at trailhead.
Hiking Tip! Ticks are very common in this area. Be sure to check yourself and your partner! I (Katie) actually got a tick on me and didn’t realize until the next day, at which point it was too deeply attached for Shane to remove it with the tweezers we had in our med kit, resulting in a little visit to the Leavenworth ER. It would be helpful to have tweezers that are specifically meant for tick removal with you!
Hiking Tip #2: Rattlesnakes are pretty common in this area, so keep an eye on the ground and be careful where you step. We didn’t see any, but always good to be aware!

Stop 2: Peshastin Pinnacles State Park

Drive 12 minutes from Sauer’s Mountain to Peshastin Pinnacles State Park (we arrived around 9 a.m.).
Explore a series of interconnected trails at the base of some massive rock formations. You can go as far or as short distance as you’d like, the views start right away and just get better as you go up with views out across vineyards and the valley below with mountains in the distance.
This hike is very exposed so you’d want to avoid it during peak sun on a super hot summer day, and bring water even though it’s short!
There is a bathroom available at the trailhead as well as picnic tables, so this would make a great pit stop even if you don’t have time or interest in hiking.

Stop 3: Brunch at The Wild Huckleberry Restaurant

By now you’ve surely worked up an appetite! From Peshastin Pinnacles State Park, it’s a 20 minute drive to The Wild Huckleberry restaurant in Wenatchee.
We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and there was a 20 minute wait. There is a boutique below the restaurant that you can peruse while you wait on your table!
Nice cozy little spot, with both outdoor and indoor seating. We got a spot in a porch-type area which was nice.
Shane got the hashbrown omelet, which was INCREDIBLE, and I got the cashew chicken sandwich which was also delicious. We were stuffed by the time we left!
Tip: They have a few different locations, so make sure you type in the right one!

Stop 4: Ohme Gardens

12 min drive from The Wild Huckleberry.
Allow about an hour to explore.
Peaceful setting with a beautiful history. It started small as a labor of love by a husband and wife, and over time grew into so much more!
This isn’t a botanical flower garden, but rather rock gardens, incredible winding stone walkways, reflection pools, and waterfalls.
$8 admission fee.

Stop 5: Malaga Springs Winery

31 minute drive from Ohme Gardens, but it’s pretty scenic along the way. Last stretch is on a gravel road.
When you pull in, you feel like you’ve arrived at a total oasis! Lush, colorful flowers and such a beautiful building in what seemed to us like Spanish-style architecture.
We enjoyed the Blanc de Noir and Sangiovese Rose’ — both perfect for a warm, sunny day.
Plenty of outdoor seating available with views of rolling hills and vineyards.
Indoor seating around a beautiful live-edge bar.
COVID Note: They do not require a face mask indoors, but were very polite about your choice to wear one or not and the server offered to put one on. We just opted to take a glass up to the balcony area rather than sit inside and do a tasting.

Stop 6: Pybus Public Market

Drive 19 minutes from winery to Pybus Market.
Cute market with a handful of vendors (a few were closed when we got there around 4:00 – not sure if it was due to COVID or because of the time).
We were still stuffed from brunch so just bought some specialty olive oil and balsamic vinegar to take home (to go with Shane’s delicious homemade sourdough bread!), and got gelato at one of the vendors called Ice.
The market is located right beside Riverfront Park, so this is also a great time to go for a walk and check that out!

Stop 7: Pear Up Cidery

This place was such a mystery, but turned out to be a cool experience! I saw it mentioned on a few visitor-focused websites, but couldn’t figure out if, and where, they had a tasting room. I sent an email a few days in advance and heard back that we could make a reservation. When we arrived, we thought we were in the wrong place – it seemed to just be a warehouse and there weren’t any signs, but then we noticed the cider-making equipment and received a friendly wave from Kevin, who turned out to be the founder and cider maker! Turns out that they don’t have any kind of fancy tasting room (yet), but he does welcome occasional visitors and otherwise focuses on events (in non-COVID times) and distribution all over the world. This was a very informal experience, but Kevin was so friendly and knowledgeable and shared a lot with us about his story and the product.
He does not currently have the infrastructure to welcome a swarm of visitors, so I would only reach out to him if you’re genuinely interested in his product, eager to hear about his story, and planning to purchase some product to take home.

Stop 8: Sunset Hike at Sage Hills

This was our final stop of the day and it did not disappoint! From Pear Up, it was just a 15 minute drive to the trailhead. We arrived around 6:15 p.m.
Important note on parking: Do NOT park on residential side streets. If the trailhead parking lot is full, park within designated, striped parking on 5th Street ONLY. Do NOT park at the trail entrance at the end of Sage Hills Drive. As always – if you cannot find legal parking, you need to wait for a spot to open, or move on to your plan B!
This was a great option after a long day because the incline is very gradual, and you can go as far or as short as you’d like.
Shane’s watch died so I can’t say exactly how far we hiked, but we walked for 1-1.5 hours and then hung out a bit in a high-density flower area to wait for the sunset colors to light up the sky . . . and boy did they! We weren’t high enough to actually see the sun setting, but the colorful backdrop behind the lush flowers was absolutely incredible.
Sunset was a great time to visit as we only saw a few people on the trail, and even less as the night went on. And the trail was very easy, so we felt safe walking out as it got dark and only used our headlamps for the last 15 minutes or so (but definitely bring them with you!).

Additional suggestions for the Wenatchee and Leavenworth area

As always seems to be the case, there are too many things to do and too little time! If you want to extend your visit, are planning a return visit (we will be!), or just want some other options vs. what we’ve shared above, check out these additional places that we’ve previously enjoyed or that are on our list for the future!

Hikes:
Be sure to do your research and check recent trip reports before planning to do any of these hikes! Remember that snow can linger in the mountains until July or later. Always carry the 10 Essentials and practice Leave No Trace principles.

Ski Hill – good for spring wildflowers (up to 7.3 miles and 1,633′ elevation gain)
Horse Lake Reserve – good for spring wildflowers (5.2 miles and 700′ elevation gain)
Icicle Ridge – good for spring wildflowers (6 miles and 1,800′ elevation gain)
Saddle Rock – hike amongst craggy, pointed rocks and enjoy views out over Wenatchee. Good for early season hiking (2 miles and 920′ elevation gain)
Icicle Gorge Nature Loop – easier option along a beautiful river, can be accessible but still snowy in late spring / early summer (4.2 miles and 150′ elevation gain)
Colchuck Lake – beautiful turquoise alpine lake in The Enchantments, safely accessible in summer and fall only. Extremely popular – go early or on a weekday and have a plan B (8 miles and 2,280′ elevation gain)
Minotaur Lake – short, but very steep hike, accessible in summer and fall (3.5 miles and 1,905′ elevation gain)

Food & Drink:

Bushel & Bee Taproom (Leavenworth)
Silvara Cellars (Leavenworth)
Icicle Brewing Company (Leavenworth)
Valley Cafe (Leavenworth)
Phillippi Ciderhouse & Distillery (Wenatchee)
McGlinn’s Public House (Wenatchee)
Brewer’s Row (Wenatchee)
Sage Hills Bakery (Wenatchee)
Martin Scott Winery (Wenatchee)
Union Hill Cider Co. (Wenatchee)
Bianchi Vineyards (Wenatchee)

Other:

Swiftwater Picnic Area – beautiful scenic spot to stretch your legs, use the restroom, and/or have a picnic along Tumwater Canyon on US-2, between Lake Wenatchee State Park and Leavenworth.
River tubing in Leavenworth – if you’re visiting during the summer, this is such a fun activity! We’ll have a guide on this coming soon and will add the link here once it’s live.