Leavenworth, Washington is a charming Bavarian town in the mountains of Central Washington State. Originally hunting and fishing grounds for the Yakama, Chinook and Wenatchi tribes, the area wasn’t settled by people of European decent until the end of the 19th century. They came for gold, trees and fur and a small village called Icicle Flats began to grow. It took the name Leavenworth after a Portland based surveyor who laid out the streets. The town would boom and then bust with the arrival and then the departure of the railroad. Struggling to survive after World War II, Leavenworth embarked on a bold journey to create a themed Bavarian-style town with the hope of bringing tourism to town. This took a huge investment of time and money, but today over 3 million visitors come to stroll the village, shop, and enjoy the many dining and entertainment options on offer. Yes, it is touristy and a little silly but in the best possible way. During my visit I saw so many people walk into town with a huge smile on their faces as they left their troubles behind. I know I enjoyed my stay and it’s a town I will definitely return to in the future. Leavenworth is a Bavarian dream in the heart of Chelan County. I hope you enjoy these photos from my visit:
Helen, Georgia is a fascinating and beautiful place and a real tribute to creativity in tourism initiatives. With a population of around 500, Helen is the third most visited city in all of Georgia. Helen was a dying lumber town in January of 1969 when three local businessmen met to discuss the future of their town. They wondered how they could attract tourism to the area, and thought maybe if they spruced up Main Street a bit, they might entice people to stop for a night or a meal on their way to or from the mountains. One of these men contacted John Kollock, an artist whose family had roots in the region. They asked John if he could make a few sketches and suggest a good direction for the town. John looked at the town, nestled in a beautiful mountain valley, and it reminded him of Bavarian towns he had seen in Germany during his time in the service. His sketches were well received and by that fall, the town had a new facade. Tourists started to come, and have kept coming. Today, over three million people visit Helen every year, so I’d say tourism is working for them. There is plenty of normal tourist trap hullabaloo around town, but some really beautiful buildings as well. Heck, even the Huddle House looks like it fell out of a Fairy Tale. You can get a pretty decent German meal, and definitely a Liter of good German beer. I really loved seeing this place sprucing up for Christmas and my camera loved it as well. I thought I was going to make this a quick stop and ended up there for hours. Helen is a charming little town, well worth a detour. I’m glad I visited. I hope you enjoy these photos from Helen!
It was the first snowy Sunday morning of the season as I drove up West Virginia Route 46 and pulled into the tiny town of Helvetia, population 59. Helvetia was settled by a small group of Swiss immigrants high in the West Virginia mountains just after the American Civil War. The isolation of Helvetia has certainly helped the residents continue many of their Swiss traditions, and I was there to enjoy one: the Bernerplatte buffet lunch at The Hutte Restaurant.
Arriving on a snowy morning was perfect as it added just that little extra touch of authenticity to my visit. I pulled off the highway and went for a wonderful walk around this small community...
