We were delightfully surprised that we picked such a great time of year for Leavenworth! It wasn’t too hot, the river was at a great level, and there were plenty of not-too-crowded dog-friendly places to eat.
Dog-friendly accommodations in Leavenworth: Sleeping Lady Resort
On beautiful grounds outside of the hustle and bustle of the main part of town, Sleeping Lady Resort is perfect for kids and dogs. (Be sure to request a dog-friendly room.)
Our cabin/room wasn’t large, but had plenty of beds and a small fridge. The smaller cabin space encouraged lots of outside time in the many gathering spots around the property.
The kids played in the pool each afternoon. (Dogs aren’t allowed in the pool area but the kids were old enough to go alone.) We sat on comfortable couches outdoors in the evenings and played board games. One evening it rained, so we played board games in the library.
There are several other indoor and outdoor spaces as well as an on-site farm-to-table restaurant that allows dogs on its patio. The Grotto bar on site has great pizza and a large patio under the trees.
We also walked the dogs around the property in the mornings to stretch their legs and do their business.
Walking the dogs on the Sleeping Lady Resort grounds
Dany exploring Sleeping Lady Resort
Playing games in one of the many gathering spaces
Looking up the river from the resort
Having breakfast on O’Grady’s patio
Shopping and dining in the town of Leavenworth
Touristy Leavenworth can get really busy during summer and winter. We missed high season slightly and decided to take advantage of the many great shopping and dining options in this cute Bavarian-style town.
Dogs are welcome just about everywhere (dining outdoors only) and there were some beautiful trails along the river walking distance from town. One trail goes through the trees around a small uninhabited island.
Our dogs loved the beach along the river here, especially water dog, Dany.
The bridge to Blackbird Island
Resting along the river trail
Was it a river float or a swimming opp?
We chose Leavenworth Outdoor Center for river tubing because we found them located in the Waterfront Park parking lot. We chose the 4-mile tubing route down the Icicle and Wenatchee Rivers.
They drove us up to our drop off point in a van without windows, outfitted us with tubes, and we were on our way. They also rent paddle boards which looks like a fun option. There is no extra charge for supply and dog tubes to take along with you, so Dany got her own tube. I’m not sure she was that thrilled with this idea. (Dakota stayed back at the cabin since he’s not big on water floating.)
My poor husband attached Dany’s raft to his and she kept trying to jump off, so we stopped several times to give her a chance to swim. The river was pretty shallow in places and there were plenty of beaches to do this safely. This allowed us to extend our day on the water, too.
Overall, floating down the river was a great experience. If you go, be sure to go around Blackbird Island.
Hiking in Icicle Valley
One day we drove up Icicle Road to a family and dog-friendly hike. Sleeping Lady Resort is along Icicle Road, so we were already part way there, but it still took about 30 minutes to reach our hike.
We chose Icicle Gorge Nature Loop and it did not disappoint. It’s a popular trail probably because it doesn’t have a lot of elevation gain. The river and gorge are so pretty. We hiked up one side of the river, crossed a bridge and returned along the other side. We found a beach to allow for some water play along the way.
Taking a swim break
Where we ate in Leavenworth
- Crepe Cafe Sisters – A large menu full of sweet and savory crepes. We went ther several times for the gluten and dairy free crepes.
- South Mexican Restaurant – We loved the food and margaritas on its cute dog-friendly patio. Enter from the back with dogs.
- Viscontis Italian – Dogs aren’t allowed here, but the food and service was really good. Make reservations.
- Yodelin – This was my favorite for their delicious, super healthy selection and patio with a view.
- O’Grady’s Pantry – We enjoyed the breakfast on this nice patio at Sleeping Lady Resort with farm to table food.
- Leavenworth Pizza Company – We ordered a couple of pizzas and ate them on the patio at Sleeping Lady Resort. It was delicious!
The patio at Yodelin
The view from Yodelin
