This post is sponsored by Sleeping Lady Resort. As always, all opinions are my own.
If you follow me on Instagram you probably caught a glimpse of our recent adventure to Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort in Leavenworth, Washington. It was spectacular and I’m excited to give you the scoop on this darling Bavarian town and the fabulous resort we stayed at!
If you missed the photos and videos on my Instagram stories, you’ll find many of them saved under the “pnw” tab on my Instagram highlights when you view Instagram through your phone app :)
Now, the reason behind our getaway to Leavenworth? My mom’s milestone birthday! This awesome lady just turned 60!
My sisters and I wanted to surprise her with an experience kind of birthday gift and a girl’s only (plus Eli) getaway seemed to be the perfect thing. We planned two days of fun and relaxation and on her birthday, one week before we departed, we told her the plan.
- An afternoon in downtown Leavenworth
- A buffet-style dinner at Sleeping Lady’s restaurant, Kingfisher
- The Sound of Music on stage in an outdoor amphitheater with the “Swiss Alps” in the background
- An overnight at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort
- Breakfast at Kingfisher
- A hike on Icicle Gorge Loop
- And one last stop in downtown Leavenworth
We were ready for a whirlwind of celebration!
Much of our planning was guided by the amazing staff at Sleeping Lady. They were beyond kind in answering my questions and helping me determine the best itinerary for our trip. I got great food recommendations from them and they’re the ones who told me about the Icicle Gorge Loop hike that we loved.
We rolled into Leavenworth just in time for lunch and shared a pizza at Blewett Brewing Company. Whatever pizza you choose, get a side of their house-made ranch – so very good! We perused the darling downtown of Leavenworth, snatching up a few Bavarian souvenirs and then drove the few minutes to Sleeping Lady.
Sleeping Lady is tucked into the Cascade Mountains along Icicle Creek. It’s picturesque to say the least. The resort is named after the mountains profile – it’s pretty distinct, see it above? We were easily able to spot the “sleeping lady” in the range just beyond the resort’s office. It was like looking for shapes in the clouds, but rather, in the mountains! We checked into our room, a Loft that sleeps up to five, and followed the paths through the forest-scape to dinner.
And that is where we shall pause and begin swooning …
Kingfisher Restaurant & Wine Bar is probably one of the best meals I have ever had. Perfectly cooked leg of lamb with chimichurri sauce, za’tar crusted halibut with lemon and herb tahini, and a bounty of fresh vegetables – roasted and prepared in salads and hummus – most of which come straight from Sleeping Lady’s 2-acre organic garden. And the desserts! My oh my!
I won’t tempt you too much with the specific menu because it changes often based on local fare and the chef’s inspiration. But I can assure you, Kingfisher will not disappoint. I’m currently crafting a plan to take Dominic for a meal sometime soon because you can eat at Kingfisher as a guest of Sleeping Lady or not. Just call for reservations! It’s the perfect place to enjoy the mountains and celebrate a special birthday, promotion, or milestone. Or, go just because! And don’t forget, it’s buffet style so arrive hungry!
On the note of celebrations, since we were in Leavenworth to celebrate my mom’s 60th, Kingfisher honored her milestone birthday with a special dessert. Just look at this decadent chocolate cake adorned with figs and berries!
After dinner, I retired to our room with Eli and my sisters took my mom to The Sound of Music … the theater doesn’t allow children under the age of 5. Oh the sacrifices I make for my children!
Eli took a bath and we snuggled into the super comfy bed. Honestly, it was really sweet to have one on one time with him. I’m normally juggling lots of kids at bedtime so I loved not being rushed or interrupted.
Sleeping Lady has a quaint, rustic feel and includes all the amenities you’d expect from a resort, plus some great extras! Although we were in the mountains, internet worked wonderfully (always important since my job relies heavily on a strong internet connection!) and my sister was excited to see a warming towel bar in the bathroom! Plus, the loft was a fun room design, especially if you have older kids.
Everyone slipped in shortly before 11pm and although I didn’t see the show, my mom and sisters reported that it was spectacular … not to be missed (which means I’ll surely be going back someday!). Sleeping Lady recommended that they get tickets in the upper third of the seating area so they could see the mountains behind the stage. Apparently this was near perfection, especially as the sun set and the audience joined in on the final song. Thank you for the tip, Sleeping Lady! It gave them a very “Alps” experience. They did mention that it’s wise to give yourself extra time in getting to your seats because you park in a lot and take a little walk up the hill to where the amphitheater is. Also, the seats are hard, but you can buy $1 cushions. So, bring a dollar :)
Even though I didn’t catch the show this time, I did hum Edelweiss to Eli as he drifted off to sleep. And, now I have an excuse to visit Leavenworth again … sans children or perhaps someday with all of them. Gotta keep the classics alive!
Eli woke early, per usual, so he and I snuck out for a walk before breakfast. Throughout Sleeping Lady Resort there are many paved trails and we followed them to the rock pool, the organic garden, the spa, the art walk, and the play barn. And that play barn is the neatest place! A room full of board games and tables and a stage complete with costumes and puppet scene for kids to let their imaginations fly! Truly, when you visit Sleeping Lady, you don’t have to leave the resort to find fun and adventure, it’s all right there on the grounds!
After our dinner at Kingfisher I was definitely interested in seeing the organic garden. We just kicked off our first one at home and I knew Sleeping Lady’s garden would be picture perfect.
Yep, I was right.
It was fun to see where the veggies from our dinner and flowers from our table vases had come from. You can tell the garden is a work of love and expertise. This element, in conjunction with our dining experience, was definitely my favorite.
Which, brings me to breakfast! Another buffet-style meal well done! I’m 100% a breakfast person. I love everything about breakfast foods and Kingfisher did not disappoint. Coffee was spot on, the veggie scramble divine, the roasted potatoes and veggies perfectly seasoned, the oatmeal and topping options complete, bacon and sausage top notch, and pastry bar a dream. Yes, I sampled, and loved, it all! My mom was all about the bagels and lox and my sister gave the pancakes and fruit spread two thumbs up.
Our leisurely morning resulted in it being time for us to check out after breakfast, but we swapped our room key for an amenities key and decided to spend some time at the rock pools. This was my sister’s favorite activity of the weekend. We just lounged and visited and soaked up the peace of the outdoors. Eli nursed and napped. The day was warming up but it was so refreshing to be near the pool and hear the waterfall. Definitely carve out time for the rock pools when you visit Sleeping Lady!
To cap off our adventure, we loaded up the car and trekked into the Wenatchee National Forest to find Icicle Gorge Loop. Loop hikes are my favorite since you get a new view the whole time and this hike is now one of my favorites of the season!
We hiked along Icicle Creek for 4.2 miles with Eli in the BOB jogger, crossing a bridge and following the winding path through the forest along our way. This hike is definitely kid friendly and the only hiccup we ran into with the stroller was one patch of mud that we had to carry him over. I usually backpack Eli on our hikes, but it was so warm and he’s gotten so big that I decided to take advantage of the stroller since this hike accommodated it. It was a good choice! My regular stroller could have managed it, but I definitely recommend taking something with larger, more durable wheels if you go the stroller route on this hike.
We were famished by the time we made it back to the car and buzzed into Leavenworth for a quick bite at Fresh Burger Cafe. The onion rings were the best! Definitely upgrade to those!
And then, we bid adieu to Sleeping Lady, Leavenworth, and about 100 good memories! This, was a getaway to remember!
Accommodations and some meals were provided at no cost to us in exchange for our review. Thank you Sleeping Lady Resort for hosting us for such a special weekend!