I’ve been to 3 Bavarian-style villages in the US. They’re charming, but only one made me feel like I was in Germany.
I felt transported to Europe while in Leavenworth, Washington.
In the past year, I spent time in three of America’s most popular Bavarian-inspired towns: Frankenmuth, Michigan; Helen, Georgia; and Leavenworth, Washington.
Each offered a fun chance to stroll an alpine village in the US without a passport.
I loved exploring these European-style towns, but as someone who’s visited Germany several times, only one made me truly feel like I was back at Oktoberfest.
Frankenmuth, Michigan, offered wintery vibes but lacked an alpine landscape.
I grew up visiting Frankenmuth, Michigan.
I grew up in Michigan and visited the delightful German-inspired town of Frankenmuth several times in my youth.
After not visiting for years, I went back last December and found that the city was still very darling, with Bavarian-style architecture and a glockenspiel that signals the time regularly.
It snowed during my visit, and the light dusting of white atop the holiday decor helped me feel like I was in Europe.
Unfortunately, the area doesn’t have mountains, making it feel a bit less immersive.
The town is home to the “world’s largest Christmas store,” which is worth a visit any time of year.
Frankenmuth is home to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland.
Christmas ornaments may have originated in Germany, but Frankenmuth has a lot to offer anyone looking to deck their halls this holiday season.
The town’s Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is more than 7 acres and calls itself the “world’s largest Christmas store.” It has thousands of items for sale in its endless rows of ornaments and decor.
Helen, Georgia, has a backdrop of rolling hills and a pleasant year-round climate.
Helen, Georgia, has a beautiful mountain backdrop.
Northern Georgia is home to the alpine town of Helen.
I found a hillier landscape that better evoked feelings of Bavaria. The town’s cobblestone streets and beer halls made this an enchanting getaway spot.
Helen’s relatively warm year-round weather drew me there in early spring. I enjoyed beautiful, sunny weather that was more appealing than what’s found in more northern towns like Frankenmuth at that time.
With daytime highs topping 70 degrees Fahrenheit during my stay, Helen is much warmer than Munich in April.
It’s close to wineries and outdoor adventures, which enhanced my stay.
Helen has many wineries.
Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Helen offers a variety of outdoor adventures, ranging from waterfall hikes to tubing.
The area is also home to many wineries, which made it a great option for my annual girls’ trip.
Leavenworth, Washington, felt bigger than I expected, and its theming was on point.
Leavenworth is breathtaking.
Breathtaking mountain scenery? Check.
Charming Bavarian-inspired buildings? Check.
German eateries slinging up hefty liters of beer? Check.
When it comes to enjoying authentic year-round Oktoberfest vibes in the US, nowhere beats Leavenworth’s charm and European-style beauty.
Set in the Cascade Mountains, the town offers a rugged landscape just begging to be explored.
I visited in the summer when hiking and careening along the town’s alpine coaster was on the agenda, but the region also offers great skiing in the winter.
Even though Leavenworth is technically smaller than Helen and Frankenmuth by square miles, it felt the largest to me because of how much it has to offer.
The heart of the downtown area was free from vehicle traffic, making it very walkable.
Of the cities I visited, Leavenworth is the only one that made me feel like I was in Europe.
Leavenworth has excellent beer gardens.
I fell in love with this adorable town as I walked its pedestrian-friendly streets, passing a statue of a lederhosen-clad bear and restaurants filled with cheerful accordion music.
Leavenworth really transported me back to my past visits to Bavaria.
My husband and I enjoyed skipping between beer gardens and munching on giant pretzels — just like we did on our honeymoon in Munich.
