Methow Valley Ciderhouse
The home of the best cider in the Northwest, and the usual spot for the Friday Night Shindig!
The Ciderhouse is very family-friendly and their backyard has fun things for “kids” like hula hoops. There’s plenty of room for dancing, running around, hanging out, finding a quiet corner, you name it.
Details: Dogs are welcome but they have their own doggie park area to be off-leash. Kid friendly except for the area right next to the bar itself.
The Old Schoolhouse Brewery
The Old Schoolhouse Brewery is right in the middle of Winthrop, so it’s in walking distance from just about every hotel and from the campgrounds. As small and quaint as it looks from the front, you may be surprised by the large patio in the back that overlooks the Chewuch River. The Log Jam stage houses music acts from around the region.
Jupiter & Observatory Inn (formerly Duck Brand)
This great old restaurant and hotel recently changed hands and is being renovated. One side is being currently set up as a coffee shop and bakery, but it looks like the main area is being redone for dining. We’ll see how far they get for September! These are the folks who made the Copper Glance.
It’s just down the hill under the Shafer Museum, so if you don’t mind stairs, you can go straight up the hill and end up at the RV camp.
The hotel is called the Observatory Inn – there are a lot of stairs, so if you need mobility assistance this is probably not a great place to stay. Other than that, it’s a fun and quirky place to stay. They do a contactless, self check-in.
Shafer Museum
This museum is a Wild-West/Steampunk heaven!
There are tons of old mining machinery and farming devices in an outdoor display; preserved and replicated buildings and rooms full of items from Winthrop’s Victorian days, from a doctor’s office to a fine parlor to the general store.
If you’ve seen the pictures from last year’s photoshoot, this is where most of it happened. Whether or not you take part in the photoshoot on Sunday, you should stop in and have a look around.
Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon
The oldest legal saloon in Washington State, the drinks may not be fancy but it does have history.
There’s a family friendly dining side and the bar side with a fun old west atmosphere. Big screen TV, cocktails, 9 drafts, pool tables, breakfast, pizza, steaks, burgers and more.
Winthrop Main Street
The main street of Winthrop is pretty much a real-life wild west set. Some of the buildings are original, some have been made to match. There are boardwalks and plenty of photo opportunities.
The Copper Glance
Open from 4-9pm (kitchen until 8), this is the place for craft cocktails and locally sourced small plate dinners. It’s a small place, but high quality. It also has a little bit of a steampunk vibe.
The Methow Valley
A truly beautiful river valley with a lot of history – any excuse to spend time here is a good one. The views are gorgeous, the river goes right through Winthrop, and if you are into camping, climbing, fishing, hunting, hiking, snowshoeing, etc. this is a dream location. These days you can also get plenty of good food, wine tasting, and shopping too so it’s the best of both worlds.
The North Cascades Highway
This route on Highway 20 is considered one of the best scenic drives in the United States – in fact it was the first to be designated a National Scenic Highway!
Only open in the summer (people anxiously await news of the reopening each spring), it’s a drive that should not be missed, especially if you live in the Northwest.
Not only are the views spectacular, there is a remote town up high in the mountains called Newhalem that has a distinctly Steampunk vibe; it’s a company town owned by Seattle City Light and populated entirely by employees of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. So there’s an amazing dam and old-school powerhouse there, and a big steam engine right in the middle of it all.
Well worth getting on the road early on Friday and having a stop there.
