Things to Do in Lake Chelan in Winter

The large, crystal-blue lake lures people during warmer weather, but I love visiting Lake Chelan in winter. There are less crowds, fun wintery outdoor activities, exciting events, and, the best part, the whole lakeside landscape is blanketed in picturesque snow.

Read on to find out my favorite things to do in Lake Chelan in winter.

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First, some logistics. Lake Chelan is about a 3.5 hour drive east of Seattle. It boasts 300 days of sun and is known for wine tasting and water activities given the town surrounds one of the deepest lakes in the United States.

Most people just say they’re going to “Chelan”, but there are actually a few different towns around Lake Chelan. Chelan, the town proper, is on the eastern-most tip of the lake equal distance from what locals call the north shore and the south shore. It has a lot of small town charm, but it’s where you’ll find the biggest concentration of shops and restaurants.

Manson, WA is on the north shore about 12-15 minutes from the town of Chelan. While there are more restaurants in Chelan, I actually prefer to stay in Manson on the north shore because it’s less crowded and has some amazing wineries.

Best Things to Do in Lake Chelan in Winter

Want me to plan you a custom trip? Let me take the research and planning off your hands and put together an itinerary for your perfect winter getaway!

If you want to plan your own escape, here are the must-do winter activities in Chelan.

Rent a dreamy Lake Chelan cabin

You can find great places to stay in Lake Chelan year round, but there’s something magical about snuggling up in a cozy cabin when it’s snowy. My favorite place of them all?

Chelan Valley Farms in Manson.

This family farm is owned by husband and wife, Jeana and Chad. They have a modern cabin rental right on their property next to the house they live in with their two sons and sweet dogs.

I’m obsessed with their cabin because it looks like something Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper would design. It’s mostly white with minimalist, but thoughtful farmhouse-inspired decor items. It’s clean as hell and has the most comfortable bedding I’ve ever slept in (seriously…I need to ask them where they got that down comforter!). There’s even a cozy gas stove that you can turn on and snuggle up next to when watching a movie!

Their charming Lake Chelan cabin rental sits on a hill overlooking fields and breathtaking views of Rose Lake. During the growing season you’ll find u-pick pumpkins and apples, flower fields they use for their flower CSA, and rows of grapes. Chad will even take you on a driving tour of the farm and show you the process for graphing apples, regardless of the season!

Jeana and Chad harvested their first grapes in fall 2020 to use in their new wine label, Lagrioth Wines. They also built out a tasting room, so you’re staying on a working winery! If you’re looking for a unique place to stay in Lake Chelan, I can’t recommend Chelan Valley Farms enough.

Book Chelan Valley Farms

Go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing

Remember I said that Lake Chelan in winter is magical because of the snowy landscape dotting the valley around the lake? Well you can get up close and personal with those views on cross-country skis or snowshoes.

One of my favorite places to go is Echo Ridge Recreation Area about 30 minutes from Manson, WA. You can rent cross-country skis or snowshoes from Lake Chelan Sports for under $20 per person per day and use them to discover 25 miles of groomed trails overlooking hills and valleys. This is one of the best cross-country skiing areas in Washington state and my favorite trail network I’ve been on.

My favorite trail is Nowhere to Hide that weaves around the edge of the mountain and offers uninterrupted views of snow covered mountains. And there’s a yurt right at the start of it where you’ll find the local nordic club serving soup on sporadic Sundays in January and February if you’re lucky (note, they took a break for 2024, but hope to come back in 2025)! If this doesn’t turn Echo Ridge Nordic Ski Area into one of the best wintery Lake Chelan activities, I don’t know what does!

Echo Ridge Recreation Area also has snowshoe trails for those that would prefer a more leisurely pace than cross-country skiing.

Pro tip: Parking is $15 per vehicle. You can buy passes at the parking lot. Note, the drive up to the ridge is steep, so 4×4 vehicles and/or snow tires are recommended.

Go tubing or learn downhill skiing

If you’re a new skier or snowboarder or have kids in tow, you can also stop at the Echo Valley Ski Area right before the Echo Ridge trailhead for some downhill ski or snowboard action.

There’s also a tubing hill for those who want to feel the wind in their hair. A full day of Echo Valley ski tubing is only $15 per person so you can ride to your heart’s content!

Get Chelan’s best breakfast sans the crowds

Obviously one of my favorite Lake Chelan activities is eating. Less than 5 minutes from Chelan Valley Farms in Manson is Blueberry Hills. They’re a blueberry farm that offers u-pick in the summer and makes various blueberry-based food and home products. But what they’re known best for is their cafe that makes the best breakfast in Lake Chelan.

Visiting Lake Chelan in winter means you can avoid waiting the 1+ hour line for a table that is the norm in the summer. There was still a bit of a crowd come 9 am when we visit in January, but we got a table immediately.

When you go, make sure to get their blueberry cinnamon roll and Pepe scramble, the latter of which has ground beef, bacon, and sausage.

Blueberry Hills is but one of many best restaurants in Lake Chelan, so get ready for some great eats!

Attend a Lake Chelan winter festival

Lake Chelan has events all year, but some of their most popular are in the winter. The most iconic is Lake Chelan Winterfest. This annual event is held over 2 weekends in middle-to-late January. It typically includes a lot of wine tasting, ice carving, fireworks, and family activities.

My favorite activity at Lake Chelan Winterfest is the wine tasting. Most of the Lake Chelan wineries participate, so it’s a great way to taste a bunch in one day!

If you can’t make it for Winterfest, a few weeks later in February is Lake Chelan Wine Valley’s annual Month of Love where you’ll find chocolate and wine pairings at various participating wineries throughout Lake Chelan Valley.

Lastly, food lovers will want to prioritize visiting in March for Taste Chelan. During Washington Wine Month participating wineries partner with local restaurants to pair small bites with their wines.

Visit Lake Chelan wineries

The most popular Lake Chelan activity any season is wine tasting. The land around Lake Chelan is super fertile, which makes it an ideal location for growing grapes.

There are more than 20 wineries dotting the north and south shores of Lake Chelan, and most of them grow their own grapes. While many are open during the winter, some of my favorites like Nefarious Cellars are closed or have limited hours. So if it’s important to you to visit certain wineries, make sure to check before you head out or pick a weekend during one of the Lake Chelan winter events when most wineries are open.

Here’s a list of the best wineries in Lake Chelan to help you plan your visit.

If wine isn’t your thing, there are some breweries and cideries in Lake Chelan. I’m not the biggest cider fan, but I discovered Rootwood Cider and loved how their ciders aren’t too sweet or fermented. If you go, make sure to get their ciders with hops in it!

Explore Riverwalk Park

During the summer you’ll find a ton of people on the paved trail in Riverwalk Park that weaves along the lake’s shore starting near downtown Chelan. I like avoiding people and the steely gray color of the water against the snow, so taking a walk during the winter season to take in a breathtaking view of Lake Chelan is a must do!

Visit charming towns nearby

I love visiting Lake Chelan in winter because it also is a great starting point for exploring these other winter wonderlands in the area:

Drive the hour south to explore Wenatchee, WA, which also has a thriving winery scene and is close to the Mission Ridge Ski Resort.
Visit twinkling Christmas display lights and explore my favorite wineries and restaurants in Leavenworth about 1.5 hours away from Lake Chelan. There are a ton of things to do in winter in Leavenworth!
Travel the ~2 hours northeast to Winthrop, WA in the Methow Valley, home to some of the best cross-country skiing in Washington, a winter Hot Air Balloon Festival, and great Winthrop, WA restaurants.

Map of Lake Chelan winter activities

To give you a visual perspective of the area, here’s my map of Lake Chelan. It includes my full list of Lake Chelan activities, restaurants, and wineries, including some places on my radar to try. But above is my short list of the best things to do in Lake Chelan in winter!

More wintry destinations in the PNW

Once you explore these things to do in Lake Chelan in winter, check out these other places in the Pacific Northwest perfect for a winter escape.

Disclaimer: The Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce invited me to Chelan to check out Winterfest and paid for my meals and accommodations during one of my trips. However, I’ve been to Lake Chelan multiple times on my own, so you can trust my recommendations are what I’d suggest without the endorsement. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Emerald Palate going!