A Week In the Life of A Local

Are you curious how the locals of the Lake Chelan Valley live in a typical week? Living in Lake Chelan means you likely have a tight knit group of friends and community members. A strong sense of belonging can be hard to find, but Lake Chelan locals do it right. It’s not uncommon to know most of the people you see while grabbing your morning coffee or to run into pals at the bar for a drink after work. This month, we’re taking you through a week in the life of a local.

Sunday

Ah, Sunday Funday. It’s the day of the week where half the locals are relaxing and the other half are working hard, serving the crowd brunches, late lunches, and extravagant dinners. On the clock, your local servers are giving their all to provide you with excellent and timely service. Off the clock? They’re probably planning to head to a winery themselves to decompress after a busy week.

Monday

Besides holiday weekends like Labor Day and Memorial Day, Mondays are notoriously quiet. Some restaurants even take this day off to recoup from the weekend and prepare for the coming week. You can find locals taking full advantage of a quiet valley – lounging by the water at Don Morse Park or tasting wine, cider, or beer around the valley. Those who work in the service industry take the recommendations they make to visitors very seriously, so doing their homework is serious business.

Tuesday

An early morning climb to Elephant’s Head is always a great start to the day. Grabbing an early start to beat the heat is key to this local favorite. Whether squeezing in a hike before work or enjoying a leisurely trek on a day off, locals in the valley love to frequent this tried-and-true trail for a good workout and epic views.

Wednesday

How do locals get through that midweek slump, you ask? Wednesday night trivia at Stormy Mountain Brewing is a popular activity among locals, young and old. It’s a great mid-week way to see friends and alleviate some of the stress of the workweek over a pint or two. Stormy Mountain Brewing is family-friendly, and their trivia nights are fun for all ages!

Thursday

Stocking up before a busy weekend is a widely used local strategy. Locals often pop into stores like Bear Foods, The Meat Shop, or the Red Apple Market to grab any essentials for the upcoming weekend. Drinks, snacks, dinner ingredients, the whole nine yards. It makes the weekend a breeze when you don’t have to worry about standing in long lines. And don’t even think about leaving Bear Foods Market without a bag of fresh popcorn seasoned your way!

Friday & Saturday

Weekends can look a little different to residents of the valley, especially in the summer months. The town is buzzing with life and music, but you might be surprised to learn that many locals lay low on busy weekend evenings. Tired from a long week at work or anticipating a busy weekend ahead of them, residents of the valley often spend this time relaxing and recharging. It’s not one size fits all, though. Some locals love to take in the nightlife as much as anyone. You’ll see them out to dinner with family or dancing to live music with friends at The Vogue.

Ask any locals you come across and they’ll tell you the magic is in the closeness of a small community made up of good friends and neighbors. For many, it doesn’t matter what they’re doing, as long as they’re surrounded by good friends and gorgeous Lake Chelan views. Doesn’t sound half bad, does it?