Waterfront activities, local history, and wine tastings give a stay in Chelan several distinct highlights. You can swim and go boating at Don Morse Park; the Chelan Museum is housed in a building with a history dating back to its original use as a bank. You can shape your days around whether time by the water, cultural interests, or culinary discoveries are your priority.

Waterfront Parks and Activities

Don Morse Park has 2,000 feet of waterfront and covers 40 acres. You can swim and go boating there. Amenities include a sandy beach, jet ski and motorboat rentals, and stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals. Tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts add to the waterside activities. This combination is an option if you want to include water activities and court sports in your day’s plans.

Lakeside Park also has a sandy beach, along with paths, a playground, and a swimming area. A seasonal boat launch is available for non-motorized boats. The Green, a professional 18-hole grass putting course, is also located on Lake Chelan. Alongside swimming, boating, and the court sports at Don Morse Park, these offer additional specific activities to choose from.

History and Culture

The Chelan Museum is housed in a building constructed in 1907, originally home to the Miners & Merchants Bank. Its former use as a bank gives the building its own local history. The museum also displays baskets, clothing, arrowheads, and tools of Native Americans. The same museum brings together the history of the building and a selection of objects from Indigenous American communities.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered the oldest continuously standing structure in Chelan. Together with the museum’s former bank building, it offers a second perspective on the town’s history, with the church as a historic structure in its own right.

Wine and Culinary Discoveries

Regionally, the Lake Chelan AVA has more than 40 wineries and 300 acres of vineyards. In Chelan, Tsillan Cellars offers tastings in its tasting room or on its outdoor patio. Lake Chelan Winery offers wine tastings and a vineyard barbecue. The Chelan Food Trail is a short loop that can be completed in an afternoon. For culinary discoveries, you can either consider individual tasting options or set aside an afternoon for the loop.

Start a Hike by Ferry

To start a hike, you can take the Lady of the Lake ferry from Chelan to Stehekin. If you plan to do so, check the schedule separately before your trip.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

If you’re looking for a hotel in Chelan, first decide which focus matters to you: time in the parks, local history, or wine and food. You can then plan how to divide your days and decide which of the activities described you’d like to include.

Discover more destinations: Leavenworth, Manson, Cashmere, Peshastin, Wenatchee

Return to the main travel overview: Chelan County.