Cashmere

Tucked between strip-mall Wenatchee [1] and Bavarian-mall Leavenworth [2], tiny Cashmere (pop. 3,000) has long featured a Colonial American theme on its buildings. Highway 2 between Leavenworth and Cashmere is lined with fruit orchards (visit in late April to enjoy the trees in bloom); the dry climate helps produce the finest D’Anjou pears in America.

A half dozen fruit stands sell fresh apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, and berries in season. Because of this fruit production, Cashmere [3] was a logical place to establish a business that produces a confection made from fruit juice, walnuts, and powdered sugar—the treats known as Aplets and Cotlets [4].

Getting to Cashmere

Catch an inexpensive Link bus (800/851-5465, www.linktransit.com [5]) for connections from Cashmere to other parts of Chelan and Douglas Counties, including Leavenworth [2], Wenatchee [1], and Lake Chelan [6].

Cascade Helitours (509/548-4759) provides scenic helicopter flights over the Cascades out of Cashmere.