Crystal clear waters, high desert beauty, and adventure in the mountains all define Bend Oregon as one of Oregon’s top vacation destinations. Bend is known for it’s breweries, cabins, mountain biking, and the many gorgeous lakes nearby.
Bend Oregon (An Unofficial Guide)
Bend is the perfect spot to use as a basecamp for adventure. Whether you want to hike to a waterfall, tackle a challenging mountain bike trail, go kayaking, or bungee jump off a bridge, Bend is the place to do it.
Things To Do Near Bend Oregon
Hiking And Biking Near Bend Oregon
Shevlin Park
Shevlin Park is a great spot to relax, have a picnic, or take a stroll down a pretty nature trail. Visitors enjoy bird watching, wildlife viewing, and forest bathing here. Shevlin Park is also the filming location for an iconic scene from the Disney movie Homeward Bound.
Hike To Chush Falls
The hike to Chush Falls is a five mile round trip. This picturesque waterfall is well worth the hike and is not usually too crowded.
Explore Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Photo by Matt Cook with permission. Copyright Matt Cook. https://www.instagram.com/mattcookoregon/
This volcanic monument is an Oregon Gem full of volcanic vents, hot springs, lakes, waterfalls, and lava tubes.
The monument was created in 1990 to protect this geological wonderland from environmentally harmful projects.
Eruptions have been happening here for the last 400,000 years, leaving a diverse and beautiful landscape for us to appreciate and explore.
See The Lava Cast Forest
An easy paved trail will take you through this forest that was cast in lava. Molten Lava poured over a forest here thousands of years ago, surrounding the trees and then hardening, making these lava casts.
Photo by Tjflex2 via Flickr CC2.
Take note that a recreation pass is required to park.
Mountain Bike Bend
There are hundreds of miles of mountain biking trails in and around Bend to explore. Some are easy trails, others are for experienced riders as they are technical and challenging. Check out this map of some of the best mountain biking trails in Bend Oregon.
Relax At Sparks Lake
Sparks Lake is absolutely gorgeous, and features stunning mountain views and a great place to paddle.
This pretty lake sits along the Cascade Lakes Highway not far from Bend, and has a view of South Sister, Broken Top, and Mount Bachelor.
See Tumalo Falls
The trail to Tumalo Falls via Tumalo Creek is a moderate 6.5 mile out and back trail, so plan to spend the day hiking. This trail sees a lot of traffic in the summer and has a 583 elevation gain. There’s a fee to park.
Other Things To Do Near Bend Oregon
Bend Festivals
Every year around May people flock to Bend for the famous Bend Brewfest.
Bend is one of several cities in Oregon known for it’s breweries, so it’s the perfect spot for a festival that features over 60 breweries and over a hundred craft beers, ciders, and seltzers.
Another popular festival is Balloons Over Bend which happens in the summer.
People gather each year to watch massive hot air balloons take flight at sunrise and sunset.
You can get up to date information on the next Balloons Over Bend festival here.
Fun Things To Do In Bend Oregon
Bend Whitewater Park
You might think surfing is something done at the coast, but Bend Oregon has become a surfing destination due to a unique park in the high desert.
140 miles from the Pacific Ocean lies the Bend Whitewater park near Bend’s Old Mill District.
Learn more about this unique park and all it has to offer here.
High Desert Museum
I’ve always loved visiting the High Desert Museum. This museum just south of Bend, between Bend and Sunriver focuses on rich immersive exhibits that teach about Oregon’s high desert, and the people and animals that live there.
The High Desert Museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits, a historic pioneer ranch, a working historic lumber mill, live animals such as eagles, river otters, owls, fish, lizards, snakes, and porcupines.
If you visit in the summer there are actors on the pioneer farm ready to teach you about the life of pioneers.
There are also opportunities for kids and visitors to play with the toys pioneer children would use, learn about farm chores, and more.
The grounds of this museum are gorgeous and this is a must visit.
Visit the official High Desert Museum website here.
Visit The Observatory In Sunriver South Of Bend
The Sunriver Nature Center And Observatory is a great place to visit with kids to explore nature and see the stars.
Related: Guide To Sunriver Oregon
Learn more about visiting the observatory at night and how to get tickets and make reservations here.
Visit The Last Blockbuster On Earth In Bend Oregon
If you want something truly unique and quirky to do when visiting Bend, check out the last Blockbuster Video on earth.
Recently Oreo Cakesters has partnered with Bend Blockbuster, so it’s the perfect spot to stop off for snacks and DVD’s for your movie night.
Bungee Jump Off A Terrifying Bridge Near Bend
Central Oregon Bungee Adventures offers the heart pounding experience of leaping off a bridge over Crooked River. This is one adventure that books up fast each year, so be sure to plan ahead, potentially up to a year in advance so you can make sure to snag a spot.
Other things you may be interested in doing in Bend is taking a moonlit canoe tour at one of many nearby mountain lakes, or taking a once in a lifetime hot air balloon tour over Bend.
In the winter, you’ll want to visit Mount Bachelor for soft powdery snow. Bachelor is a gem for skiing and snowboarding in Oregon.
In the summer you can visit Bachelor for a thrilling zipline adventure!
Bend Oregon Restaurants
Dandy’s Nostalgic Drive-In
When you stop in at Dandy’s Nostalgic Drive-In, be sure to order a Grand Daddy Burger and a hand crafted milkshake. This classic drive-in started in 1967 and is a favorite of locals and visitors alike. Visitors love waiting in their car for their order and having waitresses on roller skates bring their food right to their window.
Pine Tavern
This unique restaurant and bar in Bend has two ponderosa pine trees growing right through the center of the restaurant and out through the roof!
The restaurant was built in 1936 and serves up delicious food and drinks.
Worthy Beer
Worthy Beer serves up a hip vibe, a warm atmosphere, and great beer. This brewery is solar-powered and actively practices recycling and other sustainable solutions.
Let’s not forget that their food is amazing too!
Where To Stay In Bend Oregon
The Cutest Little Ski House In Bend
Ski House 160 is cute and cozy, and perfect for a weekend getaway at any time of year.
This vacation rental can sleep four, but is the perfect size for two. It’s 600 square feet and comes with a fully equipped kitchenette.
Dome Cabin
If you want a unique place to stay, the Dome Cabin in Bend is a must. This futuristic dome house has a queen bed and a single bed.
The second floor floats (it’s not touching the dome walls), and the dome gives you the feeling of staying in a cabin in the woods.
For more awesome cabins and vacation rentals near Bend and Sunriver Oregon, check out our Guide To Bend Vacation Rentals.
The Population Of Bend Oregon
According to the 2020 census, the population of Bend Oregon is 99,178 people.
Please Note: Many of the trails, destinations and activities listed in this guide cost money or have a fee for parking or require permits for use of trails. Hiking, exploring and adventuring are at-your-own-risk activities. When visiting Bend and the surrounding area, please follow the seven principles of Leave No Trace to keep our state wild and beautiful for future generations.
What’s your favorite thing to do when visiting Bend Oregon? Let us know, share your photos of Bend with us, and tag the friends and family you want to go to Bend with!
