If your looking for things to do in Bend-look no further! Over the last decade I’ve visited Bend Oregon in every season. It’s easily one of the most adventurous places to visit, with endless things to see, do and explore. From skiing Mount Bachelor in the winter to floating down the Deschutes in the summertime, Bend is an advenure lovers paradise!
Whether your new to an activity, or a seasoned adventurer, there is something for all ages here! On this blog post I will provide a list of ideas to plan your dream trip to Central Oregon.
In Collaboration with Visit Central Oregon
Leave No Trace
Before I dive into what to do in Central Oregon, it is important to know the ethics of Leave No Trace and recreating responsibly. When visiting these areas there are many fragile wilderness areas that must be protected and treated with respect. By doing this we ensure generations to come can enjoy these areas. While you can brush up on the Leave No Trace website, here are some things to remember:
- Plan ahead and prepare
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces
- Respect wildlife
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Dispose of waste properly
- Be considerate of others
Now that we’ve covered Leave No Trace, lets get into 29 adventerous things to do while your in Central Oregon! Keep in mind that some pre-planning is always a good idea especially since many outdoor activities require a permit. Let’s get into it!
29 Adventurous Things To Do In Bend Oregon
1. Float the Deschutes
The gorgeous Deschutes River runs through most of central Oregon, making it a popular thing to do in Bend in the summertime. New to stand up paddle boarding or kayaking? I suggest booking through Wanderlust Tours, and they will guide you, provide rentals, and make it feel safe and approachable for you. I went with a group of women with the AdventurUs Women’s retreat and loved it.
2. Hike Steelhead Falls
One of my favorite waterfalls to hike in Central Oregon is Steelhead Falls. Plus, its a great hike for the entire family due to the length to the falls. It’s 2 miles with 226 feet of elevation gain to the waterfalls. Use caution when visiting this area as its a dangerous place to swim. This is a popular thing to do in Bend Oregon so keep that in mind on when visiting.
3. Book a Retreat with AdventurUs Women
In the winter and summer, AdventurUs Women hosts all inclusive multi-sport adventure retreats. These sell out fast-so get yourself on their email list right away. I had the pleasure of attending their summer retreat and I got to try so many new things! Including rock climbing, caving, kayaking, and learning navigation skills. This is for female-identifying individuals, and is led by all females granting people of all skill levels access to the outdoors. I participated in their summer escape in Bend and cannot recommend it more!
4. Stay at Loge Camp
I’ve stayed at Loge Camp properties all over the pacific northwest, and always have a great experience. It’s built for adventure lovers and is a great place for the entire family. Not only that, its 20 minutes from Mount Bachelor and Cascade Lakes Scenic byway. Plus, it’s dog friendly! I’ve stayed here four times over the years-typically for closer access to Mount Bachelor and for my AdventurUs Women’s retreat!
5. Hike Benham Falls
If your looking for a great area to dip into the river and do a hike on the same day-this is a great area. Benham Falls is a flat hike so it’s great for all skill levels! Just 1.5 miles with 42 feet of elevation gain to the falls.
6. Stay in Sunriver
Sunriver in Central Oregon is a great place to visit just outside of Bend. This area is full of rental properties to book in all seasons. A great reason for staying out here is nature spots are more accessible, limiting the amount of driving. One of my favorite places to stay is Lively Lane House, because its dog friendly and has a large fenced in yard for the pups!
7. Climb Smith Rock
Looking to try rock climbing for the first time? Luckily with She Moves Mountains, they make it safe and approachable for women to try climbing for the first time! I got to climb with them at the AdventurUs Women’s retreat and was shocked how comfortable I felt! If your not female identifying, take a look at this list for a number of guides in the area to choose from.
8. Ski at Mount Bachelor
If your a skier, be sure to make the time to ski at Mount Bachelor ski resort. In winter this is easily the most popular thing to do in Bend Oregon. With wonderful parking lot tailgating, beautiful views, and endless runs-it’s one of the top places in the Pacific Northwest.
9. Hike Misery Ridge
Visiting Smith Rock State Park should be on your list of things to do in Bend! Just 30 minutes outside of Bend, Smith Rock is a beautiful place to visit. Hiking Misery Ridge at Smith Rock is going to give you the best views of the entire park, hands down!
10. Stay in Sisters
Just 20 minutes from Bend, the town of Sisters is a great place to rent a cabin to stay in. In the off season, its less busy overall and is close to Hoodoo Ski Resort. I enjoyed staying at this beautiful log cabin in sisters. It was private, dog friendly, and the perfect location for basecamp.
11. Visit Sparks Lake
Easily one of the most photographed lakes in the Cascade Lakes Scenic byway, is Sparks Lake. With views of South Sister, stunning marsh areas and lush greenery, its stunning! There is limited parking and camping in the area, so please abide by wilderness laws set by the forest service.
12. Visit the McKenzie River
If your looking for things to do in Bend Oregon, but are willing to drive a little, the McKenzie River area is worth visiting! Clear Lake, Koosah Falls, and Sahalie Falls are nearly an hour from Bend. In any season, these places are beautiful to visit and offer a lush forest landscape that you won’t see in Central Oregon.
13. Hike Tumalo Mountain
Directly across from Mount Bachelor is Tumalo Mountain. This is a popular area for snowshoeing, back country skiing, and hiking. As you can see below, it offers parallel views of Mount Bachelor on a clear day.
14. Visit the Painted Hills Monument
Easily one of the most unique landscapes in the area, the Painted Hills is completely stunning. Its a great place for all ages as most of the areas you visit don’t require much walking and hiking to get to. It’s accessible year round, but keep in mind it gets quite cold in the wintertime.
15. Hike Green Lakes Trail
Easily one of the most popular things to do in Bend Oregon in the summertime, is hiking. Green Lakes Trail is a popular trail, and requires a permit before hiking so plan in advance. It is advised that you have some hiking experience before taking on this 9.1 mile trail with 1,187 feet of elevation gain.
16. Summit South Sister
While this hike is not for the faint of heart, its a popular activity to summit South Sister. It’s easily one of the most beautiful views of the Cascade Mountain Range from the top! Be sure to plan in advance as a permit is required, and read my blog post for all planning suggestions.
17. Ski at Hoodoo
If your looking for a smaller place to ski or snowboard and want to pay less than Bachelor-HooDoo is it! This is 20 minutes from Sister, Oregon with beautiful views of the central cascades. It’s the locals mountain and is always a great time regardless of your ski level. This is a wonderful place for people to learn how to ski.
18. Take the Drive to Crater Lake National Park
An hour and a half from Bend, Crater Lake is a popular place for visitors to see. And for good reason, Crater Lake National Park is completely stunning. Its a great idea to check weather and accessibility into the park before making the drive there.
19. Backpack in the Three Sisters Wilderness
There are endless backpacking trails in the Three Sisters Wilderness area to choose from. Most areas require a permit so be sure to plan in advance for your trip, and abide by leave no trace principles.
20. Drive HWY242 Scenic Byway
Open seasonally in the summertime, HWY 242 connects HWY126 and Sisters. It’s a beautiful drive and is home to Proxy Falls, Scott Lake, Dee Wright Observatory and a number of stunning backpacking trails. At the top there are 360 degree views of the wilderness area and fascinating lava rock formations. The road is typically closed from November to mid-June until the snow is cleared.
21. Go Caving
Central Oregon is full of caves to explore because the area is flooded with lava tubes from ancient lava flows. It is important to note that not all caves are legal for exploring. I visited Boyd Cave with Wanderlust Tours which felt safer than going in alone! Lava River Cave is another popular cave for people to visit.
22. Visit the High Desert Museum
Just five minutes south of Bend, close to Boyd cave is the High Desert Museum. Get close up views of wildlife exhibits, chat with historic characters, and learn about the history of Central Oregon.
23. Visit Tumalo Falls
Whether your looking to snowshoe here in the wintertime, or visit in the summer, Tumalo Falls is a beautiful 97-foot cascading waterfall. Keep in mind that there is a $5 parking fee to access the trail system here.
24. Visit Newberry Volcanic National Monument
If your looking to visit an active volcanic area, the Newberry Volcanic Monument is it for you! Paulina and East Lake have lake bed hot springs that are accessible by hiking the shoreline. Hike Paulina Peak, go paddle boarding, fishing, or stay at one of the campsites in the area. These lakes are only accessible by car in the summertime, and by snowmobile in the winter.
25. Go Mountain Biking
If your wanting to try mountain biking for the first time, this is a great place for entry level people to try! Cogwild is a great place with wonderful guides to rent all the equipment from and take a lesson. There are a number of different trails that you can take your own bikes to!
26. Lava Lands Visitor Center
This is the interpretive hub for the Newberry area if your looking to learn more about the area rather than exploring it on your own. If your visiting the High Desert Museum, this can be added to your list as well.
27. Hike Deschutes River Trail
The trail runs through the entire city and has various places for entry. There really isn’t a bad place to hike, run, walk, or bike the Deschutes River. This trail is accessible for dogs, and is paved on portions of it for strollers an wheelchairs.
28. Visit the Last Blockbuster
Maybe not as adventurous of an activity, but nonetheless people are drawn to visit the last Blockbuster. Tourists flock for old Blockbuster memorabilia, to get a photo, and buy old DVDs. You can actually rent a movie as well if your looking to reel in all the nostalgia.
29. Visit a Brewery
Central Oregon is full of breweries to visit- it’s truly endless. Some of my favorites include Boneyard, Good Times, Deschutes, and 10 Barrel. On a warm summer day after a hike there is truly nothing better!
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