Driving the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway: The Best Day Trip From Bend This Spring
Photo: Another Believer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) There is a stretch of road just outside Bend that makes every other scenic drive you have ever taken feel like a commute. The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway winds 66 miles through volcanic terrain, alpine meadows, and a chain of impossibly blue lakes framed by snow-dusted […]
Bend’s Best Waterfalls to Chase This Spring
Photo: Another Believer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Spring in Bend means one thing above all else: the mountains are melting. As snowpack from the Cascades works its way downhill through May and into June, creeks and rivers swell to their most dramatic levels of the year. For waterfall chasers, this is the season […]
The Old Mill District: Your Complete Guide to Bend’s Favorite Gathering Spot
Photo: Bend Oregon Real Estate / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) If you only have one afternoon in Bend, spend it at the Old Mill District. Stretching across 270 acres along the banks of the Deschutes River, this open-air shopping and entertainment hub sits on land that once housed one of the largest sawmill operations […]
Dog-Friendly Bend: Where to Take Your Four-Legged Best Friend
Photo: Unsplash Bend might just be the most dog-friendly city in Oregon, and that’s saying something in a state that already loves its pups. Walk through any part of town on a sunny afternoon and you’ll see dogs on brewery patios, dogs on paddleboards, dogs trotting alongside mountain bikes, and dogs splashing in the Deschutes […]
Smith Rock: The Ultimate Day Trip from Bend
Photo: Max Schwarz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5) Just 30 minutes north of Bend lies one of Oregon’s most dramatic landscapes. Smith Rock State Park rises from the high desert floor like a cathedral of volcanic tuff and basalt, its rust-colored spires and sheer cliff faces drawing rock climbers, hikers, and photographers from around […]
Phil’s Trail: Why Bend Is a Mountain Biking Paradise
Photo: BLM Oregon & Washington / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) If you’ve ever wondered why mountain bikers from around the world flock to Bend, Oregon, the answer often starts with two words: Phil’s Trail. This legendary network of singletrack winds through sun-dappled ponderosa pine forests on the western edge of town, offering everything from flowy […]
Farm Fresh: A Guide to Bend’s Farmers Markets
Photo: Unsplash One of the things that makes Bend feel like more than just a ski town with good vibes is its deep connection to local food. And nothing showcases that connection better than Bend’s farmers markets, where you can shop directly from the people who grow, raise, and make your food. Bend Farmers Market […]
Northwest Crossing: Bend’s Most Walkable Neighborhood
Photo: NorthWest Crossing Ask any real estate agent about Bend’s most sought-after neighborhoods, and Northwest Crossing (NWX) will be at the top of the list. This master-planned community on the west side of Bend has become a model for what modern mountain-town living can look like. The Vibe NWX feels like a small town within […]
The Coffee Lover’s Guide to Bend, Oregon
Photo: Unsplash Bend runs on sunshine, mountain air, and really, really good coffee. Whether you need a pre-hike espresso, a cozy work-from-café spot, or a lazy Sunday latte with a view, Bend’s coffee scene has you completely covered. Thump Coffee With multiple locations around town, Thump is Bend’s homegrown roaster. Their beans are sourced from […]
Mt. Bachelor: Your Backyard Ski Resort Just 20 Minutes Away
Photo: Bonnie Moreland / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) One of the biggest perks of living in Bend? Having the seventh-largest ski resort in the country practically in your backyard. Mt. Bachelor sits just 22 miles west of downtown Bend, and on a powder day, you can be clicking into your bindings in under 30 minutes. […]