Bend, Oregon

Endless Ways To Spend A Day In Bend

Summers on the river. Winters on the mountain. A town that's still small enough that any of them is a half-hour drive away.

Find Your Day

Five Questions, A Perfect Day.

Answer in under a minute and we'll hand-pick the activities that fit who you are, who you're with, and the kind of day you have in front of you.

When are you here?

Each season opens different doors in Bend.

Who's with you?

We'll keep it appropriate for the company.

What's the vibe?

There's no wrong answer — Bend has all of these.

How much time do you have?

We'll match the activity to the window.

Your comfort outdoors?

Honesty here gets you the right rec.

Your Top Picks

Your Bend day, in three acts.

Tap the heart on any pick to add it to your printable itinerary.

1 of 5

Plan Your Visit

Plan your visit. Build a real itinerary.

Bend rewards a little planning. Whether you're here for a long weekend or a full week, use this guide to map out what you actually want to do — then take the printable checklist with you. It's the same field-guide approach we use ourselves: the right activities, the right season, in the right order.

Step OneTake the Matchmaker, or skim the full list of experiences. Pace yourself — three to four a day is plenty.
Step TwoTap the bookmark on every spot you'd like to hit. Mix marquee experiences with low-key rituals.
Step ThreeOpen Your Visit in the corner. Get the printable checklist + map, and bring it with you.
Aerial view of floaters on the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon
The Deschutes, from above.
The Experiences

Things To Do In Bend.

From snow to summit to starfields — curated experiences. Bookmark the ones that fit, then print your list.

Snowboarder on Mt. Bachelor with Cascade peaks behind
Mt. Bachelor · 22 mi SW

Ski & Snowboard Mt. Bachelor

One of the biggest ski areas in the country, a half-hour from downtown.

Mt. Bachelor is a 9,065-foot stratovolcano, and every side of it is skiable — 4,323 acres and 360° of fall-line, including long blue cruisers off Pine Marten, steep Summit chutes when it's open, and the wide-open Cinder Cone for wind-exposed days.

The season runs Thanksgiving to late May most years. Beginners do the Sunrise side and ski school; intermediates settle in on Outback and Northwest; everyone else takes the summit lift when the weather lets it spin.

When
Late Nov – late May
Where
Mt. Bachelor, 22 mi west on Cascade Lakes Hwy
How long
Full day, or a half-day afternoon ticket
Rentals
On-mountain, or cheaper in town at Powder House / Pine Mountain Sports
Skill
Beginner to expert
Good to know
Park-and-ride shuttle runs from Bend on powder days
Plan A Ski Day →
Mountain biker on Phil's Trail in the pine forest west of Bend
Phil's Trailhead · 10 min W

Mountain Bike The Phil's Complex

300+ miles of singletrack, and most of it leaves from one parking lot.

The Phil's Complex on Bend's west edge is the heart of Central Oregon mountain biking — a web of interconnected trails that lets you build anything from a 90-minute spin to an all-day loop, all through pine forest with Cascade views through the breaks.

Phil's itself is the beginner-friendly spine; Voodoo, Storm King, and Tiddlywinks step up the technicality. The COTA (Central Oregon Trail Alliance) signage is excellent, and rental bikes are plentiful in town.

When
April – November
Where
Phil's Trailhead, Skyliners Rd
How long
1 – 6 hours
Rentals
Pine Mountain Sports, Hutch's, Cog Wild (guided)
Skill
Green to black; most trails beginner-friendly
Good to know
Pay the $5 day-use fee; pack water, it gets dry
Trail Maps & Conditions →
Tumalo Falls waterfall near Bend Oregon
Deschutes National Forest · 15 min W

Hike To Tumalo Falls

A 97-foot waterfall, fifteen minutes from downtown.

The viewpoint is a 100-yard walk from the parking lot; the full North Fork Loop adds 7 miles and a chain of smaller cascades climbing up the canyon. Most visitors do the short overlook; locals do the loop in under three hours.

In winter, Skyliners Road closes at the snow gate — snowshoe or fat-bike the last 2.5 miles in, and you get the falls mostly to yourself.

When
Year-round (snowshoe in winter)
Where
End of Skyliners Rd / FS 4603
How long
15 min to 4 hrs
Distance
0.1 mi to overlook, 7.2 mi full loop
Fee
$5 day-use parking pass
Good to know
Get there before 9 AM in summer — lot fills
Trail Details →
Floaters on tubes in the Deschutes River through Old Mill District
Downtown Bend · Walkable

Float The Deschutes

The unofficial summer sport of Bend.

Put in at Riverbend Park with a tube under your arm. Drift an hour and a half through the Old Mill District and the Colorado Ave whitewater park, get out at Drake Park, take the Ride the River shuttle bus back to your car. Five bucks, no paddling required.

At the whitewater park you choose: the passage channel for floaters, the wave channel for surfers, the habitat channel for the fish. It's the best thing a city has done to a river in a long time.

When
Mid-June – early September
Where
Riverbend Park put-in, Drake Park take-out
How long
1.5 – 2 hours
Rentals
Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe (tubes + shuttle combo)
Cost
~$20/tube, $5 shuttle
Good to know
Life jacket required; no glass, no coolers strapped to you
Float Map & Shuttle Info →
Climber on Smith Rock State Park welded tuff
Smith Rock State Park · 30 min N

Climb At Smith Rock

The birthplace of American sport climbing.

Smith has 1,800+ routes, a river at the base, and one of the most photographed walls in North America. Everyone starts with Misery Ridge — a 3.7-mile loop that climbs the ridge, drops past Monkey Face, and swings back along the Crooked River. Do it before 9 AM in summer or after 4 PM.

For first-timers, Smith Rock Climbing Guides and Chockstone Climbing will set top-ropes on beginner-friendly routes like Rope-de-Dope wall. Bring more water than you think.

When
March – June, Sept – November
Where
9241 NE Crooked River Dr, Terrebonne
How long
Half-day to full-day
Guides
Smith Rock Climbing Guides, Chockstone, First Ascent
Skill
5.6 to 5.14; guides for all levels
Fee
$5/day or Oregon State Parks pass
Park Details →
Fly angler on the Deschutes River near Bend
Three rivers · Within 30 min

Fly Fish The Deschutes

Wild redsides, right in town — and three rivers within a half-hour.

The Upper Deschutes runs through downtown Bend and holds wild redside rainbows. Drive 25 minutes to the Fall River for spring-creek sight-fishing, or 45 to the Metolius — one of the most beautiful fly rivers in the country. The Lower Deschutes, another hour, is the big-water salmonfly and steelhead river.

The half-day guided wade trip is the fastest way onto fish if you're new. Fly & Field in downtown Bend has the best local intel.

When
April – November (year-round on some sections)
Rivers
Upper Deschutes, Fall River, Metolius, Lower Deschutes
How long
Half-day to full-day guided
Guides
Fly & Field Outfitters, Confluence Fly Shop, The Patient Angler
License
Oregon fishing license required
Gear
4 – 6 wt rods; guides provide everything
Book A Guided Day →
Paddleboarder on Sparks Lake with Cascade volcanoes
Cascade Lakes · 30–45 min W

Paddleboard Sparks Lake

Glassy water, a volcano on the horizon, be back for lunch.

Sparks is the postcard — wide, shallow, and ringed by lava fields with South Sister looming. Elk Lake has a lodge and a marina if you want coffee with your launch; Hosmer is narrower and more intimate, with osprey and the occasional otter.

Rent a board in Bend, strap it to the roof, and drive Cascade Lakes Highway. Go early — wind usually picks up by 1 PM.

When
June – early October
Where
Sparks, Elk, Hosmer Lakes (Cascade Lakes Hwy)
How long
2 – 4 hours
Rentals
Stand On Liquid, Tumalo Creek, Sunnyside Sports
Cost
$45 – $65 for a day rental
Good to know
Invasive species inspection required; no dogs on Hosmer
Rent A Board →
Bend Ale Trail sampler flight at Deschutes Brewery
Downtown & Old Mill · Walkable

Drink The Bend Ale Trail

The original craft-beer passport — 20+ stops, one city.

Pick up a passport at the Visit Bend office downtown, hit any ten of the 20+ breweries, and earn a commemorative silipint. Deschutes is the original; Crux Fermentation Project has the best patio; Boneyard's RPM IPA is the de-facto local; Worthy and Bevel round out the short list.

You can walk to six of them from downtown. Take a Lyft or the Cycle Pub between far-flung stops.

When
Year-round
Start
Visit Bend, 750 NW Lava Rd
How long
1 day to 1 week (your call)
Cost
Free passport; pay-as-you-go at each stop
Reward
Silipint for completing 10 stops
Good to know
Don't drive. Cycle Pub runs group rides.
Get The Passport →
Cross-country skier on groomed track at Mt. Bachelor
Nordic Center & Sno-Parks · 20–30 min W

Nordic Ski & Snowshoe

Miles of groomed track through quiet old-growth pine.

Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center has 56 km of groomed skate and classic track, rentals on-site, and a warming hut with coffee. Virginia Meissner Sno-Park, 30 minutes closer to town, is free with an Oregon Sno-Park permit and has a loyal local crew grooming it volunteer-style.

Snowshoeing's even easier — rent snowshoes for $15 in town and break trail anywhere off Cascade Lakes Highway.

When
December – March
Where
Mt. Bachelor Nordic, Meissner, Swampy, Dutchman Sno-Parks
How long
1 – 4 hours
Rentals
Pine Mountain Sports, WebCyclery, Mt. Bachelor Nordic
Cost
Free at Sno-Parks (permit $5/day); $28 at Nordic Center
Good to know
Meissner has a dog-friendly loop
Nordic Trail Map →
Aerial of Tetherow Golf Club with Mt. Bachelor behind
West-side Bend · 10 min SW

Play A Mountain Golf Round

Eight courses within a 30-minute radius, all with Cascade views.

Tetherow (David McLay Kidd) is the signature — links-style on Bend's southwest edge, with Bachelor framing every drive. Pronghorn Resort has two big names (Nicklaus and Fazio). For a good-value round, Tumalo Legends and Meadow Lakes are the locals' pick.

Tee time windows are tight in summer — book a week out. Afternoon rounds are cheaper and still done before sunset.

When
April – October
Top picks
Tetherow, Pronghorn (Nicklaus), Tumalo Legends, Meadow Lakes
How long
4 – 5 hours per round
Cost
$75 – $250 peak; twilight rates after 2 PM
Rentals
Full rentals available at every course
Good to know
Desert afternoons are windy; pack a windshirt
Book A Tee Time →
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway with forested mountains
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway · 66 mi loop

Drive The Cascade Lakes Byway

66 miles of volcano-and-lake views, from Bachelor to Newberry.

Start at the Old Mill. Head west on Cascade Lakes Highway past Mt. Bachelor, Sparks Lake, Devil's Lake, Elk, Lava, Cultus — each one a pull-out with a view and a trailhead. Loop south past Crane Prairie and Wickiup and back to Sunriver and 97 north.

Full loop takes 3.5 hours straight through. Realistically you'll stop for a paddle or a hike, so plan a full day.

When
Late June – October (closed in winter above Mt. Bachelor)
Start
Cascade Lakes Hwy from west Bend
How long
3.5 hrs driving; allow 8 hrs with stops
Best stops
Todd Lake, Sparks Lake, Green Lakes trailhead, Elk Lake Resort
Fuel up
Fill the tank in Bend — no gas after the resort
Good to know
Cell service is patchy; download maps offline
Byway Overview →
Milky Way over Pine Mountain Observatory near Bend
Pine Mountain · 26 mi E

Stargaze Under Dark Skies

One of Oregon's certified dark-sky regions. Drive 20 minutes east and the Milky Way turns on.

Pine Mountain Observatory, run by the University of Oregon, hosts free public star parties Friday and Saturday nights from late May through September. Two 24-inch telescopes, a 15-inch, and volunteer astronomers who'll find Saturn for your kid.

Not running? The Oregon Observatory at Sunriver is 30 minutes south and open nightly in summer.

When
Public parties: late May – Sept, Fri & Sat
Where
Pine Mountain Observatory, Millican, OR
How long
2 – 4 hours
Cost
Suggested $5 donation
Pack
Red-light flashlight, warm layers, no white light near scopes
Good to know
New-moon weekends are best. Check before driving.
Observatory Schedule →
South of Bend · 6 mi

The High Desert Museum

Indoor-outdoor museum with otters, raptors, a working homestead, and rotating Western art. The locals' rainy-day plan, and one of the most-loved museums in the Northwest.

9–4 daily · Adults $20
Plan A Visit →
Newberry Monument · 13 mi S

Walk Through a Lava Tube

A mile-long lava tube carved by molten rock 80,000 years ago. Bring a real flashlight (no phones), a warm layer — it's 42° year-round — and an extra hour for the loop.

$5 day-use · 1.5 hrs
Plan The Cave →
East Bend · in town

Climb Pilot Butte at Sunset

A 500-foot extinct cinder cone in the middle of town, with a one-mile trail to the summit and a 360° view of nine Cascade peaks. The best free thing to do in Bend.

Free · 45 minutes
Trail Info →
South Downtown · in town

The Old Mill District

A reclaimed lumber-mill site turned riverwalk, with shops, restaurants, the amphitheater, and the easiest section of the Deschutes path. Great for a slow afternoon.

Free · 1–3 hrs
What's On →
Newberry Volcano · 30 mi S

The Newberry Caldera

An active volcano with two alpine lakes inside its crater, an 80-foot waterfall, an obsidian flow you can walk on, and a road to the summit. A full day, easy to fill.

$5 day-use · Full day
Plan The Drive →
McKay Park · in town

Surf the Whitewater Park

A genuine standing river wave in the middle of town. Watch from the footbridge or rent a board at Tactics — yes, you can actually surf in the high desert.

Free to watch · Lessons $75+
Wave Forecast →
Sunriver Resort · 17 mi S

A Day in Sunriver

The pine-shaded resort village 20 minutes south. Bike the paved path network, lunch at The Cove, and stop at the Oregon Observatory after dark — Bend's quieter cousin.

Free village · Bike rentals
Sunriver Guide →
Downtown Bend · On the river

An Hour at Drake Park

Thirteen acres of cottonwood and lawn wrapped around Mirror Pond, a quarter-mile from downtown. The locals' picnic spot, the summer concert lawn, and the easiest way to put your feet in the Deschutes without a paddle.

Free · 30–60 min
Park Info →
Crater Lake N.P. · 100 mi S

A Day at Crater Lake

The deepest lake in America, sitting in the caldera of an extinct volcano. A ninety-minute drive south. Loop the rim, hike Watchman Peak, and be back in Bend by dinner.

$30/vehicle · 8–10 hrs RT
Park Info →

"The problem with Bend isn't what to do today. It's how to choose."

— A Resident, Two Years In
The Calendar · While You're Here

Upcoming in Bend.

Bend earns its festivals. Time your visit around one and you'll see the town at its most unbuttoned.

May 16 2026 · Sat

Pole Pedal Paddle

Mt. Bachelor → Bend

The town's beloved seven-leg multi-sport relay — alpine ski, nordic, bike, run, paddle, sprint — that turns the whole town into a finish line.

Race Info →
June 19 2026 · Fri–Sun

Bite of Bend

Wall & Minnesota · Downtown

Three-day open-air food festival on a closed-off Wall Street, with chef demos, the Top Chef competition, music, and a long, lazy beer garden.

Festival Info →
July 9 Thursdays · July–Aug

Munch & Music

Drake Park

Free Thursday-evening concert series in Drake Park along the Deschutes. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and arrive early — locals stake out at 5pm.

Lineup →
Aug 14 2026 · Fri–Sun

Bend Brewfest

Old Mill Les Schwab Amphitheater

Three days, 200+ pours from the Northwest's best craft and cider makers, riverside under the pines. The unofficial start of late summer in Bend.

Tickets →
Oct 2 2026 · Fri–Sun

Bend Fall Festival

Downtown Bend

The street festival that closes downtown for three days — pumpkin patch, harvest market, kid zone, two music stages, and the season's first cold beer.

Festival Info →
Oct 8 2026 · Thu–Sun

BendFilm Festival

Tower Theatre & Around Town

Four days of independent and Oscar-qualifying short films, packed Q&As, and Bend's most underrated weekend if you love cinema.

Schedule →
See The Full Bend Calendar →
Planning Questions

Things To Do In Bend FAQ

What is the most popular thing to do in Bend, Oregon?

Floating the Deschutes River through downtown Bend is the most popular summer activity — tens of thousands of locals and visitors put in at Riverbend Park and drift 1.5 miles to Drake Park each season. In winter, skiing or snowboarding Mt. Bachelor is the top draw.

How many days do you need in Bend?

Three days is enough for the highlights — a mountain day (skiing or hiking), a river day (float or paddleboard), and a Smith Rock day. A full week lets you add mountain biking, the Bend Ale Trail, the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, and a stargazing night at Pine Mountain.

Can you do outdoor activities in Bend year-round?

Yes. Bend averages 300+ sunny days a year and offers year-round outdoor recreation. Winter (Dec–Mar) is peak skiing and nordic; spring (Apr–May) is prime climbing and fly fishing; summer (Jun–Sep) opens lakes, floats, and alpine trails; fall (Oct–Nov) is the quiet sweet spot for biking and hiking.

Do I need a car to explore Bend?

A car is strongly recommended. Downtown Bend is walkable and the Old Mill District is bike-friendly, but Mt. Bachelor, Smith Rock, Tumalo Falls, and the Cascade Lakes all require a drive of 15 minutes to an hour. Summer river-float shuttles and winter ski shuttles partially fill the gap.

Are activities in Bend family-friendly?

Most are. Easy options for families include floating the Deschutes, hiking the Deschutes River Trail, paddleboarding Elk Lake, walking Pilot Butte, and the Riverbend Park beach. Mt. Bachelor has extensive ski-school programs, and Smith Rock offers guided top-rope climbing for beginners.

What should I pack for Bend?

Layers, always. Bend sits at 3,623 ft and mornings run 30°F colder than afternoons, even in summer. Bring sun protection (high-desert sun is strong), a warm layer for evenings, a rain shell spring through fall, and sturdy shoes or trail runners. Ski and snowboard gear can be rented cheaply in town.

If One Trip Wasn't Enough

The Locals Who Help Visitors Stay

Some trips don't end when you drive back over the pass. If Bend has started to feel like somewhere you could live, we know the people who help make that real — the agents, the lenders, and the neighbors who've done it themselves.

Meet The Team →