What to Do in Bend, Oregon (for First Timers)

Today, Bend has transformed from a timber town to a hub for outdoor recreation powered by tourism, and the river plays a role here too. 

From river floats to hikes along the river, the Deschutes remains a key element in Bend’s identity, and you should definitely experience Bend from the water while you’re in town. 

If you’re up for getting in the water (and it’s warm enough to do so), a float down the Deschutes is the primary way we’d recommend experiencing the river.

It’s a leisurely float that you can do in a rented innertube, and they have shuttles set up so that you can park, rent a tube, hop in the water, and then take the shuttle back. 

You can find more information on floating the river with all the logistics you need to know here. 

If you’re not into getting in the water or it’s the offseason, we’d recommend a hike along the river.

Since the Deschutes covers a ton of ground in and around Bend, there are a nice variety of hike options to choose from. We’ll cover those options in the section right below this one. 

Hit the Local Trails

While a lot of this guide is going to inevitably talk about all of the great hikes that are within 30-60 minutes of Bend, because there are a ton of them (read about our favorite Bend hikes for the trails we love), this first section is all about trails that are closer in. 

We’ll cover places like Smith Rock State Park and the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway in separate sections below. 

Pilot Butte

Pilot Butte is a familiar landscape to people who live in Portland (like us), because we have all sorts of volcanic buttes sprinkled throughout the city. 

However, while Mount Tabor is nice, it doesn’t hold a candle to the views from the top of Pilot Butte. 

After a short hike up (you can drive, but we like the hike that takes you around the outside of the butte on a nice, steady climb) you’ll be treated to a magnificent 360-degree view out over the landscape around Bend, including the peaks of the Cascades. 

There are two trail options – a hiking trail, and a trail along the road – and we prefer the hiking trail because you don’t have to worry about cars (which are allowed to drive up in the middle of the day). It leaves from the parking lot on the east side of the butte, and makes a big loop, bringing you to the summit. 

At the top, there is some signage talking about the significance of Pilot Butte to the early settlers, the flora and fauna in this part of the state, and more. 

Plus a very helpful diagram of all of the peaks and buttes you can see from the top with their elevation and distance away, which we think is cool. 

It’s a wonderful way to start your day – it’s a short, relatively easy hike, and cars aren’t allowed to drive to the top until mid-morning (9am at the time of writing), so an early start means you’ll have some peace and quiet on the trail and at the top. 

More trail information here. 

The Deschutes River Trail

As we already touched on above, the Deschutes River has long been the lifeblood of this slice of Central Oregon, providing water to grow food, transport lumber, and more. 

Today, it’s one of our favorite aspects of Bend because there is a network of trails along the riverbank that you can connect in any number of ways, depending on how much mileage you’re wanting to do. 

We’re actually going to give you three versions of hikes along the Deschutes River here. 

Which you choose depends on the amount of hiking (really, walking) you’re looking for, and how many people you want to share the trail with. 

We’ll start with the most central of the three, the loop that starts from Riverbend Park and heads west to the footbridge that crosses the river before heading back. 

This is, by far, the most crowded of the three because it’s right in the middle of Bend, but on the other hand, it’s also the most accessible.

For what it’s worth, we stayed near an entry point for this trail on our last trip to Bend and found ourselves walking this loop several times over the course of our week in the city. 

It’s just such a pleasant walk along the river, particularly in the early morning or later in the evening. More trail information here.

Another great option is the hike from Tumalo State Park to Riley Ranch Preserve (no dogs allowed on this one), which is a seven mile walk along the river (it’s mostly flat). 

We camped at Tumalo State Park a few years ago, and did this trail on a random weekday evening.

Similar to the Riverbend Park loop, it’s a nice easy stroll along the river, and there’s some nice informational signage about flora and fauna once you get into Riley Ranch. 

There will be very few people on the trail with you here, and it’s a nice place to find some solitude in the rimrock canyons along this stretch of the Deschutes. More trail information here. 

Last, but certainly not least, is the loop from Dillon Falls to Benham Falls, which is a little bit south of Bend but gives you access to a much less trafficked section of the trail along the river. 

Don’t expect huge, roaring waterfalls here. There are two waterfalls, but they’re more similar to intense rapids than the waterfall we’re about to talk about. More trail information here. 

The best part about this set of trails is that they’re fairly customizable with no real destination (versus a lake or peak you’re hiking to), so you can do exactly as much as you feel like without missing out on too much.

Tumalo Falls

Tumalo Falls is the best waterfall in the area, we think, and is a short drive outside of Bend to the west.

It’s a long-ish drive along a gravel road to reach the perpetually packed parking lot, but from there it’s a short walk to two nice viewpoints of the falls; one from below, and one from above.

There are a couple of options for extending your hike, if you’re looking for more mileage than just the walk up to the upper viewpoint. 

First, and the add-on we’d recommend, is extending your hike from the upper falls viewpoint to make a loop up the North Fork Trail and back down the Swampy Lakes Trail (great name) to form a nice loop with decent elevation gain. 

You’ll be treated to a couple of other waterfalls along the hike, and it’s going to be a more interesting loop than the lower river walk. More trail information here.

Worth noting that dogs are not allowed on the upper trail sections. 

You can also moderate your distance by just going up the North Fork trail a bit and making it a shorter out-and-back. More trail information here. 

Second, you can add on a loop along the creek at the base of the falls, but keep in mind that this is an extraordinarily dusty trail that is shared with mountain bikers, so it’s not particularly enjoyable (we’d save your mileage for a different trail). More trail information here. 

Explore Downtown Bend

Of the two main commercial areas in Bend (Downtown and Old Mill), Downtown is much more our speed. 

Old Mill is kind of cool from a historical perspective – it literally gets its name from the fact that it used to be home to not one, but two lumber mills, a nod to Bend’s beginnings as a lumber town – but nowadays it’s not that different from any other outdoor mall you might find in cities around the country. 

Downtown Bend, however, has all of the charm of a historic downtown area, with some good places to eat and drink, shopping (though we noticed that the shops have become significantly more upscale over the years), and a nice riverfront park. 

Here are some of our favorite spots in downtown Bend, in no particular order. 

Drake Park: The crown jewel of downtown Bend, this lovely park along the river is an excellent place for a walk or picnic.

If you walk across the footbridge in the middle of the river, it takes you to a lovely neighborhood and some of our favorite places to eat and drink just across the river. 

Lemon Tree: The most popular brunch spot in Bend, I think, judging by the perpetual line outside on weekend mornings. Pretty classic brunch menu with pancakes, french toast, eggs benedict, and shakshuka. 

Thump Coffee: Matt’s favorite coffee spot in downtown (he’s the coffee nerd in this corner of the internet). 

Blissful Spoon: Our favorite because all of the baked goods are gluten free (which means no worries about cross-contact)! The (only?) place to go for gluten free pastries in town. 

San Simon: A great cocktail bar on a back alley with seating that spills out into the alley in the summer and fall. Good cocktails, including mocktails (which are more our speed these days). 

Ken’s Pizza: Transported from Portland across the Cascades to Bend, Ken’s Pizza is one of the many places serving excellent pizzas (not gluten free!) in Portland, and they opened up a location right in downtown Bend in the past few years. Expect to wait – it’s a popular spot. 

Experience Newberry Volcanic Monument

This is, by far, our favorite discovery of our past few trips to Bend, and is an absolutely delightful combination of great views, excellent history, and a nice lake and waterfall. 

We didn’t even know it existed until a few years ago, and now we can’t believe it wasn’t on our radar from the very beginning of our explorations of Bend because it’s right up our alley. 

This entire area is the result of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanic activity.

The two main events are the formation of the Newberry Volcano (roughly 600,000 years ago) and then the creation of the Newberry caldera (a big crater) around 75,000 years ago.

It’s a really unique geological phenomenon, and is a nice less-visited alternative to Crater Lake (which is a very similar story in a very similar location). 

Now, there are two separate sections of the monument that are both south of Bend, but are about an hour apart.

They are the area around Lava Butte and the Trail of the Molten Land (here on Google Maps) and the area around Paulina Lake (here on Google Maps).

There are a few things not to miss while you’re here.

The Trail of the Molten Land: This is a relatively quick and easy trail with minimal elevation gain, and it’s mostly paved.

It’s an informational walk with signage about the history of the volcanic activity, and has some really nice views of the Cascades throughout. More trail details here. 

Lava Butte: As Portlanders, were intimately familiar with the idea of cinder cones (the city is littered with them), and you may have already experienced one in Bend at Pilot Butte by the time you come here.

Lava Butte is a cinder cone, and the summit sits around 500 feet above the surrounding area with some nice views.

It’s accessible by foot, but if you want to drive to the top during peak season, you’ll have to use the park shuttle. More information here. 

Paulina Peak: While you can drive from the main road up to Paulina Peak, the road is a little bumpy, steep, and features some tight turns on the way up.

We decided to hike up from the lower trailhead, which is a difficult climb, but the payoff at the top is absolutely worth it.

You’ll have sweeping views out over the caldera and Paulina Lake, and you have a nice perspective of the lava fields to the east. More trail information here. 

Paulina Falls: A short walk from the Paulina Lake Lodge and the western end of the lake, this is a really nice waterfall. More trail information here. 

Obsidian Flow: An up-close-and-personal view of the hardened lava flow with some nice views out over the lake and up to Paulina Peak. It leaves from a trailhead along the southeastern shore of the lake. More trail information here. 

Learn About Central Oregon at the High Desert Museum

Located about halfway between Bend and Paulina Lake, you’ll find the High Desert Museum, which was a pleasant surprise that would be a great rainy (or more likely, smoky) day activity in Bend, particularly if you have kids.

It’s part history museum, part zoo, and has some cool interactive exhibits that tell the story of the high desert in Central Oregon.

The history portion reminds me a lot of the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, which is a place I really enjoy. 

They also have a rotating selection of films and art exhibits that come through, and I was lucky enough to have caught the National Geographic Photo Contest, which is one of my favorite exhibits (I’ve seen it in each of the past few years in London, New Zealand, and now Bend). 

Learn About Bend at the Deschutes Historical Museum

The Deschutes Historical Museum is a compact little museum a short walk away from downtown Bend that tells the story of the city.

It is run by the Deschutes Historical Society and has some nice photos and artifacts from Bend’s history. 

I’m a sucker for locally run history museums like this, and it offers a nice perspective into how Bend became the city it is today (read: timber). 

If you’re interested in learning a little more about the city, I’d recommend it. It’s small and will only take 30 minutes or so. 

Drive (and Hike) the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

The Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway heads west out of Bend and starts the climb up into the foothills of the Cascades, transitioning from the high desert that you find in eastern Bend into the paradise of pine trees and alpine lakes at slightly higher elevations. 

When we were hiking here recently, Alysha turned to me and said “I think this might be my heaven.” 

If you’re into snowcapped mountain peaks and crystal clear lakes, you’re probably going to love it too. 

There are some great hikes (you do need to reserve a permit in advance for the most popular trails – more on that below), some excellent photo spots, and a series of beautiful lakes if you’re into boating or fishing. 

You could basically spend an entire day on this drive (or more than one day, really), depending on what you’re into, but we think the best way to approach this area is to prioritize a hike and a trip to a lake (we have opinions on which lake), which will also include the beautiful drive from Bend into the mountains. 

Hiking Along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway 

In terms of hiking, we’re going to give you two great options that we have personally done and enjoyed. 

For plenty of other options, we’d point you towards our guide to hiking near Bend, which has several different options at a variety of difficulty levels to choose from. 

Our favorite hike in the area (and one of our favorite hikes in Oregon) is the Green Lakes Trail.

It also happens to be one of the more popular trails along the Byway, so it is subject to the Central Cascade Wilderness Permit system and requires some advance planning (more information on that system here). 

Logistics aside, this is a great hike. We’ve done it a couple of times now, and both times we were reminded of just how great the bang-for-your-buck is here.

It’s a long hike, yes (we clocked right around 10 miles), but it follows a lovely creek the whole way and the elevation profile is relatively easy when you consider it on a per-mile basis, and the payoff is extraordinary. 

You’ll end up in a basin between the South Sister and Broken Top with several lakes to choose from for a picnic lunch. 

If you want a hike that has a great payoff for the effort AND doesn’t require a wilderness permit during the summer, Tumalo Mountain is one of our favorite hikes in the area.

It’s a steady climb to the summit, where you’ll have a sweeping view of Broken Top and the South Sister. 

A few years ago, we did this hike around sunset in the fall and saw a grand total of four other people on the trail, so it’s not nearly as popular as many of the other trails in the area. More trail information here. 

Lakes & Photo Spots Along the Byway

This area is inherently photogenic, with its plethora of dramatic peaks and crystal clear blue lakes. Here are some spots along the drive that we wouldn’t miss. 

First, a couple of photo spots just off the road (don’t worry, more to come in the lakes section). 

We like the view of the Sisters from the Byway near the Dutchman Flat Sno Park (here on Google Maps, also the trailhead for Tumalo Mountain).

You have the road heading up into the mountains, and it’s a lovely shot with the leading line of the road guiding your eye towards the Sisters. 

We also like the view from the overflow parking area for the Green Lakes Trail (here on Google Maps), where you have a field of wildflowers – at least in the summer – with Mount Bachelor looming in the background.

In terms of lakes, we’re going to give you an option A, and an alternative that will be less crowded. 

Sparks Lake is the crown jewel of this drive, we think, and there’s a reason that you see the view of the Sisters reflected in the surface of the lake at every souvenir shop in Downtown Bend.

It’s a short drive off of the main road, and there’s a nice little loop that you can do that takes you to the lake shore.

We were here a few years ago for a magical sunrise where we were the only ones at the lake (which I wouldn’t expect to be the case later in the day). 

If you’re looking for a slightly less popular option, Hosmer Lake is further away from Bend along the Byway, which means fewer visitors. However, the view isn’t nearly as good (we think). 

You do get a nice view of Mount Bachelor across the lake, but if the best view is what you’re looking for, Sparks Lake is in a category of its own. 

Experience Central Oregon at Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park is a great illustration of the diversity of landscapes in Central Oregon because the rock formations, pine trees, and scrub brush seem like it should be in Utah, not here in the Pacific Northwest. 

We love Smith Rock State Park, and every time we pass through Bend we make sure to stop. 

The main things to do here are hiking and rock climbing. We’re not climbers, so we’re not going to give you any information on something we know nothing about, but we do know that climbers love this area. 

Hiking, though? We do love hiking, and we’ve basically done all of the main hikes there are to do at Smith Rock. 

The big one here is the Misery Ridge Trail, which climbs aggressively from river level up to the top of the ridge you can see from the parking lot.

It’s a tough climb, and the entire route is fully exposed with very little shade to speak of. 

Once you’re atop the ridge, though, you have incredible views out towards the Cascades and across the flat landscape heading east. 

From there, you do an equally aggressive descent back down to river level where you’re presented with a choice: take the short route back along the river (the River Trail) or take the longer, scenic route that winds around the back of the formation and climbs to a ridge with equally excellent views (the Summit Trail). 

Indulge in Bend’s Beer (and Cider)

One of the things that Bend is best known for is its beer, and the first thing you need to know about us is that Matt has Celiac Disease, and has to eat (and, importantly, drink) completely gluten free (and Alysha does too because life is easier that way). 

At this point, Bend has exactly zero gluten free breweries. 

However, it is also true that Matt planned a bachelor party in Bend a few years ago, so we do have some experience being at breweries in Bend (though we have no opinions on who makes the “best” beer or anything like that). 

In terms of experiencing one of the O.G. craft breweries in both Bend and the country at large, Deschutes Brewing is the place to go.

They have a brewpub downtown on the site of their original production facility, and a tasting room across the river at their new state-of-the-art production facility (which you can tour, if you’re interested – more information here). 

Crux Fermentation Project has a lovely outdoor space, perfect for relaxing in the sun with a pint in the summer.

Bend Brewing Co. has a nice outdoor space right near downtown Bend and the river.

Silver Moon Brewing has a fun trivia night on Thursday nights that’s worth stopping by. 

Though there are two good cideries in nearby Tumalo that we like – Tumalo Cider and Bend Cider Co., if you’re not into beer. 

Catch a Concert at Hayden Homes Amphitheater

On our way to Bend on this latest foray across the Cascades, we were coming from Clear Lake and made a pit stop in Sisters (for Sisters Coffee, of course). 

The barista who I was chatting with asked where we were from and where we were going, and when I said “from Portland heading to Bend for a week,” they remarked that Bend had a lot more things to do. 

I, as a lover of Sisters (the town) and the fact that it’s a great gateway to the outdoors nearby, said that there’s plenty to do in Sisters, too. 

“Yeah, but they have concerts in Bend” was their response. And, sure enough, they do have concerts in Bend now, which is a relatively new phenomenon that I don’t really remember being aware of 5-10 years ago. 

However, there have been a few times recently where I saw that a band was going on tour, checked the dates out of curiosity to see if they were coming to Portland (I’m always curious about whether bands come to the PNW or not), and saw that they were skipping Portland but playing in Bend. 

Most recently it was the Lumineers and…yeah, Bend does seem like the perfect vibe for them.  

However, after some light digging on why this might be, I realized it was less about the vibe of Bend versus Portland, and more a cynical business practice of one of the worst companies on earth, Ticketmaster (in this case, their brand LiveNation). 

The reason that a lot of bands come to Bend and skip Portland is relatively simple: there’s only one LiveNation venue in Oregon, and it’s Hayden Homes Amphitheater, which is across the river from the Old Mill District.  

A lot of bands plan their tours with LiveNation, which means their Oregon stop is in Bend, and radius clauses in their contracts mean they can’t play a venue within a certain number of miles of Bend, so they skip Portland altogether (there is no LiveNation venue in Portland at the time of writing, though they’re trying to build one). 

Anyway, the point is that Bend punches above its weight in terms of concerts, partially because it’s the only venue that a company with a monopoly on venues (AND ticket sales) owns in the state.

Which means that if you’re visiting Bend in the summer or fall, there’s a good chance some big artists are going to be in town (Dashboard Confessional played Bend the night we arrived). 

It’s also worth noting that it’s cool to have an outdoor music venue smack dab in the center of town, rather than having to drive 30-40 minutes outside of the city (which is the case in Seattle and Portland). 

You can check the upcoming artists at Hayden Homes Amphitheater here. 

Take a Day Trip

One of the great things about Bend’s location in central Oregon is that it opens up a whole new world of possibilities in terms of places you can reach on a day trip than if you’re coming from Portland. 

Places like Crater Lake and the McKenzie River Scenic Byway, which we love but are just too far to reach in a day from Portland, all of a sudden become accessible! 

We’ve already covered a few day trips that we consider to be within the Bend area – like Smith Rock, the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, and Newberry Volcanic National Monument – and we’re going to use this section to talk about three trips that are a bit further, but are equally magical (and the juice is worth the squeeze).

Crater Lake National Park

Before we get too deep into this section, we should note that a day trip to Crater Lake from Bend is absolutely going to be a long day no matter which way you slice it. From Bend to the north rim of Crater Lake, you’re looking at roughly two hours, one way. 

However, hear us out, because we’ve thought about this a lot and talked it through countless times as we’ve tried to figure out how to get Crater Lake into our itineraries for an Oregon road trip or a broader Pacific Northwest road trip.

First of all, Crater Lake is absolutely worth seeing once (though it’s definitely not our favorite national park in the northwest).  

Second of all, Crater Lake is extremely difficult to access because it’s kind of in no-man’s land, sitting three or four hours south of Portland, and six or seven hours north of the Bay Area (which are the two closest big cities with reasonable flights and rental cars). 

If you’re already in Bend, you’re kind of already in the nearest city (with a good selection of hotels) to the park, and it would be a good time to make it to Crater Lake if it’s something you’ve had on your list. 

One other thing to know: Crater Lake is at elevation, and snow lingers until June or July every year.

The rim road is closed for most of the winter and spring, and only partially open until they clear snow from the eastern half (you can find road conditions here).

If the rim road is closed, you have to drive allllll the way around the lake to the southern entrance to get there from Bend, which isn’t achievable in a day.

We’d only do a day trip in the summer and early fall when the rim road is open. 

Our perfect day in Crater Lake involves three things: a hike down from the rim to the water, a drive (and walk) along the rim road (where you’ll find excellent views of the sapphire blue water), and a hike up to a high point for a bird’s eye view. 

Get an early start from Bend so that you’re at the lake by ~9am to give yourself plenty of time to explore. 

We’d start from the northeastern corner of the rim and make your way counterclockwise, which means starting with a hike down to Cleetwood Cove, which brings you down to the water level (it’s the only place in the park that gets you to the water). 

It’s a short but steep hike, following a set of switchbacks straight down from the rim to the water (you drop 700 feet in a mile – the climb back up is no joke).

But that cold, crystal clear water is worth the sweat equity you’re going to put in to reach it. 

Next, drive the rim counterclockwise, stopping at viewpoints along the way that all give you a slightly different angle out over the lake.

End your scenic drive at the Rim Village Visitor Center on the south rim of the caldera. 

From there, head out on foot to walk part of the Discovery Point trail, which leaves from the visitor center and skirts the edge of the rim heading west and is where you’ll find some of our favorite views in the park. 

The rim trail continues for miles, but you can keep going as far as you want – “Discovery Point” is about a mile from the parking lot. 

Last, but certainly not least, finish your day with a climb to one of the historic fire lookouts – Garfield Peak or The Watchman Peak – both of which are going to involve a steep climb that gives you a great view out over the vast caldera and its deep blue water.   

The McKenzie River Scenic Byway + Highway 242

This is one of our favorite scenic drives in the state, and is a big piece of our love story with Oregon because we spent a chunk of one of our two big road trips around Oregon five years ago along the McKenzie River Scenic Byway.

The way to do the Byway in a day from Bend is to make a big loop that starts and ends in Sisters, which will look something like this. 

We’re connecting two distinct road trips that we think show you a lot about the history of Oregon and how the Cascades have shaped the land here. 

First is Highway 126 along the McKenzie River, and second is Highway 242, which takes you over McKenzie Pass where the landscape transforms from the rich, fern-laden green forests of western Oregon into a barren volcanic landscape with massive lava flows as far as the eye can see (which means you get great views of the peaks of the Cascades). 

We went back and forth around which direction we’d recommend going, and decided that we like going counterclockwise from Sisters because you start in that lush, green fir-filled forest along the river and then climb into the dramatic volcanic landscape, which is a cool transition.

However, that does mean that you’re going to end up fairly far from the two lakes that would give you the opportunity to get out on the water, so if that’s something you’re interested in, either go clockwise or be prepared to do some extra driving. 

Here are the stops we’d make along the way, following the loop counterclockwise from Sisters.

Sahalie and Koosah Falls: A great introduction to the majesty of the McKenzie River!

Two nice waterfalls and a short hike along the river. It’s a small, busy parking area, so be prepared to wait if you’re here midday. More trail information here. 

Proxy Falls: One of the absolute best waterfalls in Oregon because it combines the height that you find at some of the ones in the Gorge with the sprawling nature of a waterfall like Ramona Falls near Mount Hood.

You can hike right up to the base of the falls, and it’s really impressive (especially considering the low effort to get there). Trail details here. 

Scott Lake: A beautiful lake with lakefront campsites (first come, first served), good water access for boating, and a great view of the Sisters across the lake.

We’ve meant to come camp here for years, but we also know it’s busy because people set up shop and camp here for weeks at a time during the summer. 

Dee Wright Observatory: By the time you’ve gotten here, you’ve left the wet, green, fern-filled forests of western Oregon behind and ascended a series of switchbacks, emerging into a completely barren volcanic landscape.

The Dee Wright Observatory has excellent views towards the Belknap Crater and Mount Washington in one direction, and the Three Sisters in the other.

There’s also a nice little paved walking path with signage explaining the geological history that created this lovely little slice of volcanic paradise. 

Sisters: This can go either at the beginning or end of the day because the loop passes right through town, but Sisters is a great stop for coffee (at Sisters Coffee, obviously), a bite to eat (at Sisters Bakery – not gluten free though), and wander around their compact little downtown for some window shopping. 

If you’re looking for an excellent longer hike to add to your day, we have two options for you.

Black Butte near Sisters for a steep climb to great views, or the Iron Peak / Cone Mountain Loop for the views and wildflowers, which is in our top three hikes in Oregon. 

If you’re looking to get out on the water, there are two lakes along the way that are worth a stop (we like both) where you can rent various watercraft like kayaks and row boats; Suttle Lake and Clear Lake. 

However, as we mentioned above, if you go counterclockwise, they’re kind of in the middle of the day, so you’ll have to make some decisions and potentially move things around. 

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