Bend has gotten the reputation of being a great place for nature lovers and we TOTALLY agree. We were there in March, so while many of the places were icy or roads even closed, we were still able to get out and see plenty. We've also decided that we want to come back to visit in the summer to do some of the stuff we weren't able to this time.
Bend was such an interesting place because it snowed about half of the days we were there, but it wasn't really that cold. The weather was much sunnier than on the other side of the mountain range (where Willamette Valley/Portland are).
Our Airbnb was actually on a farm, so Indy made some friends with the horses as well!
Favorite Things to Do
Smith Rock State Park - This is the single best state park we've ever been to. It was absolutely stunning! We hiked the Misery Ridge trail to the River Trail and it ended up being about 5 miles. The park is dog-friendly, but Indy was recovering from an upset stomach, so we left him at home for this one.
Koosah & Sahalie Falls - There is a lot of bang for your buck with this 2 mi hike! It was definitely still icy (and actually snowed on us a little!) on this hike, but the falls more than made up for the cold. It's worth it to go to both falls, but you can even see the first one in a 2 minute walk from the parking lot.
Tumalo Falls - Normally the road leading to the falls is open in the summer, but we had to make the 2.5 mi trek due to the road conditions. It was an easy forest walk with a huge payoff. Tumalo Falls was amazing - especially with all of the ice behind the falls making them extra special.
Pilot Butte SP (cinder cone) - This cinder cone is unique as it's actually in the city limits of Bend. We went on a clear day and could see the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, and even Mt. Hood!
Painted Hills - We drove about 2 hours to get to this section of the John Day Lava Beds National Monument. The great thing about National Monuments is that they are super dog friendly, so Indy got to join! There are 5 trails and we hiked all of them. Such a nice day trip from Bend!
We don't love beer, but there's also a ton of great breweries in the area to do tours and tastings at, like Deschutes & 10 Barrel Brewing (that we've actually visited in Portland).
Favorite Food
Bos Taurus - We went here for Jason's birthday and ate inside for the first time in over a year! The food was fabulous (we got oysters to start and then Jason went with a wagyu steak & I opted for the pasta), but the desert was my favorite part.
Bangers & Brews - They have all kinds of sausage here, but we went with the traditional bratwurst. You also pick out a few toppings like caramelized onions, bbq sauce, aioli, etc. Super yummy!
Spork - The Mexican/Asian fusion place was awesome! I got a green curry & Jason got tacos.
900 Wall - This was our last meal here and definitely a favorite. We had the oysters, fried green beans & split a pizza. A great way to celebrate our time in Bend!
Jackson's Corner - My favorite meal in Bend. This spot had a farm-to-table feel with lots of seasonal specials. We went with the salad with cara cara oranges and pizza and weren't disappointed!
Poke Row - A great place to get a super yummy and fast meal.
Sparrow Bakery - Mmmm, I'm drooling thinking about that ocean roll! Jason got a Croque Madame, which was also great.
Tiger Town Brewing - We stopped here on the drive to Painted Hills. The wings were a great choice and we heard good things about the beer!
Bend was a great stop & we're happy we were able to spend a month there!
Up Next: We're in Whidbey Island, WA right now!
Things for the Next Trip:
Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
Newberry Volcanic National Monument
Float the Deschutes River
Check out some caves (Boyd, Hidden Forest, etc)
Jason wants to golf at a few more spots around town
