Are you getting a little bit tired of beer and wine? When’s the last time you tried some apple cider? No, not that fizzy non-alcoholic stuff the kids love… the real thing! Hard cider is making some serious waves here in central Oregon, and when you’re in Bend, you’ll just have to try some at Red Tank Cider. It’s a uniquely Oregonian product: you’re in the land of apples, after all!
The Red Tank Cider Has Many Flavors
With roughly the same alcohol content as beer, cider can be a delicious alternative. Its taste ranges from sweet to “dry,” and it can have a lot of different flavors incorporated into it, just like beer. At Red Tank Cider here in Bend, they’re giving them all a try! They make four Premier ciders on a regular basis: a sweet, a dry, a pear cider, and a cherry-apple blend. But where the fun really begins is with their wide range of seasonal flavors: Depending on what time of year you stop in, they may be brewing up raspberry, pumpkin pie, tropical, Mexican-inspired, strawberry, or something else entirely!
Easy to Visit
While regular tasting room hours are from 4 to 6 on Friday afternoons, if you’re in town on a different day of the week, you can still come by. Red Tank Cider Bend OR. welcomes visits by appointment on any day of the week, so just give them a call or email and set it up! You can also find their brews at many different seasonal brewfests, including Cider Rite of Spring (Portland, March), Hood River Ciderfest (Hood River, April), and Bend Brewfest (Bend, August). These are standout opportunities to taste their wonderful seasonal experimental brews, as well as fun festivals where you can enjoy the best brews Oregon has to offer (and that’s saying a lot!)
Downtown Bend
One of the great things about Red Tank Cider is that it’s so easy to get here from our awesome downtown Bend rental properties. When you stay in downtown Bend, you’re within walking distance of so many great spots. While Bend is famous for outdoor sports and nearby wilderness areas, the town itself is also a lot of fun to explore, with an excellent array of restaurants, breweries, and shops right along the riverfront.
Attractions in Bend
There are many tourist attractions in Bend and deciding what to do in your time here can be a daunting task. There are a few things no tourist should miss.
Mount Bachelor
Whether you visit during the ski season or in the summer, you will find something fun to do at this wonderful recreational area. Winter offers skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and even dog sledding. The area offers slopes for people of all different abilities and if you don’t know how to ski yet, you can always take one of the classes the area has to offer.
New skiers can hone their skills at Woodward State Park and First Rays Conveyor Carpet. It is open through April 26 and it is the perfect place to take your first spill and learn how to snowplough.
Beginners’ lift passes are $39 online and $49 if you buy them at the park. Single day passes for non-beginners are $88 online and $109 at the park. If you arrive later in the day, you will pay a bit less. The slopes are open from 9 to 4 every day.
Summer brings hiking and mountain biking to the area. The lifts stay open in the summer and they are a great way to get a panoramic view of the mountains and valleys of the High Desert.
Oregon Observatory
This popular spot is a great place to gaze at the stars at night and learn about astronomy during the day. The observatory is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. The nighttime observatory is open from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm during the winter. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $8.00 for kids.
There are many telescopes available for use during the day and there are staff members who can answer your questions about what you see in the sky. There are also planetarium shows that are educational and last about 25 minutes.
There is a nature center right next-door where you can enjoy hiking and learn about and visit with some of the local animals in the area.
Things to Do in Bend
There are many things to do in Bend. If you visit in the summer, you can enjoy whitewater rafting and floating on the Deschutes River in the summer. You can take a walk down the ale trail and try several of the towns locally crafted beers. You can find the perfect gift for your friends back home at any one of the local art galleries in town.
Check out our great Bend vacation rentals and find the one that’s just right for your vacation!
Visit:
Red Tank Cider
840 SE Woodland Blvd. #185
Bend, OR 97702
drew@redtankcider.com
(541)420-0109
