What are your favorite summer activities? Do you gravitate towards the water, and enjoy spending the day lazily floating out on the lake? Or maybe you’d rather stay cool while hiking or biking along shady, mountain trails? Luckily, you don’t have to choose, you can do it all on your journey to Bend Oregon in the summer!
Fun on the Water
You don’t have to go far to have fun on the water in Bend. The Bend Whitewater Park is near the Old Mill District, and offers river access without leaving town. Or, spend your afternoons lazily tubing down the Deschutes River or out on Elk Lake, or shooting the rapids on the Deschutes or wild Rouge River. Rent a kayak, SUP or fat tube and spend the day out on the water, or take a guided tour.
If you’re looking for your first steelhead or a sparkling rainbow trout on the end of your line, all you need to do is book a guided trip on Cascade Lake, East Lake, Crooked River, Fall River, the Deschutes River, and more local waterways with one of the area’s knowledgeable fishing guides.
Fun on Solid Ground
You don’t even have to leave town to go on a good hike. Pilot Butte is a dormant cinder cone right downtown, and offers a panoramic view of Bend and the surrounding area. Take a leisurely hike along the Deschutes River Trail as it winds along the river and downtown, or just wander through the trails in the Old Mill District, where you can stop for shopping and coffee breaks along the way.
Hike around Sparks Lake, one of the most photographed lakes in the state, then stay for an amazing sunset from one of the viewpoints. Or hike to the picturesque, popular Tumalo Falls or the Paulina Plunge for spectacular waterfalls after a lovely hike through alpine forests and high mountain prairies. Mountain bike enthusiasts will enjoy hurtling along and exploring over 500 miles of single-track in Bend, including Mt. Bachelor’s downhill mountain bike park.
Take a Tour, Hit the Links and More
Take a guided tour centered on your interests. Choose from kayaking and canoeing tours, craft beverage tours, lava tube caves and volcano tours, history and ghosts tours, photography tours, and more. Or, try a scavenger hunt around downtown.
The Bend Ale Trail is the largest beer trail this side of the Mississippi, with 22 breweries on the tour. Take a guided tour and leave the driving to someone else, or tour on your own, just make sure these local breweries are on your list: The Ale Apothecary, Crux Fermentation Project and the Deschutes Brewery. And if craft beer’s not your thing, visit a local winery or distillery complete with tasting rooms like the Oregon Spirit Distillers.
Enjoy a stroll through Downtown Bend or the Old Mill District where you can browse galleries and shops featuring local artists’ wares and Bend or Oregon souvenirs. Plus, there’s always something going on downtown, with the First Friday Art Walk, the Bend Summer Festival (free concerts and great food every weekend in June and July), the Bend Brewfest (with 200+ area craft beer, wine and cider makers) and more.
Looking for a little more excitement? Try bungee jumping at Crooked River Gorge or the zip line over Crater Lake National Park! Book a helicopter tour of the Cascade Mountains, or try a thrilling, paragliding adventure over Pine Mountain.
Nearby Attractions
Smith Rock State Park is a world-famous destination for serious rock climbers and is also known for its unique, dramatic landscape full of sheer cliffs, colorful, towering rocky spires, and steep canyons. Because daytime temps can climb into the triple digits in summer, schedule your climbs for early morning, then play in the Crooked River to cool down.
Visit Newberry National Volcanic Monument where you can walk over ancient lava flows frozen in time, like the amazing, brilliant Big Obsidian Flow. Newberry Caldera also has 12 trails, fishing and water sports in the caldera’s two lakes, and even a few hot springs. The Newberry National Monument is also home to the Lava River Cave, an amazing mile-long lava tube.
Plan a Journey to Bend Oregon in the Summer
Whether you spend your time out on the water or hiking dormant volcanoes, you’ll be glad to head back to your lovely Bend vacation rental at the end of the day. Take a relaxing dip in the hot tub, then spend the evening in front of the roaring fire, or maybe snuggling together out on the deck gazing at the stars.
Our rentals are located throughout the Bend area, so you can select the perfect vacation rental close to trailheads or facing a quiet Alpine lake. Need help narrowing down your choices? Or maybe you’d like a few more suggestions for things to do while you’re here? Just give us a call today!
