Bend Oregon Travel Photographer Top Ten Things To Do

We had an amazing opportunity to spend a few weeks in Bend, Oregon and we really made the most of our time there.

Walk at Farewell Bend Park!

Located just outside downtown Bend, this path wanders along the Deschutes River Trail and connects the park to the Old Mill District to the northeast, to Riverbend Park across the river and to the South Canyon Bridge to the south. It’s an easy stroll, dogs are welcome and it takes you through beautiful scenic views of the river and rocks as well as through the Old Mill shopping area! A perfect afternoon.

This 3.5 mile off-leash loop is the perfect place to walk with or without your furry buddy. It’s a beautifully open trail that meanders through the forest taking you through some areas that have been affected by fires before you eventually make your way down a small slope to river access along the Deschutes. Something to keep in mind about this location is that it’s fairly easy to get lost! Be sure your phone is charged and you have the map pulled up before you head out!

3. Grab a Coffee at the Looney Bean and walk through Drake Park!

We absolutely LOVED this coffee shop that’s located just on the edge of town with a beautiful view of Mirror Pond. We loved grabbing coffee here and then walking the short distance to the trail that leads to Drake Park. Drake Park follows Mirror Pond and has a few foot bridges you can use to cross the pond. An easy, beautiful stroll!

4. Snowshoe at Mount Bachelor!

This was an absolute highlight! There are lots of trails at Bachelor, but if you head into the Nordic Center they can provide you with a map and direction on which trail to take depending on your activity level. I snowshoed out to Todd Lake which gave me amazing views of Bachelor and Three Fingered Jack!

5. Hike Through the Oregon Badlands!

This was an incredibly peaceful afternoon. I hiked along one of the many trails through the badlands for about 4 miles. It was almost entirely flat with beautiful rock structures, old trees, tumbleweeds and it happened to be lightly snowing the day I was there. Dogs are allowed and it was an easy, enjoyable hike for the afternoon!

6. Hike to Tumalo Falls!

This 97 foot waterfall is an absolute MUST SEE. I ended up having to hike several miles in because the road was closed due to snow, but when the road is open you can drive practically all the way up to the falls and then it’s just a very short hike if you’d like to head up and see the falls from the top. It was really beautiful and the road leading to the falls is surrounded by huge, gorgeous rock faces on one side and the river on the other!

7. Shop Downtown!

Bend truly has SO many wonderful, locally owned small businesses that are thoughtfully curated. I really admire towns that can help their small businesses and artist thrive. I loved Lark Modern Living for home decor and jewelry- they had a unique collection of so many different pieces! Gathered Wares was wonderful and is part of a group of local artist shops just outside downtown Bend that also includes a fly fishing shop and other artist made goods- a great spot to stop for lots of shopping close together. The General Store is newly revamped and had great attire, home decor, jewelry and some food items!

8. Try the MANY Local Breweries and Bars!

Seriously, though. There are SO many great breweries and independently owned bars in Bend. They are all worth checking out, but our favorites are:

Monkless Brewing for their awesome location, food menu and great tasting spread.
Bevel Brewing for their unique frisbee golf theme and really good beer
Boss Rambler Beer Club for their great beer and really unique and fun branding and location
Crux Fermentation Project for an awesome view and obviously delicious beer
Bend Brewing Company for their great spot on the river and my favorite beer!
Velvet for delicious cocktails and a really cool atmosphere

9. Walk Along the River at Tumalo State Park + Eat at The Bite in Tumalo!

There are SOO many places to walk along the river, but this one was really great for a group with kiddos. It was an easy walk, lots to see and eventually led to a really cool bridge with gorgeous views of the Deschutes. Afterward you can head to The Bite where you can find outdoor seating, food trucks, a full bar and live music some nights of the week! We loved the sushi truck!

10. Ski at Mount Bachelor!

Last and certainly not least, you have GOT to ski (or board!) Mount Bachelor. We had the chance to get up twice and it was fantastic. We were so impressed with the organization of the rental process and the extremely well designed app you can use to see what lifts are open or to track other people in your group. Mostly, though, we were thankful for our new friend and mountain guide for showing us the ropes- even when I was less than impressed with his run choices a few times . On the first run of our second day we made it to the summit at 9,000ft!