Planning your next Oregon vacation? Explore Bend, Oregon – a beautiful town in the heart of the Oregon scenery with our nomad travel guide. Oregon is the perfect place for travelers who love hiking, waterfalls, adventure, and exploring the great outdoors!
The first stop on our digital nomad journey was Bend, Oregon – a quick five hour drive away from our hometown of Seattle, Washington. We’ve visited Portland dozens of times (which we love!) but had never made our way to Bend – until now. Why Bend, Oregon? We wanted to make our way south and eventually hit Boise, and figured Oregon would be a great place to kick off.
When Akaash and I travel, we tend to look for two main attractions: 1) hidden gem food spots and 2) underrated nature trails. We want to share with you our top 10 food and nature attractions we found in Bend during our short stay.
This post is part of our Travel Guide series where we highlight some of our favorite eats, sights, and activities in the places we visit when traveling and embarking on our nomadic life. We love experiencing new places through primarily food and nature. Please remember to wear a mask when traveling and abide by the latest COVID-19 health guidelines.
Places to Eat and Drink in Bend, Oregon
Favorite Brewery: 10 Barrel West Bend
There are a few locations of 10 Barrel. but the must try 10 Barrel is in West Bend. The vibe is GREAT with plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. This is a nice spot for beer and bar food – pro tip: get the chicken wings. (a M&N staple!)
Date Night: Wild Rose Thai
An amazing Northern Thai restaurant – we went back twice! If you’ve never had northern Thai food before, try the Khao Soi and Northern Larb Kua. Would also highly recommend the chicken wings (surprise, surprise) as a starter. Can be ordered takeout or dine-in.
Lunch Spot: Deschutes Brewery
If you’re in the mood for some burgers and beer, Deschutes Brewery is a nice spot. We stopped in for a quick bite when we first arrived and really enjoyed the burgers.
Best Dessert: Ida’s Cupcakes
These were the BEST alternative cupcakes we’ve ever had. We’re always on the hunt for dessert and Ida’s Cupcakes had dairy-free gluten-free, and vegan cupcake options. Their original cupcakes were also amazing. You chose what frosting and cake type you want and they mix and match all flavors to your liking. Tip: The kids cake is a normal cupcake size, and if you want to go even bigger try the gourmet. Also, ask for sprinkles free of charge.
Best Happy Hour: Sunriver Brewing Co.
Sunriver Brewing Co. didn’t have a specific happy hour menu when we went, but great beer and sharable plates. Loved stopping here when we were in the Sunriver area. Plenty of outdoor seating (beware no heaters!) but be ready to bring a jacket.
Must See Nature Sites in Bend, Oregon
Hiking Options: Smith Rock State Park
A short drive from downtown Bend, Smith Rock State Park was a $5 entrance fee – but plenty to do. You could spend an entire day at the park hiking, bouldering and exploring. To get to some of the hiking trails does require walking up/down steep hills so wear proper shoes.
Unique Attractions: Lava Land Visitor Center, Deschutes National Forest
Ever wonder what it’s like to walk on the moon? Lava Lands terrain is close to what is found on the moon – astronauts have even done testing there. We loved the short walk to get a great view of the Lava Lands area.
Daytime Walk: Benham Falls & Deschutes River Trail
A relatively flat walk from the Deschutes River trail to Benham Falls with beautiful views along the way. If you’re lucky you’ll get some great views of the rushing waters. Definitely a low effort, high reward walk.
Evening Stroll: Downtown Bend River Walk
Bend, Oregon is a fun river town, so be sure to take a quick stroll downtown and see the river walk. We loved starting the river walk near the Old Mill District. In the summer you’ll see plenty of people floating down the river in innertubes and paddle boarding, and lots of spots where you can rent and join in on the fun.
Bend, Oregon is a dream to take in the Oregon scenery, explore waterfalls, enjoy a beautiful hike, and vacation with friends and family. Do you have any recommendations for Bend, Oregon that we missed? Let us know in the comments.
Keep up with our latest travel adventure by signing up for our newsletter!
Makes me want to move to Bend
Comments are closed.