Bend, Oregon
I was a first-timer to this beautiful mountain-town and there is a lot happening here. We were able to walk the trail along the river in between rain bursts, and there were even adventurous souls biking and surfing at a rough spot in the river. This town is bustling with breweries, wineries, shops and cozy restaurants.
After arriving in Bend, we had pizza and ciders at a restaurant called Jackson's corner and they had the most amazing pickled items!
Ended the night with friends walking to Crux Fermentation Project for beers and a giant fire pit!
The next morning we woke up early for a short hike at the Deschutes River/Paddling Trail. We counted ourselves lucky that the sun came out for us while we walked.
This trail was beautiful at every turn since it hugged the river for the majority of the section we hiked. Lined by tall, textured trees, this is a popular destination for river floats during warm, summer months.
Cold beer or cider for the river float, anyone?
Bend is teeming with awesome cideries and breweries, making it a popular destination for couples, larger groups, and families to explore the great outdoors and some of the best brews in the Pacific Northwest. We loved Avid Cider Co. for their apricot cider, Deschutes Brewery for a classic Bend beer-tasting with wide variety to please everyone in the group, and Crux Fermentation Project for the evening fire pit ambiance.
After hiking the Deschutes River trail, we drove further up Mount Bachelor to find some snow. Even at the end of May, some of the day-use areas weren't plowed well enough for our SUV to make it off the main road. That didn't stop us from pulling off the road occasionally to stomp through some snow for a great view!
Below, is Emerald Lake.
Further up the road we turned off to find this awesome spot on the lake too cold the day we arrived but would be amazing for a lazy summer lunch spot!
We could not get enough of Bend's food scene and definitely over-ate our way across town! We didn't want to miss out on any of the amazing food that Bend had to offer. One of our restaurants of choice, favored by others as well (long lines) was Spork. Lots of plates to share amongst a group and every single dish we tried was fantastic!
Bend is a town that you can walk all over and find amazing little nooks and spots with cool murals, art pieces, and historic charm.
On our last morning in Bend, we stopped at this cute little coffee shop called The Sparrow Bakery- wow, their pastries and delicious morning treats are something to write home about! And their outdoor patio was so peaceful to sit in the sunshine. We never wanted to leave!
I was loving the spring blooms in this town after emerging from a long winter- hello sunshine, fresh air, and vibrant flowers!
June 2019.