Bend, Oregon is a great destination year-round with incredible outdoor activities. There are many kid-friendly attractions in and around Bend, Oregon, making it a perfect place to take a family vacation.

If you live around Portland then it’s a perfect weekend getaway.

We have created this Sunriver/Bend Travel Guide to help you plan your entire trip. Our travel guide includes where to eat and lots of activity suggestions. Like all of our travel guides, this one will continue to grow and adapt over time. In February we are headed back down to experience all the great winter activities they have so check back for updates!

Sunriver Activities

During the summer, activities include kayaking, white water rafting, and hiking. If you are new to rafting, raft the Big Eddy first. You will get a small taste of some major rapids without being tossed around too terribly.

1.Whitewater Rafting Sun Country Tours 

Rafting the Big Eddie with Sun Country tours was cheaper than kayaking and horseback riding in Sunriver. Plus it was awesome. We felt comfortable the whole time. The entire operation is streamlined, which is nice.

Whitewater rafting the Big Eddy near Bend, Oregon.

2. High Desert Museum 

A fantastic indoor family-friendly activity near Bend is the High Desert Museum, a one-of-a-kind museum that reveals the nature of things in the West’s high desert through artful exhibits, alluring animals, engaging programs, and meaningful history. We felt completely immersed in the history as we walked through some of the exhibits.

High Desert Museum

3. Hiking 

There are loads of hiking trails around this area, including lots of waterfall hikes.

• Benham Falls – Dillon Falls
• Steelhead Falls
• Tumalo Falls
• Fall River Falls
• Paulina Falls

4. Sharc Water Park

Sunriver has its own small waterpark (shown in the photo at the beginning of the post) that is mainly outdoors, but also indoors as well. Surprisingly, Sharc is a year-round aquatic facility. I’m assuming in the winter it’s just the inside portion that is open. Even in the summer, we thought the water was really cold. 

Military personnel and their families receive 50% off regular admission, which was awesome for our military family!

What was even cooler about going to this water park was that your admission got you unlimited rides on their summer tubing hill. I had never heard of a summer tubing hill, it’s so much fun. 

SHARC’s heated outdoor aquatics feature the following attractions:

• Water slides (must be 48″ to ride)
• Lazy River
• Water Jungle Gym
• Tot Pool & Sand Area
• Lap Lanes
• Heated to 83˚- 85˚

Sharc the waterpark in Sunriver

5. Summer Tubing Hill at the Sharc

You can tube almost year-round in Sunriver because they have a summer tubing hill. Here’s a video of the tubing hill.

6. Horseback Riding

Sunriver Stables is home to lots of horses and offers trail rides for any level and varying lengths. We took the one-hour ride, but I think 30 minutes would have been enough. All the trail rides offered are fine for beginners. If you are not a beginner, you might actually find the trails here a little boring.

Sunriver Horseback Riding

7. Kayaking

You can rent equipment like kayaks at the Sunriver Marina. They also offer tours. We went on their wildlife tour. During the kayak, we saw next to no wildlife we had a wonderful time. After we got done kayaking they fed us lunch and took us on a short hike to see Dillion Falls.

Kayaking in Sunriver, Oregon near Bend, Oregon

8. Off-Roading Tours

The entire area has loads of offroading available. You can sign up for an offroading excursion with Outriders NW. They have a handful of tours to choose from and their Polaris Razrs seat four. 

Off-roading with Outriders NW

9. Biking

Kid-Friendly Winter Activities in Bend, Oregon

During the winter you can ski and snowboard up on nearby by Mt. Bachelor. I have an entire post dedicated to taking a weekend ski trip to Bend. 

1. Ski and Snowboard 

In the winter, it is unacceptable to not go skiing if you are in Bend unless of course you just can’t. Why? Because Mt. Bachelor is just a short drive from Bend and home to 88 runs to accommodate novice, intermediate, advanced, and expert ski enthusiasts. It even has a magic carpet and bunny hill making this an ultra-kid-friendly place to ski.

2. Free guided Snowshoeing 

If you are a non-skier consider a 90-minute guided snowshoeing tour of the Deschutes National Forest instead. It’s easy to snowshoe and anyone 8 years or older can do it. This kid-friendly activity is free through the US Forest Service up on Mt. Bachelor. During your tour, you will learn about winter ecology at Mt. Bachelor and the geology of Central Oregon, the Deschutes National Forest watershed, and the plants and animals found throughout the area. You will need to wear snow boots and other warm winter clothing. These tours start at 10 AM on Saturdays. You check-in 10-15 minutes prior to the time of the tour at the USFS snowshoe hut just outside the Guest Services building in West Village at Mt. Bachelor ski resort.

3. Ice skating in Sunriver

The Sunriver ice rink is open from mid-November through the end of March and is an exciting activity for vacationers and locals alike. If ice-skating is not your forte, the rink offers a viewing room with a cozy fireplace so you can watch your friends and family skate to their hearts’ content.  This is a fairly cheap family activity!

Ice Skating at Sunriver

4. Mountain Air Indoor Trampoline Park

No matter where we go we always seem to find a trampoline park. This one is good with over 20 trampolines. 

Sunriver Restaurants

Cafe Sinatra

This place was fantastic! This will be our go-to place for breakfast in Sunriver from now on! Other than my crepe being a tiny portion I love everything about it. I just figured when I order the crepes that it would be more than just one of them. My $8 mistake.  It’s a cute place. They give everyone toast and it’s a cinnamon toast that’s REAL good. They did not have kids meals but they have some large plates that are good for splitting.

Hola!

After first eating at their location in a strip mall in Bend I was not impressed. But after visiting this beautiful location in Sunriver right along the river I have completely changed my mind. The cocktails here are huge. HUGE! Plus, they have a lot of cocktail choices. The tequila tacos are awesome. Do not let your children order the nachos off the kids menu. They would be better off eating the complimentary chips and dip.

Meadows Restaurant

Inside Sunriver Lodge with a fireplace & lake views, Meadows is a great place to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Sunriver Brewhouse

Craft brewery & gastropub serving creative American eats in a rustic setting with a kids’ play area.

Bend Restaurants for Families

Bend is home to 22 breweries, several with great food. 

Bend Brewing Company

We love everything about Bend Brewing Company. Their beers are great and on weekend nights they’ve got live music.  The Reuben is so large you should order and half or plan to split a plate with someone. They’ve also got excellent salsa!

Deschutes Brewery

The chicken BBQ bacon sandwich was amazing.  All of the other food was had was great. For dessert, we tried the peanut butter pie and it was ridiculous it was so good. You must try it if you visit!

The Original Pancake House – This place was great. It’s almost all pancakes. A typical order comes out with 6 pancakes. They have options for half orders on their pancakes and french toast. The prices are cheap. I fed 3 adults and 2 kids for around $30.

Spork

Extremely creative Asian Fusion

Spork Bend

White Rose

A delicious Thai food restaurant. Located at 150 NW Oregon Ave, Bend, OR 97702. For a family of four without drinks, the cost was $60. Do not go for the super spicy, it will be so hot it will be unedible. 

Worthy Brewing Taps and Tacos

A small taco shop with good food. Located at 150 NW Oregon Ave, Bend, OR 97702. For three entrees, chips, and an appetizer is was $50.

Bend Lodging for Families

Tetherow Lodge

This is a family-friendly hotel towards Mt. Bachelor with large rooms and entries perfect for putting your ski gear. Plus, they have a pool!

Tetherow Lodge

TownePlace Suites 

This is another good place to stay in Bend, Oregon. The rooms are a little small, but they’ve got free breakfast. 

SpringHill Suites

In my opinion, this is an excellent place to stay. They’ve got an indoor pool and hot tub, free breakfast, a bar in the afternoon, and evenings in the lobby. The rooms are laid out well with loads of power outlets. The location is fantastic in Old Mill District in downtown Bend. Because it is a Marriott they offer a military discount.

Element Bend 

They offer airy studios and one-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens. Amenities include complimentary bikes, a fitness center, a complimentary evening reception Monday through Thursday 5:00 – 6:30 pm, and more. 

Sunriver Lodging

Sunriver Vacation Rentals or VRBO

Sunriver has hundreds of homes for rent. Renting a home is nice because you can bring everything you need and spread out. 

We got our rental showcased in this video through Bennington Properties a local company with plenty of inventory. We liked staying with them and I highly recommend them.  

If possible I recommend trying to stay in the Caldera Springs area. It’s a private area within Sunriver with its own pool. This is where we stayed during our most recent visit to Sunriver and it was excellent.

Caldera Springs Pool

Bend & Sunriver FAQ

How far is Sunriver from Bend?

Sunriver is 19 minutes south of Bend. 

The post Sunriver & Bend Oregon Travel Guide appeared first on Mommy Travels.

I’ve lived in Oregon for a long time now, but for some reason or another, I have never put together a list of the best places to see in Oregon. I finally sat down and put one together. Here are the best of the best in no particular order.

Crater Lake

26 Amazing Thing To See in Oregon

The first three things on this list can all be seen on my Southern Oregon Road Trip Itinerary! This itinerary also includes the waterfall trail. 

Crater Lake 

Crater Lake National Park is in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. It’s known for its namesake Crater Lake, formed by the now-collapsed volcano, Mount Mazama. Wizard Island is a cinder cone near the western edge of the lake. The Rim Drive, a road surrounding the lake, offers views of the park’s volcanic formations. The park’s numerous trails include Sun Notch, with views of the Phantom Ship, a small island.

Oregon Caves

Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is a protected area in the northern Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon in the United States. The 4,554-acre park, including the marble cave, is 20 miles east of Cave Junction, on Oregon Route 46.

Out’n’About Treehouse Treesort

Out’n’About Treehouse Treesort

 Set on 36 acres of countryside next to Siskiyou National Forest, this imaginative treehouse resort is 11.4 miles from Cave Junction and 26.8 miles from the Oregon Caves National Monument. Learn more.

Painted Hills – Photo from http://essentialexplorers.com

Painted Hills

The Painted Hills in eastern Oregon near the small town of Mitchell, is one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, located in Wheeler County, Oregon. It totals 3,132 acres and is located 9 miles northwest of Mitchell, Oregon.

The Painted Hills are a collection of hills that were created from a series of volcanic ash eruptions that formed approximately 32 million years ago. What makes them so special is fact that they’re colored in different tones of red, tan, orange, gold, and black that change during the year depending on the light levels. 

Unlike most depictions of Oregon, this part of the state is a high dry desert, a sight you wouldn’t exactly expect to find here! The area is surrounded by hiking trails and other natural wonders like the Sheep Rock Unit, which will give you an insight into the area’s history through fossilized rocks.

Not far from the Painted Hills is a phenomenal working ranch that you can visit: Silvies Valley Ranch: A Luxury Dude Ranch in Eastern Oregon

Multnomah Falls covered in snow and ice

Japanese Garden in Portland

Lava Tubes

The cave is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The cave temperature is a constant 42 degrees, so wear warm clothing. This one-mile cave is one of the longest lava tubes in Oregon and offers self-guided exploration.

The Oregon Garden

The Oregon Garden is an 80-acre botanical garden and tourist attraction in Silverton, Oregon, south of Portland and not far from Salem. Opened in 1999, it is home to over 20 gardens, including a rose garden, children’s garden, and Silverton market garden. It is open 365 days a year and hosts both public and private events. The land is also home to the Gordon House, Oregon’s only Frank Lloyd Wright home. 879 West Main Street, Silverton, Oregon.

 

Silver Falls State Park

Silver Falls State Park is a state park located near Silverton, about 20 miles east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon with an area of more than 9,000 acres, with more than 24 miles of walking trails, 14 miles of horse trails, and a 4-mile bike path. Its 8.7-mile  Canyon Trail/Trail of Ten Falls runs along the banks of Silver Creek and by ten waterfalls, from which the park received its name. Four of the ten falls have amphitheater-like surroundings that allow the trail to pass behind the flow of the falls.

 

Ecola State Park https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OregonCoastEcola.jpg

Ecola State Park

This state park is located just north of Cannon Beach. Ecola State Park stretches along 9 miles of coastline. I consider this to be the most beautiful beach in Oregon.

 

Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park

Smith Rock State Park is an American state park located in central Oregon’s High Desert near the communities of Redmond and Terrebonne. Its sheer cliffs of tuff and basalt are ideal for rock climbing of all difficulty levels.

Sand Dunes

 

Whitewater rafting the Big Eddy near Bend, Oregon.

White water rafting on the Deschutes River

There are lots of places along the Deschutes to raft. We went Whitewater Rafting with Sun Country Tours

Willamette Valley Wine Country

Lighthouses in Newport

Portland International Test Rose Garden

International Test Rose Garden

The International Rose Test Garden is a rose garden in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon, United States. There are over 10,000 rose bushes of approximately 650 varieties. This is a free attraction.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Formerly known as the Portland Classical Chinese Garden and titled the Garden of Awakening Orchids, is a walled Chinese garden enclosing a full city block, roughly 40,000 square feet. 239 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209

Hoyt Arboretum

Hoyt Arboretum is Portland’s museum of living trees where we grow and exhibit trees and plants from around the world while educating our community and conserving vitally important plant biodiversity.  The arboretum is open free to the public and encompasses 189 ridge-top acres in Washington Park that are accessible by 12 miles of trails. Our collection nurtures 6,000 specimens from around the world, including over 2,000 species, 63 of which are vulnerable or endangered.

Jerry’s Rogue River Jet Boats

Go on a 104-Mile Wilderness Whitewater will travel into the ‘Wild’ section, an area only accessible by jet boating, rafting, and hiking. Jerry’s is the only commercial jet boat trip allowed to operate in this remote twelve-mile section.

Timberline Lodge

Timberline Lodge

Timberline Lodge is a mountain lodge on the south side of Mount Hood. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, it was built and furnished by local artisans during the Great Depression.

Things to do on Mt. Hood

Wind Surfing and Kite Surfing in Hood River – Hood River is the windsurfing capital of the world. People come from all of the world to windsurf and kitesurf here. It’s fun to watch.

8 Kid-Friendly Wineries in Hood River

McMenamins

McMenamins is a family-owned chain of brewpubs, breweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs in the Pacific Northwest.

Sahalie Falls

Powell Books

John Day Fossil Beds

Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

The post 26 Best Attractions in Oregon appeared first on Mommy Travels.

At this point, I’ve traveled extensively with my teens and tween and unfortunately, I know firsthand how stressful things can suddenly become because they are not having a good time on the trip. There are few things worse than a moody teenager on vacation that does not want to participate in any of the activities.

For a while, I gave up and let my oldest kid sit in the hotel room while the rest of us had fun, but eventually, I realized I needed to change the type of trips we were taking. Our trips needed to be way more exciting and physically active, especially if they’ve been stuck in the car on a road trip. With these two things in mind, here are my picks for the top US vacation for teens and tweens.

Top 9 Destinations for Teens and Tweens in the United States

Oahu

Oahu is an epic place to take tweens and teens year-round. The weather is consistently good and there is much to do, especially if your family enjoys water sports. Some suggested activities in Oahu that teens will likely appreciate are:

• Para-sailing
• Visiting North Shore and learning to surf
• Paddle-boarding up the Anahulu River to watch the sea turtles
• Hiking to the top of Diamond Head
• Kayaking from Lanikai Beach out to Moku Nui Island and back. 
• Hike Maunawili Falls – This hike takes you deep into the jungle, where you cross a river twice, and at the end, you are rewarded with a waterfall, and if they are brave enough, cliff jumping.

If possible, I highly recommend staying at Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa. This resort has a teen program that your kids will actually want to go to. They get to participate in physical challenges, take animation classes, learn to play the ukulele, have parties just for them, and more. While your kids are off doing their own thing, you have peace of mind knowing that they are safe and having fun.

See our Oahu Travel Guide to help you plan your entire trip!

Kauai, Hawaii is also fantastic if you want something less mainstream.

Vail

Whether you visit in the summer or in the winter, tweens and teens will love Vail, Colorado.

In the summer, teens can zip line and adventure through multiple ropes courses at Epic Discovery up on the mountain. Plus, there are other activities like horseback riding, white water rafting, and mountain biking.

During the winter, tweens and teens can spend their time skiing and snowboarding across the massive mountain. Vail has free public transportation that’s easy to use, allowing kids to have a little independence roaming around on their own.

See our Vail, Colorado Travel Guide to help you plan your trip or our 4-Day Vail Itinerary. Our favorite place to stay in Vail is Sonnenalp Hotel. 

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando houses many of the best roller coasters in the United States and has two extensive Harry Potter areas. Teens and tweens will love riding all the intense roller coasters. If your kids are like mine and want to ride the same roller coaster over and over, consider purchasing an Express Pass. This line pass will allow you to bypass almost every line there is in all three of the parks, which means there will be plenty of time to ride everything at least twice.

Recently, Universal Orlando added a water park, Volcano Bay. There are rarely any lines and you do not have to cart around your own raft or tubes for the slides. They’ve made using the water park easy, and with teens and tweens, the easier the better!

A nice plus is the city of Orlando because when you are done hanging out at Universal, Orlando has lots of other things to do. Kids of all ages will get a kick out of taking a Wild Florida airboat out on the swamps and seeing alligators. Oh, and there’s always Disney World. 

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is not somewhere most think to take teenagers, but it is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the United States and there’s lots to do for all ages. Give the kids a thrill at the indoor skydiving facility or zip lining off the Rio casino at VooDoo Zip.

Other fun things to do include Gameworks, the massive indoor gaming facility, rocking climbing out at the Red Rocks, ATVing, and hanging out at some of the incredible hotel pools. The Wet N’ Wild in Las Vegas also has some extreme water rides. Teens will also like most of the Cirque Du Soleil shows in town. You can currently get Cirque Du Soleil discount tickets up to 50% off one of their shows in Vegas.

For more recommendations on planning a trip to Vegas with kids, see my article: Tons of Activities for Teenagers in Las Vegas.  Here is a sample itinerary: Five Days in Las Vegas with Kids, our extensive Las Vegas Travel Guide, and our hotel recommendations 11 Best Kid-Friendly Las Vegas Hotels.

San Antonio

San Antonio, Texas is jammed packed with activities. They have two major theme parks, Six Flags and Sea World, not to mention one of the most extensive water parks in the world, Schlitterbahn. The nice thing is, teenagers can basically run off and do their own thing in all of these theme parks. Even along the River Walk, kids can go explore all on their own. While they shop around, parents can take a break over a drink and enjoy the River Walk in a slightly more grown-up way.

San Antonio also has a fantastic zoo, but you will want to skip it if the temperature is over 100 degrees outside. Instead, lather on the sunscreen and go float down the Comel River or Guadalupe River.

In San Antonio, I recommend staying at Hotel Emma.

Plan your entire trip with our San Antonio Travel Guide.

Panama City Beach

Another teen favorite in Florida is Panama City Beach. The beach has soft, powdery, white sand. It isn’t as big as many of the beach towns, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to do.

Go mini-golfing and go-carting, spend the day at the beach, or shop around at Pier Park. Spend one day bopping around Scenic 30A, where you will find tiny beach towns like Seaside or Rosemary. Renting some bicycles is a perfect way to explore this area. Another interesting spot worth venturing out to is Sandestin’s Baytowne Wharf. Here, families can indulge in boutique shopping, zip-lining, ropes courses, an arcade, and unique eateries.

Use our Panama City Beach travel guide to plan your entire vacation.

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon is another destination that is fantastic in the summer and in the winter. Year-round they have some of the best off-roading in the state!

During the summer, families will get a charge out of kayaking, white water rafting, and hiking. If your kids have never white water rafted before, take them down the Big Eddy. They will get a small taste of major rapids without being tossed around too terribly. Nearby, in Sunriver, there is a small water park and a little village to shop in.

During the winter you can ski and snowboard on Mt. Bachelor, and there’s an outdoor ice skating rink in Sunriver.

Read our Bend, Oregon Travel Guide to help plan your family vacation. Tetherow Lodge is our favorite place to stay in Bend.

NYC

There are a lot of things to do for this age group in New York City year-round. During the winter season, everyone can ice skate for free in Bryant Park and shop at all the little shops that are set up temporarily. Plus, you can witness the acclaimed Rockettes performing and many other Christmas shows.

All year long, visitors can enjoy the major landmarks and attractions here, like seeing the Statue of Liberty or visiting Ground Zero. Once kids are age 10 and up they are old enough to go through the September 11th Memorial, and old enough to appreciate, or at least sit through, a Broadway show.

We’ve been to NYC more times than we can remember. Check out our New York City Travel Guide to help you plan your own epic NYC getaway! I’ve also put together a 3-Day NYC Itinerary with Teens.

Palm Springs, California

Take teens on an adventure trip in Palm Springs with activities like four-wheelers or Jeep tours. Despite it being almost 100 degrees outside all three of my kids loved going on a Jeep tour of the San Andreas fault. Families can hike out at Coachella Valley Preserve or take the Palm Springs Aerial Tram up to Mt. San Jacinto State Park to hike in cooler temperatures.

I recommend staying at Omni Rancho Las Palmas near Palm Springs. They have several swimming pools and a lazy river.

Use our Palm Springs Travel Guide to help you plan your family vacation.

Conclusion

This list could undoubtedly keep going with the abundance of diverse destinations found across the United States, but hopefully, these 9 are enough to get you started on planning a successful trip with your teens!

For more ideas on places in the United States on vacation see our 22 picks for a spring break trip, Best Lake Vacations in the United States or our post on 13 Insanely Affordable Vacations in the United States.

Read Next:

23 Best All-Inclusive Resorts for Families

12 Cool Hotel Rooms for Kids

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. 

The post Top 9 Destinations for Teens and Tweens in the United States appeared first on Mommy Travels.

Not far from Portland, Oregon just down the highway, 3 hours away is Bend, Oregon home to Mt. Bachelor ski resort. Mt Bachelor is home to some of the best skiing in the Pacific Northwest. After several trips to Bend, I’ve put together a 3- day itinerary to Bend, Oregon to help you plan your weekend ski trip to Bend. 

Before you leave on your trip double-check to make sure you’ve packed everything you will need with our Ski Trip packing list. 

Day 1

Today you are driving to Bend and will have to decide what to do base on home much time you have when you arrive. Since you will have an early day tomorrow, you won’t want to stay out to late.

Your family will adore staying at Tetherow Resort, home to the 54th ranked golf course in America. This luxury property boasts one-bedroom suites large enough to accommodate families with 6 family members. Tetherow Resort is located at 61234 Skyline Ranch Road, Bend, OR 97702. Their phone number is 877. 298.2582

Tetherow Lodge

Dinner: Tonight have dinner at The Lot located on 745 Northwest Columbia Street, Bend, OR 97701. They are open until 9 pm. Bend’s “The Lot” is a collection of five unique, local food carts serving up a variety of dishes sure to find an appetite in your group. Throw in 16 taps of beer, heated seats and an enclosed eating area to keep you toasty even in the coldest conditions and you have one of the most interesting dining options in Central Oregon.

If for some reason they are too crowded or your kids refuse to sit outside at a food court then go have dinner at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.

Day 2

Breakfast: Start your day off with breakfast at Tetherow Grill. The Grill offers upscale, yet traditional breakfast favorites like pancakes and egg scrambles along with uniquely Pacific Northwest fare such as Tetherow Benedict with sautéed leeks and duck confit.

Breakfast at Tetherow Grill in Bend, Oregon

After breakfast, you are off to Mt. Bachelor (about 18 miles away) for a full day of fun.

Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort is a complete snow sports resort. It offers 360-degree lift-served groomed skiing and riding from its volcanic summit. Off the groomed, there is plenty of untouched tree skiing over Bachelor’s 3,683 acres. Mt. Bachelor welcomes skiers, snowboarders with 10 chairlifts, including 7 high-speed quads, and choice of 88 runs to accommodate the novice, intermediate, advanced and expert ski enthusiasts.

Snowshoe Tour

Arrive by 9:40 in order to participate in the 10 a.m. Guided snowshoe tour of Deschutes National Forest near Mt. Bachelor. Join a US Forest Service Naturalist for FREE 90 minute interpretive tours. Learn about winter ecology at Mt. Bachelor and the geology of Central Oregon, the Deschutes National Forest watershed and the plants and animals found throughout the area.

• Please dress for the weather; snowshoes are provided and no previous experience is required.
• Participants need to be older than 8 years old and wear snow boots and warm winter clothing.
• Check-in 10-15 minutes prior to time of tour at the USFS snowshoe hut just outside the Guest Services building in West Village

Skiing

After your snowshoe tour head to the Mt. Bachelor Ticket Office where you can purchase your ski passes. Enjoying skiing and snowboarding Mt. Bachelor the rest of today. Take a break midway through the day and have lunch inside the lodge. The cafeteria has lots of options.

Dinner: Once you’ve had your fill of skiing head back to Tetherow to clean up before heading out for dinner at Bend Brewing Co. in Downtown Bend located at 1019 Northwest Brooks Street, Bend, OR 97701. Bend Brewing Co. is a true local’s favorite when it comes to great beer and great food in a laid back environment. The restaurant is tucked behind downtown’s main streets and overlooks the Deschutes River. They have a hearty kids’ menu available.

Day 3

Breakfast: Today have breakfast at the Original Pancake house. The portions are huge and the prices are cheap.

After breakfast head decide if you want to ski again or not. If you want to go skiing again head back to Mt. Bachelor and have fun.

High Desert Museum

If you do not want to ski again head over to the High Desert Museum on 59800 South Highway 97, Bend, OR 97702. This is a one-of-a-kind museum that reveals the nature of things in the West’s high desert through artful exhibits, alluring animals, engaging programs and meaningful history.

The High Desert Museum is consistently rated as a top Central Oregon attraction by Trip Advisor. With 135 acres and more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, it’s a “must see” for anyone traveling through the area. Get a close-up of native wildlife, such as an otter, bobcat, porcupine, and badger. Talk with historic characters who share the tales of early Oregon explorers and settlers. Visit an authentic homestead and sawmill from 1904. Experience a close flying encounter with owls, falcons, hawks and even a vulture. Learn about Native American culture and history that bring history and science to life.

Lunch: After the museum, enjoy a late lunch at Deschutes Brewery.

Afternoon: Depart

There are lot of other places to eat and things to do in the Bend area. For more suggestions check out our Sunriver and Bend Travel Guide.

The post Weekend Ski Trip to Bend, Oregon appeared first on Mommy Travels.

The Rooms at Tetherow Lodge

Each unit features a mud room immediately upon entering with plenty of room for an entire family to hang their coats and discard their ski stuff. With three kids in tow, I found this incredibly helpful.

The living rooms are a nice size with a leather couch that makes into a king size bed. This is a definite plus for those of us with more than two kids. Also in the living area is a large flat screen tv, a desk, and a kitchenette with a tiny microwave, coffee maker, sink, and mini fridge. The coffee they provide is from a local company and it was excellent. The teas were also local and really good.

In the bedroom there were two king beds, a large closet, and another flat screen tv. The bedrooms are huge and you could easily have room for a queen size air mattress.

Their bathrooms feature double sinks and some of the units have bathtubs. The unit we stayed in didn’t have a bathtub, which I thought was a bummer. Kids of certain ages do not like to shower, so be sure if this is the case for your family that you get a unit with a bathtub.

I also saw that some units have patios overlooking the golf course. That would be nice, but I didn’t get one of those units. I got one with no patio and a view of the parking lot. According to Golf Digest Tetherow is the 54^th ranked gold course in the U.S.

The property itself is beautiful and everything is brand new. In the evenings they have a massive gas fire pit going. We planned to roast marshmallows one night, but it was brutally cold while we were there.

• Be sure and bring your own stuff marshmallows and roasting sticks if you want to do this. The resort does not have any for guests.

Tetherow Grill

There’s an on-site restaurant near Tetherow Lodge with a bar and views overlooking the golf course. We had breakfast here at the Tetherow Grill one morning and it was really good, but it took a while to order and a while for our food to arrive. They offer traditional breakfast favorites like pancakes and egg scrambles along with uniquely Pacific Northwest fare such as Tetherow Benedict with sautéed leeks and duck confit. They do not have a kids menu, but can do a reduced adult’s plate to accommodate.

I had the Classic Benedict: Served with poached eggs, our creamy hollandaise sauce, Red Hill Natural Canadian bacon and grilled tomato on a lightly toasted English muffin with Yukon hash. It cost $13. 

We only had breakfast here, but it looked like they had a pretty great bar. I looked over their extensive cocktail list and it looked exciting.

When we visited there was not a pool or hot tub, but since then they’ve added both. Plus, there are two more restaurants now. 

12 Reasons Your Family Will Love Staying at Tetherow

1. UNLIMITED GOLF (when booking a golf package)

2. NEW POOL & HOT TUB (open seasonally)

3. PLENTY OF LARGE TVs in The Row for football viewing

4. BEND IN THE FALL – hiking, biking, fishing & much more

5. COMPLIMENTARY IN-ROOM GUITAR RENTALS

6. UNIQUE HANDCRAFTED COCKTAILS for warm afternoons 

7. COZY FIREPLACES for the cool nights

8. COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLES to/from downtown & the Old Mill District

9. EVENTS – Concerts, fitness events & TRX classes available

10. COMPLIMENTARY wifi, parking & electric car charging

11. Only 20 minutes for Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort with a shuttle that will take you and pick you up. 

12. Fitness Center with tate-of-the-art cardio machines feature 19-inch touch screens with access to virtual coaching, Netflix, the internet, and television. 

Tetherow Resort

61234 Skyline Ranch Road

Bend, OR 97702

877. 298.2582 

See visitcentraloregon.com for more help planning your trip.

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I can easily recommend this place because simply put, it was great and kid-friendly. There was no wait for a table on a Saturday night, even though they were packed. All the servers were in good moods and seemed to actually enjoy working here. The food was solid and there was live music!

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the beer! The beer I had was fantastic. It was their High Desert Hefeweizen. They also had a selection of wines and specialty cocktails.

We started the meal off the way we would start off every meal if we could, with chips and salsa. Now you know if you’ve read many of my restaurant reviews that if I do not like the salsa that’s it. I hate the restaurant! Well, you know their salsa must have passed because I am writing a review. I don’t bother to even write up restaurants I do not like. I mean, why bother…

This first photo is a kid’s meal. My youngest son went with the kid’s fish and chips.
My son has gotten to where he always just orders a cheeseburger. This one was a good-looking one. It was not one of those stupid hamburgers with small buns and stacked so high you can’t eat it. I hate those. This one was regular size and we appreciated it!

As always, I had the Reuben. What can I say, I like what I like. Bend Brewing Company’s Reuben was huge. I should have ordered a half. Two people could easily split this! And it was so, so good. 

Overall, Bend Brewing Company was great and we will probably eat there every time we are in town now. They have free WiFi.

• $5 margaritas on Mondays
• Happy hour with half price appetizers on weekdays.

Bend Brewing Company is located at:
1019 NW Brooks St.
Bend, OR 97703

(541) 383-1599

They are open from 11:30am to 10:00pm and offer Happy Hour: Mon – Fri 4 to 6.

The Bend Brewing Company is a standout Oregon institution, and the beers they offer aptly reflect the culture of Central Oregon. With beautifully crafted IPAs, lagers, and ales, plus a wide range of seasonals, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the Bend Brewing Company! Not only do they create high-quality craft beer that’s available in local taprooms and breweries across Oregon, but their innovative brewpub atmosphere gives them staying power. Whether you prefer your pints on an outdoor patio or cozied up next to the fireplace inside – one thing is certain – you’ll love what Bend Brewing has to offer! So why not head over to your favorite Oregon brewery today and raise a glass with friends – cheers! Now tell us – what’s your favorite Oregon brewery?

Read Next:

Deschutes Brewery in Bend

Tetherow Lodge a Family-Friendly Hotel in Bend, Oregon

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Boy was the food here good, but the wait for a table was an hour!  Which wasn’t as bad as our disappearing waitress! I can see after having the food why people are willing to wait so long to get in. I literally cannot wait to eat here again.

DRY AGED RIBEYE STEAK

DRY AGED RIBEYE STEAK- Oregon Valley Natural Ribeye roasts are dry-aged in our kitchen for up to 25 days resulting in a rich, concentrated flavor profile. Grilled to order, served with fingerling potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables. $27 LIMITED DAILY SUPPLY

BBQ CHICKEN AND BACON SANDWICH – Tangy, smoky BBQ sauce, bacon chutney, jalapeño jack cheese, shaved red onions, and brown sugar chipotle aioli on a potato bun. $13. This was the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever had. 

These next two photos are of the kid’s meals.

We decided to go with two desserts because I really wanted the one with peanut butter, but my daughter is allergic. The solution get her a dessert and then the peanut butter pie for the rest of us! 

Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

Peanut Butter Pie Ingredients:
Cream Inside
2 C sugar
1 lb cream cheese
2 C peanut butter
2 C heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients except cream. When those ingredients are mixed, then whip in the heavy cream.

Crust Ingredients:

10 oreo cookies
1 stick of butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Ground-up Oreos and mix in melted butter until you get a thick crust. Line a small tin or pie tin. Pour in inside cream from above

INGREDIENTS
Fudge Topping
1 C cream
1 C sugar
2 Tbs corn syrup
4 oz butter, melted
4 oz chocolate, melted
1 Tbs vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Boil cream, sugar & corn syrup until reduced by 1/3. Add butter, chocolate, vanilla, and stir. Pour fudge topping over pie and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with a glass of Black Butte Porter

Serves 2-4

Tetherow Lodge a Family-Friendly Hotel in Bend, Oregon

Sunriver & Bend Oregon Travel Guide

Weekend Ski Trip to Bend, Oregon

Bend Brewing Company

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We were a little nervous about taking the kids whitewater rafting with us for the first time, but they have lots of tours to select from. We went with the “Big Eddie” trip. It was less than 3 hours from start to finish so the perfect way to introduce the kids to rafting. Plus, if they were miserable it would at least be over fairly quickly as opposed to an all day rafting trip. It doesn’t hurt that it’s the cheapest trip too.

Sun Country Tours offers many other activities besides whitewater rafting.

• Standup Paddle Boarding. SUP Lessons, Rentals and Tours.
• Float the Deschutes River is “floating the river” in our professional-grade river float tubes. All float tube rentals include a life jacket and information on safe entry and exit from the river.
• Ultimate Adventure Pass allows you to choose from multiple rafting trips, stand-up paddleboarding, and float tube rentals over a three-day period with big savings!

They will pick up all around the area, but the area that is gonna be the shortest bus ride will be their main office in Bend. Their Headquarters & SUP Shop 531 SW 13th Street, Bend, OR 97702. You can call and book a trip at 800.770.2161 or 541.382.6277.

Whitewater rafting the Big Eddy near end, Oregon.

One last thing……my kids have never agreed to whitewater raft again. When they think back on this excursion, it’s negative. They were too young. I recommend waiting until your youngest child is ten before trying this.

Read Next:

Sunriver & Bend Oregon Travel Guide

Weekend Ski Trip to Bend, Oregon

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Sunriver has lots of great restaurants and we made sure to eat at lots and lots of them.

One of our favorites was the Sunriver Brewhouse. They do everything right here including free wifi.

Amazing Beers

Sunriver Brewhouse makes their own craft beers here. In fact the beer you see in the fancy glass there on the right, the Big Willie Belgium Strong Pale Ale, was declared by my husband to be one of the best beers he has ever had in his life. We live in Portland aka Beertopia, so I feel like that is a pretty bold statement. I have to agree though his “Big Willie” beer was outstanding. The other beer served in a more traditional glass is the “Fuzztail Hefeweizen. It was quite good as well.

They also make their own root beer!

I should mention the food too, because the food was pretty great too and they feature a seasonal menu.

My favorite food is chips and salsa and their salsa is homemade and is actually good. To say salsa in Oregon is not so great is an understatement, but their salsa was good enough for these Texans even if it was a little on the mild side.

My husband went with the waitresses recommendation when trying to decide what to order and he was glad he did.

I had the gluten free BREWHOUSE TACOS: pulled pork or pan seared blackened cod, shredded cabbage, chipotle aioli, pico de gallo, corn and flour blend tortilla for $14

They were good, but a little dry and not that flavorful. I would not get them again.

• This was not the only gluten free item on the menu. They have lots of gluten free choices.

These two pictures are both kids meals. The photo above is the kid’s fish and chips and the photo below is the kid’s macaroni. Their french fries are shoestring  style. 

For dessert we had the brownie with Tillamook ice cream. The brownie is not served warm, but upon request they will heat it up for you.

All in all this was a great place. It’s obviously a popular place. The night we went the place was packed, but we still had great service. Our friends went to Sunriver the following weekend and they went here after we told them about the “Big Willie” beer and they loved the place too.

Read Next:

Sunriver & Bend Oregon Travel Guide

Sunriver Vacation Rentals

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Bennington Properties’ Sunriver Vacation Rentals

We stayed at a vacation rental by Bennington Properties while we were in Sunriver, Oregon and it was fabulous. Some of the things I like about staying with Bennington Properties were:

• Electronic Entry – No key needed
• Check in and out by phone
• Instructions for everything
• Extremely clean
• Someone is always available to help you if needed.
• Discount to Sharc water park
• Free Wifi
• Cable TV

We stayed at #4 Diamond Peak, which was in a great location near the playground and near the water park.

The house sleeps up to 7 people, children 5 and under do not count. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath with a living room, den, open kitchen, and dining room. We had more than enough room. The house did not have air conditioning, but it did have heat. It was way cooler downstairs than upstairs.

I brought coffee, but forgot the coffee filters. Luckily the house had coffee filters. It actually had a little bit of everything you might need like salt, pepper, sugar, and lots of other spices. The kitchen was fully stocked with dishes and cooking utensils. 

The house had a hot tub, his and her bicycles, and a kayak that you could use. The hot tub is a newer one and worked great. We made sure to use it at least once a day!

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