Central Oregon’s Best Hot Springs: A Soaker’s Guide to Natural Mineral Pools
Central Oregon is famous for its skiing, hiking, and craft beer, but there is another side to the region that fewer visitors discover: the hot springs. Scattered across the volcanic landscape of the Cascades and the high desert, natural hot springs offer some of the most restorative and scenic soaking experiences in the Pacific Northwest. […]
Spring Wildflower Walks Near Sunriver: Where to Find the Best Blooms
When May rolls around in Sunriver, something magical happens along the trails and meadows surrounding this Central Oregon resort community. As the last of the winter snowpack retreats uphill and the high desert soil warms under longer days, wildflowers begin pushing through in waves of color that transform the landscape from muted browns and greens […]
Where to Eat in Redmond: A Local’s Guide to the Best Restaurants
Redmond has quietly become one of the most exciting food towns in Central Oregon. What was once a quick pit stop on the way to Bend or Smith Rock has blossomed into a dining destination in its own right, with a mix of farm-to-table gems, beloved Mexican kitchens, creative food carts, and neighborhood brewpubs that […]
Bend’s Best Waterfalls to Chase This Spring
Spring in Bend means one thing above all else: the mountains are melting. As snowpack from the Cascades works its way downhill through May and into June, creeks and rivers swell to their most dramatic levels of the year. For waterfall chasers, this is the season you have been waiting for. The trails are waking […]
Dry Canyon Trail: Redmond’s Volcanic Gorge Hiding in Plain Sight
Redmond often gets overlooked in favor of its flashier neighbors, but tucked into the heart of this growing city lies one of Central Oregon’s most unexpected outdoor gems. Dry Canyon is a 3.8-mile paved trail that descends into an ancient volcanic gorge — complete with dramatic rock walls, resident wildlife, and wildflower displays that rival […]
Paddling the Deschutes Near Sunriver: A Guide to Kayaking and Canoeing
Few experiences capture the spirit of Central Oregon quite like gliding down the Deschutes River in a kayak or canoe, pine-scented air filling your lungs while osprey circle overhead. The stretch of river near Sunriver offers some of the most accessible and scenic flatwater paddling in the entire state — calm enough for families and […]
Exploring Bend’s Old Mill District: Shopping, Dining, and River Adventures
Bend has no shortage of places to spend a perfect afternoon, but the Old Mill District manages to combine everything that makes this city special into one walkable stretch of riverfront. Built on the bones of a historic lumber operation, this 270-acre open-air district has evolved into Central Oregon’s premier destination for shopping, dining, live […]
Scenic Byways of Central Oregon: The Best Spring Drives Through the High Desert
Central Oregon was made for road trips. The high desert landscape shifts constantly — pine forests giving way to lava fields, snow-capped volcanoes appearing and disappearing behind ridgelines, alpine lakes shimmering in meadows you did not know existed. And the best way to take it all in is from behind the wheel on one of […]
Dry Canyon: Redmond’s Hidden Urban Trail That Locals Love
Most visitors to Central Oregon blow right through Redmond on their way to Bend or Sunriver, and honestly, that is part of the charm. While the crowds flock to the bigger-name destinations, Redmond quietly keeps one of the region’s most surprising outdoor treasures all to itself: Dry Canyon. This 3.8-mile paved trail drops you into […]
Canoeing and Kayaking the Deschutes: A Sunriver Paddler’s Paradise
There is something almost meditative about paddling through Sunriver on a clear morning. The Deschutes River glides through this resort community at a gentle pace, its spring-fed waters cold and impossibly clear, winding past towering ponderosa pines and volcanic rock formations. For visitors looking to experience Central Oregon from water level, canoeing and kayaking near […]