If you’re looking for a city that is full of adventure activities then Bend, Oregon is the place for you!
Before visiting this city we had heard so many great things about it and couldn’t wait to see what it was like in real life. We arrived on a rainy day so initially we didn’t get to explore too much, but got our laundry done, did some restocking at the Walmart then headed into the Deschutes National Forest to find a spot to camp.
We entered the forest on FR 4601 thinking that there would be plenty of options to camp from the reviews we had seen online, it wasn’t long before we realized this was NOT a good place to camp. There were tons of homeless camps set up and trash everywhere. We passed several broken down, trashed, vans and cars that were completely covered in graffiti. We even tried going down different roads in the area and all of them had the same, uneasy feeling of people living full-time in the woods making it feel unsafe. Luckily, we ran into a local who was getting his bike down to go mountain biking and we asked him about the area. He mentioned this was not a good place to camp and gave us the suggestion of going to the Sno Park off the Cascade Highway to camp. He also provided us with some great spots to eat in town!
After moving the RV we headed into town with just the car and our bikes and finally got to see all the amazing things the city had to offer such as:
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Rafting down the Deschutes river
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Paddle boarding/ kayaking/ canoeing on the river
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Bike trail system through Drake Park
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Picnic or soak up some sun at Harmen or Drake Park
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Go mountain biking on the trails in the surrounding forest
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Catch a show at the outdoor amphitheater in Drake Park
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Bike or walk through downtown Bend
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Stop by the local breweries – Deschutes Brewing has a great upstairs patio and Bend Brewing is a great spot for the whole family! Bend brewing has a huge lawn in the front where they will blowup a projector screen and play movies for all to enjoy!
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Check out the local restaurants and cafes (we loved Wild Rose, but be sure to get a reservation because this place was crazy packed and loved by locals)
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Hike up Pilot Butte for 360 views of the area
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Stop by the local museums
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And if you come in winter, Mount Bachelor is known for great skiing
There are tons of things that Bend has to offer for all ages, and if you are looking for a safe place to boondock, check out the Elk Lake area about 30-45 mins outside of Bend. We found a great spot off a powerline road just across the highway from Elk Lake and it was a phenomenal location. It felt safe, we had good cell service, and you can visit the lake right across the road for swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, and even camping if you prefer a campground. Not to mention, you get a great view of Mount Bachelor with the crystal blue lake that is filled with the snowmelt from the peak.
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