All year-round, there is much to do while visiting Bend, from attending local, regional or national events such as Bend Farmers Market, the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival, Wells Fargo Bend Summer Concerts or Old Fashioned July 4th Celebration, to visiting fitness, spas and massage venues, or the indoor skateboarding Park.
Bend is a city with entertaining for the entire family, having fun with amazing outdoor events, and world-class activities, such as biking, hiking, golfing, or skiing, among many, many others. The Pedicab service offers downtown transportation, with scenic and historic tours.
This unique Bend’s Cycle Cab service (phone (541) 408-6363) is your ticket to special event entertainment. For family-fun entertainment, Acrovision Sports Center offers martial arts, gymnastics and climbing wall at 63255 Jamison Rd., phone (541) 388-5555.
Speaking of sports, those people who like them can visit Bend Elks Baseball; just sit outdoors at historic Vince Genna Stadium, SE 5th and Roosevelt Ave. phone (541) 312-9259. Here you can watch and enjoy the best old-fashioned baseball the way it used to be played in past times.
However, nature is the trademark of Bend, a city with a large number of parks, trails, golf courses, indoor and outdoor multi-sports facilities. Bend’s Metropolitan Park and Recreation District manages around 48 miles of trails and 71 parks, including other venues for recreational activities such as the following:
- Bend Theatre for young people, phone (541) 419-1395
- Central Oregon Indoor Soccer Center, 20775 High Desert Ln.
Located in Northeast Bend in the Brinson Business Park, phone (541) 330-1183
- Children’s Music Theater Group, 20 NW Greenwood Ave., phone (541) 385-6718
- Central Oregon Skateboarding Union Local 5-0, 1331 NE 1st St., phone (541) 388-0121
- Central Oregon Indoor Sports Center, 20795 High Desert Ln.
Located in Northeast Bend in the Brinson Business Park, phone (541) 388-3808
If you prefer the adventure, take a train, but not a common one. The Crooked River Dinner Train (phone (541) 548-8630) , running from Redmond to Bend, is a 1800’s Western theme train that features entertaining activities, including murder mystery and line action with cowboy cook-outs, train robberies, and wagon train rides.
Golf enthusiast will find convenient locations with a large number of facilities and amenities, including championship courses, practice areas, stunning views, full service restaurant and bar, as well as challenging natural hazards. The following is an overview of some of the Golf facilities available at Bend:
- Aspen Lakes Golf Course, 16900 Aspen Lakes Dr., Sisters, phone (541) 549-GOLF-4653
- Awbrey Glen Golf Club, 2500 NW Awbrey Glen Dr., phone (541) 385-6011
- Bend Golf & Country Club, 61045 Country Club Dr., phone (541) 322-5771
- Black Butte Ranch, 8 miles west of Sisters off Hwy 20, phone (541) 595-1500, 800-399-2322
- Crooked River Ranch, 5195 NW Clubhouse Rd., Crooked River Ranch, phone (541) 923-6343, 800- 833-3197
- Eagle Crest Resort Golf Courses, 68397 Cline Falls Rd., Redmond, phone (541) 923-5002, 877-818-0286
- Kah-Nee-Ta Golf Course, 6823 Hwy 8, Warm Springs, phone (541) 553-1112, 800-554-4786
- Lost Tracks Golf Course, 60205 Sunset View Dr., phone (51) 385-1818
- Meadows Golf Course-Sunriver Resort, One Center Dr., Sunriver, phone (541) 593-1000, 800-547-3922
- River’s Edge Golf Course, 400 NW Pro Shop Dr., phone (541) 389-2828, 800-547-3928
- Widgi Creek Golf Course, 18707 SW Century Dr., phone (541) 382-4449
- Woodlands Golf Course-Sunriver Resort, One Center Dr., Sunriver, phone (541) 593-1000, 800-547-3922
Of particular interest, is the Quail Run Golf Course, a semi-private facility built in 1991, designed by Jim Ramey, and ranked the number two 9-hole golf course in the United States, according to the Golf Digest Magazine. Located at 16725 Northridge Dr., La Pine, phone (541) 536-1303, 800-895-4653,
Quail Runhas wide, tree-lined fairways and small greens. Because this course is located near Newberry National Volcanic Monument, the terrain is hilly and very scenic with some uneven lies. Water hazards come into play on at least 3 different occasions, and the season is open from May 15 to November 15.
Other attractions in Bend include whitewater rafting, skiing, snowboarding, and mountain biking. In fact, the Bicycling Magazine named Bend number one for riding. Once arriving to Bend you will find that bikes can be rented on nearly every corner, including on mountains and parks.
Phil’s Trail System has put Central Oregon on the Mountain biking map with its more than 300 miles of single and double track trails forming a triangle, with a difficult level ranging from easy to arduous. However, access is only available to bikes and a Northwest Forest pass is required to park at the trailhead.
Mount Bachelor is Bend’s center of winter and summer activities, taking a lift ride to its 9,065-foot summit, biking its Nordic Trails, hiking with the US Forest Service Naturalist, or Horseback Riding and Rock Climbing.
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