VISITING CENTRAL OREGON

Bend, Sunriver and La Pine lie approximately 150 miles to the southeast of Portland, along the high desert region at the base of the Cascade Mountains.  The altitude of the area varies between 2500 and 4000 feet, offering dry air, lots of sunshine, warm summer days and cool nights.  When you come in winter, plan to bring warm clothes and snow boots.  In summer, the days are warm but the nights cool down, so bring a light jacket or sweater for evening (sleeping is never a problem!).  For up to the minute weather information, click here.

Getting here is easy!  Robert's Field in Redmond, 16 miles north of Bend, is the main commuter airport.  Flights come and go daily from Redmond to Portland, Eugene, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City.  United Express, Horizon Air and Delta all have flights coming and going.  For more information on flights in and out of Redmond, click here.  Many visitors fly in and out of Sunriver's airport on private planes.  To find out more about flying directly in to Sunriver, click here.  If you prefer to drive to Central Oregon, you can come south on Highway 97 from Seattle, north on Highway 97 from San Francisco, or over from Interstate 5 on Highway 58 from Eugene, Highway 22 from Salem, or through Government Camp on Mount Hood on Highway 26.  For detailed driving directions, click here.  For a detailed map of Central Oregon, click here.

Now that you're here, you have lots and lots of choices of places to stay.  If you want to be in 'the thick of things', there's the Phoenix Inn in downtown Bend on Franklin Avenue (541-317-9292).  Within walking distance of the Old Mill District (great shopping, restaurants, and home of Regal Cinemas) is the AmeriTel Inn (800-600-6001).  The Old Mill District is also home to the Les Schwab amphitheatre where many open-air concerts and events take place.  For more information on the Old Mill District, click here. 

In Sunriver, you can choose to stay in a condominium, townhouse or home.  Renting a home or condominium is easy through Sunriver Resort (541-593-1000), or view all your rental options at www.sunriver-resort.com.  When you rent through Sunriver Resort, you have access to the Sunriver homeowner swimming pools and tennis courts, Sage Springs Club and Spa, resort-wide transportation service, discounted rates and advance tee times on any of three golf courses (Crosswater, The Meadows or the Woodlands).  Bring your bicycle, or plan to rent one here in Sunriver, and enjoy an afternoon biking the myriad bike trails that wind through Sunriver. 

If you fly into Redmond airport late in the evening or have an early flight out, you can stay within five minutes of the airport at the newly built Comfort Suites (541-504-8900) or http://www.choicehotels.com/hotel/or113 .

Now that you're settled into your accommodations, we can talk about the most important part---eating!  Sunriver and Bend boast a number of very fine restaurants.  Our favorites in Sunriver include the South Bend Bistro (541-593-3881), located on the west side of the Sunriver Village Mall.  They serve dinner Wednesday through Sunday for most of the year, and every night in the summer months.  Enjoy South Bend Bistro's fine fish and meat entrees, along with a great selection of wines.  If you want a gorgeous location overlooking the Meadows Golf Course and the Cascade Mountain range, Sunriver Lodge (541-593-1000) has several choices.  The Meadows is the main dining room, and then there's also lighter fare available in the Owl's Nest.  You can sip a glass of wine on the deck outside, enjoying the spectacular views, without worrying about getting cold because they have outside heaters.  Another restaurant located in a spectacular setting is the Deschutes Trout House.  It sits overlooking the Sunriver Marina, the mountains and meadows (drive west at Circle 3 in Sunriver, following signs to the Marina, and the Trout House is right there).  The Trout House has always been well known for delicious seafood entrees, and they also serve breakfast and lunch.  To contact them for reservations, call 541-593-8880.

There are also a myriad of culinary choices in Bend.  For a good review of restaurants in the area, click here to get The Source Restaurant Guide.  Our favorites for breakfast include Westside Bakery on Galveston Avenue, and just up the street is the Victorian Cafe.  Another excellent breakfast spot is Alpenglow Cafe which sits on Greenwood Avenue on the right, just past Wall Street.   The Pine Tavern, an old Bend favorite, serves good lunches and dinners.  They have a lovely patio area where you can enjoy an evening meal overlooking Bend's spectacular Mirror Pond.  I especially like the Pine Tavern's smoked salmon caesar salad.  In the Old Mill District, Anthony's can't be beat!  The restaurant and outside patio overlook the Deschutes River, and have an unobstructed view of the mountains.  They serve great fish entrees, as well as chicken and meat.  If you are seated before 6pm you can get the early bird menu and enjoy a four course meal for under $20 per person.

Both Bend and Sunriver have lots going on all the time, but things are especially busy in the summer.  Bend has Munchin Music every Thursday all summer in Drake Park, with outdoor music and a selection of foods from local restaurants.  Les Schwab Amphitheatre is busy all summer with outdoor concerts, and the Cascades Festival of Music happens in August under tents in Drake Park.  Click here for a full listing of upcoming events in Bend.  In Sunriver there is outdoor music in the Village Mall several nights per week, as well as outdoor concerts on the Meadows Golf Course driving range every Wednesday.  Weekends are full in Sunriver with many different events, especially the Pacific Crest Triathlon in late June, and the Wine Festival in mid-June.  Click here for a full listing of upcoming events in Sunriver.