Central Oregon Road Trip: Must-See Attractions and Itinerary Tips

Central Oregon makes the idyllic road-trip destination for a few reasons. Those include:

Location: The largest cities in Central Oregon—including Bend, Redmond, and Sunriver—are all easily accessed by well-maintained highways and sit about three hours from most of the state’s other population centers.

Landscapes: Whether you’re answering the call of the wide-open high desert, hiking through stately forests, paddling mountain lakes and streams, basking at the base of waterfalls, or admiring jagged lava flows, you’ll savor a variety landscapes to immerse yourself in throughout Central Oregon.

Four seasons of family-friendly fun: From interactive museums and public parks to performing-arts venues and casual eateries, everyone in your crew will find plenty to love about the region. Best of all, there’s something new to enjoy in every season.

Smith Rock State Park

Just outside Redmond and Terrebonne, Smith Rock State Park earns acclaim as one of Central Oregon’s top sites with several vacations worth of outdoor attractions.

The heart of the park is its namesake rock formations—and the lazy Crooked River that flows through them all. Views of the sheer cliffs await from the parking area—and only get grander as you descend to its base. From there, choose among more than 10 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking; some ascend to the summit of Misery Ridge and look out over the broader Central Oregon landscape. Still, the park is perhaps most famous as the birthplace of sport climbing in the United States; the activity grew throughout the 1980s, and Smith Rock today offers thousands of climbs—more than a thousand of which are bolted.

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

A handful of sites south of Bend and around Sunriver comprise the expansive Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which totals more than 54,000 acres and encompasses some of Central Oregon’s most spectacular landscapes.

Highlights include Lava River Cave (a mile-long lava tube—the longest in Oregon), Lava Cast Forest (where a paved trail that shows how volcanic eruptions left their mark on a pine forest), the Lava Lands Visitor Center (which dives into the natural history of Newberry Volcano), Lava Butte (which affords views of the surrounding landscapes), and Newberry Caldera (where you can camp, paddle, hike, and stay inside an active volcano). Check the Newberry National Volcanic Monument website for a full breakdown of attractions, when each is open to the public, and what kind of passes or permits may be required throughout the monument.

When planning the best Oregon road trip, you’ll want to figure out where to stay before rolling into town.

Check out our guide to lodging in Central Oregon, which breaks down the different types of overnight stays you’ll find—lakeside cabins, retro-inspired motels and hotels, romantic retreats, lavish resorts, cozy B&Bs, and more. Whatever your style of travel, and no matter how large your group, you’ll find accommodations that meet those needs and reflect the spirit of Central Oregon.

From there, it’s worth thinking about when to book. If arriving in summer or around the winter holidays, try booking as soon as you know your dates—or three to six months in advance. This gives you the widest range of options and your choice of room types at your given lodging.