Whether souvenir shopping is on the agenda during a trip to Central Oregon, or the holiday gift giving season is once again creeping up, there is no shortage of shopping here in the high desert. While it has become easier than ever to shop from behind a screen, there’s a special feeling that comes with shopping local—whether it’s for art, local specialty foods or experiences that showcase the best of Central Oregon.
Handmade Products in Central Oregon
There’s a little red building on the outskirts of Bend’s Old Mill District known as the “Little Red Shed” that is worth a visit during a future shopping trip to the area. It’s inside this cozy 20-foot by 20-foot workspace and showroom that Anna Amejko Peterson creates her nomadic woven artwork. For her company, Amejko Artistry, Peterson designs scenes of mountain and desert landscapes, as well as other patterns she’s inspired to make. The artist said she’s inspired by a lot of different global designs, and has a love of geometrics and elements of nature that show up in her designs.
Down the road in Redmond, jeweler Erica Porch handcrafts jewelry inspired by the landscapes of Central Oregon and beyond for business, Derive Jewelry. She creates necklaces with mountain and forest scenes and pieces inspired by the moon and wildflowers. “I’m using inspiration that I derive from the earth,” said Porch, who describes her jewelry as both a souvenir and a travel companion. In addition to selling jewelry on her website, Porch regularly has booths at Central Oregon farmers markets and has displays in local stores. Watch this Central Oregon Makers video to learn more about Derive Jewelry.
With a little digging, shoppers can uncover more Central Oregon companies that take inspiration from the region’s landscapes and spirit to create artwork and handmade products. Other locally made products can be found at The Workhouse in Bend or the Made in La Pine store.
To try making something with your own two hands, make a visit to The Art Corral in Prineville for a paint night or a class on the pottery wheel. Leave with a gift for yourself or someone else that was made with care in Central Oregon.
Central Oregon Specialty Foods
Looking for a way to spice up typical gift giving? Browsing through products from Sakari Farms in Tumalo just might do the trick. With everything from spices such as basil and thyme to hot sauces, salts and teas, these flavor-packed specialty foods are a great way to liven up a meal.
Sakari Farms owner and indigenous agriculturist Upingakraq “Spring” Alaska Schreiner first started a seed exchange more than a decade ago. In 2018, she and husband Sam Schreiner bought land to begin their own six-acre farm in Tumalo, where they run a tribal seed bank, offer on-farm classes and grow tribal peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, herbs and one-of-a-kind native flowers.
To get a taste of Sakari Farms traditional tribal foods and specialty food items from partnering producers, try the Fall/Winter First Foods Box, featuring Sakari Farms tea and hot sauce along with products including wild rice, coffee and jelly from other Native American-owned companies.
Central Oregon’s specialty food offerings are broad, and range from sauces and honeys to sweets and jellies. Dry Canyon Salt Company in Redmond offers a selection of wine salts, which are hand-crafted, small batch salts infused with wine. Also made in small batches in Redmond, Justy’s Jelly offers sweet, spicy, savory and even boozy jellies. Bend-based Holm Made Toffee offers its signature toffee, along with roasted hazelnuts and other seasonal food favorites that have become staple treats during the holiday season in Central Oregon. In Madras, Casad Family Farms ships out boxes of their regeneratively grazed beef and pastured heritage pork, perfect for a family gathering or any occasion. Foods grown and produced here in Central Oregon make excellent gifts for foodies, but also can offer anyone a tasty reminder of a trip here, or entice others to visit and experience more of the region’s local food scene.
Experiences to Try or Gift in Central Oregon
Whether it’s for a giftee that seems to have everything, or for those who value experiences, gifting tickets, a tour, a gift card or another type of experience in Central Oregon may be the perfect fit.
For a night on the town in Bend, browse the schedule and pick up tickets for a show at the Tower Theatre. Affectionately referred to as “Bend’s Living Room”, the Tower Theatre offers film screenings, live music, comedy shows and theater events throughout the year. Gift cards or tickets to a Tower show can make an excellent stocking stuffer, said Ray Solley, executive director. “Connecting with family and friends through music, dance and comedy makes the best memories,” Solley said.
For winter enthusiasts, book an unique experience with Oregon Trail of Dreams, owned and operated by Iditarod finisher Rachael Scdoris. Choose from a standard sled dog ride (about an hour experience) or opt for the 26-mile round trip sled dog ride for two to Elk Lake (includes a delicious lunch). Trips begin at Mt Bachelor. The Hoodoo Anycard offers skiers and snowboarders five days of access to Hoodoo, northwest of Sisters on Santiam Pass.
For creatives, give the gift of a class at Bend’s DIY Cave, which offers workshops focused on leatherwork, jewelry making, blacksmithing, home brewing and more.
For foodies, set up a private cooking lesson with Ingredient Studio, the Bend-based duo of Marité Acosta and Candy Argondizza, two accomplished chefs who moved from New York City to Central Oregon. Central Oregon’s High Desert Food Trail offers dozens more options for food-centered experiences in the region, with suggested stops at farms and ranches, eateries, farmers markets and lodging ideas.
Give a wine tasting experience with a gift card to Faith Hope & Charity Vineyards, which regularly hosts concerts, and other events at its family-friendly vineyard in Terrebonne.
For more experience-based gifts, Visit Central Oregon has a selection of curated experiences to try, with options such as a visit to the Bend Rock Gym or a scenic hot air balloon flight. Explore more experience ideas to gift here.
Whether it’s an experience, a handmade gift that reminds us of Central Oregon, or the perfect ingredient to put the taste of the region into a meal, there are more than a few ways to approach gift-giving with a Central Oregon spin.
Other stories
More inspiring stories, adventures, and tips & tricks for planning and experiencing the best Central Oregon has to offer.
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Winter Tours You Have to Try in Bend and Central Oregon
Twinkling lights, fresh snow and fire pits bringing people together; it’s winter in Central Oregon! Bend and the surrounding towns within Central Oregon are great places to cozy up when the snow falls, and even better places to take part in winter recreation. Locals love to explore the nearby Cascade Mountains, with Mount Bachelor and plenty of sno parks located just a 30 minute drive away. Back in town, there are several breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries waiting to be sampled. With so much to do, it can be tough to know where to start. Luckily, tours in Central Oregon that showcase the best outdoor and indoor recreation are available to help visitors make the most of their winter vacations.
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Favorite Year-Round Mountain Bike Spots
When winter comes and the snow falls, some of Central Oregon’s popular mountain biking trails become a little too muddy to ride – which means some of the unheralded spots in the region get a little more love. Places like Smith Rock can get scorching hot (and quite crowded) in the summer making it a great spot to head come winter. Want some good locals tips on where to ride? Ask the folks at Hutch’s Bicycles, Pine Mountain Sports or The Hub Cyclery for the 4-1-1, or set up a tour with Cog Wild Mountain Bike Tours and Shuttles.
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Make the Most of Your Bend and Central Oregon Ski Vacation
Dreaming of skiing in Bend, Oregon? The Central Oregon region is an incredible destination for a ski getaway. While the average snowfall in Bend is a little more than thirty inches, Central Oregon ski resorts boast annual numbers of more than 450 inches. From Bend, visitors can drive to Mt. Bachelor resort in just 30 minutes or the Hoodoo Ski Area in less than an hour. Outside of the resorts, there are boundless backcountry trails for cross-country skiing to glide into pristine and untouched wilderness. With tons of snow, a plethora of winter activities in Central Oregon, and seemingly endless miles of terrain to explore, Bend and Central Oregon make the perfect ski getaway. Read on to discover how to make the most of your ski-cation in this winter wonderland.
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Notable Chefs at the Best Restaurants in and around Bend, Oregon
A little known fact that visitors are picking up on, Bend is a foodie paradise. There’s something about our creative, non-traditional attitude and emphasis on local ingredients that just makes great food. Luckily for visitors and locals alike, there are several chefs running Bend kitchens that constantly push boundaries, experiment, and create delicious and innovative dishes across a diverse array of cuisines.
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Best Shopping in Bend and Redmond, Oregon
Shopping in Central Oregon has evolved over time, thanks to an influx of outdoor enthusiasts, organic farmers, antique purveyors and entrepreneurs of all kinds moving in, and subsequently sharing their products with the community. This mixed bag of motivated individuals creates a marketplace full of locally sourced, handcrafted items that can’t be found anywhere else. In addition to small, local businesses, Central Oregon’s growth in population in recent years has garnered the attention of some larger retailers, who have opened up shop in Bend and Redmond. Shopping in Bend, Oregon and likewise, shopping in Redmond, Oregon, provides visitors with a look inside our local industries, while simultaneously providing opportunities to purchase from well known retailers. It’s also worth mentioning that shopping in Central Oregon and throughout the state is tax-free, offering shoppers a built-in excuse to buy whatever catches their eye.
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Top 5 Tours to Take in Bend, Oregon
Bend is a nature-lover’s paradise blended with a hop-head’s dream; nowhere else will you find this much craft beer and this many outdoor activities. The city’s been growing quickly, reaching 100,000 residents in 2020, and with the growth comes plentiful opportunities for adventure. From walking the very halls that brew your favorite beer to any number of adrenaline-inducing sports, we have you covered for the five best types of guided tours in Bend, Oregon.
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The Scenic Waterfalls in Central Oregon
Is there anything more satisfying—anything more awe-inspiring—than gazing upon a thundering waterfall, its raging waters tumbling over ancient rock walls? Does it get any better than seeing a waterfall reach full boil in the midst of an otherwise quiet river as it crashes through a rock-lined canyon?
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Central Oregon Golf: Best Par 3s
Play a good golf course and chances are that when you’re back at the 19th hole, you’re talking about the Par 3s. The short one you made double on. The bear where you snaked in a 20-footer for your only birdie all month. They’re the “short” holes that can make or break a round. Some of the signature holes on the Central Oregon Golf Trail are Par 3s. Here’s a look at some of the best.
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Winter Isn’t Only About Snow in Central Oregon
It’s true that when winter rolls around in Central Oregon, most people’s minds veer toward things to do in the snow. With Mt. Bachelor, Hoodoo, sno-parks and more, there’s plenty of options for folks to get out and play.
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Central Oregon Hiking Trails
Head east on Highway 20 (Greenwood Avenue) to the Pilot Butte State Park. The parking area and trailhead are just east of the butte. Walk on either the nature trail or the paved road. The road is also for vehicle traffic, weather permitting. It is a wonderful viewpoint for the entire Bend area. This hiking trail is one of the most popular in Central Oregon.