Stories from Central Oregon
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New Restaurants in Bend, Oregon
The dining scene in Bend, Oregon is constantly evolving, as new restaurants, cafes and pubs open up to feed the community and serve as lively gathering spaces for breakfast, lunch or dinner out on the town. New restaurants are often under development and construction to keep up with Bend’s growing population and visitor base…
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More inspiring stories, adventures, and tips & tricks for planning and experiencing the best Central Oregon has to offer.
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Where to Go Swimming in Bend, Redmond, and Sunriver
When summer arrives and the temperatures rise, visitors and locals alike flock to waterways across Central Oregon. Some paddle our lazy rivers, others fire up motorboats beneath snow-capped peaks and in the midst of high-desert canyons, and yet others throw on their swimsuits for a day of cannonballs, waterslides, and cooling off in our brisk waters.
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Exploring the Caves in Redmond, Oregon
Redmond sits surrounded by a bevy of outdoor wonders—including the iconic Smith Rock State Park, the oft-photographed Cline Falls, and the wide Steelhead Falls. But not all of the city's sites reside above ground.
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Central Oregon: Fun Facts & Places to See
Central Oregon is a picturesque treasure of small-town charm, the great outdoors, world-famous cuisine, scenic communities, and a robust historic past. With all that and more, it can be a tad overwhelming to take it in. We’re all for bite-sized facts that are memorable, interesting, and capture a place’s essence (and we’re full of ‘em here), so we compiled our favorites to make your next adventure off the beaten path fun and exciting.
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Indulge at Tetherow's Fine Dining Restaurant: Solomon's
With an explosive history of volcanic eruptions, lava flows, and cinder cones covering the region, Central Oregon is no stranger to smoke. But these days, while our volcanoes remain in a state of blissful calm, another kind of smoke is the talk of the town: smoked cocktails, the latest culinary attraction from Solomon’s Restaurant at Tetherow.
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Q/A with Renowned Tetherow Course Designer
Fescue is not unfamiliar to American golfers. But traditionally, the faded greenish-brown turf was most commonly experienced by American through TV — once a year while watching the British Open.
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Best Restaurants and Places to Eat in Prineville
The city of Prineville was founded in 1870 and is today the oldest city in Central Oregon. The modern-day community of 11,500 residents pays tribute to the past with a historical museum, Old West-inspired decor, vintage shops all around town, and other fun attractions. Visitors looking further afield, meanwhile, find that Prineville makes an idyllic getaway to the likes of the Painted Hills, Steins Pillar, and the Ochoco National Forest—one of many stately forests in Central Oregon.
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Redmond, Oregon's Food Scene
The city of Redmond, Oregon, is a haven in Central Oregon’s high desert, surrounded by farms, ranches and outdoor fun aplenty. In recent years, Redmond’s dining scene has greatly grown as the city continues to see new and innovative bars, restaurants, breweries, food trucks and more. From classic drive-in burger joints to authentic Mexican cuisine, craft cocktails and farm-to-table eats, Redmond surely has something for you to savor.
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Your Guide to an Epic Lake Billy Chinook Day (plus time well spent in Culver)
Just 35 miles north of Bend and 10 miles south of Madras lies Culver, Oregon—the staging ground for adventures on sparkling Lake Billy Chinook and The Cove Palisades State Park. And while the options on the expansive lake are many, Culver, a sleepy town of less than 2,000, also sits surrounded by world-class golfing, quiet camping, jaw-dropping scenery and excellent wine tasting. Here’s what you need to know for enjoying a jam-packed day or thrilling weekend around Culver and Lake Billy Chinook.
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Your Guide to Biking in Redmond, Oregon
Redmond, Oregon is located in the high desert between Bend to the south and Terrebonne—home of Smith Rock State Park—to the north. The city is perfectly situated to explore Central Oregon’s biking trails. As a lesser known destination for outdoor recreation, Redmond can sometimes feel like a local’s secret playground, featuring tons of trails to explore. From a pump track in town to the nearly limitless access to the nearby mountain biking trails of Central Oregon, avid bikers should consider a stop in Redmond for some adventure.
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Top Things to Do In and Near Madras
The city of Madras was formed in the early 1900s by a loose-knit collection of dreamers and optimists who wanted to see the region’s burgeoning rail system roll through the nascent community. Their efforts prevailed—but more than a century later, the railroad is a footnote in the agricultural-minded community’s history. Still, dreamers continue flocking to the city of nearly 8,000, enchanted by its outdoor adventures, natural beauty, and fascinating history.
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Meet the Coffee Roasters of Central Oregon
There’s nothing better than waking up to a clear, cool Central Oregon morning than with a steaming hot cup of locally roasted coffee. The high desert has had its foot in the door with local coffee for decades, and experienced the roaster boom in the early 2000s, with many of the original roasteries still standing today. Backporch Coffee Roasters, Sisters Coffee and Junction Roastery (being the most recent) are three Central Oregon coffee roasters with unique histories, built around community and great coffee. They have settled into the high desert roasting scene over the decades, beginning in the late eighties to 2022.
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Exploring the Natural Trees of Central Oregon
Everywhere you look around Central Oregon, chances are good you’ll see a variety of trees. Hiking through the high desert? You’ll most likely pass stands of gnarled juniper. Fishing the Metolius River near Camp Sherman? You’ll do so alongside colorful vine maple and in the shadow of yellow Western larch trees. And if your adventures head into the heart of the Cascade Range, you’ll stand at the base of regal Douglas fir trees.
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Top Pet-Friendly Hotels in Bend and Central Oregon
No family vacation is complete without every member of your crew—and in Central Oregon, that includes your four-legged fur babies. Fortunately, pet-friendly offerings abound across the region—where leashed pets are welcome on hiking trails, well-behaved dogs are invited to our food cart pods, pups can frolic in countless dog parks, and pampered pooches spend the night in pet-friendly hotels.
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Fun and Scenic Bend Attractions You Can't Miss
The city of Bend is surrounded by some of the top sites and must-visit family attractions in Central Oregon. After all, where else can you hike through an ancient lava tube, summit an extinct volcano, bask in the misty glow of a nearly 100-foot-tall waterfall, and rent an honest-to-goodness DVD—all before dinner?
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Fall in Redmond, Oregon: Your Itinerary Awaits
Redmond has long been a hub of Central Oregon. A total foodie haven with a vibrant, charming small-town vibe, Redmond serves up the sights. A town of 30,000 and growing, it has it all, from stunning views at Smith Rock to varied cuisine and antique shopping, parks, waterfalls, and upscale hotel experiences. An ideal example of what a visit to Central Oregon should be, it’s where outdoor adventure meets high-end history. Whether you’re exploring the magic of Redmond for the first time, just passing through from the airport, or planning a full getaway, here are our go-to spots for one of the most memorable towns in Central Oregon in the shoulder season.
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Best Family Friendly Restaurants in Sunriver
With an endless amount of activities available it’s no surprise that Sunriver has been a go-to destination for families for decades. From golf courses to stunning bike trails to water slides, every member of the family is bound to be entertained.
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Whitewater Rafting Adventures Near Sunriver
A visit to Sunriver, Oregon calls for getting on the water and soaking up the sunshine. Sunriver is a community based around Sunriver Resort that lives and breathes outdoor recreation. Visitors from all over the world call Sunriver one of their favorite vacation destinations, and much of the reason belongs to the stretch of the Deschutes River that runs through town. When the summer sun is high in the sky, one of the best ways to cool off and get some thrills is to float a whitewater section of the river.
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Discover Redmond's Best Golf Courses
Redmond, Oregon, is a bustling community that shares the same amazing views and landscape that the rest of Central Oregon has, but with a smaller population that gives way to quiet courses less likely to develop a crowd. The area’s milder weather grants golfers the opportunity to hit the links nearly year-round, all while enjoying the many amenities Central Oregon offers, like farm-to-table dining and some of the best craft beer, cider and wine around. You can’t really go wrong with golf in Central Oregon, but read on to discover some amazing golf courses in Redmond.
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Top 8 Things to Do in Sunriver in Summer
Whatever you’re looking for from a fun summer vacation, you’ll find it in Sunriver. Just 20 minutes south of Bend, the bustling community sits surrounded by forests of ponderosa pine and offers a full weekend of enjoyment for travelers of all stripes—complete with world-class golf courses, otherworldly natural scenery, lazy river floats and comfortable overnight stays.
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Your Ultimate Guide to Prineville Reservoir
Prineville Reservoir sits where the high-desert terrain and grassy farmland of Central Oregon meets the foothills of the rolling Ochoco Mountains. A 3,000-acre, human-made lake snaking its way through dusty landscapes, forests of gnarled juniper, and dramatic rock formations; there’s nowhere else quite like it in Central Oregon, and the natural wonders at the reservoir’s shore bring thousands of visitors to the area every year.