Its geophysical history has been tumultuous and violent, creating dramatic volcanic buttes, obsidian flows and panoramic mountain settings with more than 500 miles of streams and rivers and over 150 pristine lakes.

Over 2.5 million acres of national forests surround Bend, making it an unspoiled and natural getaway. This creates great opportunity to pursue diverse and exciting recreational activities year-round.

Initially, Bend became known as a ski resort town due to its quick travel time to Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, which consistently gets top accolades for its skiing and snowboarding from magazines such as Ski and Outside Traveler.

In addition, the nearby Cascade Mountain range provides hundreds of opportunities for snowmobiling, snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding.

However, with over 300 days of sun a year and warm, dry summers, the area has quickly become a year-round destination, and summertime bustles with tourists and visitors. The following is a summary of key recreational and resort amenities available in the greater Bend area.

Outdoor Recreation - Summer

1. Fly-fishing – The Deschutes, Metolius and Crooked Rivers, stocked with trout and steelhead
2. Camping
3. Rock-climbing – Smith Rock State Park, world-class rock climbing and bouldering
4. Backpacking and hiking
5. Mountain biking
6. White-water rafting and kayaking
7. Water-skiing and houseboats
8. Horse-back riding
9. Balloon rides
10. Gaming and hunting
11. Spelunking
12. Birdwatching

Amenities & Events

Year-Round:

1. Historic downtown Bend - consisting of art galleries, specialty shops, furniture stores, restaurants, outdoor eateries, and boutiques.
2. Old Mill District – upscale shops such as REI, Victoria’s Secret, Sunglass Hut, Bath & Body Works and Ann Taylor.
3. Upscale Restaurants and Eateries
4. Coffee Shops
5. Micro-breweries
6. Distilleries
7. Art galleries
8. Museums
9. Theaters and Performing Arts

Summer:

1. Golfing – includes award winning and top-rated Crosswaters, Pronghorn and Broken Top golf courses
2. Cascade Festival of Music
3. Bend Summer Festival
4. Balloons Over Bend
5. Summer Sunday’s Concert Series
6. Cascade Cycling Classic
7. Deschutes and Crook County fairs, Jefferson Country Fair
8. Central Oregon Saturday Market
9. Farmer's Market

Nearby Resorts

1. Sunriver Resort
2. Mt. Bachelor Village Resort
3. Broken Top Resort
4. Pronghorn Resort
5. Eagle Crest Resort
6. Awbrey Butte
7. Black Butte Ranch
8. Crosswater Resort
9. Brasada Ranch
10. Tetherow
11. Seventh Mountain Resort