CHAARG’s Guide to Bend
Boulder used to be my “mountain town of choice” — but, Bend, Oregon recently took the lead. I fell in love with Bend so hard — it has the most beautiful hiking trails, a river to float… AND surf in, zero noise pollution, THE TREES, + the spirit of the people. I always thought I would move to the ocean… but, Bend is giving me a run for my money. As my friend said about Bend: “it’s a VIBE.” You need to explore it for yourself!
Coffee + Cafes
1] Thump Coffee: A classic establishment, ++ every Friday they have live music + pizza — check out the schedule here!
2] Backporch Coffee Roasters: Get the salted chocolate chip cookie with your coffee — wow.
3] The Sparrow Bakery: OCEAN ROLL! OCEAN ROLL! OCEAN ROLL! Also, it does amazing breakfast croissant sandwiches — highly recommend.
For Next Time: Fix And Repeat, Kanona Cafe, Looney Bean Bend, Palate, Companion Coffeehouse, Spoken Moto, Wild Roots Coffeehouse, Bend Mountain Coffee, Strictly Organic Coffee Bar, + Megaphone Coffee Co [I clearly need to do a #CappyHour].
Eats
1] Mother’s Downtown Kitchen: So good, we went twice in 12 hours… + got the exact same thing: the sunrise wrap [pictured], #drool.
2] El Sancho’s Taco Club: Tacos, enough said. The brisket + carne asada tacos are a must. + Make sure to get the corn, rice, beans, + guac! The margs are also amazing.
3] Humble Beet: Perfect place for takeaway picnic food to bring to the river… AND, they have… OCEAN ROLLS! ; )
4] Market Of Choice: Another go-to for picnic food — the bulk section is incredible, Whole Foods on steroids.
For Next Time: Spork, The Lot [food truck heaven], Laughing Planet, Active Culture, Poke Row, Bo’s Falafel, Valentine’s Deli, The Lemon Tree, + Primal Cuts Market.
Drinks, Shops + Cute Places
1] Go To A Brewery: There are no shortage of breweries… aha. I was obsessed with Crux [they had tons of food trucks + live music, too! ++ VIEWS, pictured]. Other breweries I want to check out: The Riff Taproom, Boss Rambler Beer Club, + Avid Cider.
2] Shopping: The “main area” of Bend is adorable to just take a stroll + pop into shops that interest you. Shops that I loved: Found Natural Goods, Jubeelee, + Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe.
3] The Workhouse: Right next to Sparrow Bakery. Amazing selection of jewelry, paintings, candles, food + artsy thangs… all local! Random but — get the curry chips if they have them, so good.
4] Art Walk: If you happen to be in town for the first Friday of the month, there’s an art walk! Check out the details here.
Outdoor Adventures
1] Float The River: It’s very “touristy,” but it’s a must — it was so cool to see all the houses on the river… + watch the surfers!
2] Deschutes River Trail: FAVORITE TRAIL. 5 miles one way [or 10 miles, out + back] — I would walk/run here every day if I could.
3] Tumalo Falls: 7 mile loop with multiple stunning waterfalls — decent elevation gain, or so it felt like… I ran most of it, + was struggling on parts of the climb. [Then again, I’m used to zero elevation gain in Chicago, aha.]
4] Elk Lake: Hiking, paddle boating, boating, hanging… the works.
5] Phil’s Trailhead: This is the place to go if you’re into mountain biking — I didn’t go [I’m too scared!], but Isaac went + loved it.
6] Breitenbush: We didn’t go during this trip, but OH MY GOSH — favorite hot springs ever [+ I’ve been to a bunch!]. If possible, try to spend the night here… but it’s also worth it for a day trip. So funky + beautiful. It’s two hours away from Bend.
For Next Time: Green Lakes Trail, Smith Rock State Park, Climb South Sister [*if you’re a serious hiker — 5,000+ ft of elevation in 6 miles]… literally, the amount of outdoor adventures are limitless.
Stay
We stayed in two places — this incredible cabin with Isaac’s family [amazing for 8 people], + The Oxford Hotel. The Oxford Hotel is in a perfect location in town, + right next to two of my favorite spots: Mother’s + Thump. Also, they give you bikes to use for free, + wine//cocktail vouchers : ).
I’LL BE BACK! Did I miss anything? Let me know!
++ Elisabeth
