About Bend, Oregon / Things To Do

About Bend

Where is Bend, Oregon, and why would you want to go there? Bend is one of the most beautiful resort cities in America, and offers a wide variety of things to see and do. Located in the center of the state, Bend lies just east of the magnificent Cascade Mountain Range. Flanked by five, snow-capped, dormant volcanoes, Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, South Sister, Middle Sister, and North Sister, (all being over 9,000 feet in elevation), Bend lies in the rain-shadow of these surrounding peaks. Situated in the high desert, Bend is blessed with nearly 300 days of sunshine each year, (unlike the cities of Portland and Seattle which are know for their rainy weather).

Bend is bisected by the Deschutes River. The Deschutes along with the lakes that feed it, offers world class Rainbow and Brown Trout fishing, kayaking, white water rafting, stand up paddle boarding, and float tubing. Miles of hiking and mountain biking trails are readily available to explore by people of all ages and skill levels. Mt. Bachelor offers superior skiing and snowboarding (Late November through April), and with winter accumulations of snow of 150" or more, it boasts the lightest powder conditions in the Cascades.

13 lb. Rainbow Trout, Big Lava Lake	Deschutes River	Mt. Bachelor

The city of Bend has a population of approximately 78,000 people, and offers many fine restaurants, hotels, shops, and art galleries to explore and experience. And, if you are a golfer, Central Oregon offers dozens of golf courses to challenge your skills. Find out why Bend is repeatedly named as one of the best 10 places in the United States to live or retire, and why it is often referred to as "the Aspen of Oregon."

Downtown Bend	Drake Park on the Deschutes River

Finally, but most important, the #1 reason to come to Bend, is that it is the home of the industry's best coffee business school, the Coffee Business School of the Cascades. Get quality information that will help you succeed in your new business, along with hand-on experience in making perfect beverages, while enjoying one of the most beautiful places in America!

Things To Do

Your class at the Coffee Business School of the Cascades will conclude on Wednesday. So, if you have the time, and can arrange your trip back home on Saturday or Sunday, you can explore some local sights and activities. Central Oregon is an outdoor lover's paradise, and a place of amazing beauty. A rental car will be necessary to visit many of the places suggested. If you don't want to rent a car for the entire time you are in Bend, you can rent a car for one or several days in Bend through the companies listed under the transportation section of this website. Here are some activities to consider:

Shopping

Check out the following website for Bend's best shopping centers, designer shops, unique one of a kind stores, and art galleries:
Bend Oregon Shopping Malls, Centers and Districts

Live Music & Entertainment

Quality live entertainment occurs in Bend on a regular basis. The Les Schwab Amphitheater, Tower Theatre, and the Athletic Club of Bend have hosted many famous entertainers, such as: Crosby, Still & Nash, Bruce Hornsby, Chris Issac, Beck, ZZ Top, Huey Lewis, Stevie Winwood, Al Di Meola, Bella Fleck, Ottmar Libert, Jewel, Bob Dylan, Doobie Brothers, Robin Ford, Pink Martini, Tommy Emmanuel, etc. Free Concerts are held in Drake Park at "Muchin Music," every Thursday evening during the summer months, with numerous local restaurants offering delectable food items from their food booths. Local clubs and restaurants also offer local entertainment on an ongoing basis. Check out the following websites to see if someone you might want to see will be in Bend when you are here for the Coffee Business School of the Cascades!

Skiing & Snowboarding

9,065 ft. high Mt. Bachelor offers over 3,683 acres of lift accessible skiing and snowboarding, with a 3,365 vertical drop from the summit. With a 150" to 200" base, Mt. Bachelor boasts the lightest powder conditions in the Cascades. For information about lift tickets, equipment rentals, and transportation to the mountain, check out the following websites:

Golf

Central Oregon offers multiple world‐class golf courses to challenge your skills. See the following website for more information. (Check with golf courses to see if they are open during the winter months)

Mountain Biking & Hiking

Check out trails to ride here
Places to rent bikes

Check out hikes here:

Fishing

Fishing in Central Oregon is legendary, producing some of the biggest trout found anywhere. While the "giant" pictured above is not an every day occurrence, one or more this size are pulled from the local lakes and rivers each year. Brook Trout and Lake Trout can be found in some locations, but the majority of fishing is for Rainbows and Browns. These typically range from 12" to 24" in size, with bigger fish lurking. There are plenty of locations to both angle and fly fish. Be sure to ask Ed Arvidson about best places to fish, what to use, and a private guided day of fishing.
For information about local fishing, licenses, and regulations, check out the following websites:

White Water Rafting, Canoeing, Paddle Boarding, and Float Tubing

Seventh Mountain River Company

Visit Bend - Lake and River Activities

Microbrewery-Hopping

Did you know that as of 2012, Bend has more microbreweries per capita than any other city in the world? True! Bend has 14 microbreweries (and counting) serving a population of 78,000, a brewery for every 5,571 persons! If you love great, handcrafted beers, then Bend is your place!

Sightseeing

One of the best ways to explore the beauty of Central Oregon is to spend a few hours driving to see some of the local sites. Here are some places worthy of exploration. They are listed in order from shortest trips, to longest.

Nearby Locations to Visit
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