Visit Bend Oregon

06/16/2026

You forget how many stars there actually are. Until you're barefoot on a dock and your neck hurts from looking up 🌌

📍 Paulina Lake

06/15/2026

Permit season is here. The Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, and Mt. Jefferson wilderness areas are worth exploring—and worth protecting.

Here's the quick rundown:

✅ Book at Recreation.gov
✅ Day use: $1/person | Overnight: $6/group
✅ Permits required June 15–Oct 15
✅ Rolling permit releases mean last-minute adventurers still have a shot!

Not sure where to start? Our team at the Bend Visitor Center has you covered. Full details at the link below 👇
https://visitbend.com/journal/wilderness-permits-in-the-central-cascades/

Explore Bend's wildest places Oregon’s Central Cascade Wilderness areas are brimming with volcanic peaks, alpine meadows, streams, secluded lakes, and old

06/12/2026

The Bend Ale Trail has 30+ breweries and tasting rooms to explore, and every stop has its own personality. Funky Fauna Artisan Ales brews small-batch farmhouse saisons with nearly 100% Oregon ingredients, wild yeast collected straight from the High Desert air, and an in-house skate ramp.

Planning a Bend trip this summer? The Bend Ale Trail is one of the best ways to explore the city, one pint at a time.

Read the full Funky Fauna story 👇

New-to-Bend brewery, Funky Fauna Artisan Ales, crafts uniquely Oregonian wild yeast beers. Discover saisons, lagers, and IPAs.

06/11/2026

Those laughs you can hear? That's the sound of a Bend summer. You see the wave coming; the guide says, "Paddle harder," and then it crashes over the whole boat—cold, fast, and unavoidable. Three seconds of screaming, and nobody can tell if it's fear or pure joy.

The Big Eddy Thriller with Sun Country Tours. Three miles of Class III rapids, ancient lava flows, and moments your group will be retelling for years.

👉 visitbend.com/journal/tubing-surfing-paddling-the-deschutes/ -rafting

06/09/2026

Wildlife moments you can't plan for 🦅
Bald eagles are a regular sighting along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway—but catching one mid-takeoff? That's a different kind of lucky.

📍 Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
📸 Whitney Whitehouse

06/06/2026

The Deschutes in spring. Winding, slow, unhurried. 🌿

06/05/2026

Austin-style BBQ just landed in Bend 🤠🔥

Runaround Sue Barbecue is the new spot from the El Sancho crew. Tender brisket, spicy wings, frozen margarita boots, and a pit master working the smoker right on site.

👉 Open Wed–Sun | NW Galveston Ave

06/04/2026

Psst—look up tonight 👀🌌

The aurora borealis could be visible right here in Central Oregon tonight and tomorrow (June 4–5) thanks to a strong geomagnetic storm, and our dark skies put us in a great spot to see it.

Tips for the best chance of seeing it:
• Get away from city lights
• Look north toward the horizon
• Fingers crossed for clear skies!

Learn more about stargazing 👉 https://visitbend.com/journal/stargazing-in-bend-oregon/

06/02/2026

Find a spot that makes you feel small🌲

📍 Shevlin Park

👉 Start planning your park days here: visitbend.com/journal/parks-must-visit-bend-vacation/

05/30/2026

Weekend forecast: waterfall chasing. 💦

📍 Lava Island Falls | Deschutes River Trail