Find out what Bend, Oregon offers visitors, especially in the fall, in this itinerary laid out by Real Food Traveler’s Health, Wellness and Spa Editor, Carole Jacobs.

Save this article to Pinterest to help plan some things to do in Bend, Oregon in the fall. Photos by Travel Oregon. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Hungry for more? Read Carole’s Oregon Coast Road Trip.

Things to Do in Bend, Oregon

Bring on fall with a long weekend of outdoor action, great food, and killer craft beers

I’m dating myself here, but the last time I visited Bend, it was a dusty, slumbering cow town. As I cruised past the “Welcome” sign, I swerved to avoid hitting two cows cropping grass growing out of cracks in the blacktop. Nonplused by the arrival of a car, they chewed their cud, stood their ground, and glared at me.

Back then, Bend was an unassuming little ranching burb in the middle of nowhere with a population pushing 18,000. If you wanted a Starbucks (a what?) you had to drive 3 ½ hours to Portland.

Then word got out about this unspoiled place in Central Oregon.

In stark contrast to its rain-soaked sisters on the western side of the Cascade Mountains, Bend basked in year-round sun beneath the majestic Cascades and had the one ingredient that was essential for growth in the American West—water.

In addition to a river (the Deschutes) running through it, Bend had irrigation canals — water for the suburban lawns and gentleman farms that would inevitably replace the family ranches and give the parched high desert an illusion of verdancy.

The only thing Bend didn’t have a lot of was people.

The Californians, ever on the prowl for greener pastures, lower housing prices, and free parking, soon took care of that.

Within a decade they had transformed Bend into a town they could call their own — a Marin County look-a-like with an organic coffee roastery, craft brewery, yoga studio, winery, and weed dispensary on every corner.

Lured by the sun, the river, the mountains, and the prospect of year-round outdoor recreation, the urban adventurers, remote workers, and digital nomads followed in fast pursuit.

By 2020, Bend’s housing prices were also mirroring Marin. City planners abandoned their 3-story minimum and began building higher. Longtime residents began complaining of the Aspen syndrome — of being priced out of their own neighborhoods, of paradise lost.

By 2025, Bend’s population had risen by a whopping 400% to 100,000. Realtors reported that many Californians were leaving.

But the tourists, lured by Bend’s wealth of natural and man-made amenities, keep coming—to the tune of 4 million a year last year.

In late spring and summer, the crowds come to hike/mountain bike/kayak/white water raft/canoe/tube/fish/camp; to wine and dine in the city’s many restaurants; to sip their way along the Bend Ale Trail, to attend nightly concerts and the city’s nonstop art, music, film and wine festivals.

In winter, the crowds come to ski, board and ‘shoe at nearby Mt. Bachelor. It’s no giant among the Cascades at 9,068 feet, but it’s the first to get snow and the last to lose it.

That leaves autumn, a (relatively) peaceful time to visit Bend, and one that’s also a literal breath of fresh air: The trees have gone from literally blazing (thanks to area forest fires) to fiery autumnal hues; the weather is still sunny and warm enough to tube down the Deschutes in a bikini, and the bumper-to-bumper crowds and traffic have thinned.

Visit after Labor Day and before the first snow at Mt. Bachelor, and you may have a looking-glass lake all to yourself, dine at a popular restaurant without a reservation, and enjoy some killer deals on lodging.

Below is a sample itinerary highlighting just a few of the many things you can experience in Bend this fall. For the whole scoop, check out visitbend.com.

Things to Do in Bend, Oregon this Fall: 3-Day Fall Weekend Itinerary

Day 1

Getting there: Fly into Portland International Airport, rent a car and drive 3 ½ hours southeast to Bend. Or take a shuttle flight from Portland to Redmond Municipal Airport, rent a car and drive 20 minutes to Bend.

11am: Settle in: Bend has everything from luxury 4-season resorts to boutique hotels, historic outposts, and adventure basecamps.

Sunriver Resort: Settle into this luxury, family-friendly 3,300-acre spa, golf, and outdoor recreation wilderness retreat with a river running through it just 15 minutes from Bend, and you’ll have all the makings of a great fall vacay at your fingertips. Choose from a variety of guest rooms, suites, and luxury vacation homes. (Cushy suites at River Lodge come with awesome views of Little Sun River, the grasslands, Meadow’s Golf Course and Mt. Bachelor), Unwind at The Spa at Sunriver Resort, featuring organic, locally grown ingredients; hit the full-service fitness center for a workout or classes (yoga, Pilates, etc.); and enjoy every outdoor recreational pursuit under the sun, from hiking, biking and guided horseback riding, to golf, pickleball, and float trips. The Cove, the resort’s year-round aquatic center, has indoor and outdoor pools and slides, jetted spas, a gently flowing eddy, and private outdoor cabanas. Or head to the Marina for rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. Sunriver Resort also has 11 – count ‘em– onsite eateries, ranging from signature restaurants to cafes and poolside dining. Cap the night with stargazing at the resort’s own observatory. For more details on all the above, see below.

An aerial view of Sunriver Resort in Bend, Oregon. Photo courtesy of Travel Oregon.

• McMenamin’s Old St. Francis School is a Northwest legend. This sprawling outpost occupies a restored 1936 Catholic schoolhouse, with classrooms turned into lodging quarters. There’s also a restaurant, brewery, a semi-secret bar known as the Broom Closet, an open-air mosaic-tile soaking pool, and a movie theater with couches and food service. Old St. Francis also rents more guestrooms in nearby cottages.
• The Oxford Hotel, a hip, eco-friendly boutique hotel in downtown Bend, is a jazz-inspired property with in-room vinyl record players and loaner acoustic guitars, a luxury spa, a basement restaurant, loaner bikes, and a popular concert series fall through winter in its 10 Below lounge.
• Bunk & Brew Historic Lucas House, an “adventure basecamp,” has private rooms as well as shared dormitory rooms with access to a shared bathhouse.

Noon-12:30pm: Get a 360-degree overview of Bend and beyond from Pilot Butte State Scenic Viewpoint. The cinder cone is one of the only dormant volcanoes in the U.S. within city limits.

1-2pm: Lunch Bend is a foodie haven with so many cool, hip eateries, breweries, and wineries that we’d need a book to list them all. Here’s a few to try:

• Sunriver Resort’s signature restaurant Lodge Kitchen serves Pacific Northwest cuisine sourced from local and regional purveyors with sweeping views of the golf course, meadows, and Mt. Bachelor. The restaurant also has an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs in action.
• Anthony’s at the Old Mill District along the scenic Deschutes River showcases Bend’s September bounty of wild huckleberries — from huckleberry lemonade to cobbler.
• Bend Brewing Company and Deschutes Brewery serves classic pub favorites and the craft brews that put Bend on the map as a beer mecca.
• Yoli dishes up elevated Korean fare created by husband-and-wife team Joe and Laura Kim. Joe, a veteran of famous restaurants like The French Laundry, is also a 3-time James Beard Foundation Nominee for “Best Chef Northwest.”
  

  Bend’s dining scene is thriving. Photo courtesy of Travel Oregon.

2-5pm: Explore the local wilds:

• At Sunriver, rent wheels at the Bike Barn and cruise one of the largest paved trail networks of any resort in the U.S. Or saddle up at the resort’s Stables for guided horseback rides through ponderosa pine forests or along the Deschutes River.
• Hike the 7.8-mile loop around Paulina Lake, one of the twin crater lakes in Newberry Crater. Stop midway through to soak your feet in the hot springs.
• Float down the Deschutes on an innertube. Or thrill to white-water rafting Class 3 rapids.
• Bend is mountain bike nirvana, with 600 miles of trails through magnificent scenery. The Mt. Bachelor bike park has 13 miles of downhill trails served by chairlifts– for epic views and major downhill adrenaline minus that dreaded uphill grind.

Rafting the Deschutes is popular among locals and visitors. Photo courtesy of Travel Oregon.

Or take in the local culture:

• The High Desert Museum has lots of exhibits and native wildlife, including river otters, a fox, porcupines, and raptors.
• Hit the Deschutes Historical Museum for local history, including a variety of indigenous artifacts.
• The Museum at Warm Springs is a great place to check out Native American artifacts and learn about the local indigenous culture.

Too jet lagged to take in any kind of culture? Nab a poolside cabana at Sunriver and spend the afternoon relaxing.

6-7pm: Dinner

• Ariana, located in a craftsman bungalow, is renowned for chefs Andres and Ariana Fernandez’ 6-course seasonal chefs tasting menu that changes weekly.
• Dear Irene, the brainchild of two San Francisco chefs, has a bohemian atmosphere and only-found-here dishes like Oregon Dungeness crab arancini.
• Jia Asian Street Kitchen recreates the vibe of an East Asian night market with it neon lights and giant paper-mâché moon and clouds. Don’t miss the green curry.

7pm on: Hit the Bend Ale Trail, where you can chug down an IPA, amber, porter, or whatever hoppy you please at 30-plus breweries and tasting rooms located in seven geographic territories. Start your journey on your phone with the free web-based app and get the buzz on why Bend means stellar beer. (Bend’s world-class IPAs are created with crystal-clear, low-mineral water sourced from the Cascade Mountains, and the city’s proximity to local hops farms guarantees freshness.)

Non-beer fans or those taking a break from booze can check out “Drinkable Diversions” for non-beer options like distilleries, wine tasting rooms, kombucha brewers, and cideries. Hit the Bend Visitor Center for a Fresh Hop Bingo card and you can even earn prizes as you sip your way along.

Here’s a few beers and breweries to check out. For more ideas, see VisitBend’s exhaustive website.

• Try the Green Flag at Bevel Craft Brewing, a bright and hoppy brew packed with fall flavors, or their State of Excitement, with simcoe hops.
• Bend Brewing Company has five fresh hop beers.
• Crux Fermentation Project has some of Bend’s best fresh hop fare.
• Pumpkin beer is a seasonal beer you can sample at 10 Barrel Brewing.

Or: Not into beer or taking a break from booze?

• 7:30pm: Enjoy an outdoor riverside concert in the park. Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend’s historic Old Mill District goes out in style in September with back-to-back live riverfront concerts.
• 8:45pm: Take a Full Moon River Float! Enjoy a guided 1 ½ journey under a canopy of stars.

Day 2

Breakfast:

• Head to Chow for farm-fresh egg dishes, homemade griddle cakes, biscuits and gravy, and more.
• Jackson’s Corner, located near the Old Mill, makes yummy homemade sourdough bread plus creative, local farm fresh egg dishes.
• Jake’s Diner, a downhome joint, serves mountains of hash browns smothered in sausage gravy as well as eggs Florentine, pancakes, waffles, and more. Plan to work it off on one (or more) of the waterfall hikes below.

10am-noon: Shop till you drop: Have room in your suitcase for a few souvenirs? Check out the shops in the Old Mill District; the boutiques in historic Downtown Bend, and find great deals at the Bend Factory Stores.

There’s a lot to see and do in Bend’s downtown area. Photo courtesy of Travel Oregon.

Or: Take a 3-6 mile float down the Deschutes: Set off from the Sunriver Marina for a relaxing float down the river by kayak, SUP, or canoe.

Noon-1pm: Lunch: Have a picnic in the park or by the river

• Enjoy a grab-and-go lunch from Bodega Market for a picnic at nearby Drake Park and Mirror Pond.
• If it’s Wednesday, grab the pickings for your own picnic lunch at the Bend Farmers Market (open through Oct. 8), where vendors sell everything from fresh blueberries and smoked salmon to home-baked breads and muffins, pickles, kombucha, mushrooms, garlic, pesto, pasta, and wine. Grab a picnic spot by Mirror Pond on the Deschutes River.

1:30-5pm: Hike one (or more) of Bend’s famous waterfalls:

• Tumalo Falls: At nearly 100 feet tall, this plunger near Bend cascades down a dramatic cliff face and adorns the cover of countless guidebooks and magazines. Hoof it to the viewpoint for a quick snapshot, then continue upstream to see several smaller falls.
• Wizard Falls: With its jaw-dropping turquoise color, this chute-style falls looks more like a set of rapids descending over a ledge in the river. Continue on the 2-mile trail past gushing springs, towering ponderosa pines, and killer river views.
• Paulina Falls: This 80-foot-tall cascade is surrounded by dramatic volcanic cliffs created during eruptions more than 75,000 years ago.
• Steelhead Falls: The hike from the trailhead to the main waterfall leads through a winding gorge with sagebrush and ancient juniper.
• Smith Rock State Park has several hiking trails that roam past deep river canyons and dramatic desertscapes.

6-7pm: Hunker down to a farm-to-table dinner: Two of the best places in and around town that showcase the local bounty include:

• Rancher Butcher Chef, a local steakhouse that partners with regional ranches.
• For farm-fresh fare straight from the farm, take a short drive north to Rainshadow Organics, a family farm featuring farm tours, a farm store, on-site brunches, and long table dinners.

Or

Head to a local festival for an evening of great food, and local craft beers and wine.

Just a few fall festivals on tap this year include:

• Bend’s annual Oktoberfest, held Saturday, September 20, 2025 from 2-9 pm, has live music, delicious local food, craft beer, wiener dog races, yodeling, pretzel tossing, arts and crafts, and more. BYO pooch for The Great Bark Bash.
• For a special musical treat, head to neighboring Sisters for the Sisters Folk Festival 26-28, 2025. The multi-day event has acoustic music, cultural arts, and big names in folk and bluegrass.
• The Bend Fall Festival 3-5pm features pumpkin painting, gourmet food and wine, a Harvest Market, and live music.
• The Bend Film Festival 8pm-12am, showcases some of the best independent films over the last two decades. Enjoy great flicks, killer parties, and the chance to meet actors, directors, and filmmakers.

Things to Do in Bend, Oregon this Fall: On Your Last Day

Day 3:

8-9am Breakfast:

• Nab one of the colorful Adirondack chairs by the outdoor fire pit at Mother’s Juice Café and enjoy a wholesome organic breakfast served al fresco. Pair Perfectly Sunny eggs served atop a sweet potato and kale hash with a spicy steamer like Mama’s Matcha with Madagascar made with vanilla, cardamom, and rose petal.
• The Lemon Tree, a perky pint-sized breakfast place, is run by two chefs who met on mega-yachts. Try the arancini, stuffed with vegetables, mushrooms, brown basmati rice, and three kinds of Italian cheese.
• Blissful Spoon cranks out tantalizing gluten-free cakes and pastries and combines French and Moroccan flavors in items like harissa-forward shakshuka and light-as-air waffles.

9am-noon: Hike off breakfast

• Hike the 2.5-mile roundtrip loop around Sparks Lake, which is surrounded by three towering peaks — South Sister, Broken Top and Mount Bachelor.
• Hike the mile-long Lava River Cave in Newbury Volcanic Monument, formed by flowing basalt from a volcano that erupted 80,000 years ago. You’ll hike down, down, down into a dark lava tube cave. BYO flashlight and sweater—it’s chilly down here.
• If you’re a seasoned hiker, pack a hearty lunch for the 2 3/4-mile climb to NoName Lake, an aquamarine gem.

Noon-1 pm Lunch

• Fuel up afterwards at Sunriver’s Owl’s Nest. Grab a table by the grand fireplace or on outdoor patio with views of Mt. Bachelor and dive into pub fare, homespun cocktails, and craft beers.
• Wild Rose Northern Thai Eats serves the best coconut curry in Bend. Get there early–this popular lunch spot fills up fast.
• Hang with the locals at Spork and fill up on global fusion food inspired by the chef’s world travels – from tacos to coconut green curry.

1-2pm: Spa time: Get a well-earned massage or facial at the Spa at Sunriver Resort.

2-5pm: Go leaf-peeping:

Hey, it’s not Vermont, but even the high desert and mountains get flashes of autumn. Here’s where to catch the colors.

• Roam older neighborhoods in Northeast Bend, where towering oaks and aspens flame gold and orange.
• Stroll around downtown Bend’s riverfront Drake Park or Pioneer Park to catch some fall colors.
• Hike around Clear Lake, where bright leaves are mirrored in the crystal water.
• Head for Shevlin Park to see aspen and tamarack trees glow gold against the evergreens.
• Drive over Santiam Pass to see pops of orange and yellow aspen glowing against the stark black lava rock.

6-7pm: Dinner:

• For an Orgasm you’ll never forget, head to Kanpai, Bend’s favorite sushi place. Their signature Orgasm is a roll of tempura unagi, crab, and cucumber topped with a creamy sauce, fresh scallops, and avocado, and sweet soy reduction.
• Carbo load on pasta, homemade meatballs and homemade bread at Trattoria Sbandati, an unassuming Italian trattoria tucked behind a gas station, where the native Tuscan chef cooks up his favorite family recipes.
• Feast on wood-fired pizza, stacked burgers and craft brews at Worthy’s Brewing. The brewery even has a hop garden, a 2.5-acre plant nursery, and a third-floor observatory where you can view the stars (see below).

8pm on: Night of Stargazing

With its high elevation, dark celestial skies and low light pollution, Bend and the surrounding high desert is a stellar place to stargaze. Here’s a few places in and around town to catch a falling star:

• After dinner at Worthy Brewing, head up to its third floor Hopservatory for public night sky viewing (Thursday-Saturday nights) through a 16-inch research grade telescope.
• At Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory, you can peer through several telescopes — from Tele Vue refractors to a 30-inch Newtonian, and glimpse globular clusters, galaxies, and neighboring planets.
• Further afield is Prineville Reservoir State Park, 50 miles southeast of Bend and Oregon’s first certified International Dark Sky Park where rangers lead a variety of dark sky programs.
• Have an early dinner, then drive less than two hours to the planet’s largest dark sky sanctuary at The Oregon Outback Dark Sky Sanctuary. The dark sky park spreads across 2.5 million acres of high desert and is half the size of New Jersey.

Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory. Photo courtesy of Travel Oregon.

-Story by Carole Jacobs, Real Food Traveler Health, Wellness and Spa Editor

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