Photo by David Klein on Unsplash
1. Mt. Bachelor
Mt. Bachelor is the perfect place to go if you crave the exhilaration of skiing, snowboarding or tubing. Mt. Bachelor offers many green (easy), blue (medium) and black (hard) runs, but the mountain has the most exciting blue runs. Whether you’re a novice skier or you have hit the slopes many times before, then you are set to have a blast with family and friends.
To buy a ski pass: https://www.mtbachelor.com
2. Hiking the Bend River Trail
This in-town hike is perfect for people who are looking to get outside but also stay close to home. This loop is about 3 miles long, and has a few small hills. The gorgeous scenery of pine trees and the flow of the Deschutes River are the perfect doses of nature that you need.
3. Christmas Shows at the Tower Theatre
The newly restored Tower Theatre in downtown Bend is featuring Christmas movies and other singing and acting performances throughout December. They also have a Christmas music show from December 20th-December 23rd which is always an enlightening holiday tradition. The old-timey feel of the Tower Theatre is a welcoming atmosphere that is unlike other traditional movie theatres in town.
To book a show: http://www.towertheatre.org
4. Hiking Pilot Butte
Hiking on Pilot Butte is also another in-town hike that is all uphill, but is a quick and effective 45 minutes of kick-butt cardio. The view at the top is breathtaking and totally worth the uphill exercise. You can even drive up it if you are not in the hiking mood to capture the views of the surrounding mountains of Bend.
5. Cross Country Skiing or Snowshoeing
There are many trails just right outside of Bend that are perfect for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Two of my personal favorites are Swampy Lake or Misner Ski Shelter, which offer a challenging, yet exciting trail that has gorgeous views of the surrounding nature. It usually is a quieter spot and has a wide trail to work through.
5. Cycle Pub
The cycle pub is an easy way to get friends and family involved in trying out many local breweries. There are a total of 28 breweries in Bend, and the cycle pub lets you tour (and pedal) all over Bend while enjoying a refreshing craft beer. Pedaling while drinking beer is always a hilarious, yet slightly challenging endeavor.
To book a cycle pub: https://cyclepub.com