Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe is the best! Located right next to the Old Mill District in Bend, it's…read morethe perfect place to start an outdoor adventure and then enjoy lunch or dinner nearby afterward. The staff was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful in choosing the right paddleboard for us. We rented stand-up paddleboards for one hour for $30, with the option to extend to two hours for $40, which is a great value. The river is beautiful, peaceful, and full of interesting scenery. There is always something to see along the way, making the experience fun and relaxing at the same time. And don't be shy about jumping into the water if the conditions allow--it can be part of the fun! Just be sure to follow the safety instructions provided before your adventure begins. We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe to anyone visiting Bend.

On a Sunday morning, after exploring Bend and attending a concert the night before, my husband and…read moreI decided that we wanted to float the Deschutes River. Luckily, we managed to do a walk-up appointment and get our tubes for floating. They do offer online reservations, more than 24 hours in advance, but they had plenty of inner tubes so a reservation was not needed that particular day. From start to finish, they made the entire process extremely easy and seamless. From being able to park your car and get a ride with your inner tube to the drop off point and then being picked back up by the shuttle and returned to the parking lot, and everything in between. They provided us with a good safety briefing as well as the opportunity to leave our car keys since I had not thought about bringing a waterproof pouch. For just about $30 per person, it was well worth the experience and took us about two hours, but we did stop after the rapids and spend some time just swimming before continuing on. If you are a local or just visiting the Bend area, I cannot recommend floating the river enough.

This fitness center probably makes fives times as much money as any other gym in bend. They charge…read more65-75$ a month. All the gym products are old and falling apart. The locker rooms are absolutely disgusting by the end of the day. They don't have male cleaners here. That means no one is cleaning the men's locker rooms all day. The classes posted on the doors don't match up to the classes online. They do not turn on the heat in the hallways. You go from the sauna to a freezing cold hallway. Feels like you're gonna get sick. This gym is basically a daycare center mixed with an old people's home. They are always having events and closing the pools. They close early without notice and the hours here are horrible. There are homeless people lurking in the parking lots and come into use the facilities. Things get stolen as well. I cannot wait for there to be real adult fitness club in bend. Because juniper is garbage.

So many pools to choose from! Sauna, Hot tub, and no cold plunge but a cold shower. I wish there…read morewas a cold plunge. Barb D.'s restorative yoga class is amazing. Go at least ten min early though it fills up. I like the home made granola bars at the desk snacks. Also the lap swim is great. Both 25 and 50 meters. I think 25 is easier and allows more swimmers to have their own lanes but they switch it up. I'm thin and the outdoor pool is a few degrees too cold for me. I'm uploading pictures of the indoor pools only which are great temperatures.

One of the Best Parts of Bend Was Right Outside Our Hotel…read more While staying in downtown Bend, my family and I were looking for something outdoorsy and close by, and the Deschutes River Trail ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. What started as a casual morning walk quickly turned into a beautiful four-mile hike filled with rushing rapids, peaceful river bends, towering pine trees, and some incredible Central Oregon scenery. One of the best parts of this trail is how much the landscape changes as you go. At some points the river was calm enough for paddleboarders floating by, and at others the rapids were roaring against the rocks with serious energy and sound. The trail itself was also a nice mix. Some sections were smooth and paved, while others became a little more rugged with dirt paths, rocks, and small elevation changes that made the hike feel adventurous without being overly difficult. I would still consider this a very approachable hike for most people and fitness levels. We saw walkers, runners, families, and people out with their dogs enjoying the trail. Pro tip: bring water, especially on warmer days, because parts of the trail are fully exposed to the sun. Another thing I appreciated was how accessible this experience was from downtown Bend. We were able to walk straight from our hotel into what felt like a completely different environment surrounded by river, forest, and nature. We eventually wrapped up near the Old Mill District, which made for the perfect ending with shops, restaurants, and a chance to relax after the hike. Sometimes the best travel experiences are not the big tourist attractions, they are the simple moments outside on a trail reminding you why places like Bend are so special.

This hike hit all the spots. Easy to get to from downtown. You get a nice river view. You get a…read morebridge. You get trees. You get sunlight if the weather is cooperating. You get a small park/playground area at one point and you get rocks and trees and nature and a few homes to look at too. Easy 3.5 miles walk around.

I love the vibe here. Cute & eclectic. Beautiful outside area with a comfy area inside the…read moreoutfitter bar. Bartender Zach is so charismatic & makes sure you're taken care of! Laid back & homey.

Came here with a family of 7 so we got our own boat but 1 person sat in the middle seat and didn't…read morerow. She didnt want to row so she was fine with that. The overall trip was fun but not the best I've done. We did a class 3 rapids and the beginning of the rapids was slow as in it took some time to get into the rapids. It was fine because our guide was nice and telling us about the surrounding lava rock. The guide was great at telling us what to do. He let people ride the bull and jump into the water if they wanted. I'm so glad we did this as a family activity.

According to the Bend Parks & Recreation website, Bend has three city-owned parks with tennis…read morecourts, and two of them are in the high rent neighborhood of Awbrey Butte (Sylvan Park is the other one on the butte, with Juniper hosting the sole non-Awbrey city courts). Not sure what to think about that other than I don't much like it. Anyhoo, Summit is a small, highly manicured bit of green space that indeed sports two new tennis courts, which are immaculate. Parking is very limited, which reinforces the notion that this park is for locals only.

This is a great little neighborhood park on the corner of Summit and Promontory. Within walking…read moredistance from many of the homes on the Butte. We ventured up their after spotting their tennis courts. We've lucked out both times and have had the place to ourselves. There are two courts, nothing fancy, but certainly do the trick. Benches for spectators inside the court area, nice grassy area outside for those who need a little shade. Plus a working water fountain. Basketball hoop, not even half court size, but works for practicing free throws, or working on your jump shot. Nice grassy area which is fairly level. Seems like an ideal spot for a game of frisbee, or picnicking with the family. Only one side of the park is actually on Summit Drive, the far side opposite the tennis courts at the end of the far grassy area. So, safe enough for little kids if you aren't picnicking on that side of the park. Has it's own lot with maybe 3 or 4 spaces and plenty of street parking.

One of the reasons I love my neighborhood - the river is right here, with easy access to the…read moreDeschutes River Trail. Small park, nice footbridge over the river, a few areas to explore on either side of the river, a bench to sit on and watch the rapids. There is a very small parking area at the end of 1st Street. Otherwise, you're on the street.

This is a little spot at the First Street side of the Deschutes River Trail that goes between First…read moreStreet and Mt. Washington. Picnic tables and trash cans. A spot for a picnic, or meeting place before strolling along the Deschutes River. Beautiful location, great views, right on the water. Nothing fancy. No facilities. Street Parking in the neighborhood.

Big Eddy Thriller: The ride was short and sweet! The whole thing is dialed in, these folks know…read moreexactly what they're doin. They start on time, so don't mess around and miss the bus (though not sure they'd leave anyone, it's a friendly place). Mikie communicated expectations well from the jump and got us to and from safely. Trevor was a great raft guide, clearly loves what he does, and as far as I could tell, does it well. Would row for him again for sure. Rode a raft with a family my partner and I didn't know, it was a good time all around. Will probably hit up another tour next summer for fun, was worth it. Tips? Kinda? You could easily hit this and another outing in one day. Set your timing right and you could ride and then raft, this is certainly a good time but it doesn't take long door to door. If you care about pics sit in the front. If you're worried about rowing, don't sit on the right for big eddy (the guide will likely seat folks for safety and row power anyhow). Not sure I need to say this but I will, there isn't a dry seat on the raft. The road to the spot is bumpy, sit toward the front if that bothers you. If your kids not taller than an oar, they likely won't get one. There are two spots you'll be offered to jump in.

Had a wonderful experience doing the Big Eddy Thriller out of Bend. The staff were very attentive,…read moreyou can tell they work like a well-oiled machine, and our guide, Hodge, was incredible! He did an amazing job remembering everyone's names, kept the conversation fun and was very clear with his instructions making us feel very safe. The photo package is a little on the spendier side, and the amount of photos you get of your party are random, but we got a few great action shots to show off. Would highly recommend!