I was sitting at a picnic table by a crackling fire pit at the Midtown Yacht Club, one of the Bend area’s lively neighborhood “tap yards.” There aren’t any yachts here, but there’s a lively food truck scene and a busy taphouse full of locals.
As I enjoyed a plate of Middle Eastern food truck fare, sipped an IPA and surveyed the backyard party scene, I realized nearly everyone around me — adults, kids and even a couple of pooches— was clad in plaid. It was like a Grateful Dead show for the lumberjack set. I felt out of place in basic fleece, but a poster on the side of a food truck provided an explanation: It was a one-dayFlannel Fest, a fundraising celebration of lumberjack chic.
Welcome to Oregon, partner.
Best known for an abundance of outdoor activities — fly fishing, white-water rafting, biking, canoeing, camping and golf — Bend also boasts a plethora of art and cultural attractions, eateries and more brewpubs, breweries and beer gardens than humanly possible to visit. Here’s a sampling of what I discovered during my recent, very fun visit to this hub of Central Oregon living.
Play it again, Bend
For nearly 80 years, the iconic Tower Theatre has been the main cultural showcase in downtown Bend. Fully renovated in 2004, this Art Deco Moderne venue is Central Oregon’s premier stage. With performances scheduled year-round, upcoming summer and fall highlights include acts that range from Macy Gray and to a 20th anniversary screening of “Napoleon Dynamite,” followed by a freewheeling conversation with three of its stars.
The iconic Midtown Ballroom & Domino Room is a 16,000- square foot live music venue housed in a former creamery. On the night I visited, California-based duo Dirtwire drew a large and lively crowd.
Meanwhile, in the city’s Old Mill District, the open-air, 8,000-person capacity Hayden Homes Amphitheater recently received some significant upgrades including an extensive stageexpansion. With a new partnership with Live Nation Entertainment, the amphitheater is Central Oregon’s best venue for some of the country’s largest and most popular touring acts, from Chris Stapleton to Lyle Lovett, the Lumineers and Counting Crow.
Axes and anglers
Of course, Bend has more entertainment options out there than simply music. Do you ever feel like tossing an ax like a real woodsman? Summon your inner lumberjack with hatchet throwing at Bend’s Unofficial Logging Company. When your arm fatigues, there’s a rotating selection of craft beer and a delicious food menu available Thursdays through Sundays. Closed toe shoes required (for obvious reasons).
There’s shopping, too. The Old Mill District — identified by its trademark trio of smokestacks — is nestled into 270 acres along the Deschutes River on a site that once housed one of thelargest ponderosa pine sawmill operations in the world.
Now, more than 55 local, regional and national restaurants and retailers call the district home. Be sure to check out Confluence Fly Shop for rods and reels, fishing apparel, fly tying classes and colorful fish art on the walls.
Museums and an art walk
Art walks have become a way of life for many cities, and Bend is no exception. The Downtown Bend First Friday Art Walk — held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month — attracts crowds of locals and visitors. Stroll the charming streets and browse the galleries and local businesses, some serving free tastes of wine, beer and spirits.
The High Desert Museum just south of Bend is one of only six museums and libraries in the country to receive the prestigious 2021 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Set on 135 acres with more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, the museum offers everything from high desert animals like foxes, snakes, raptors and owls, to living history actors recreating the pioneer days of central Oregon. The museum’s newest exhibit, Creations of Spirit, will immerse you in the Indigenous Plateau worldview, reflecting knowledge systems of tribes along the Columbia River and its tributaries.
About an hour’s drive north of Bend, The Museum at Warm Springs was founded to preserve the culture, history and traditions of the three tribes that comprise the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Visitors to the museum experience the sounds of ancient songs and languages, the work of traditional craftsmen and the rich and colorful cultures that make up the Confederated Tribes of The Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. Particularly noteworthy is the collection of traditional Native American baskets.
Sips and bites
Wild Rose has served up fine Thai cuisine in Central Oregon for 10 years. Family owned and operated, the restaurant uses recipes native to Northern Thailand, which means you won’t find Pad Thai or peanut sauce on their menu. They’re famous for their Curry Basil noodles, served family style. And nearly every dish is accompanied with khao niew, sticky jasmine rice meant for eating with your hands.
Terra Kitchen, a plant-forward restaurant at the SCP Redmond hotel, features farm-to-fork, Oregon-inspired cuisine using fresh ingredients sourced from local farms, local purveyors and even the restaurant’s own rooftop garden. The menu features delicious dishes — think spring pea risotto, eggplant Bolognese and veggie pizzas — aimed at fostering a healthy planet, healthy communities and a healthy you.
Like hard cider? A husband and wife duo built the charming Bend Cider building and planted the apple orchards here, where you can enjoy tastings and, on weekends, live music.
Set in a former Catholic school’s main building, the Old St. Francis Pub at McMenamins hotel and brewpub offers hearty pub fare, handcrafted ales brewed right downstairs in the onsite brewery and seasonal weekly specials. The pub’s deep booths, subdued lighting and original artwork make for a truly memorable beer tasting experience.
The Bite in Tumalo — at the north end of Bend — serves fantastic food from an array of food trucks, including Rico’s Tacos, Pine Marten Pizza and NorthFresh Sushi. There’s an amazing assortment of beers on tap, too, plus a great festive vibe. Gather round the fire pits, enjoy the music and play games with the kids.
The Midtown Yacht Club has a tongue-in-cheek name for its lively taphouse. The club’s food truck lot offers a wide variety of grub, ranging from Shim Shon’s Israeli street food to NorthFresh’s sushi, make and poke.
And Worthy Brewing is a solar-powered brewery with two locations in Bend on the east and west sides. They serve up fresh pilsners, stouts and IPAs plus sandos and smash burgers. Don’t miss Bend’s very own observatory at the east side location. You can even tour the “Hopservatory” with onsite observatory director Grant Tandy and gaze into the heavens.
If You Go
Getting here: Bend is about an eight-hour drive from the Bay Area but you can also fly direct from SFO to the Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM); flyrdm.com.
Where to stay: For eco-chic lodging in downtown Bend, the boutique Oxford Hotel is a four-diamond hotel fusing sustainability with luxurious amenities. Its Roam restaurant offers organic dishes made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. 10 NW Minnesota Ave. in Bend; oxfordhotelbend.com
Tower Theatre: 835 NW Wall St. in Bend; towertheatre.org
Midtown Ballroom: 51 NW Greenwood Ave.; https://midtownballroom.com
Hayden Homes Amphitheater: 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Drive; bendconcerts.com
Unofficial Logging: 910 NW Harriman St., Suite 100; unofficiallogging.com
Downtown and the Old Mill District: Find details on the shops and restaurants of the Old Mill District at oldmilldistrict.com. Information about downtown Bend, including the First Friday Art Walk, is available at downtownbend.org.
High Desert Museum: This museum is open daily at 59800 Highway 97 in Bend. Admission is $12-$20; highdesertmuseum.org.
Museum at Warm Springs: Open Tuesday-Saturday at 2189 Highway 26 in Warm Springs. Admission is $3.50 to $7; https://museum.warmsprings-nsn.gov/.
Wild Rose: This Thai restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily at 150 NW Oregon Ave. inBend; wildrosethai.com.
Terra Kitchen: Open for dinner Wednesday-Saturday at the SCP Redmond Hotel,521 SW Sixth St. in Redmond; scphotel.com/redmond/terra.
Bend Cider: Open Wednesday-Sunday at 64649 Wharton Ave. in Bend; bendcider.com.
Old St. Francis School: This historic McMenamins property in downtown Bend includes a hotel and five restaurants and bars; mcmenamins.com/old-st-francis-school.
The Bite: Open daily for lunch and dinner at 19860 Seventh St. in Bend; thebitetumalo.com
Midtown Yacht Club: Open daily for lunch and dinner at 1661 NE Fourth St. in Bend; midtownyachtclub.com.
Worthy Beer: Open daily for lunch and dinner at the Eastside Pub location at 495 NE Bellevue Drive and the Westside Worthy Beer and Burgers at 806 NW Brooks St. in Bend; worthy.beer.
