My family and I recently spent 4 days in Bend, Oregon and it just wasn’t long enough. Bend is a city full of family-friendly adventures. From canoeing, to cave tours, to hikes galore, to waterfalls and rivers. It is home to some of the world’s best rock climbing, mountain biking, and fly fishing. Basically what I’m saying is there is something for everyone.
In this post I’m going to be sharing with you a family-friendly Bend, Oregon itinerary; including some of my recommendations of the best hikes, tours, restaurants, and things to do on your visit! And all of these things you can do just as adults, or bring the kids along too!
Disclaimer: This Blog post is sponsored by Visit Bend. They were gracious enough to host my family and me so I can share all of the incredible things Bend has to offer with you. Some of the links shared in this post may be affiliate links meaning I make a small commission off of your purchase (with no extra cost to you). This allows me to continue to create free content for my readers. Thank you for your continued support!
What to Pack
Depending on the time of year you visit, you will want to pack appropriate clothing. Even in the warmer months I would recommend a layer. The rain can be unpredictable and you don’t want to have to cancel plans because of it. We visited in Early June and were grateful for our fleece layers and rain jackets.
I also always travel with a child carrier. I love my Erogbaby Omni Breeze, but any kind of soft carrier will be helpful to carry little ones on the trail.
We brought our Thule Chariot Cross bike trailer that can also be used as a stroller and really enjoyed having it. We used it in Smith Rock State Park as well as around town and the High Desert Museum. It traveled through tsa in the airport just fine.
The travel car seat we used on the plane and in our rental car was the Wayb Pico car seat. I have nothing but good things to say about it. If you want to see my review and some more info about it, check out this post here.
Guided Tours
We went on two guided tours with Wanderlust Tours and it was an incredible way to see a part of the city, we would not have been able to experience on our own. Wanderlust Tours is definitely a family-friendly Bend, Oregon company and I really appreciated how accommodating they were. Check out all of their tours here.
Canoe with Wanderlust Tours
We booked a private canoe tour which was ideal for our family. This way we were able to take our time with the kids and not have to worry about slowing anyone else down. Wanderlust Tours provided everything, including a shuttle from their office to where we put in and got out, the canoes, as well as life jackets for the four of us.
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the area and pointed out many different bird species, beaver dams as well as evidence of beavers, and how different things were formed. We took our time and enjoyed the beautiful river and sounds of nature mostly paddling down river.
When we were done paddling, our shuttle was waiting to take us back, but we made a quick stop at Dylan Falls. It was only about a .25 mile walk from where we got out of the river and it was fun to walk to and stretch our legs.
Cave Tour
Bend is home to hundreds of lava tubes, many of which are gated off to the public to protect the bats. We booked another private tour with Wanderlust Tours and were able to go into one of these gated off lava tubes with. On the drive to the cave, our guide chatted to us about white nose syndrome, a disease that is killing a large number of bats, and what they are doing to reduce that number.
The cave we explored was called Skeleton Cave in Deschutes National Forest. It is almost 2,900 feet long and drops about 100 feet. It’s also significantly cooler than above ground so be sure to bring a jacket. We saw a handful of bats which was really fun as well as some small animal bones.
Family-Friendly Hikes in Bend, Oregon
Tumalo Falls and Double Falls
During the warmer months, Tumalo Falls is just a quick walk from the parking lot. There is a nice lookout spot where you can see the whole falls. If you are visiting in the winter, they do close the road and you have to hike a few miles in to see the falls. You can also hike up .25 miles to the top of the falls and look down on it. If you want to make a hike out of this spot, continue on the trail about another 1 mile and you will come to Double Falls. This is an easy trail and well worth the small effort.
Deschutes River South Canyon Trail
The perfect trail right in the middle of town. You park off the road and then walk on a paved path for a bit. Once you walk under the bridge the city disappears, the path turns to a dirt trail, and you feel like you are deep in the forest with the beautiful river alongside. You can turn around whenever is fitting or do the whole 3 mile loop and end up back at your car. There is also a park nearby if your child still has some energy to get out afterwards.
Smith Rock State Park
Located about 40 minutes from Bend, Smith Rock State Park is home to thousands of rock climbing routes, miles of hiking/biking trails, and deep river canyons. You can start hiking right from the entrance down to the river.
The trail is good and looks to be stroller/wheelchair friendly. However, it is extremely steep and we needed both of us to push our stroller back up the hill.
Other Hikes to add to your list
- Wizard Falls: Nearby a fish hatchery, you can buy some fish food and watch the fish swarm as they eat. The water is a beautiful crystal blue.
- Pilot Butte: 2 miles round trip and a great place to watch the sun rise and set.
The High Desert Museum
If you are looking for somewhere for your kids to explore and learn while they’re at it, The High Desert Museum is the place to visit. It is probably my top recommendation for a family-friendly activity in Bend, Oregon. There are multiple exhibits showcasing the local wildlife, Oregon’s history and culture, as well as multiple interactive classes. We attended the Desert Dwellers and were able to see and learn about a few of the animals that call Bend, Oregon home.
One of our favorite parts was the outdoor Spirit of the West Exhibit. You get a taste for what it was like to be an early settler in Bend. My toddler loved looking at the chickens and watering the plants outdoors.
Drive the Cascades Lakes Scenic Byway
Labeled as one of the most important scenic byways by Scenic America, this drive is full of incredible views and places to recreate. It can take anywhere from 3-5 hours to do the whole drive, but you could spend days out there, fishing, paddle boarding, or camping. Visit Bend has created a great interpretive tour map to download before you go with information about camping, fishing, hiking, and navigating the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway. Download it here!
The byway is open from late-spring through fall. Some sections are closed because of snow during the winter months.
Best Family-Friendly Restaurants in Bend, Oregon
Bend Burger Company
This was our first stop after we landed and it was delicious. They’re sweet potato tots are amazing and you can’t miss trying a marionberry shake!
Pizza Mondo
Pizza Mondo was recommended to us by one of our tour guides and it did not disappoint. It’s a very small location, really a hole in the wall. You can order already made slices or wait for a whole pizza. at $4 for a huge slice of pizza, the prices aren’t too bad. And they do have lunch specials!
El Sancho
The most delicious tacos in town. The service was very quick and the atmosphere was fun. My personal favorite was the carnitas.
Miyagi Ramen
This was another recommendation from our tour guide. We ordered their popular Spicy Miso which wasn’t too spicy for our two year old, as well as a couple of their skewers. My husband, our two year old, and I split this and it was plenty.
Sparrow Bakery
This was probably one of the most spots recommended to us by friends and locals. They have great pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and their ocean rolls are famous.
Bontà Gelato
If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss getting a scoop or two of gelato. The lavender and honey is divine, but we tried multiple flavors and every single one was delicious.
Family-Friendly Hotel in Bend, Oregon
We spent 3 nights in the Element Bend which is owned by Marriot. It’s one of Bend’s newer hotels and very nice and family friendly. They have continental breakfast made to order, a pool, workout area, and a beautiful courtyard. The staff was extremely responsive and kind and it was only minutes from many of the places we visited and ate.
It is also pet friendly for anyone traveling with their adventure dog! Another fun aspect of the hotel was they have a studio commons area. So if you are traveling with a group, you may be interested in booking this so you have a private area to yourself where everyone can get together and hang out while at the hotel.
i like cave tour.