My boyfriend took off three days of work to show me central Oregon. While I’ve heard dozens of times to visit Bend, we headed a little further south to Sunriver, where we hiked, biked, swam, pet horses, and ate some delicious food. Here’s what we did to make this three and a half hour drive from Portland an experience I will never forget.
What to do
Bike: Benham Falls
We were constantly avoiding bikers when driving into the neighborhood that we were staying in. Therefore, the first thing we did when dropping off our bags was to follow the two wheel trend. I hadn’t rode a bike since I was in Amsterdam three years ago, and I didn’t recall the experience all too fondly. Yet, I talked myself into this quick ride (about 5.5 miles each way), but only because it resulted seeing a waterfall. My boyfriend followed maps and led the way. Let’s just say I regret letting him do so.
We went a route he was unfamiliar with, biking beside a railroad on a sandy “path,” causing me to almost wipe out several times. He claims this was a total accident and the way home we took the paved path, but really I just think he wanted the challenge (and maybe to see me fall).
Thankfully, the views were totally worth it. This powerful body of flowing water was stunning and there were several lookout spots to see from various angles, or just to get away from the rest of the crowd. While there was no possible way you could go swimming in the waterfall, we headed down the path a little to where a bridge connected the pavement to a dirt road. We dipped in there, fully clothed. The water glistening and warmer than we expected. We had a relaxed bike back along the path and I was completely dry by the time we returned.
Hike: Green Lakes Trail
When my boyfriend told me he was taking me on a 9.5 mile hike, I had to make sure I heard him correctly. One, I hardly ever hike (I’m from the flat state of Michigan!), and two, while he can run for hours, he hates walking. Yet, after completing this hike I can now say that for being so long, it didn’t feel it. Frankly, I thought it was rather easy. And that’s saying something coming from me.
To get to the trailhead we had to drive about a half an hour towards the three sisters mountains. The hike took us about three hours and was a slight incline the whole time. There weren’t a ton of other hikers around, but we certainly weren’t alone. We were even stopped by a couple taking the trail on horseback. They asked us to take a photo of them and explained that this was a “very special trip for them.” It was for us too.
Finally we reached our destination after passing several waterfalls, crossing over a couple of bridges and moseying along wildflowers and gigantic pines. We plopped our backpacks down besides a lake nestled between two mountains. We smashed some leftover macaroni and cheese, and jumped into the water. Cold, but refreshing, we swam around for a while before making our way back down the mountain.
Pet Horses: Sunriver Resort
This might be me saving best for last, but I’m not completely sure. It was all pretty phenomenal, yet petting horses was not something I had done before (petting zoos when I was 10 don’t count).
We drove down to the Sunriver Resort during sunset to see kids playing in the grass, a few golfers practicing their swing on the course and families biking around the massive loop. Putting his arm around me, my boyfriend led me towards where the sun was setting behind the mountains and the sky was beginning to turn pink and purple.
Just steps down the path we were greeted by dozens of horses. Approaching the fence we grabbed handfuls of grass to persuade these beautiful animals to let us pet them. And they certainly did. Much more friendly than I had imagined, they hung out with us for about a half an hour.
Obviously, when we started getting some attention from the horses, we got some attention from bystanders as well. A little girl was able to get some love, too, while her mom took photos. It was one of those moments when you can’t help but smile.
Where to Eat
Coffee: Brewed Awakening
I’m a coffee addict, and while my boyfriend thinks of my beverage of choice as “dirty bean water,” he still goes with me on my daily coffee runs. I won’t lie, the only reason we chose Brewed Awakening for my morning pick me up is because it was the closest thing available besides Starbucks, but besides a high price point, this place didn’t disappoint. Conveniently located in the Village in Sunriver, this café was an easy stop on our way to whatever we had planned for that day.
Pizza: Blondies
I truly think that my boyfriend could eat pizza every day of his life. So when he suggested we grab Blondie’s on the way home one evening, I wasn’t surprised. But I wasn’t opposed either. We ordered a large spinach and mushroom pizza, and after 45 minutes, walked away with a massive box of teeny slices. I guess the small size makes me feel less bad about eating five of them.
Beer: Sunriver Brewing
Besides coffee, I also have a thing for a good draft beer. When my boyfriend and I agreed that bar food was exactly what we were both craving for dinner, we headed straight for this near by brewery. With the wait for a table being around an hour and a half, we were ecstatic when we could find two seats at the bar for immediate service. I gulped down my pint of honey blonde ale while looking over the menu. We decided to get a pulled pork sandwich, wagyu sliders, and mac and cheese (what, we were hungry!). Maybe it was my hunger that made the food taste incredible, or maybe it actually just was that good, but I scarfed down the sandwich, enjoying every last bite. We boxed up the mac and cheese and enjoyed it cold the next afternoon mid-hike.
Dessert: Goody’s
Ice cream on a summer vacation is obligatory. That’s why this local candy shop and ice cream spot is always popping. We walked from Blondie’s while waiting for our pizza to split a pre-dinner Marionberry cone. The employees worked at a high speed pace, scooping ice cream and shaving ice for snow cones, so the line went by pretty quick. While it wasn’t my favorite ice cream I’ve ever had, it did scratch my itch for something sweet and cold on that hot summer evening.
On the Way
Hood River
The drive home feels like forever, so we decided to make a stop along the way to break it up. The Columbia river is hardly out of the way, and it made the afternoon so much more enjoyable. We wandered around the quaint town and strolled along the beach, watching kite surfers and kids swimming. I wanted to dive in, but the thought of driving the rest of the way home soaking wet wasn’t very appealing.
After a while of watching water sports, we stopped for a snack at pFriem Family Brewers. We decided to split a pint of their Jammy Pale Ale and share the brussels sprouts and melon salad. Everything was super fresh and delicious. I would recommend this place to anyone who finds themselves in the area, not only for the food, but also the killer view of the water.
Tired, we headed back towards Portland, cruising along the gorge, mountains and waterfalls on our left, river on our right. The perfect end to a perfect three days.
