Awesome Things to do in Bend, Oregon With the Kids • Our Globetrotters

Float on the Deschutes River

The Deschutes River is action-packed, especially in summer. Among the most popular recreational activities for families in Bend is tubing.

You can float for an hour from Riverbend Park up to Drake Park in the downtown area. Various rental operators offer tube rental (with life jackets, required by law for minors) and transfers to get you from start to end of this incredibly popular water trail.

In the peak of summer, you’ll want to book a few days out to ensure you get your preferred time slot, especially weekends. Some companies to try:

• Tumola Creek (that’s the company with the bright orange tubes, pictured here!) They operate a park and ride service.
• Sun Country Tours – reliable local operator
• Bend River Floats – can be a cheaper option than the more popular names with 2 and 3 person float options

Top Tip: You’ll likely want water sandals of aqua shoes with you for getting in and out the river, and something waterproof to tie around your neck for valuables like phone, money, ID.

Bend Ale Trail

Yep, even with the kids! Did we mention how exceptionally family-friendly Bend is? The vast majority of the breweries on the Bend Ale Trail are more than welcoming to families, many providing great lawns, playgrounds, and outdoor entertainment in the summer months.

We suggest some of the best craft breweries in Bend to try with kids (but there are plenty more!) are:

• Bend Brewing Company – One of the city’s oldest found on the banks of the Deutsches River this is in the center of the action near the Farmers Market, offering a large outdoor lawned area perfect for kids
• Crux Fermentation Project – with lovely large lawn and food trucks you’ll find this large brewery on eastside of town
• Worthy Brewing – they have a small tasting room in town near the market “Beer & Burgers”, but make the time to head to their larger brewery location on the eastside if you want a big family feed; dog friendly, kid-friendly, and some brilliant brews, what more could you want on your family vacation in bend!

The Last Blockbuster

Cheesy but fun! The kids may be clueless about what a video store is but there’s nothing wrong with popping in for a little parent nostalgia and continuing to support this family-run store from a bygone era – learn more here!

Found at 211 NE Revere Avenue, or simply plug it into Google Maps, it’s the only one!

Rent a Bike Old Mill District

A wonderful area of Bend to explore is around the beautifully revived Old Mill District. Primarily a retail outlet with dining, you’ll also find a large amphitheater, home to concerts and events throughout the year, and a large cinema (good for rainy days).

Here you’ll also find Wheel Fun Bike Rentals; offering family-sized bikes, it’s a great way to explore in summer along the banks of the Deschutes. The “surreys” (large family bikes with 1,2 and 3 rows) can seat up to 9. You can also hire coupes, cruisers and multi-speed bikes, tandem bikes, and baby joggers.

Let it Ride Bend is another option with ebike tours and rentals on offer. You’ll find them at 25 NW Minnesota Avenue in central Bend.

Munch and Music Festival

If you’ll be in Bend over the peak of summer definitely keep your eye out for Thursday evenings at Drake Park. A fabulous party atmosphere can be found at Munch and Music, with food and drink vendors, kids’ activities, and some really good music acts to look forward to!

The weekly event is free to enter, we recommended you try and walk there if you can as it gets busy for parking! You can find the program of events for the upcoming year here.

Sun Mountain Fun Centre

A great indoor entertainment choice for a rainy day, the Sun Mountain Fun Center offers bowling, billiards, go-karts, mini-golf, bumper cars, batting cages, and a full arcade where you can cash in tickets for prizes.

The Pavilion

Situated on Southwest Bradbury Way, Westside The Pavilion is a true year-round recreation venue – switching from roller season (April to September) to ice season (October to April).

In summer and fall they offer sports including basketball, pickleball, badminton, futsal, scootering, skateboarding, rock climbing, ping pong, foosball, cornhole, ladder toss, and bocce ball.

In winter it’s all about ice skating, curling, and hockey. The outdoor plaza has fire pits and even a snow play area, making it a great family gathering point even through the cold winter months.

Other Playgrounds in Bend

You can tell a place is made for families when there are over 40 playgrounds and parks to choose from!

Sadly, we found few really geared for older kids, much to the Globetrotters’ disappointment! However, for the younger ones, you’ll find an exceptional collection. Why not try putting these on your map:

• Columbia Park with its pirate ship structure SS Columbia is a popular choice, along with a slide that pops out down near the river.
• Canal Row Park has a good range of playground equipment, picnic tables, lawns and an interactive water nature play experience (in northeast Bend).
• Blakely Park is in proximity to the Deschutes River Trail and the Central Oregon Canal Trail has a good sized kids’ playground for the younger one and a basketball court 
• Rockridge Park north of town makes are great stop if you’ve got scooters and skateboards with you (sadly, we did not!). There’s also a good collection of climbing equipment here, bike trails, picnic shelters and a wonderful log forest in this rugged but action-filled park

We found this park locator came in really handy for planning out our daily stops!

Deschutes National Forest, which spans 1.6 million acres of forest, offers all-year-round recreational activities. The park is also home to various landscapes and ecosystems. You’ll find alpine lakes and accessible byways through the wilderness to explore.

Some of the activities kids can enjoy here include hiking, fishing, and camping – with over 80 campgrounds spread across the park it’s an ideal family camping spot in Oregon to introduce your kids to camping. Just check in advance which recreation areas are open.

Deschutes National Forest has a $5 day-use fee (or use your America the Beautiful pass).

Tumalo Falls

Tumalo Falls is a beautiful waterfall hike in Deschutes National Forest. To get a close view of this fantastic waterfall, you need to take a short, accessible walk from the parking area using a trail leading to the top. This scenic hike takes roughly half a mile to return, making it nice and manageable for the younger ones.

Tumalo Falls has incredible views along the way. The day-use park features picnic tables, a bathroom, and access to hiking and mountain bike paths in addition to waterfall views.

Benham Falls (1.5 miles out and back) also makes for a decent walk with little legs. The more adventurous can try the Dillon Falls to Benham Falls trail – 6.8 miles – for a longer day outing.

High Desert Museum

This Oregon museum is renowned for its spectacular displays that are captivating for the whole family. There are several exhibits and an outdoor section of the High Desert Museum making it a worthy day trip from Bend.

Here, the kids can have close encounters with lizards, salamanders, and the endangered desert tortoise in the Desertarium. Regular programs, like the Otter Encounter and Birds of Prey Encounter, allow visitors to get up close to the wildlife of the region.

If you’re a history buff wanting to discover the historical culture of the locals’ exhibits, you need to visit this museum. Alternatively, you can view the various rescued birds at the Kerr Center if you’re a bird lover.

The admission fee for adults is $17, and for children aged 3 to 12, it’s $10.

Kayak or SUP at Tumalo Creek

If you love your family water sports, make sure you check out the full range of activities available with Tumalo Creek. They offer tours and lessons as well as pay-by-the-hour rentals if you’d prefer to go at your own pace. If you found tubing the Deschutes fun and easy, this is a must for futher testing your skills on the water!

Expect the season to open late May and run through until September.

Shevlin Park

Shevlin Park is a 1000-acre park is an outdoor recreational paradise. There are numerous activities ideal for families, such as picnicking, hiking, fishing, and sightseeing. The park is close to downtown making it convenient to day trip, and it also has a great trail that is accessible all year round.

There’s a fishing pond on the northern portion of the park, and on the north of Shevlin Park Drive, we have an events space in the Aspen Hall. Shevlin Park also runs various summer camps for kids.

Stealhead falls

A little gem to seek out to the north of Bend, near Terrebonne. Stealhead Falls is a more challenging hike with kids; make sure they’re in some sturdy footwear for some narrow downhill sections, and pack some towels for this hike as your little daredevils will be rewarded with a swim and even a 20ft cliff jump!

Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway

The Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway is a fantastic destination for mild adventure. The best way you can enjoy the scenic view of this tourist paradise is by going on a 66-mile drive starting from Bend and taking you as far as Odell Lake and Crescent Lake.

While on a road trip to the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, you’ll go past volcanoes and glacier-crafted landscapes on your way. This popular Oregon Scenic Drive also has lovely scenery of the snowcapped Cascade Mountains and Mt Bachelor. (Note that the road west of Mt Bachelor is out of bounds during winter).

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

One of the best outdoor activities near Bend with kids is experiencing the Newberry National Volcanic Monument (it’s within Deschutes National Forest but we’d count it as a separate day trip!)

With the 54,000 acres of lava flow to explore, there are literally dozens of trails to enjoy in the area. One of the easiest to enjoy with kids is the Obsidian Flow Trail (your Minecraft fans will be going nuts at this point with their intricate knowledge of such a substance and its protective power!!)

You’ll want to take a drive to Paulina Peak for the best panoramic views over the park (seasonally closed). Also, pop into the Lava Lands Visitors Centre for some fabulous interactive displays and learning (just don’t tell the kids that’s what they’re doing, they’ll be having too much fun!)

Another great site is Paulina Falls and the Lava River Caves – a mile-long lava tube. You can complete this as a self-guided tour, recommended for slightly older kids as it can be a little slippery and very cold inside the cave! Alternatively, look out for guided tours with Wanderlust Tours.

$5 per day parking or use your America the Beautiful Pass.

Sunriver

A quaint town to the south of Bend, with some cool little shops, plenty of recreation activities, and an awesome brewery, of course! Part resort, part residential community, you can easily spend a day or two of your time in Bend at the 3,300-acre Sunriver or even stay on this side of town at the Resort or RV Park for all it has to offer.

Brews in Sunriver

The Sunriver Brewing is regularly mentioned among the best in the state not just for its brews but family-friendly atmosphere including a children’s playground.

The Village at Sunriver

Pop into the Village at Sunriver, a wonderful open-air mall offering a wide range of shops and dining, fine arts and family entertainment.

SHARC Sunriver

SHARC– Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center – is an action-packed hub of activity year-round for families. As well as an indoor pool for winter, there is an outdoor aquatic center complete with a lazy river and water jungle gym (seasonal, opens around Memorial Day). You can also enjoy disc golf, bocce ball, rock climbing, basketball courts, and even a winter tubing hill.

Smith Rock State Park

This scenic park is one of the top rock-climbing spots in Oregon. North of Bend, Smith Rock State Park spans 650 acres and hosts hundreds of climbing routes for visitors. There’s also a wide range of hiking and biking trails that are filled with various wild animals such as the mule deer, bald eagles, river otter, prairie, and peregrine falcons.

If you have slightly, ah less willing hikers in the family, not to fear, as many of the lookouts in this state park are only a short walk from the car if rock climbing and hiking aren’t your thing.

The park also offers tent camping operating on a first-come, first-serve basis for those who prefer spending the night at the park.

The day-use fee at Smith Rock State Park is $5 (or America the Beautiful Pass)