Visit Bend Oregon

Bend has no shortage of trail days, but it's worth keeping indoor options in your pocket too. At Sun Mountain Fun Center, that means neon-lit bowling lanes, an arcade full of games worth losing track of time in, glowing bumper cars, and a pizza to share between rounds.

Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of August 12 into the morning of August 13. Pile the kids in the car, grab some blankets, and find a dark patch of sky. It's a new moon this year, so the shooting stars should be easier to spot!

Check the event calendar at Sunriver Nature Center's Oregon Observatory for opportunities to look through their telescopes. 🔭☄️

Looks like a scorcher out there, and the Deschutes is about to get busy. It holds up better when we treat it well. Pack out what you bring in, give wildlife room, and only use official access points to protect riparian areas.

August in Bend means river floats, high-elevation hikes, outdoor concerts and shooting stars, sometimes all in the same week. Here's the full rundown:

The best things to do in Bend for August August in Bend stirs up all sorts of magic. It brings hot, sun-filled days and nighttime temps tiptoeing toward chilly as autumn waits in the wings. From

Ever considered bungee jumping? At Central Oregon Bungee, the walk out to the edge is the hard part. No one is pushing you off, just you, a platform 300 feet above the Crooked River, and your toes hanging off the edge until you finally convince yourself to jump.

Bungee jumping in Bend, Oregon: Highest jump in North America Jump 300 feet above the Crooked River at Bend's highest commercial bungee site. Here's what the fall (and the bounce bac

If you’ve ever driven the canyon on Highway 26 between Bend and Portland, fished for rainbows along the Deschutes’ left bank, hired a Warm Springs guide chasing steelhead, cast for bull trout in the Metolius arm of Lake Billy Chinook, or spent an afternoon sharing in history at the Warm Springs Museum, your experience has been shaped by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. This land was theirs long before it was ours to visit. Right now, our neighbor needs us.

The Bench and Beachcomb fires have burned more than 60,000 acres on the reservation. Homes have been lost, and the Tribal Council has declared a State of Emergency. Recovery will take time. We can help. Here’s how:

You can donate directly through the Tribe’s official wildfire recovery fund: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/the-confederated-tribes-of-the-warm-springs-reservation-of-oregon-ctws-wildfire-recovery-fund

Drop off supplies:
📍 Bend: Wonderland Chicken Co, 806 NW Brooks St
📍 Redmond: Pangaea Guild Hall, 652 SW 6th St
📍 N Portland: Green Anchors, 8840 N Bradford St
📍 NE Portland: Javelina Indigenous Dining, 4636 NE 42nd Ave
📍 SE Portland: Native Arts + Cultures Foundation, 800 SE 10th Ave
📍 Gresham: Rep. Ricki Ruiz District Office, 135 NW 1st St, Suite 1

Hours vary by location, call ahead before dropping off.

Priority items right now are: sealed water jugs or cases of water, electrolytes (Liquid IV, Gatorade, etc.), non-perishable no-cook food, personal hygiene items (soap, lotion, new socks, washcloths, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste), diapers, wipes, and formula, and blankets and pillows for the evacuation shelter.

Coordinating a large donation or corporate contribution? Contact Caroline Cruz, COO: (541) 460-1109, [email protected]

Effective Saturday, July 25, 2026: Central Oregon public lands move into Stage 2 fire restrictions, replacing Stage 1.

Stage 2 restrictions apply across the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville District BLM lands.

As a reminder:
🚫 No open fires, including wood stoves and charcoal briquette fires, even in developed campgrounds and wilderness areas
🚫 No chainsaw use
🚫 No smoking
🚫 Generators need a spark arrestor and 10 feet of cleared space
🚫 No open flame of any kind, including portable propane, along the Crooked, Deschutes, John Day and White Rivers, or Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus

✅ Gas or propane stoves, lanterns and fire pits with an on/off switch are still allowed elsewhere, clear 3 feet of vegetation first

One spark can start a wildfire. Thanks for doing your part to protect Central Oregon. 🌲

You're going to want to set an early alarm this weekend. Balloons Over Bend lifts off at sunrise through Sunday at R.E. Jewell Elementary, with balloons setting up around 6am and lifting off between 6:45 and 7am. Bring the family, grab a spot on the grass, and watch the sky fill with color. 🎈

One more full month of summer in Bend. Here's how to make it count with the family, from easy trail days to cooling off on the water.

The best things to do in Bend for August August in Bend stirs up all sorts of magic. It brings hot, sun-filled days and nighttime temps tiptoeing toward chilly a