Hi guys, welcome to my fall travel blog!
This year I am going to Bend, Oregon along with Redmond and Sisters. Originally, I was going to visit Crater Lake National Park, but unfortunately, a snowstorm went through a few days prior to my trip and the park was shut down, so I canceled that portion of it.
I am super excited to go on this trip considering I am still recovering from Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS). I am about 80% – 85% improved but my doctor encouraged me to go, so I thought, why not? Plus I didn’t want to miss out on the fall foliage! My symptoms were so-so on the trip but I still had an amazing time!
I always wanted to see Bend and Central Oregon and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Originally I was also going to drive the remainder of the Oregon Coast (I have only driven from Astoria down to Tillamook) but I decided it was going to be too much in more ways than one.
As usual, let’s do a cost breakdown of the expenses!
United (Basic Economy): $158 (pretty cheap huh?!)
Airbnb: $372 for 4 nights
Budget Rental Car (I got an Economy): $350 for 5 days
Total: $880
Let’s fly!
Day 1 – Wednesday, October 25
My flight out of LAX was at 3:45pm and I got into Redmond at 6pm (Redmond is only a 20 minute drive from Bend BTW).
I only had time to grab some dinner, so I stopped at GoodLife Brewing Company and ordered an Oktoberfest and Smoked Wings with Sweet As Habanero sauce ($19). The Smoked Wings are the most popular dish at the brewery, I highly suggest getting them!
I also chatted it up with a local and the bartender for an hour. Everyone is super friendly and it has such a strong sense of community!
Afterwards, I went to my Airbnb and called it a night. I had a long list of exploring the next day!
Day 2 – Thursday, October 26
I got up for the morning and first things first: a cup of coffee from Backporch Coffee Roasters. I ordered myself a Maple Syrup Cinnamon Latte ($5.75). It tasted amazing and not too sweet. I also loved the latte art!
Across the street, I spotted a neat mural of a cowboy on a horse.
Next I headed toward Whitewater Park near the Old Mill District to take in the scenic fall views and of the Deschutes River. The weather was cool and crisp, perfect for walking!
Afterwards, I went for a brisk hike at the Pilot Butte, which is a lava dome. I also got a view of all of the mountains in the distance, including Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, Three Sisters and Mt. Washington.
Next I stopped at the infamous Fred Meyer to buy a drink and a loofah (I had forgotten mine back in LA). Fred Meyer not only has groceries, but decor, clothing, jewelry, alcohol, plants and basically anything your heart desires!
I only snapped these 2 shots because I had to get out the door, but I definitely recommend checking it out!
I then made my way to the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway, which is a 66-mile drive of gorgeous forest scenery and mountains. Unfortunately, the road wad closed halfway due to the snowstorms a couple days prior, but I was still able to see Mt. Bachelor before I made my way back into town!
Before heading to my Airbnb for a bit, I stopped at the Last Blockbuster, which is the last store in the entire U.S. and has been operational since the 2000s. It was cool to relive my childhood and see all of the VHS tapes. I also loved the merchandise and replica of items from the 1980s and 1990s. You can check out my TikTok here!
Later I went back to my Airbnb to relax before I headed out to the Old Mill District (the more upscale area) for some shopping. It was nice to walk around the local businesses, see the artwork and walk some more along the riverwalk!
For dinner I headed to Downtown Bend (the historic area) to Deschutes Brewery Public House, where I had a Smoked Marzen (I never had one smoked before!) and a Hummus Plate ($19). The Smoked Marzen was very unique and had a slight BBQ taste to it and the Hummus Plate was very healthy yet filling!
Afterwards, I walked around Downtown Bend and visited some more local shops and took photos of more artwork.
Everyone told me to check out Little Slice of Heaven Cheesecakes in the Box Factory District for dessert, so I did just that! It is a food truck surrounded by other food trucks, it was worth it! I got myself a Banana Cream flavor ($10) and then went across the street Stoller Wine Bar and paired it with a glass of Bubbly ($10). I did this also because the food trucks only had outdoor seating and it was quite chilly, so I wanted to be warm inside.
Afterwards, I went back to my Airbnb for the night. I had seen a majority of Bend and I was going to visit some of its sister cities the next day.
Day 3 – Friday, October 27
This was the first day I slept in in weeks, almost until 8:30am! I wanted to sleep in more but I had a lot to see on this day.
After I got ready, I had to get my coffee stop, this time at WildRoots Coffee House. I ordered myself a Pumpkin Spice Latte and a Ham and Cheese Croissant ($15). The PSL wasn’t too sweet thank god and the croissant was very savory!
Next I headed over to Sisters, which is about 20 miles northwest of Bend and known for its three sister mountains and western style town. I did some brief shopping and toured the town, it was quaint and cute!
Next I made my way up to the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway to the Dee Wright Observatory to see a view of the Three Sister Mountains. Unfortunately, because of the the snow and ice that went through a few days prior, I couldn’t climb to the observatory because it was too icy. I also couldn’t view the mountains due to the clouds. I still got some cool wintery shots though!
After I got back to the bottom, my last big stop of the day was at Smith Rock State Park in Terrebonne. The park is known for its big, bold colorful rocks and activities such as hiking, rock climbing and biking. It is also one of Oregon’s 7 Wonders. You can check out my TikTok here!
Outside of the park, I stopped and took photos of these cute and adorable alpacas before I made my way back to Bend.
Back in Bend, I stopped for a glass of Pinot Noir at Bend Wine Bar ($15) in the Box Factory District. It was full bodied and had a lot of flavor to it! I also loved the dog label.
For dinner, I went back to the food trucks where I had my slice of cheesecake the day before and ordered a pierogi sampler from Big Ski’s Pierogis ($8). Besides the traditional mushroom, potato and sauerkraut pierogis, I also had a pizza filled one, another with chicken and a spicy one. They were delicious!
Across the street, I went to another winery called Bledsoe Family Winery (Walla Walla, Washington based) to enjoy a glass of Syrah. I was still hungry though, so I ordered a small charcuterie plate. The total for everything was $45 – a bit pricey but hey, I was on vacation!
Afterwards, I went back to my Airbnb to call it a night. I had another long day of exploring.
Day 4 – Saturday, October 28
This was my last full day in Bend and I had 3 places I really wanted to check out.
But first stop…coffee! More specifically at Thump Coffee, where I ordered a Spicy Mayan Mocha and a Croissant ($13). I was torn on the taste of the coffee. I wish it had more of a balance of spice and mocha, but other than that, it wasn’t too bad!
Next I headed about 20 miles northwest to Tumalo Falls, which is a 97-foot cascading waterfall. There are 2 viewing points, one below and one above, and the one above is a 1/4 mile hike. I would definitely recommend getting there early to get a parking spot, it’s so worth it. You can check out my TikTok here!
Afterwards, I drove southwest to Boyd Cave, which is an underground lava cave about 100 yards from the parking area and 20 steps down metal stairs. It is a 1/4 mile long and is about 75,000 to 400,000 years old. I really enjoyed it but unfortunately, I didn’t have a larger flashlight, so my iPhone flashlight had to do. I got less than 1/4 of the ways in but it was worth it!
My last big stop in Bend was Farewell Park, which seemed fitting considering it was the last place to see on my list. I loved walking along the Deschutes River and seeing the metal sculpture of horses and the canyons.
Afterwards, I went to relax at my Airbnb for a couple hours before I went out again. My last brewery in Bend was at the Bend Brewing Company downtown, where I had an Oktoberfest. It was nice and light!
It’s time for the last meal (well, dinner) of the blog. After doing an extensive search online, the most popular restaurant with locals was a place called 900 Wall in Downtown Bend. I had to stalk the place for it to open at 3pm to get a seat at the bar because it was that popular! I ordered a Sexy Niner (Habenero Vodka and Passion Fruit Puree) and a small plate of 6 oysters, a Caesar Salad, Deviled Eggs and a Carpaccio ($51).
You guys, I am not going to lie: the cocktail was amazing but the food was not that great! It didn’t have enough flavor, was too bland or didn’t taste well! I was so disappointed but I ate it all because I hadn’t had a big meal all day.
The good news was that I made friends with a couple of bar patrons in their 60s and afterwards we walked around downtown together and did some shopping (I didn’t buy anything). One of the women was also a real estate broker. I got her card in case I ever want to consider looking at future homes in the area. We had fun though!
Afterwards, I went back to my Airbnb to pack up and relax for the night. I had 3/4 of Sunday to still enjoy before I flew home to LA.
Day 5 – Sunday, October 29
I woke up, packed and got ready to leave my Airbnb. I also tried to find a breakfast spot before I left town. After 3 tries, I failed, the wait time was too long! I ended up going to get a breakfast burrito at a coffee shop on the northwest end called Boss Coffee + Bend Breakfast Burrito. I forgot to snap a photo but I had a Maple Cardamon Coffee and an Original Breakfast Burrito ($14). The burrito was very cheesy and the coffee wasn’t too sweet.
My first big stop of the day was to the Peterson Rock Gardens ($10), which was created in 1935 by a Danish immigrant and is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can tell the sculptures were made with a lot of TLC and there are so many different kinds to check out. There was even a fluorescent light one that was so cool! I also loved seeing the peacocks roam the land. You can check out my TikTok here!
Next I headed toward Downtown Redmond to check it out. It was very small and cute but unfortunately, a lot of the stores and restaurants were closed on Sunday, so I got some shots of downtown and then city hall and other artwork.
Down the street was the Fly Redmond Water Tower. I haven’t seen a water tower that decked out in a long time!
I still had some time to kill, so I went slightly west to do a 1/2 mile hike to Cline Falls, which is 20 feet high and flows into the Deschutes River. It was so relaxing!
My last stop in Redmond was at Cascade Lakes Brewing, where I ordered a Cider and Roast Beef Sandwich for dinner ($25). They were all delicious and the beff was so tender!
The guys I was sitting next to recommended I check out Redmond Caves since it was right by the airport. The caves are comprised of 6 lava tubes and are 80,000 years old. Once again, I didn’t have a big flashlight with me and only had the one on my iPhone, so I went in for a bit before I turned around and headed back out.
My flight was at 7:40pm and I got to Redmond Airport at 5:30pm. My flight into LAX was a bit bumpy due to the Santa Ana Winds but fine.
Overall Thoughts
So what did I think about my time in Bend?
I love that there is a strong sense of community – like everyone will just come up and start talking to you – and that there is a ton to do there for a medium-sized town! I also loved the outdoor activities and the changes of seasons, I live and die for fall anywhere!
The weird thing is that the GPS doesn’t always accurately take you to where you destination is, LOL! I had to get used to that a few times but I ended up finding my location. Even though there is a lot to do, I also don’t like that Bend is more than 2 hours away from another major city.
In the end, the pros outweighed the cons! We’ll see, this is definitely a great option if I ever want to relocate in the future.
Thanks for coming along with me! 🙂
