Don’t miss the truffled mac and cheese and polenta fries at Blacksmith Restaurant in Bend.
Lounge on the heated patio with a house-roasted latte at Strictly Organic Coffee in Bend.
After a lunch of decadent soup, pick up a loaf of Black Butte Porter artisan bread for the road at The Village Baker in Bend
Grab some silky goat cheese from the honor bar at Juniper Grove Farm near Redmond.
The Dee Wright Observatory is located in the middle of a massive lava flow and offers panoramic views of the Cascade Mountain Range, as far north as Mt. Hood.
Anything at Sparrow Bakery in Bend. Grab their amazing Chicken Waldorf sandwich with Rogue Creamery Oregonzola and hit the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway for the afternoon.
The House on the Metolius in Camp Sherman is nestled among 200 acres of meadows and towering Ponderosa pines along a meandering river. Staying here is a life-changing experience.
Down the road from where I spent my youth in Bend, McKay Cottage serves breakfast to those in the know.
Shoot the surreal landscape hiking along the river at Smith Rock State Park. Afterward, kick your feet up on the wooden porch at Juniper Junction with one of their famous huckleberry ice cream cones.
