Rose and Josh
OUR FAVORITE ADVENTURES
September is one of the best times to be in Central Oregon - sunny days, cool nights, and endless ways to explore. While you're here for the wedding, we hope you take a little extra time to hike, golf, fish, or simply relax and enjoy why we love calling this place home.
HIKING
Hiking is one of the best ways to take in Central Oregon's beauty - from waterfalls and alpine lakes to lava flows and wide-open mountain views. While it's not Rose's favorite pastime, Josh loves any chance to get out on the trails. Whether you're looking for a casual stroll to Tumalo Falls or a full-day adventure in the Sisters Wilderness, there are endless ways to explore the outdoors here.
THE METOLIUS
7500 Forest Service Road #14, Camp Sherman, OR, 97730
This is Josh's favorite spot in the world. He's been coming here since the very first day he moved to Central Oregon back in 2010. Not only does he regularly bring out of town guests here to visit, he brought Rose here on the very first day she visited.​ The river is famous for its crystal clear spring fed waters, old growth forests, plenty of wildlife, and one of the last remaining bull trout populations in the West. Walking the banks of the Metolius is one of the most relaxing ways to spend some time.
SCENIC DRIVE
One of the most breathtaking ways to take in Central Oregon is to simply take a drive. You'll wind past alpine lakes, volcanic landscapes, and incredible mountain views. We even recently witnessed swarms of California Tortoiseshell butterflies on one of our drives.
CASCADE LAKES HIGHWAY
Century Drive from Bend
Dominated by snow all winter long, September provides the opportunity to drive past the winter gate at Mt. Bachelor into the heart of the Cascades. Wind through one of Bend's most famous areas and take in the views of the high peaks. Stop at one of the many alpine lakes and take in the cool air and scenery. Please note: if you are interested in hiking in this area, some hikes now require a wilderness permit. Please contact Josh for more information.
FLY FISHING
September is one of the best times of year for fly fishing in Central Oregon. Steelhead are beginning to run in the Lower Deschutes, the bull trout and kokanee are coming to spawn in the Metolius from Lake Billy Chinook, and all the resident trout are starting to feed up before winter. With hundreds of miles of river from the Crooked to the Fall to all stretches of the Deschutes, as well as a plethora of stillwater fisheries, there is no shortage of options.
If you are interested in fly fishing while you are here, reach out to Josh directly to learn more about the best places to get rental gear and where to fish!
GOLF
Rose and Josh both work in the golf industry and would be happy to help locate somewhere for you to play if you're wanting to fit in a round while here. Due to the private nature of both where Rose works, Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort, and where Josh works, Bend Golf Club, please reach out to us so we can see what we can do.
RESTAURANTS
Bend is packed with great places to eat and drink, so you definitely won't go hungry while you're here. From laid-back breweries and food trucks to cozy cafés and nicer spots for a night out, there's something for everyone. It's the perfect excuse to try a new restaurant (or two) while you're in town!
WILD ROSE NORTHERN THAI EATS
150 NW Oregon Ave, Bend, OR 97701
One place we always recommend is Wild Rose Northern Thai Eats in downtown Bend. It's our favorite restaurant in town, and it never disappoints. The menu is full of bold, authentic flavors, and everything can be served family-style, which makes it such a fun spot to go with a group. We love bringing visitors here. It's cozy, lively, and the kind of place where you'll want to order a bunch of dishes so you can try a little bit of everything. If you go for dinner, don't wait to make a dinner reservation! This place is always packed, and the likelihood of getting a walk-in table for dinner is low.
BAKERIES & COFFEE
Rose feels very strongly about good coffee and bakeries and thinks no vacation should go without. There's a ton of coffee shops and bakeries to choose from in Bend, but the two below are Rose's favorites. An honorable mention that is not included below is Sparrow Bakery. They are a great choice as well, and have a famous pastry known as an Ocean Roll that we recommend trying if you go. Rose also loves their French toast sticks, and Josh enjoys their breakfast sandwich.
BACKPORCH COFFEE ROASTERS
1052 NW Newport Ave #103, Bend, OR 97701
Backporch has multiple locations in Bend as well a drive-up right next to where Rose and Josh live, so the address above is not the sole location. Rose's go-to order is generally an iced honey lavender latte with an extra double shot and Josh loves to get a cold brew or a vanilla matcha here. They also always have some fun, seasonal specials. It's a great spot for a fantastic cup of coffee! Fun fact: when Josh was an intern at Pronghorn, he did his PGA bookwork in the original Backporch location just across the street.
M'S BAKERY
330 SW Powerhouse Dr #140, Bend, OR 97702
M's Bakery is newer to town and is located in the Old Mill District. From loaves of fresh baked bread to almond croissants to a true cappuccino, everything is good here. Rose thinks it's the best bakery in town and recommends you give it a try!
SHOPPING
If you're in the mood to shop while you're here, Rose and Josh recommend three favorite spots: the Old Mill District, downtown Bend, and downtown Sisters. The Old Mill is home to well-known stores like REI, Madewell, Sephora, and Lush, while downtown Bend offers a more local experience with unique boutiques and shops that are perfect for browsing. Downtown Sisters is a little Western town with boutiques, candy shops, bakeries, and more to go look at and visit. Note that Sisters is about a thirty minute drive outside of Bend. Below are two of Rose and Josh's go-to stops in downtown Bend.
LONE CROW BUNGALOW
937 NW Wall St, Bend, OR 97703
Rose and Josh love browsing this shop when downtown, especially during the holidays. Lone Crow has been in business for more than 20 years downtown and is a beloved gift shop. From candles to Pendleton blankets to home decor, they truly have so many fun things to look at. This would be a great spot to purchase a souvenir to take home.
LARK MOUNTAIN MODERN
831 NW Wall St, Bend, OR 97703
We found a lamp once here in the shape of a bird, named it Kevin, and almost brought it home. We decided it was slightly too quirky for us at the time, but we regret not giving Kevin a home. This is another fun shop to browse. It has less of a local goods feel than Lone Crow Bungalow but has fun kitchen and home decor to look at as well as jewelry.
PARKS
The Bend Parks and Recreation Department is one of the most well-funded in the country. If you're looking for somewhere in town to take a stroll, there's a park on almost every corner in Bend.
ALPENGLOW PARK
61049 SE 15th St, Bend, OR 97702
This park is located right down the street from where Rose and Josh live and has an open lawn area, bouldering, playground, seasonal sprayground, event pavilion, off-leash dog parks, a future demonstration garden, and multiple accessible trails. We have multiple families invited with children, and this would be a great spot to take them. When Rose's nephew Oliver visited, he loved the sprayground at this park.
DRAKE PARK
777 Northwest Riverside Blvd, Bend, OR 97701
Nestled against downtown and along the Deschutes River, Drake Park is Bend's classic charm. It was one of McGrupp's favorite places to go for a walk, and now Tela's. The park features nearly a half-mile of riverfront, acres of open lawn, river access, an outdoor stage, and picnic areas.
ASK US FOR MORE RECOMMENDATIONS!
We could go on and on with endless recommendations of our favorite places to visit. If you have something in mind that's not on this list or simply want more recommendations, reach out to us and ask!
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Josh has been exploring Central Oregon for many years and is happy to help advise on any adventure you may be interested in - large or small. While he knows the area very well, one fun piece about it is that he still regularly explores corners he's never been to before. If you are interested in any activity, from mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, whitewater rafting, or even more - Central Oregon has it to offer, and Josh can help point you in the right direction.
