Bend

Bend, one of the Best Places to Visit in Oregon, combines some of the best outdoor activities in the nation with the cultural advantages of a big city like Portland. There really isn't much you can't do here. To ski Mount Bachelor or snowshoe Edison Butte Sno Park, tourists swarm to the region in the winter. The Deschutes River is crowded with kayakers, rafters, anglers, and intertube users during the summer. Just the above-ground operations are listed. Caving is a well-liked activity in Bend because the city is home to a network of underground lava tubes that were created by extinct volcanoes.

Outdoor dining is a necessary here because of the high desert's sunnier and dryer environment than the cities to the west of the mountain, like Portland. A lot of the restaurants have patios where you can sit in the sunshine and warm up next to fire pits on chilly days. Save time to visit the Crater Lake Spirits Distillery Tasting Room and their neighbor, the Deschutes Brewery and Public House, as Bend is particularly well-known for its beers and distilleries.

Rankings:

• #2 in Best Places to Visit in Oregon

State: Oregon