Things to do in Bend Oregon for Couples | Date Ideas Bend, OR
ArboursAbroad contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase using one of the affiliated links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure Policy for more information.
There is no shortage of things to do in Bend Oregon for couples, with breweries galore for date nights, great parks for picnics, and outdoor activities in all directions it would take years to visit. But sometimes you just need a bit of a jump on ideas for where to go.. we’re here for you!
We’ve been to Bend numerous times, and while we have our favorite things to do in Bend (those things we do no matter what when in Bend), we’ve also got fun date ideas that are great for special occasions.
Most of these things to do in Bend Oregon for Couples include alcohol. Obviously, if you do not drink, or aren’t of age, omit the alcohol, but still go have a good time!
Things To Do In Bend Oregon For Couples | Downtown
Head to JC’s for Life-Size Games
JC’s Bar & Grill in downtown Bend offers life-size games of Jenga and Connect Four, while also having pool tables, shuffleboard, and more. This bar in downtown Bend is great for changing up just grabbing a beer for date night to enjoying a brew while connecting over games instead.
Tour the Bend Ale Trail
Head to the local visitor’s center, or heck even just pay attention to the brochures in stores, and grab the Bend Ale Trail map. This is a great look at the different breweries to grab a sample at, and offers the easiest bike routes between each place! Talk about someone else doing all the hard work for you!
Visit McMenamins Old St. Francis School
McMenamins is a chain restaurant started by two brothers in Portland, Oregon who would purchase obscure old buildings and turn them into pubs. The Old St. Francis School dates back to 1936 when the school was originally a Catholic schoolhouse. The rooms have since been converted to hotel rooms, and they offer multiple bars, a soaking pool, and even a theatre.
Now, don’t think we’re pressuring you for an overnight stay for date night. They have weekday deals (at one point $16 for pizza, a movie, and a beer), soaking hours for non-guests (10:30-6:30), and great food and beer to just pop in for a drink.
Each McMenamins offers a different unique twist on a normal pub and the Bend McMenamins is no different. If you’re really into something great… check out the McMenamins passport club! That will give you date ideas to last a whole year.
**If you plan on booking a room at McMenamins, check here for best rates!
Picnic and Frisbee in Drake Park
Drake Park is a park right on the water in downtown Bend. It’s a huge grassy area with a lot of tree coverage. The park is perfect for having a nice picnic along the waterfront, and or even bringing some outdoor gear like a frisbee, bocce ball, or volleyball would make a great day date!
Things To Do In Bend Oregon For Couples | Riverwest
Head to The Lot and Pick Out Each Others Food + Drink
The Lot is a food truck area on the west side of Bend. There’s a beer garden with 4-5 food trucks lining the street sides of the seating area. Pick out each other’s drinks or food, or if you’re really feeling it, choose both food and drinks for your partner and then tell them why you thought they’d like what you picked!
The Lot is a great relaxed eating area that’s perfect for last-minute dates without having to wait for hours in line at the popular restaurants around.
Share Nachos at 10 Barrel Brewing (our favorite of these things to do in Bend Oregon for couples!)
Remember at the beginning of the post when we said there are a few things we always do when we are in or near Bend? Well, this is one of them.. Sharing nachos at 10 Barrel is par to none!
10 Barrel nachos aren’t just your average nachos. They are made with seasoned potato chips, steak, bacon, all the cheese, onions, and more. They literally make my mouth water just thinking about them, and one plate is enough food for two!
10 Barrel is also one of our favorite breweries in Bend, so grabbing a pint there isn’t such a bad idea either!
Connect Over Cute Homes
Okay, this may sound weird, but it’s actually a great way to get to know your date! Walking through a neighborhood and talking about what you like and don’t like about the houses on the streets brings and understanding of what’s important in a person’s life.
The homes in the triangle between 14th street, Newport Ave, and the Deschutes River is a great neighborhood to start in! There are a lot of really cute homes to peak at! Park at Harmon Park and have a walk around! You’ll be surprised how enjoyable this is!
Save these Bend date night ideas for later…
Things To Do In Bend Oregon For Couples | Old Mill District
Catch a Concert at the Les Schwab Amphitheater
The Les Schwab Amphitheater hosts a wide variety of artists, and has food trucks and local beer offered at all their events. With the sloped hillside, it’s a great place to catch a concert!
Check for upcoming artists and shows here, keeping in mind much of the 2020 shows have been canceled due to COVID.
I’ll never forget when we did a Bend river float (tip below), floating by the Schwab Amphitheater… Jack Johnson was warming up and doing sound checks! Seriously, one of the most epic timed floats we’ve ever done! 😉
Take a Class or Go on a Day Trip with REI
REI offers many different outdoor enthusiasts courses right in their building. They also have multiple day trips and classes that they do out in nature. Check out their current lists of events, and then schedule a day out with you and your partner to learn something new together!
**Get Your Guide is another great option for taking a day trip planned completely by someone else. We’ve never done a tour with them, however, they come highly recommend and are a very popular tour booking agency.
Tour the Deschutes Brewery
The Deschutes Brewery has a number of locations in Bend, but the Deschutes Brewery in Old Mill District has a tasting room and brewery tours. Swing in here and have a flight of beer, getting to know what your partner likes and doesn’t like in a fresh brew!
Float the Deschutes River
Grab a tube or even an air mattress and enjoy a two-hour float down the Deschutes River. Riverbend Park is where people typically put in at and then float the two hours down to Drake Park in downtown Bend.
This float is extremely relaxed without any rapids, and can be done on paddleboards, kayaks, or any kind of floaty really! Just be sure to have your permit and life jacket if you decide to float with a paddleboard, boat, or kayak.
Day Trips For Couples In Bend, Oregon
Soak in the Paulina Lake Hot Springs
Just south of Bend, there’s the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. It’s a great place to go and spend time at (more ideas below), but our favorite bit of the entire national monument is the hot springs at Paulina Lake.
The hot springs are right on the water, and in fact, each pool is regulated by the cold lake water. Dig out the pebbles to allow more water in. Or, fill in the pebbles to keep cool water from exiting the pool.
With a $5 entry fee and a short, easy hike to the hot springs, Paulina Lake Hot Springs is the perfect cheap date!
Explore the Natural Waterslide and More at Newberry National Volcanic Monument
While the hot springs get a special mention, the rest of the attractions at Newberry National Volcanic Monument are great too! There are natural water slides right into the lake, a waterfall to hike to, multiple hikes throughout the park, and even downhill mountain biking from the top of Paulina Peak.
$5 gets you access to the National Monument, and an entire day can be spent exploring all the natural beauty in the area. Interested in camping? There are a couple of campgrounds within the area, some of which are right on the water. Little Crater Campground was our favorite one!
Chase the Waterfalls at Tumalo Falls
Just outside of Bend is Tumalo Falls, a 97-foot waterfall with hiking and biking trails in the surrounding Deschutes National Forest. There is a viewpoint of Tumalo Falls right off the parking area that is accessible for those who are disabled. Otherwise, you can hike around the falls and even visit a number of other waterfalls along the way.
Catch the Sunset at Pilot Butte Scenic Viewpoint
Pilot Butte State Parks offers sunset views of the mountains in the Cascade Mountain Range and the best views of Bend from above. You can drive up to the viewpoint in the summer months, or if you choose, hike up to one of the three trails all leading to the summit.
Cycle Around Sunriver
Sunriver is a resort town just 20 minutes south of Bend and is the most bike-friendly area around. Head to Sunriver for a day exploring any of the paved bike trails.. most of which are pretty flat!
Sunriver Village has a great brewery, Sunriver Brewing, and even an ice cream & chocolate shop, both great ways to round out a date in Sunriver.
Visit Smith Rock State Park
Smith Rock State Park is about 40 minutes north of Bend. It’s a state park well-known for its climbing and rock formations. However, there’s more than just climbing that this state park offers.
A river flows at the base of the rock formations, making a nice flat walk all the way around Smith Rock! There’s even an epic walk-up campground at Smith Rock State Park, showcasing some of the best views of Smith Rock!
Lots of people come here for climbing and photography. So, maybe even plan for a photographer to meet you there and have a photo shoot with your loved one. Sure to give you at least one photo to cherish forever!
Drive Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway
Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway is a road going through the heart of the Deschutes National Forest. As you can guess from the name of the road, this byway is full of spectacular views. There are multiple lakes to stop and spend some time at and countless hikes through the national forest here.
Take Century Drive from Bend out towards Mt. Bachelor (or more specifically Elk Lake), and before you know it, you’ll be in some of Central Oregon’s most pristine nature. Fair warning, due to snowpack, this route is only open in the summer.
Places To Stay in Bend, Oregon
AirBnB | AirBnB is a great option for finding a place to stay in Bend. With many people offering entire homes for rent on AirBnB, you could have a whole home to yourself. This is a great option for saving money on food by cooking at home and being able to spend more on adventures!
If you’re hoping to stay with a local, don’t worry, AirBnB offers local stays too! What a great way to find out even more about the local area and even other places you may be traveling to!
Hotel Stays | If staying in someone else’s home doesn’t tickle your fancy, search for hotels in Bend here. McMenamins is a great choice for a place to stay right in downtown Bend.
Camping | Camping is a great money saver and memory maker! Central Oregon isn’t short of places to camp! There are free campsites, paid for campsites, and campgrounds run by the state, all offering a place to stay for under $20 USD.
Learn how to camp for free and where to find the best free campsites here.
Getting To And Around Central Oregon
Flying | There is an airport in Redmond, but flights don’t really go there from many places outside of Oregon. The “international” airport in Southern Oregon is Medford International Airport. Look for flights from your location to MFR (or Medford, Oregon), although fair warning prices for flying into Medford are a bit more than Portland.
Portland (PDX) is another option for flights, serving many international flights. Flying to PDX and renting a car will honestly probably be the cheapest option. This is the search engine we use when booking flights. You could also look into flights to Eugene, Oregon. There are sometimes random good deals into that airport!
Rental Cars | If you’re not from the area or don’t have your own car, you’ll want to rent a car to get around Central Oregon. Public transportation in Oregon is a joke, so renting a car is certainly your best bet! While most of the places on this list can be accessed by a normal vehicle, you may want to rent a car with high clearance in case you want to travel off-road, or down dirt roads to find free camping.
Training | Klamath Falls, Oregon offers the only train stop in the area with the Amtrak trains. Train to Klamath Falls, then rent a car from there to explore Central Oregon. The drive from Klamath Falls to Central Oregon is really pretty, so it’s not a bad place to train into!
More to Do In Central Oregon
FREE + PAID For Things to do in Central Oregon
Free Camping on Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway
Oregon’s Blue Basin | You’ve Got to See This Place!
The Painted Hills of Oregon | yes, the colors are really that vibrant!
WATCH MORE | Exploring the Painted Hills Video Style
SEE MORE | 7 minutes of Camping and Paddleboarding on Sparks Lake
Planning A Date? Save This Post For Later Here
