Sunriver, Oregon

• More about your oliver guide: Erin McInerney Chun
• Trip type: Family, Group getaway, Desert, Mountains
• Activity level: moderate
• Ideal length of trip: 5 to 7 days

to & from

Most people drive. Its 8 hours from the Bay Area. If you want to break up the trip , we stayed in Klamath Falls, Oregon on the way up.

• There is an airport in Bend in case that is better for you family.
• A must see on the way up is Crater Lake. It is beautiful. Crater Lake Lodge books up fast and would be a great place to stay to break up the drive to Sun River.

Where to Stay

VRBO is the way to go. Most homes are second homes and rent most of the year. You can get everything from a small condo to a large estate for multiple families. We went just our immediate family but we met lots of people there with either extended family or big groups of friends in one home. We stayed in the Tennis Village area. We loved that it was close to the gym/spa as well as a 5 minute bike ride to the Village or a 10 min ride to SHARC.

If hotels are more your thing, Sunriver Resort looks nice.

• Make sure your home comes with SHARC passes. These will get you into the water park (SHARC) at Sun River for free.
• It can get really hot in August so I recommend getting a place withAC.
• Most homes come with bikes and locks so you don't have to worry about bringing your own.

Where to Eat and Drink

There are a few restaurants in Sun River for the days you don’t feel like cooking. We mostly cooked but managed to hit a few spots while we were there.

• Sun River Brewery. Cute brewery with GREAT beer. There is a kids play area for little ones. Tips: Get the nachos with the pork on top with a flight of beer. Skip: the kids chicken nuggets as they tasted like fish. Even the manager agreed.
• The Back Yard: Cute area behind the Sun River Resort that has corn hole and live music. Get a cocktail and some casual food and enjoy the fun.
• Goodys in the Village: Old school ice cream parlor and candy store. Tip: Don't be scared by the line. It moves quickly.
• Bend Oregon: SO much to eat here but we only did a day trip. Thump coffee. Amazing coffee and equally as good pastries. Pizza Mondo: Fun small town vibe with gluten free options. Sweet Tooth Candy Shopee - A huge selection of bulk candy as well as some vintage favorites that will bring back childhood memories.

What to Do

Be outside. Nature is biggest playground in Sun River.

• Ride your bike as much as you can. I challenged my family to go a days without getting in our car. After dinner we would go for a family bike ride to watch the sunset.
• River Rafting down the Dechutes River in Bend - We used Sun Country. We signed up in the village and they were great.
• High Desert Museum was a nice escape from the heat.
• Paulina Plunge - a natural waterslide made from a waterfall. You can do a bike tour or just hike up yourself.

inside scoop

• Plan ahead as things book up fast!
• Goods to Go in the Village is a gem! We stumbled across this place looking to book a river rafting trip. It had the most amazing SHAVED ICE as well as multiple flavors of Kombucha on tap. Its a great spot for a break on a hot day or the way back from SHARC.

skip it

• Horse back riding - It was a really slow long ride. Not really worth it.
• Blondie's Pizza- We got delivery one night and it was not great.

What to Pack

Its super casual. Leave the party clothes at home.