End of Summer Trip to Oregon
Day 1 - Flying into Bend/Redmond
It had been a couple of years since we last visited Oregon, so my wife and I thought it was time to get back out there and spend some time with family and friends who live there. We began our trip with a flight into Bend, well actually Redmond because that is the closest airport. We were greeted by my sister-in-law who drove down from Mt. Hood and we immediately hit the road in search of coffee. We stopped by Cafe de Chutes, a small cafe nestled in an industrial area surrounded by art studios. After feeling recharged we made our way to check-in at our Air BNB and meet up with my brother-in-law, their dog, and my childhood friend who now lives in Bend.
By this point we were pretty beat from our travels so we decided to go out for some food and drinks somewhere low key. My friend suggested Crux Fermentation Project, a half in-door, half-outdoor brewery beer garden that hosts a roster of permanent food trucks. After enjoying some food from vegan food truck A Broken Angel and a few good beers it was time to call it a night.
Favorite beer at Crux: Bochi Bochi - Japanese-Style Rice Lager
What I ate at A Broken Angel: The “Griff” tacos + Lockhard’s Pub Potatoes
After some much needed sleep we began day two bright and early. We knew we wanted to go for a hike but food was a must beforehand, so we decided to check Bo’s. A local spot known for their bagels (surprisingly) It wasn't a large location but it had lots of character with branding that paid homage to the owner’s dog Bo. Now full from our breakfast sandwiches we set off to see the home my friend is building for himself in the woods of Sunriver.
What I ate at Bo’s: The Fried Chicken Bagel + Fried Egg
Cider Brined Fried Chicken / Tomato / Romaine Lettuce / Pickled Red Onion / House Pickles
Day 2 - A Night of Music at Hayden Homes Amphitheatre
Once part of World War II training camp, and wedged along the Deschutes River, Sunriver is interestingly part desert landscape and part forest canopy. We felt this would be a great place for a quick day hike and it did not disappoint! We drove dusty dirt roads for roughly 30 minutes, losing cell phone service along the way, but finally arriving at the trailhead for Benham Falls. While we chose to do a few miles out-and-back along the river, there is parking and easy access to the Benham Falls overlook where even the most novice outdoorsman can experience the views.
Our hike wrapped up mid-day and now it was time to get ready for the night and one of our main reasons for visiting. My childhood friend works for Hayden Homes Amphitheater and bought tickets for all of us to see Mt. Joy. This was easily one of the nicest and coolest venues I’ve had the chance to experience. The entire theater is outdoors with the Deschutes River flowing directly behind the stage and a litany of food trucks adjacent to that. Most impressive about this theater in my opinion was the quality of sound and lighting for an outdoor venue. I will certainly plan another trip to see a concert here!
Day 3 - The Road to Mt. Hood
Sadly it was time for us to say goodbye to my friend and to Bend, for now, but before fully committing to the 3.5 hour drive to Mt. Hood we stopped for a quick hike at Smith Rock State Park. Strikingly different from Oregon landscapes I was familiar with, Smith Rock made me feel as though I was back in Colorado or Arizona. Although the Deschutes River flows through the land the landscape feels harsh and dry with very sensitive vegetation and large rock formations jutting from the ground. After seeing Smith Rock in person it is easy to understand why it’s known as the American birthplace of sports climbing.
Back on the road and now making our way north to Mt. Hood we settled in for a driver full of desert farmland and Indian reservations. However as we got closer to the mountain the vegetation began to drastically change into the lush evergreen forests I have come to know of Oregon. Just outside of the Mt. Hood area we drive through what is known to locals as “Silent Rock”, a formation of stone that holds a superstition. It is said that to respect the rock you should pass through Silent Rock in complete silence. No talking, no radio, and make as little noise as humanly possible or risk unfortunate events of bad luck as per the superstition.
We survived Silent Rock with no bad or unfortunate incident to report! We finally arrived at our destination on Mt. Hood area and now much later in the day we were all ready to find something to eat. We decided dinner at Koya Kitchen was the move. This half treehouse, half converted school bus restaurant is a staple for us every time we visit the area. Known best for its eclectic environment and Pan-Asian style cooking it is a must visit spot for anyone traveling to, or through, Mt. Hood. After stuffing ourselves full of sushi and noodles it was time for a night cap so we headed over to Pub 26 just minutes down the road. This was a no-frills bar serving local craft beers and had plenty of open pool tables. This was a great opportunity for us all to finally unwind from the day's travels, have a few too many drinks, and enjoy the company of family.
Favorite drink at Koya Kitch: Ozeki One Cup Diaginjo Dry Sake
What I ate at Koya Kitchen: Chicken Karage, Musubi, Shrimp Tempura Roll, & Yaki Soba
Day 4 - A Day on Trillium Lake
This day started out as a slow relaxing morning with some coffee on the deck. After a home cooked breakfast and taking the dog for a walk we packed up for a day of kayaking. A short drive led us to Trillium Lake. Known as being one of the best recreational areas around Mt. Hood, Trillium Lake also has one of the most stunning views to offer of Mt. Hood. I really appreciated this location rule of non-motorized boating actively only. Making it the perfect location for anyone looking to do some kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, fishing, or just peaceful lake side picnicking.
We spent the majority of the day out in the sun and on the water, very relaxing vibes for sure, but now as most of our days have gone it’s time to decide on dinner. At the suggestion of our brother-in-law we decided on one of their go-to local spots called the Skyway Bar & Grill. This place was extremely unique! Originally built by hand in 1972 and changing hands in the early 2000’s the entire design of the place is centered around the owners unique collection of antiques that were acquired during their lifetime. Boasting a Texas-inspired BBQ menu the food was portioned in Texas-sized portions as well, you will not leave hungry. Do not overlook the eclecticness of this establishment, or underestimate its quality of food for what it is, the Skyway was a unique hidden-gem that I will frequent every time I visit.
What I ate at Skyway Bar & Grill: Frickles, Cheese Burger, The Skyway Mac-N-Cheese Boat with bacon cubes and jalapenos
On our last day in Oregon I had one goal in mind when I woke up, get a maple bar donut for breakfast! So we did exactly that when we stopped by this Oregon Classic, Joe’s Donut Shop. We were making our way into Portland for the day and stopping at Joe's just made sense. Nestled in the quiet town of Sandy, Joe’s has been serving fresh hot donuts since 1974 and quickly became a staple for those traveling to Mt. Hood. While Portland is specifically credited in creating the maple bar donut, I personally feel Joe’s offers the best version of it.
Day 5 - Portland Trolls
Now was time for one more detour before hitting Portland proper and that detour led us to the Nordic House at Nordic Northwest. Home to all things Nordic in the Oregon and Southwest Washington region you might be wondering why make a random stop here? Well the reason of course was to visit the Ole Bolle Troll. With over 170 wooden trolls worldwide, Ole Bolle is but one example of the artistic masterpieces that artist Thomas Dambo creates from scrap materials and trash. On most of my trips I will check the Troll Map to see if any of these funny characters are around to visit and make it a point to stop during my travels.
We finally made it into Portland, a much different vibe from the rest of our trip now surrounded by the cityscape. Our main business today was finding a tattoo shop for my wife and her sister to get a walk-in appointment for a tattoo commemorating their late grandmother. While they got tattooed my brother-in-law and I roamed the Portland neighborhood in search of our second coffee for the day. We stumbled upon The Porch, a coffee shop tucked in a residential area and based out of a church with a “pay-what-you-can” ethos. While the coffee options were very no-frills it was a nice relaxing environment to spend some time just hanging out and conversing.
Once the girls were wrapped up with their tattoos we realized we all could use a snack. Conveniently located directly next door to the tattoo studio is a small cheesesteak shop and that was sounding real good to us at that moment. Steakadelphia is a very casual, hole-in-the-wall style joint that many authentic Philly cheesesteak spots are known for so I appreciated how familiar it felt. A beloved spot by locals, the staff were super friendly, they had beers on tap, and the cheesesteaks were quite authentic to what you would find in Philly. None of that poser “Philly steak” stuff with fried peppers and onions as standard additions.
We ended the day in Portland by walking around, doing some random thrifting, and just spending the remainder of time we had together just hanging out with no expectations. The night began to wind down, we settled in back at the house and prepared ourselves for our inevitable, early flight back home. It is always hard leaving Oregon, it is a very special place to me especially because of the ones who live there.
Here's a Map of all of the featured spots in this article