When I moved to Bend, I had already visited several times a year over time, which gave me insight to the neighborhoods around town. If you are relocating or new to Bend, I hope this helps you too!
Westside For Life - Century West and Summit West are sought-after, and then some.
There really is no limit to the things you can do on the west side. Whether you’re after breweries, fine dining, live music, outdoor recreation, parks, food carts... you’ve got options. Century West and Summit West neighborhoods are the perfect microcosm of Bend in general in how so many of the attractions of the region are present.
The outdoor situation is breathtaking with Lewis and Clark Park, Skyline, Shevlin, Compass and Sunset View; the Deschutes River Trail offers beautiful scenery and a perfect path for dog walking and almost limitless opportunities for bike riding.
If you’re after something a little less athletic, you can enjoy a day over at Northwest Crossing and enjoy an Ocean Roll at Sparrow Bakery, go shopping at the absolutely adorable Roundabout Books, or head to The Grove and check out Sebastian’s mouthwatering seafood market or walk across the hall to Shim Shon and delight in the flawless fried cauliflower.
For nightlife there’s plenty of choices along SW Century Drive, including finding some exciting international food from the Bendite Market, catching some live music at Volcanic Theatre Pub, beer tasting at Prost! and GoodLife Brewing, snagging some fantastic falafel at Bo’s and then luxuriating in a nightcap from the mad scientists at The Flamingo Room. Regardless of what you want your day to be like, you’ll find plenty to experience on Century and Summit West.
A Neighborhood in the Midst of Improvements - Boyd Acres offers amenities and also sees many changes
Boyd Acres is a large neighborhood in north Bend with plenty of things to do. In it includes some of the City’s main shopping centers along U.S. 20 and Hwy 97, several dining options and some of the City’s best parks, including Rockridge and Pine Nursery Park.
The area has ample shopping opportunities and neighbors will soon have easy access to the new Costco location, between Cooley Road and Robal Lane.
Boyd Acres offers multiple breweries in close proximity. All situated within the same area, breweries including 10 Barrel, Van Henion Brewing and Oblivion Brewing offer residents a variety of beer, adult beverage and dining options.
A new, extremely pet friendly addition includes Ponch’s Place, a new food cart lot located at the Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon. The lot has an outdoor beer garden with four food carts, a covered area with picnic tables and an artificial grass area for dogs.
Those in the area will soon be relieved of some of the congestion along U.S. 97 and U.S. 20 with the Bend North Corridor Improvements. Currently in progress, the project aims to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and connectivity along the two highways with over two miles of multi-use paths, new or improved ADA ramps and enhanced crossings. For the time being, temporary road closures and occasional detours are part of life.
Once the improvements are completed in late 2024, it will also aid with congestion, improve travel time reliability and reduce traffic volume and speeds at high conflict locations.
Old Mill Made New Again - Southwest Bend and Southern Crossing offer shopping, music and that suburban lifestyle
The Old Mill has become one of the hottest destinations for commerce in Bend, which is fittingly ironic since the actual logging mill it replaced is why there was a Bend to begin with. Seeing the smokestacks on the horizon used to be a sign of the lumber trade in Central Oregon, but now it means you’re going shopping, catching a movie, or grabbing some dinner in one of Bend’s most bustling neighborhoods...complete with river view.
Whether you want to see an IMAX presentation of the latest blockbuster, see a massive band at the world class Hayden Homes Amphitheater venue, drop jaws at the fabulous view of the Mill from the patio at Monkless or grab an astonishing dinner at Lady Bird Cultural Society, there are entirely too many options for locals and tourists alike.
Soon, there will be even more to choose from when construction finishes on the mixed-use 4.7 acre development featuring 313 homes, 17,500 square feet of retail and Central Oregon’s first Woonerf (Dutch for living street) with “pollinator friendly greenspaces and several bee hives on-site.”
With Crosscut and The Podski (seriously, if you haven’t been to Toasty, what are you waiting for), there are plenty of food carts to choose from, while the Box Factory still sports the legendary Strictly Organic Coffee, the hidden gem that is Valentine’s Deli and the always popping River Pig.
With Southwest Bend being so close to downtown, it’s very easy to make an entire day exploring Bond Street all the way down into the Old Mill. In fact, it’s way too much for just a single day. It might be best to just take the weekend.
Finding Serenity Amid the Action - Proximity to the Deschutes makes Old Bend and River West the charming neighborhoods they are.
River floats. Paddle boards. Breweries. Patios and dogs and bike lanes. When a tourist thinks of Bend, most of the most iconic things about the city are things that take place in Old Bend and the west side, also called River West. For those seeking a spot in the middle of all the action, these neighborhoods will fit the bill. (And speaking of bills, prepare to bring out the dollars when examining home prices in these very-central parts of town!) And even while these areas get positively bursting with outdoor-loving humans in the summertime, proximity to the Deschutes River means a dose of serenity can still be found.
Beyond the constant churn of restaurants and bars and stores along Galveston Avenue in River West and in downtown Bend, one noteworthy development in the river-adjacent scene in Old Bend of late is the ongoing redevelopment of Miller’s Landing Park and Columbia Park — both areas where locals as well as tourists like to access the river. Bend Park and Recreation District, with the help from a Visit Bend grant, has been improving the banks and access points along the river at these two parks, with more plans to improve the area around McKay Park and the Bend Whitewater Park in the coming years. Now, in addition to sunbathing in the grassy areas at Miller’s Landing — a popular spot for people to spread out, slightly away from the crowds at the Whitewater Park — people can safely put in a paddle board or kayak and paddle through to the popular Mirror Pond area. And with more connectivity planned for the Deschutes River Trail in the area around these two parks, the neighborhood features only continue to improve for Old Bend and River West.
One potential downside to living in these areas: more of the streets are designed as three- or two-hour parking zones or permitted areas — a convenience for residents who want their guests to have somewhere to park, yet one more piece of evidence that Bend is definitely growing up.
More Beer for Larkspur Locals - A new brewery, a soon-to-be-built library and more populate this southeast Bend neighborhood
The Larkspur neighborhood has everything: residential streets, an abundance of parks and a food and brewery scene. With densely packed streets and easy access to many bustling areas, Larkspur is a great neighborhood for anyone. You’ll find families, young adults and a whole lot of dogs.
While the area is a mixture of residential and industrial, its growing restaurant and brewery scene should certainly be noted. On the east edge of Larkspur, next to planned mixed-use development Stevens Ranch, sits the spacious Cascade Lakes Pub, which just opened in August 2023. The larger corner lot is also home to The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. Coming soon to the area will be a new gas station and Haven Bagel and Coffee.
Near the developing corner is Stevens Ranch, a planned mixed-use development that includes a large new Deschutes Public Library that’s currently under construction.
Those looking for breweries and food truck options can find a great scene at Spider City Brewing and Bevel Craft Brewing, both with great food options and a relaxing vibe.
In addition to its growing food scene, the Larkspur neighborhood features great parks, including centrally located Ponderosa Park, equipped with pickleball courts, a skate park and scenic walking trails. The Larkspur community center is another perk, offering a number of activities including a pool, a fitness center and several workshops and classes. It will also be home to the new Art Station in 2026.
Nature is Key in Southeast Bend - Old Farm and Southeast Bend offer parks, trails and more
Old farm and Southeast Bend are similar neighborhoods bordering one another, surrounded by parks, walking trails and an abundance of tree-lined residential streets. Residents in these neighborhoods have the option of walking along the great neighborhood streets all throughout southeast Bend. A plethora of parks with acres of land gives residents of this neighborhood easy access to unpaved trails and nature.
Stone Creek, situated in Old Farm, features a small bike pump track, a small skate spot, open turf and more than six acres of natural land. Two extremely family friendly parks in the area include Sun Meadow Park and Foxborough Park. Both offer gathering spaces and a playground.
A little bit south is the beloved Alpenglow Park, which opened in 2022. This spacious 37-acre park offers something for everyone. It’s abundant with natural areas, trails, a large field, fenced-in dog areas, a bouldering area and more.
A new park coming to southeast Bend includes Little Fawn Park, running between Parrell Road and the Bend Golf Club. The park will include a picnic and gathering space, a half basketball court, a play area and a paved loop path.
Residents can find nature pretty much anywhere in these quiet neighborhoods. Even when walking or driving through the area, you may just find a family of deer strolling along with you.
East Side Bike Fun in Mountain View - Orchard and Mountain View offer plenty in the way of laid-back family fun.
In a part of town that offers plenty of neighborhood parks and amazing views of the Cascades, one park in the Mountain View neighborhood of Bend’s east side is becoming a big draw for active families.
In 2023, eastsiders began to enjoy the first phase of a two-phase project adding bike trails and skills features to Big Sky Park. Before, riders who wanted to practice their bike skills in Bend might have had to travel to the far-west side at Phil’s Trail, or, in order to ride on a paved pump track, a trip to Homestead Pump Track in Redmond might have been required. Now, the far-east side is the place to be for kids (and parents) looking to have fun and practice turns, pumps, jumps and so much more.
Bend Park and Recreation District received a Visit Bend grant that allowed the district to up the timeline for creating the Big Sky Bike Park. While more upgrades, including a terrain park and sessions zone, are still forthcoming, Big Sky now boasts a paved pump track with a learning zone for the little ones, a skills course, trials area and a covered picnic shelter. In addition, new single-track trails circle the park.
This spot was already pretty great for those wanting an off-leash area for their dogs, for those who enjoy the sport of BMX, or for those in the neighborhood looking for room to stretch out, but with the addition of this new neighborhood feature, on a warm day it’s definitely an east-side place to be.
Room and a View - Awbrey Butte offers views all around
Awbrey Butte has long been one of the premiere neighborhoods to live in, but long, long ago, it was a dusty hill that helped birth the mountain biking movement in Bend. These days, for those living that affluent life, you’ve got plenty of features to enjoy for just about any interest.
First off, the biggest boon from living up on Awbrey Butte are those views. From the west side and its sweeping views of Mt. Bachelor to Mt. Jefferson or the north side’s breathtaking view of the Cascade Range, every direction you look is either thick with majestic trees or stunning vistas as far as the eye can see.
For recreation you have two golf courses to choose from: Awbrey Glen Golf Club or River’s Edge, while also being a 30-minute drive from either the Cascade Lakes or Mount Bachelor. Initially starting as 1,800 acres purchased by Brooks Resources in 1970, it wasn’t until 1984 when development of the lots began (for the almost unheard of price of around 25K!).
There are also several lovely parks in the area including the connected Summit Park and Sylvan Park (the tennis court is first come first serve... literally), or the adorable little Awbrey Village Park nestled in a lovely little residential area that’s very much designed as a place for neighborhood families to bring kids to its picturesque playground. Driving through Awbrey Butte is a quick reminder of the natural beauty of the high desert.
Article and information from The Source Weekly Publication. Authors are Julianna LaFollette, Jared Rasic and Nicole Vulcan