#inbend

I don't remember when it was that I heard about Bend, Oregon for the first time but whenever it was I instantly knew I needed to go there. I assume it was from a blog and probably from Sweaty Emily or Sarah OUAL. It wasn't very long ago that I heard about this magical place with it's mountain views and bright sunshine but when we moved to Oregon I set immediately to planning a trip to my homeland.

I really had no background on Bend and didn't know anything about it aside from the beautiful photos I'd seen on insta and beyond. We planned the trip for our anniversary weekend and I high fived myself again for planning a September wedding date because the weather is pretty much perfect everywhere that time of year with central Oregon being no exception. It's about a 3 hour drive from Portland to Bend but you get off the highway around Salem (roughly 40 miles south) and ride on a mostly 2 lane road the rest of the way. The weather switched regularly between clouds, sun and drizzle as we drove but no amount of weather could make the views any less spectacular.

I'd never used Airbnb before so I was pretty nervous but Marilyn (the owner) was really responsive beforehand and ended up being a great person to work with. The place we were staying was an attachment she'd built onto her home but with a private entrance, small yard, 2 locking bedrooms with private bathrooms and a shared kitchen space. Nobody had rented the other private room which was actually kind of nice but she still ensured our privacy and made sure we had keys to lock up as we saw fit. 

Her house was within walking distance to a big shopping and food area right on the Deschutes River. She gave us some recommendations and let us know her whereabouts over the next couple of days in case we needed her. Here's a link to her rental in case you're interested in heading out. I'd highly recommend her!

Because T really values relaxation, he made a few calls and managed to get us a massage booked within walking distance a couple of hours after we got into town. The massages were amazing and the location was right in the middle of everything so we got some food at a Mexican restaurant and had quite literally the best tableside guacamole I've ever had. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the place but I remember exactly where it was and we made a point to go there for guac more than once. 

We made sure to be out and about as much as we could during the day and I insisted on visiting the home of Atlas Cider Co. which happens to brew THE BEST cider possibly on earth. We also drove out to Mt. Bachelor and took nice long walks around the Deschutes while really trendy Oregonians utilized their SUPs and kayaks. 

Eventually the time came when we had to tell Bend to put her top back on and quit showing off. The show was over and we had to head home. We stopped off to check out the Three Sisters on the ride home and then continued to pout until...maybe last week or so. I loved Bend and can't wait to go back. It's a beautiful area!