Answer the Call of the Wild in Bend, Oregon

Everyone loves Portland (seriously, who doesn’t?) and plans to visit the Pacific Northwest (PNW) are always filled with coffee, good eats, outdoor activities and wine.

Recent travels took me about three hours south-southeast of Portland, to the most populous city in Central Oregon, where there’s no shortage of snow or wilderness adventures this time of year. Just 15 miles south of Bend, I stayed at Sunriver Resort, a lodge that, at 3,300 acres, is like its own little village.

The luxury resort and residential community is at the edge of the high desert and includes five dining areas, three tennis facilities, an outstanding spa and even a Starbucks on site. The resort’s shuttle is available to transport you from your room (most likely a cozy two-story loft with a back patio, fireplace and kitchen) to any building on the property, usually within short notice.

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The land that was formerly a U.S. Army training camp in 1942 is said to be haunted in certain areas; I say, the more stories, the merrier. Though it closed shortly after D-Day, the officer’s club remained and is now known as the Great Hall, where meetings and weddings take place. Sunriver Resort will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary, one reason among many to visit.

You can golf on the property, and even take horseback riding lessons at Sunriver Stables. And since 85 percent of Oregon is volcanic land, drinking the tap water—it’s been filtered through volcanic rock for 5,000 years (making it probably the best water in the U.S.)—is another way of participating in the hotel’s, and Oregon’s, history.

My stay in February coincided with the month of chocolate and so I got to enjoy a six-course chocolate-themed dinner with wine pairings by Francis Ford Coppola Winery one night, as well as a chocolate-themed breakfast menu the next, both at Carson’s American Kitchen (the hotel’s main restaurant, named after Kit Carson.)

The menu, headed by Executive Chef Travis Taylor, focused on local ingredients—lots of fish and farmers’ market veggies—and an authentic presentation. Getting a little tipsy with a beer tasting and/or Mules made with Wild Roots Apple & Cinnamon vodka at the resort’s Twisted River Tavern is also a must—especially when you need a little warming up.

Spa treatments, no matter which city, state or country, are always a highlight for me and Sunriver’s Sage Spa is out of this world, with a steam room that smelled of eucalyptus, and a Jacuzzi tub that transports you to nighttime in Oregon with a starry painted ceiling and nature sounds. While I’m typically a massage kind of girl, I changed it up a bit and went for a facial this time. The 80-minute Goddess Facial was the closest thing I’ve had to a spiritual experience in a while; using all organic and natural products, the facial includes a double exfoliation, treatment masks, hydration and repair serums along with a scalp, neck and shoulder massage, an anti-aging hand treatment, a foot massage and a Marma pressure point massage.

I could’ve easily not left Sunriver until having to head back to the airport and home. But there’s so much to do in Bend and a visit to the PNW would not be complete if you were to stay at the resort, no matter how much you relish in the amenities. We went on a Benham Falls hike (especially fun if you have a dog who likes catching sticks in the snow) and a snowshoeing excursion at night with Wanderlust Tours. it was my first time doing this and boy, was it a workout (the whole excursion takes about three hours and you’re rewarded at the top with spiked hot chocolate and a bonfire).

We had a few meals/drinks off the resort, including a stellar Northern Thai feast at Wild Rose, coffee at the Looney Bean (a hangout for local college students and writers, like me) and a quick pizza and beer at Worthy Brewing before heading off to snowshoe. My hands-down favorite thing about this trip was dog sledding for five miles with Oregon Trail of Dreams and a team of 10 sweet dogs at Mt. Bachelor—what a magical experience, and a check-off, bucket-list item, for sure.