Plan Your Stay
Sunriver & Bend guides for groups
34 guides to the river, the mountain and the town, written for groups staying at an 11-bedroom retreat ten minutes from Sunriver Resort.
The river
The Deschutes River near Sunriver: how to float, paddle and fish it from the house
How to float, paddle and fish the Deschutes River near Sunriver: the dock at the house, public launches, the marina float, rentals, ODFW rules, permits and safety.
Floating the Deschutes from Sunriver: the logistics for a group of 24
Group logistics for floating the Deschutes from Sunriver: put-ins and take-outs with river miles, the marina shuttle, rentals, rules, and a float day for 24.
Deschutes River safety for a group with kids and dogs near Sunriver
An honest river-safety guide for a group with kids and dogs on the upper Deschutes near Sunriver: cold water, current, life jackets, Benham Falls, and who to call.
The Little Deschutes River near Sunriver: where it rises, where it joins the Deschutes, and how a group reaches it
The Little Deschutes River runs about 105 miles from the Mount Thielsen Wilderness to the Deschutes in Three Rivers near Sunriver: source, access, fishing, paddling.
Fall River, Oregon: a spring-fed fly-fishing stream southwest of Sunriver
Fall River, the 12-mile spring-fed stream southwest of Sunriver: fly-fishing-only rules and seasons, the ODFW hatchery, the falls, campground and guard station.
Three Rivers, Oregon: the quiet side of Sunriver, where three rivers meet
Three Rivers, Oregon, lies between Sunriver and La Pine, where the Deschutes, Little Deschutes, and Spring rivers meet. Here is what it is and what a stay is like.
Benham Falls, Dillon Falls, and Lava Island Falls: the Deschutes River Trail corridor for a group
Benham, Dillon, and Lava Island Falls on the Deschutes River Trail: $5-per-vehicle parking, distances, the Sun-Lava path, float warnings, dogs, and a 12-to-30 plan.
By season
Summer in Sunriver for a group of 12 to 30: the river, the paths, the events, and the heat
Summer in Sunriver, June through August, for a group of 12 to 30: the river from a private dock, SHARC, the Cascade Lakes, bike paths, annual events, smoke and heat.
Fall in Sunriver: aspen and larch, fly fishing, fewer crowds, and the first snow
Fall in Sunriver for a group of 12 to 30: aspen and larch color, fly fishing on the upper Deschutes and Fall River, Sisters Folk Festival, first snow, and retreats.
Sunriver winter activities: skating, sleigh rides, snow play and Mt. Bachelor
Sunriver winter activities for a group: ice skating, sleigh rides, sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and Mt. Bachelor, with what is open when.
Fourth of July in Sunriver: the biggest week of the year, for a group of 30
Fourth of July in Sunriver for a group of up to 30: the Village festival, Bend's Pet Parade, the fireworks ban, public shows, and a 4-night plan.
Stargazing near Sunriver: a Dark Sky Place, two observatories, and a private dock on the Deschutes
Stargazing near Sunriver, Oregon's first Dark Sky Place: the Oregon Observatory, Pine Mountain, Milky Way season, the August Perseids, and a private dock.
Places and day trips
Things to do in Sunriver, Oregon: a group's guide by season
What to do in Sunriver, Oregon by season for a group of 12 to 30: the Deschutes, 34 miles of paved paths, SHARC, Mt. Bachelor and the Village.
Day trips from Sunriver for a group: Newberry, the Cascade Lakes, Smith Rock, and Crater Lake
Five day trips from Sunriver for a group of up to 30: Newberry and Lava Butte, the Cascade Lakes, Smith Rock, Crater Lake, and Bend, with miles, seasons, and passes.
Newberry National Volcanic Monument, site by site, from a house near Sunriver
Newberry National Volcanic Monument site by site from Sunriver: Lava Lands, Lava Butte, Lava River Cave, Paulina Peak and the caldera, with fees and seasons.
Paulina Lake and East Lake near Sunriver: a day in the Newberry caldera from the house
Paulina Lake and East Lake in the Newberry caldera near Sunriver: lodge and resort, boat rentals, the 2-mile hot springs hike, trout and kokanee, the 7.5-mile loop.
La Pine, Oregon: groceries, hardware and urgent care south of Sunriver
La Pine, Oregon, is the town south of Sunriver: Grocery Outlet, Ace Hardware, urgent care, a public 18-hole course and a state park, 16.5 miles away.
La Pine State Park: a family and dog day from a house near Sunriver
La Pine State Park south of Sunriver: the Big Tree ponderosa, 14 miles of trails, Deschutes and Fall River frontage, dog rules, cabins, winter use and a family day.
The High Desert Museum near Sunriver: a plan for a group with kids and grandparents
The High Desert Museum is 10.7 road miles from Sunriver. Posted hours and admission, the 20% group rate for 10 or more, the café, and a plan for 12 to 30.
The Village at Sunriver: what a group of 30 finds there, and how to get there from the house
The Village at Sunriver is the shopping and dining center in Sunriver: boutiques, restaurants, an ice rink open about November to April, and mini golf.
SHARC in Sunriver: what the aquatic center has, what to ask first, and how a rental group plans around it
SHARC in Sunriver is about ten minutes from the house. Posted admission is $32 a person in summer and $22 off season. SHARC passes are not included with a stay.
Sunriver Resort for renters: what a group staying at the house can use, and what is for resort guests only
What Sunriver Resort offers a group staying off-resort: the Marina, the Stables, four golf courses, the Cove, dining and the Great Hall, with who may use each.
Mountain biking near Sunriver: where to ride from the bridge, the river trail and Bend
Mountain biking from Sunriver: the Cardinal Landing Bridge, Roundabout, the Deschutes River Trail to Benham Falls, Bend day trips, bike rentals and when to ride.
Golfing near Sunriver and Bend: six courses for a group trip
Six golf courses near Sunriver and Bend, Oregon: Crosswater, Meadows, Woodlands, Widgi Creek, Lost Tracks, and Tetherow, with seasons, access, and group tee times.
Dogs and kids
Where to take large dogs near Sunriver and Bend: parks, trails, patios, and the nearest emergency vet
Where a group with big dogs can go near Sunriver and Bend: nine off-leash parks, forest trail rules, state parks, patios, Mt. Bachelor in summer, and a 24-hour vet.
Sunriver with kids: SHARC, the Nature Center, bike paths, and the Deschutes River
Kids in Sunriver, Oregon: SHARC, the Nature Center, 34 miles of paved bike paths, and the Deschutes River. Plus an 11-bedroom riverfront retreat with bunk rooms.
Planning a group stay
Getting to Sunriver: the Redmond airport, the drive routes and winter roads
Getting to Sunriver, Oregon: the Redmond airport, routes from Portland, Seattle, Eugene and Boise, the chain law and the dirt road to the house.
Sunriver vs Bend: where a group of 20 to 30 should stay in Central Oregon
Bend has the breweries and restaurants; Sunriver has the river, quiet and one retreat that sleeps 30. Distances, quiet hours and a split plan for groups of 20 to 30.
A group day in Bend from Sunriver: the Old Mill District, the Ale Trail, the river and the grocery run
A group day in Bend from Sunriver for up to 30: the Old Mill District, Drake Park, the Whitewater Park, the Bend Ale Trail, the amphitheater and the grocery run.
Where to eat near Sunriver, Oregon, with a big group
Where a group of 12 to 30 eats near Sunriver, Oregon, grouped by meal. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and beer, plus takeout, private chefs and the grocery run.
Feeding 30 people near Sunriver: the kitchen, the tables, and the grocery run
How to feed a group of up to 30 near Sunriver: the retreat kitchen, a 12-foot table plus four picnic tables, a grocery plan by store, caterers, and cooler basics.
The 3-day Sunriver plan for a group of 20 to 30
A three-day Sunriver plan for a group of 20 to 30: the Bend grocery run, a river day from your own dock, a Sunriver and Bend day, and a winter version.
More guides
One house that sleeps 30, or two or three Sunriver rentals? The comparison for a group of 20 to 30
For 20 to 30 people near Sunriver, Oregon: one 11-bedroom riverfront house, or two or three managed Sunriver homes? The comparison both ways, with headcount math.
Sunriver Resort or one rented house: which works for a group of 20 to 30
Sunriver Resort rooms or one rented house for a group of 20 to 30, compared on togetherness, cost per head, the Cove and SHARC, golf and quiet, with when each wins.