The 3-day Sunriver plan for a group of 20 to 30

The 3-day Sunriver plan at a glance

The plan is one shopping stop, one retreat and three days with one anchor each. Day one is arrival and the deck. Day two is the river. Day three is Sunriver in the morning and Bend in the afternoon, or Mt. Bachelor in winter.

Check-in is after 4:00 PM and check-out is before 11:00 AM, so three nights gives you two full days plus the arrival evening.

Before you arrive: the grocery run in Bend

Do one big shop in Bend on the way in, then top up at the Sunriver Country Store. Bend is about 30 minutes from the retreat. For 30 people, one Costco run plus a Sunriver top-up usually does it.

• Costco, 62207 NW Costco Drive, Bend. Open weekdays until 8:30 PM, Saturday until 7:00 PM and Sunday until 6:00 PM.
• Trader Joe's, 63455 N Hwy 97, Bend. Open 8 AM to 9 PM daily.
• Fred Meyer, 61535 S Highway 97, Bend.
• Whole Foods Market, 2610 NE Hwy 20, Bend. Open 8 AM to 9 PM daily.
• Newport Avenue Market, 1121 NW Newport Avenue, Bend. Employee-owned since 2015, open daily 7 AM to 10 PM, with a deli and rotisserie chicken.

Closer in, the Sunriver Country Store at 57100 Beaver Drive covers the essentials and last-minute items. It stocks groceries, produce, cured meats and seafood, and the deli counter makes sandwiches.

The kitchen already has a Vitamix, a KitchenAid mixer, a sous vide and a Breville espresso machine. Bring beans and bulk ingredients, not gadgets.

Day 1: arrive on the Deschutes and get dinner going on the deck

Day one is check-in after 4:00 PM, bedroom assignments and the first dinner on the wrap-around covered deck. There is parking for up to 15 vehicles on site, with room for vans and trailers.

Assign rooms before anyone unloads. The Lodge has six bedrooms across two floors and the Cottage has five, with bunks in four of the eleven rooms. Beds room by room are on the whole retreat.

The covered deck runs the length of the Lodge, with sturdy tables and chairs and a large gas grill. Four 8-foot picnic tables stand in a row for outdoor dining. After dinner there is a covered hot tub, a pool table, ping pong and the private 6-hole disc golf course. Quiet hours run 9 PM to 8 AM, and sound carries on the river.

Day 2: on the Deschutes River from your own dock

Day two never leaves the property. The private dock sits on 450 feet of Deschutes River frontage, with Adirondack chairs and a hammock by the water. Float right from the dock, fish the Deschutes subject to seasonal regulations, or watch for herons, eagles and otters.

Guests in past reviews put rented kayaks in right from the dock, and the kids rode kayaks and tubes.

For rentals, the Sunriver Resort Marina rents canoes, kayaks, rafts and paddleboards with life jackets, paddles and a shuttle included. Its Six-Mile River Float runs to Benham Butte, about two hours by canoe, kayak or paddleboard and about three by raft. A Three-Mile Tube Float from Harper's Bridge runs in June, July and August. The marina closes for the season in the off months, so check its hours before a spring or fall trip.

Coffee on the dock in the morning and drinks at sunset bookend the day. More on this stretch of water is in the Deschutes River at Sunriver.

Day 3: Sunriver in the morning, Bend in the afternoon

Day three splits the group. Bikers and kids stay in Sunriver; shoppers and brewery fans drive into Bend. Sunriver Resort is five miles and about ten minutes from the retreat, and Bend is about 30 minutes.

Sunriver

• Bike the Sunriver paths. Sunriver's pathway system covers 34 miles of paved paths. Village Bike and Ski, Sunriver Sports and Four Seasons in The Village at Sunriver rent bikes, as does the resort's Bike Barn. Helmets are required for riders under 16, and only class-1 e-bikes are allowed on the paths. Riders who want singletrack can use mountain biking near Sunriver.
• Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory, 57245 River Road: birds of prey, a botanic garden, nature trails and an observatory. Fall hours from September 7 are Wednesday to Saturday, 10 AM to 3 PM (confirm Sunday with the center), and night observatory hours vary (see stargazing near Sunriver).
• SHARC, 57250 Overlook Road: indoor and outdoor pools, two waterslides, a lazy river, an adults-only outdoor hot tub and a tubing hill. SHARC passes are not included with the retreat; check availability for public use directly with the SHARC facility.
• Golf at Sunriver Resort: four courses, Meadows, Woodlands, Crosswater and Caldera Links, 63 holes in all. More courses are in golfing near Sunriver and Bend.

Bend

• The High Desert Museum, south of Bend on U.S. Route 97, sits on 135 acres with river otters, birds of prey and an indoor desertarium. It opened in 1982.
• The Old Mill District covers about 270 acres along the Deschutes in Bend, with shops, galleries and restaurants under three signature smokestacks. Four trails of 1 to 2.4 miles loop through it.
• Breweries: Deschutes Brewery, founded in 1988, runs its Bend Public House at 1044 NW Bond Street. It takes reservations online and asks parties of 7 and up to call.

Bend is about 30 minutes from the retreat, so the two halves of the group can meet back at the house for dinner. The full Bend day is in Bend from Sunriver for groups, and the two towns are weighed in Sunriver vs Bend.

Where to eat near Sunriver with a group of 30

Cook most meals at the house and eat out once. Sunriver Brewing's Sunriver Pub at 57100 Beaver Drive, Building 4, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8 AM to 9 PM daily. Make reservations for larger groups, especially on summer weekends.

The Sunriver Country Store deli at the same address makes sandwiches for the river day. The rest of the Village and the south Bend corridor are in where to eat near Sunriver.

The winter version: Mt. Bachelor and the Sno-Parks near Bend

In winter, swap day three for Mt. Bachelor, about 30 minutes from the retreat. Mt. Bachelor has 4,323 skiable acres, 12 lifts and a 9,065-foot summit, with 462 inches of average snowfall. Mt. Bachelor's winter season usually runs from mid-November or early December into late May, weather permitting, and the resort posts each year's opening date at mtbachelor.com.

Non-skiers go to Wanoga Snow Play Area Sno-Park, about 15 miles west of Bend on the Cascade Lakes Highway. It has a hill for sledding and tubing. Dogs must be leashed, and the hill is for sledding only, not skiing or snowboarding. An Oregon Sno-Park permit is required from November 1 through April 30. Annual, three-day and daily permits are sold online at dmv2u.oregon.gov and by agents at resorts and sporting goods stores. Parking without one carries a fine.

Back at the house, the covered hot tub and the stone fireplaces take over from the dock. A mudroom with a built-in bench and coat hooks, and the gear racks in the game room, hold wet gear. Snow weekends book up early. The full winter picture is in Mt. Bachelor ski trip lodging and winter in Sunriver and Bend.

Cooking for 30 on the Deschutes: the kitchen and the tables

Meals spread across the 12-foot indoor dining table, the four 8-foot picnic tables and the dining set on the covered deck. The 12-foot table seats twelve on benches and chairs, and additional chairs and folding tables are available. About 16 folding chairs are on hand.

The kitchen has a large butcher-block island, stainless appliances, a Vitamix, a KitchenAid mixer, a sous vide and a Breville espresso machine. A kitchenette with granite counters has a microwave and a small dishwasher, and the Cottage has its own kitchen. Guests describe the kitchen as well equipped and nicely labeled.

Assign one household or team per meal, and post the list by the kitchen. Two kitchens and a kitchenette mean prep and cleanup do not stack up in one room.

Logistics for a large group near Sunriver: parking, quiet hours, occupancy

Three rules shape a group of 30: parking for 15 vehicles, quiet hours of 9:00 PM to 8:00 AM, and a 30-guest cap. Of the 30, a maximum of 24 may be adults.

• Parking: up to 15 vehicles on site, with plenty of room for vans and trailers. Carpool from Bend where you can.
• Quiet hours: 9:00 PM to 8:00 AM.
• Occupancy: up to 30 guests, maximum 24 adults. Weddings and ceremonies of up to 45 guests, including children and day guests, are welcome with a $500 event fee. Every booking has a 2-night minimum, weddings included.
• Fire: no fires June through September; May and October are weather dependent, following strict county fire rules. No candles or open flames.
• Inside: the property is non-smoking, and shoes come off inside.
• Cameras: exterior security cameras cover the driveway and front door only.

Where to stay in Sunriver with 20 to 30 people: the retreat

Stay at Deschutes Riverfront Retreat: one riverfront property near Sunriver with 11 bedrooms across two buildings for up to 30, ten minutes from the resort and about 30 from Bend. The live calendar is on Book Now, and the rules that matter for a group are on house rules.

Check availability

What large groups said about their stay

“We rented Scott’s lodge for a team work trip. It was a great experience and we enjoyed the amenities (so many games and outdoor activities!) and spacious lodge. We noticed that the HVAC in the lodge was excellent in particular, and it allowed us to feel safe and comfortable even with poor fire season air quality. Highly recommend for group trips.”

“The place was perfect for our company retreat. The location is right on the river is stunning. The host was easy to work with and made the trip seamless”

“We were in the area for a youth leadership training institute. This beautiful home was the perfect location for our group of student leaders. There was plenty of room for everyone and fun activities available for the youth in between sessions. Being able to stay in one location, sharing meals and cleanup duties together created a much more cohesive and bonded group than if we had placed the students in hotel rooms.”

Read all guest reviews

Related

• Large group rentals near Sunriver
• Where to eat near Sunriver
• The Deschutes River at Sunriver
• The whole retreat: rooms, beds and floor plans