Area Guide
Sunriver summers are built around doing: a lazy float down the Deschutes, an alpine lake with Broken Top on the horizon, an old Bend schoolhouse turned hotel and pub, and 18 pickleball courts a short pedal away. These five are the ones we plan our own weekends around.
Read the cards before you go: a couple of these need permits or reservations, and our note on the Harper Bridge float includes the one safety rule that really matters.
The river and the pickleball courts are the heart of a Sunriver summer: both are minutes from the cabin.
The classic Deschutes float: put in at Harper Bridge and drift 3–5 hours to the free Sunriver canoe takeout. You'll want two cars to shuttle, and don't miss the marked takeout, because past it the river runs fast toward Benham Falls. Map your float, take it slow, and grab dinner at Rio Sol after.
Eighteen courts in Sunriver. May through September, reserve up to three days ahead by phone or online. Details on how it works come with your stay.
Twenty minutes away, and worth an evening of your trip.
Alpine lakes in the Cascades. Check the notes on permits and road conditions before you go.
A mellow 6-mile round-trip hike in the Three Sisters Wilderness, but permits are required and sell out in advance (book on Recreation.gov), and the drive in is rough: high-clearance 4WD/AWD is essential.
About 30–40 minutes out, with an easy walk to the water and a knockout view of Broken Top and Mt. Bachelor. Best July–October (earlier and you may find snow); a day pass or Northwest Forest Pass gets you in, dogs welcome. In winter you can cross-country ski in from Mt. Bachelor's Nordic Center.