Traveling with my favorite Away carry-on bag and wearing my comfiest, 710 Levi’s and Golden Goose
A couple weekends ago, my husband, Justin, and I took a trip up to Sunriver, Oregon. Annually, his family gets together for a week with limited plans to unwind from the busyness of our daily lives and spend quality time together: making delicious meals at home, enjoying fierce competitions of table tennis, sardines (a must!), and a plethora of outdoor activities. We pack in the whole family: in total, we are usually twelve piled into a giant house which makes for great fun!
Not too long ago Justin and I actually lived in Oregon--for six years to be exact. In that time, we visited Bend, Oregon, a couple of times but never really made our way all the way over to Sunriver, a resort community designed with families in mind. It was a lovely treat to revisit Oregon after so many years away.
After a quick hour and fifteen-minute jaunt over to Redmond, Oregon, landing in a tiny airport and disembarking on the tarmac we had arrived! Sunriver feels so tucked away, nestled amongst endless pine trees, providing near perfect weather so long as you keep your layers handy. It also reminds me so much of a little ski village, especially with the picturesque snowcapped mountains in the distance. You will also find tons of interconnected paved bike paths between the houses and the family-friendly village, filled with shops and restaurants.
We stayed in a beautiful six-bedroom house located directly in Sunriver itself to use as a home base for all of our outdoor activities. While we were there, we thoroughly enjoyed exploring underground lava caves, took daily bike rides, slept in plenty, spent many hours in the hot tub, and read many page turners (seriously, I couldn’t put this book down) while lounging in our hammocks. Our house was super close to the lake that offered plenty of bird watching (two bald eagle spottings happened on the same day!), and within Sunriver, there's an outdoor water park that my nephews enjoyed thoroughly. Sunriver is the most perfect place if you are looking for a family vacation that will include a little bit of downtime. With endless outdoor activities available and the self-contained and connected neighborhoods, Sunriver lends itself to some serious family bonding offering a little something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
The Yoga Lab | Bend, Oregon
While there, be sure to take the drive into Bend, Oregon, situated on the Deschutes River, where it seems there are more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the U.S.! Within the small downtown area, you will also find delicious food on every block, providing great ambiance, and the happiest and most generous people around. You know I had to squeeze in a yoga class at The Yoga Lab between all the family bonding and this incredibly bright and airy studio did not disappoint. Bonus, after class there's a fantastic cider place in the same parking lot for a little refresher.
On our last day, we found a lovely hiking trail along the river and ended up at a fantastic food stop at The Bite in Tumalo, a food truck stop with a full bar providing a wide variety of food options to satisfy everyone in your group. We were lucky enough to score a comfortable seat allowing for fabulous people watching on a gorgeous sunny day!
After spending more time in Sunriver and Bend, let me tell ya--it's always a good idea!
Forever Wanderlusting,
Paige