Central Oregon in the summer means lots of outdoor recreation—and some citified pleasures as well.
Eats
Bangers & Brews sits in a nondescript shopping center, but the fare is a national treasure. Order the wild boar sausage with a dish of chimichurri sauce if you can: It goes fast.
Food carts at the Podski offer fried pickles, pierogi, crispy pork belly sandwiches, and more.
Craft brews at the Podski.
Music
Performers such as the Grateful Bluegrass Boys and Leo Kottke rock the Belfry, a concert venue housed in a converted 1914 church. Folk, rock, world music, DJs: Expect it all here.
Thursdays from mid-July to mid- August, head to Drake Park in Bend for Munch & Music, a free open-air concert coupled with bounce houses and food carts. Find out why Dump City Dumplings has the longest line.
Summer brings the annual Pickin' and Paddlin' festival, an outdoor concert series on the banks of the Deschutes River to benefit the Bend to Paddle Trail Alliance.
Sights
Check out the High Desert Museum. Exhibits focus on Oregon's rich natural history. (AAA members get a 10 percent discount on admission.) 59800 U.S. Highway 97, Bend.
Explore the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, one of the biggest in the nation, and the Sisters Fall Street Festival on Oak Street, featuring numerous craft vendors and antique dealers.