Sunriver is a master-planned resort community about 15 miles south of Bend in Central Oregon, set along the Deschutes River in a ponderosa pine forest at the base of the Cascade Range. The land was once Camp Abbot, a World War II military training post; the Great Hall, the original officers’ mess, still stands and hosts events today. Since the 1960s, Sunriver has developed into one of Oregon’s most popular family vacation destinations, with about 1,500 year-round residents and a much larger seasonal population of vacationers staying in resort lodges, rental homes, and condos. The community is built around outdoor recreation — biking, river floating, golf, horseback riding, stargazing — and its compact, bikeable layout means you can park the car on arrival and not need it again until you leave.
1. Bike the Paved Path Network
Biking is the defining Sunriver experience. The community has over 30 miles of paved multi-use pathways — separate from roads and routed through pine forest, along the Deschutes River, and past parks, shops, and restaurants. On the Sunriver Resort property, the total network approaches 40 miles of paved paths. These aren’t mountain bike trails — they’re smooth, flat, family-friendly routes where kids learning to ride can pedal safely alongside parents. Tunnels under road crossings keep cyclists away from car traffic.
If you didn’t bring a bike, rentals are available from the Bike Barn at Sunriver Resort (over 300 bikes in various styles and sizes, open mid-May to mid-October), plus Village Bike and Ski, Sunriver Sports, and Four Seasons in The Village at Sunriver. Many vacation rentals include loaner cruiser bikes. Helmets are required by Oregon law for riders under 16. Throttle-controlled e-bikes, hoverboards, and electric scooters are prohibited on the pathways; pedal-assist class-1 e-bikes are permitted.
2. Ride to Benham Falls on the Sun-Lava Trail
The Sun-Lava Trail is a 5.5-mile paved bike path that connects Sunriver with the Benham Falls Day Use Area and the Lava Lands Visitor Center inside Newberry National Volcanic Monument. At the midpoint, a short dirt spur trail leads to Benham Falls — not a traditional waterfall but a dramatic stretch of class-5 whitewater where an ancient lava flow forced the Deschutes River into a narrow, churning gorge. The water is powerful and dangerous; swimming is prohibited. But the viewing area is accessible by an easy half-mile walk from the paved trail, and the sight of the river raging through lava rock is one of the most striking natural features near Sunriver.
The round trip from Sunriver to Benham Falls and back is about 12 miles — a comfortable half-day outing by bike. The trail passes through quiet national forest with no development, and the change from manicured resort paths to wild forest is immediate and welcome.
3. Float the Deschutes River
Floating the Deschutes River through Sunriver is a summer tradition. The Sunriver Resort Marina rents canoes, single and double kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, tubes, and rafts (fitting 2 to 10 people). The standard float is about 6 miles, taking roughly two hours by canoe or kayak and three to four hours by raft or tube. The river here is gentle — cold, clear mountain runoff drifting through ponderosa pine forest — not the whitewater of Benham Falls upstream. All rentals include life jackets and paddles, and a shuttle brings you back to the marina from the take-out at Benham Butte. The float is dog-friendly.
4. Visit the Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory
The Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory sits on eight acres of wetland and forest near Lake Aspen. The nature center side features live birds of prey, an interpretive trail through native habitat, and a botanical garden. Naturalists lead programs aimed at families. The observatory side takes advantage of Sunriver’s high-desert elevation (roughly 4,200 feet) and distance from city light pollution to offer telescope viewing of the night sky — planets, star clusters, nebulae, and on clear nights, the Milky Way in stunning detail. Evening stargazing programs run regularly during the visitor season. This is one of several observatories in Central Oregon, and the dark-sky conditions are genuinely exceptional.
5. Spend a Day at SHARC
The Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic and Recreation Center (SHARC) is a 22-acre recreation facility open to both residents and visitors (admission fees apply; some vacation rentals include passes). In summer, SHARC has outdoor pools, water slides, and a lazy river. Year-round, the indoor aquatic center provides pool access regardless of weather. SHARC also has ball courts, a nine-hole disc golf course, open lawn areas, and in winter, a tubing hill. For families with kids who need a break from hiking and biking, SHARC is the best rainy-day or hot-afternoon option in Sunriver.
6. Go Horseback Riding
Sunriver Stables (at Sunriver Resort) offers guided horseback rides along the Deschutes River and through forest meadows with views of Mount Bachelor. Trail rides accommodate various experience levels, from first-time riders to experienced equestrians. Children ages 7 and up can join the full trail rides; younger kids (ages 2 to 6) can do shorter pony rides in the on-site corral. In winter, Sunriver Stables runs horse-drawn sleigh rides through open meadows — a popular holiday activity.
7. Explore The Village at Sunriver
The Village at Sunriver is the community’s commercial center — an open-air shopping and dining district with locally owned restaurants, shops, and family activities. Sunriver Brewing Company serves craft beers and solid pub food and is a local institution. The Fold offers pizza, sandwiches, and a full bar. Café Sintra does Portuguese-influenced fare. For provisions, the Sunriver Country Store works for picnic supplies and groceries. Beyond food, The Village has seasonal activities including an ice skating rink in winter, mini-golf, bumper cars, and the Alpine Express trackless train ride for younger children. It’s all walkable or bikeable from most lodging in Sunriver.
8. Play Golf
Sunriver Resort operates multiple golf courses. The Meadows Course, designed by John Fought, is an 18-hole layout with seven fairways running alongside the Sun River and views of the Cascades. It’s designed to challenge all skill levels while remaining playable for recreational golfers. The Woodlands Course and Crosswater Club offer additional options at different price points and difficulty levels. Golf season runs from spring through fall, weather permitting. Sunriver’s golf reputation is well established — the resort has hosted NCAA Championship events — and the mountain backdrop elevates the experience beyond most resort courses.
9. Day Trip to Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Sunriver sits adjacent to the 50,000-acre Newberry National Volcanic Monument, one of the largest collections of volcanic features in the United States. The Lava Lands Visitor Center (accessible by the Sun-Lava Trail or by car) is the starting point for exploring lava flows, cinder cones, and volcanic domes. Family-friendly highlights include the Lava Cast Forest (where lava molds of ancient trees are preserved), the Big Obsidian Flow (a massive field of glassy black obsidian), and the Lava River Cave — a mile-long underground lava tube you can walk through (bring a jacket; it’s cold inside year-round). Newberry Crater itself contains Paulina Lake and East Lake, both popular for fishing and swimming. This is an easy half-day or full-day excursion from Sunriver.
10. Ski Mt. Bachelor
Mount Bachelor, one of the largest ski areas in the Pacific Northwest, is about 20 minutes from Sunriver. The resort offers downhill skiing and snowboarding from roughly November through May (conditions permitting), with over 4,300 acres of skiable terrain and views from the summit that stretch across the Cascade Range. Sunriver Resort runs shuttle buses to Mt. Bachelor during ski season, and Stay and Ski packages include discounted lift tickets, breakfast, and ski storage. In summer, the mountain is open for hiking, mountain biking, and sightseeing via the Pine Marten Express chairlift. For winter visitors, Mt. Bachelor is the single biggest reason Sunriver works as a year-round destination rather than just a summer one.
For more Oregon trip ideas, see our Pacific Northwest road trip itinerary or our guide to the best beaches in Florence, Oregon.
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