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Off the beaten Path

I am a Bendite for 2 1/2 years now so my tip will be from the locals point of view. Sure, the Old downtown is great for shopping and taking a break at Mirror Pond in Drake Park. People watching as well as Canada Geese watching is great in this lush relaxing park. However, and importantly....take your time. Make sure you (if you can) allow enough days to take beautiful hikes or bike riding fantastic trails. Dillion Falls, Clear Lake, Smith Rock, Behnam Falls, Tam MacArthur Ridge, Paulina Lake, Tam A Lau (Big Rocks on Ground) and the Metolious river. Central Oregon (Bend area) has a plethora of places to enjoy with just a short drive you can see any of the aforementioned places. This is a very active community that truly takes advantage of the great outdoors. At the end of the day what a treat it is to find one of the fantastic restaurants to dine at. You can find almost any type of cuisine that you will enjoy in fact, find one that you can sit outside and enjoy our weather. Want a tip on a restaurant? Just ask and I will give you my opinionated critique.

Keywords: Other place to discover, Free, US$ 5 - US$ 10, Just you alone / As a single, With teens, Midday, Local, With a group, Summer (June - August), With kids, Close to the city, On weekends, During the week, As a couple, In the morning, Easy to reach, Fall (September - November), Spring (March - May)