15 Best Winter Activities in Bend, Oregon (That Aren’t Skiing!)
As much as I love summer, winter in Bend is pretty magical. The peaks are covered in snow, the streets are lined with lights, and every place seems to have an outdoor fire pit. Bend really embraces the season, so it feels cozy and alive.
Most people come for Mt. Bachelor, but there’s so much more — growing sauna culture, dog sledding, chocolate factory tour, and a historic downtown theater with live shows all winter.
Whether you love the snow or prefer the indoors, there’s something for you. Here are 15 of my favorite winter activities in Bend, Oregon — no skis required.
1. Tour a Boutique Chocolate Factory 🍫
Bend has an incredible boutique chocolate factory that produces single-origin, bean-to-bar chocolate bars. I toured Seahorse Chocolate and met the founders, and loved every minute of my experience.
This is one of my favorite recommendations for Bend winter activities because it makes for a great date OR a family outing. Plus, you get to do a chocolate tasting, drink hot cocoa, and MAKE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE BAR!
Yep, taste lots of chocolate and make your own bar to bring home. The cherry on top? They only work with small farms that have super cool missions. Take the tour and learn all about them!!
🍫 Seahorse Chocolate Factory Tour
2. Soak + Sauna at a Local Wellness Center ♨️
I know you saw this coming… one of my favorite things to do in any season, but especially winter, is to seek out the BEST places to hit the sauna.
Sauna culture is growing in Bend, so you have a few options. From luxe private suites to outdoor oasises, here are my favorites:
- Gather Sauna – communal finish sauna trailer with cold plunges
- SweatHouz – private suites with infrared sauna and cold plunge
- ChillWell – Infrared and barrel sauna, cold plunges
3. Snowshoe ❄️
Snowshoeing in Bend is the best! Thanks to Central Oregon’s sunny winters, you can often snowshoe under clear skies while surrounded by snow-dusted pines and mountain views (despite my photo haha).
You can easily go snowshoeing on your own at local sno-parks, or join a guided tour with Wanderlust Tours, a highly regarded ecotourism company based right here in Bend.
Their guides lead small groups into quiet, lesser-known sections of the forest off Century Drive. Along the way, you’ll learn about the local ecosystem, snowshoeing history, and the wildlife (might even spot pine marten or fox!).
🏔️ Best Snowshoe Tours in Bend
Where to go Snowshoeing in Bend (on your own)
Virginia Meissner Sno-Park – This is a great option if you like well-marked trails and facilities. There are toilets in the parking lot and warming huts along the trail.
Swampy Lakes Sno-Park – Another great option is Swampy Lakes. The name is funny, but the trails are nice! There are multiple loop options ranging from 3–7 miles, toilets, and warming huts along the way.
You need an Oregon Sno-Park Permit from November 1 to April 30. You can get sno-park permits online, at the Bend Visitor Center, at various outdoor stores around town, and at some trailhead parking lots.
4. Climb Indoors at Boardwalk Climbing 🧗
Whether you are into climbing or have never tried it before, Boardwalk Climbing is the perfect winter activity in Bend. It’s a 24/7, indoor, adults-only climbing gym.
Your first visit is free, and if you’re new to climbing, you can even join a Basics Class with your free day pass (learn climbing basics).
5. Go Snowmobiling ❄️
If you like a little more thrill, you have lots of options for snowmobiling in Bend. You can either bring your own, rent snowmobiles, or take a snowmobile tour.
If you’re new to snowmobiling, I recommend starting with a tour! You can book through Octane Adventures or Central Oregon Adventures!
6. Go Snow Tubing 🎢
If snowmobiling is too thrilling, can you go sledding at Wanoga Sno Park! They have an established sledding hill that you can take a sled, saucer, or tube on. This is a family-friendly, easily accessible winter activity in Bend!
7. Ice Skating ⛸️
Did you know that Bend has an ice skating rink? The Pavilion is centrally located and offers open skate sessions as well as ice skating lessons.
This is a classic family-friendly winter activity in Bend, Oregon. Single sessions are only $12-$14 and include ice skate rentals!
8. Get Creative at DIY Cave 🔨
DIYcave is a community makerspace in Bend offering hands-on classes year-round, from woodworking and welding to glasswork, jewelry, and 3D printing, and more.
You can drop in for a single workshop, sign up for a date night class, or enroll your kids in one of their creative youth sessions.
They also offer longer courses and tool certifications if you want to go deeper or gain independent shop access.
It’s a great indoor activity for winter days — learn something new, make something useful, and meet other locals while staying warm inside the shop.
9. Go Dog Sledding 🐕🦺
Yes, you read that right, Bend has a dog sledding team. They compete in regional races and even in the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that happens annually in Alaska.
When the team isn’t racing, they offer tours at the base of Mt. Bachelor (and have been since 1993!). The 5-mile tour takes 1 hour to complete.
This is a super unique experience and a cool opportunity to learn about dog sledding. Ages 3-103 are welcome on this tour.
10. Catch a Show at the Tower Theatre 🎭
For a cozy night out, head downtown to the historic Tower Theatre, Bend’s beautifully restored performing arts venue.
In the winter months, the Tower’s calendar is packed with community favorites — from Warren Miller to holiday productions like The Nutcracker, film festival features, live symphonies, and local productions.
My husband and I go to Warren Miller every year; it’s one of our favorite things to do in Bend, Oregon in winter to officially kick off the season.
11. “Drink a Sweater” 🍺
Responsibly, of course! As you probably know, Bend has more breweries than people (jk), but we have a lot of beer. What you might not know is that we also have a lot of wine bars and even a whiskey bar with over 400 whiskeys.
If you like to imbibe, then there’s nothing quite as fun and cozy as a wine, beer, or whiskey tasting on a snowy day. Two of my favorite wine spots are Viaggo and Ferm and Fare. I visit these places…. often!
If you are more of a beer person, I recommend a brewery tour with Adventure Tours Bend – they take you to three different breweries, one of which you get to go behind the scenes. All tastings included!
🍺 Craft Brewery Tour – 3 Breweries
12. Ballers and Brews 🏓🍻
Ballers & Brews is one of Bend’s newest food cart pods, but with a twist. It has indoor seating, covered rooftop seating, a taphouse, and two regulation-sized covered and heated pickleball courts.
You can reserve a court online, grab food from the rotating carts, and enjoy a drink between games.
13. Fat Biking 🚲
If you enjoy mountain biking, you don’t have to wait around for summer to hit the trails. Oversized tires and lower PSI on fat bikes make it easier to roll over and grip snowy terrain – but don’t be fooled, fat biking is a lot of work!
There are two fat bike-specific trails at Wanoga Sno-Park, one that is 3 miles and one that is 6 miles. You can also fat bike from Skyliner Sno-Park, Phil’s Trailhead, and in the Horse Butte area.
You can rent a fat bike or take a tour with Cog Wild – bikes and shuttles provided.
Note: You cannot ride fat bikes on groomed Nordic ski trails!
14. Indoor Trampoline Park 🤸
This one is for the kids… although if I’m being honest, I wish it were for adults. Trampoline Zone has over 50 trampolines, 6 climbing walls, a ninja course, a foam pit, a laser maze, and more.
If it’s just a little too wet and cold outside, but the kids are bouncing off the walls, this is the PERFECT place to take them.
15. Attend WinterFest 🎉
If you’re in Bend in February, you can’t miss Oregon WinterFest held in Bend’s Old Mill District. It’s the city’s biggest winter celebration — with live music, ice and fire sculptures, a marketplace, food and drink vendors, pump bump jam contest, and family activities.
You’ll find everything from local artists and craft beer tastings to a light show and kids’ play zone. We went last year and saw Afroman on the Hayden Homes stage and bounced around from fire pit to fire pit – it was a good time!
When to Visit Bend in Winter (and What to Expect)
Winter in Bend usually runs from November through March. Expect crisp mornings, bluebird days, and regular snow flurries.
It snows in town quite a bit throughout the winter, but it typically melts quickly. We usually only see one or two storms a year that result in snow sticking around town for a couple of weeks.
But Mt. Bachelor and the nearby sno-parks stay blanketed all season — perfect for skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and sledding.
- Average temps: Highs in the 30s–40s°F, lows in the 20s°F.
- Snow: 20–30 inches downtown, 300+ inches at Mt. Bachelor.
- Driving: Roads are generally well-maintained, but if you plan to explore mountain roads, use all-wheel drive or bring traction tires/chains.
- Crowds: The busiest time is during the holidays and long weekends (Christmas, MLK Day, Presidents’ Day). January and early March tend to be quieter.
No matter when you visit, pack layers — Bend’s high-desert climate means it can be snowy in the morning and sunny by afternoon.
🏔️ Where to Stay in Bend This Winter
I’m not going to lie, Bend could use some more hotels (actually, I know that there are some in the works that I am very excited about – including CASCADA, which is currently in Portland). For now, here are my top picks/places I would stay:
- Tetherow Hotel: Upscale lodge vibes with a golf course turned snowy landscape in winter. Close to Mt. Bachelor.
- Oxford Hotel Bend: Bend’s only 4-star eco-boutique hotel. Expect plush robes, local artwork, and in-room spa services. Valet parking and pet-friendly. TIP: book an afternoon at Anjou for sauna circuits, body scrubs, and tea lounge relaxation.
- LOGE Bend: Dog-friendly, laid-back, and located right on the road to Mt. Bachelor. Great for skiers or road-trippers.
- McMenamins Old St. Francis School: Central, quirky, and full of character. You can soak in the saltwater pool, see a movie, and grab dinner — all without leaving the property.
- Juniper Preserve (formerly Pronghorn Resort): Luxury desert resort with spa treatments, heated pools, and a serene landscape. 30 minutes northeast of town.
- Riverhouse Lodge: Centrally located lodge-style hotel with an on-site restaurant, hot tub, and sauna. 30 minutes from Bachelor.
Wherever you stay, you won’t be far from all of these winter activities in Bend because Bend is pretty compact!
❄️ FAQs: Winter in Bend, Oregon
Yes! Downtown Bend gets several snowfalls each year and the nearby mountains and sno-parks see consistent snow all season.
Bend is very festive and cozy in December. The temperature will be 20-50 degrees, depending, and there may be snow.
Not necessarily in town, but it’s highly recommended if you plan to drive to Mt. Bachelor or the Cascade Lakes area.
Absolutely. Between the sauna culture, breweries, snowshoeing, and indoor climbing, there’s plenty to do even if you never hit the slopes.
Warm, waterproof layers, snow boots, gloves, and a beanie. Don’t forget a swimsuit — many local hotels and spas have soaking pools!
💬 Final Thoughts
Winter in Bend offers so much more than just skiing. You can explore the mountains, relax in saunas, try local beer and wine, play pickleball inside, or catch a performance at the theater — all in the same weekend.
Whether you’re seeking adventure or a slow, cozy escape, Bend in winter delivers both!
You might also be interested in:
