The A-to-Zs of Central Oregon: B is for BREWERIES

With the most breweries per capita in the state of Oregon, it's no secret that Bend has got a great selection of craft beer! Central Oregon's arid landscape and pure, crisp water are some of the factors that make the beer so delicious. That's part of why we started the Bend Brew Bus tours-- breweries are such a huge part of the culture in Bend, and the art of beer-making is something to be celebrated and enjoyed. 

There are currently over 20 breweries in the Bend area, with locations right in downtown Bend, and as far out as Redmond, Sisters, and Sunriver! So, if you choose to visit them all, you'll get a wide variety of scenery, beer selections, and food choices. Here are just a few of our favorites:

CASCADE LAKES BREWING COMPANY

Cascade Lakes Brewery is partnered with Wanderlust Tours for our Brews & Views Canoe and Snowshoeing Trips, so we're a little biased, but we think they make delicious beer! On top of that, there's an abundance of great pub food and a fun, laid-back atmosphere at their Lodge location. We especially dig the Blonde Bombshell when we're in the mood for a nice smooth ale. 
 

SILVER MOON BREWING 

Silver Moon is one of our favorite places to stop on the Bend Brew Bus. We love touring their brewing setup-- they really know what they're doing. Aside from having great food, delicious beers (check out the IPA 97 if you're into hoppier beers), and a super cool atmosphere, they also host great events like live music and trivia!

WORTHY BREWING

Worthy is an amazing place to visit. They have it all: delicious food, award-winning beers, and even a Hopservatory! How many places can you enjoy a freshly crafted beer, and then closely observe the cosmos? 
 

CRUX FERMENTATION PROJECT

Photo by Tyler Rowe

Crux is another local favorite we're lucky to visit with the Bend Brew Bus! We love their food, especially the Pig Newtons (figs wrapped in bacon!!!). Also, did you know they just came out with a delicious new beer called Play Wave? They never fail to deliver a unique, quality experience, and we always recommend stopping by to enjoy their excellent wares and their great outdoor seating area!

DESCHUTES BREWERY

Deschutes Brewery is one of the most quintessential Central Oregon breweries, and we highly recommend paying them a visit if you haven't. We love their beer, and for some of our custom tours, we pair events with their beers. After all, who wouldn't want to hike up Black Butte, and then enjoy a Black Butte Porter? There's nothing better!

If you're interested in taking a unique and enriching tour of the breweries in our area, join us on one of our daily Bend Brew Bus tours! 

The A-to-Zs of Central Oregon: A is for ALPINE SKIING

It's no secret that we're all big ski fans here in Central Oregon. Conveniently located at the foot of Mount Bachelor, Bend has been home to many great skiers throughout history (some of whom are outlined in our previous post about local Olympians). We ski before work, on our lunch break, after work (or even during work, if we're lucky!). We ski straight through May, and sometimes even on the 4th of July!

We're obsessed! We have been since at least 1928 when Scandinavian lumber works Nels Skjersaa, Nils Wulfberg, Chris Kostol, and Emil Nordeen founded the Skyliners Ski Club-- the first group to bring organized winter sports to Central Oregon.  

Photo courtesy of the Deschutes Historical Society

The Skyliners were the first to sponsor ski races in Central Oregon, promoting competitive skiing in the area. They were also founding members of the Pacific Northwest Ski Association.

While there are several places to alpine ski in Central Oregon, Mount Bachelor is the most popular by far. The ski center at "Bachelor Butte" was established in 1958 by Bill Healy, with the help of ski enthusiasts like the Skyliners. Since then, it's become the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort we all know and love.

Photo by Chaney Swiney

With the development of the ski center, talented winter athletes began coming from across the country to train in Bend.

Mt. Bachelor's Head Alpine coach Frank Cammack helped to cultivate top competitors in the sport, including Kiki Cutter, the first American to win a World Cup race (and whom we mentioned in our Bend Olympians post). With Cammack, a great number of Central Oregon skiers went on to compete at national and international tournaments, making Bend a top contender in Alpine Skiing!

Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan

Speaking of skiing, we're so excited to get out in all that fresh, new snow! Stay tuned for more of the A-to-Z's of Central Oregon over the next few weeks on the Wanderlust Tours Blog.

#SustainabilityGoals

At Wanderlust, we’re fortunate enough to spend lots of time in the High Desert wilderness—we keep ourselves busy exploring wild caves, trekking out into old-growth forests, paddling the pristine waters of the Cascade Lakes, and more! This affords us a deep appreciation of the wild places of our world and provides a daily connection to our local landscape and our animal neighbors.

Since we’re lucky enough to see this natural beauty every day, all the more reason for us to advocate for its protection. We’re not suggesting giving up your car or going vegan because although those are excellent ways to minimize your footprint on the planet, we know those are not feasible options for most people. Luckily, there are a lot of little ways to reduce your consumption levels. Even better—there are lots of local companies that can help!

DITCH SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

This is seriously the easiest, most effective way to immediately decrease your waste! Plastic bags, water bottles, take-away coffee cups, and even straws are all huge contributors to the growing piles of non-compostable trash on the planet! So, remember your tote bags when you go to the grocery store, and get yourself a cool travel mug to use for coffee.

Silipint makes really cool, BPA-free silicone pint glasses that can be used for hot or cold beverages. Each cup is made of silicone, which is an environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, sustainable substance. You can even customize them with really cool images or text!

BUY LOCAL

Yes, we’ve heard this mantra before, but it’s true: buying local is a great choice for reducing the impact on the planet! Sure, it’s easier to order something online, but imagine how many total miles that item had to travel to reach you. The environmental toll of ordering a roll of paper towels from Amazon is definitely not worth it.

Luckily, places like Central Oregon Locavore work directly with local farmers to bring you excellent, nourishing food that hasn’t had to travel very far. They have tons of locally-made goodies: bulk snacks, gifts, and fresh, organic fruits and veggies!

HAVING AN EVENT? MAKE IT GREEN!

We know how much planning it takes to host a big event, like a wedding—corralling all your favorite people in one corner of the world, making sure they all get enough to eat, drink, providing fantastic music for everyone from Great Aunt Millie to your Frozen-obsessed niece… it’s amazing that weddings happen at all! (Speaking of which—do you need help with your wedding events? Check out our Wedding Page!)

Probably the last thing on your mind when planning a big event is the garbage, but there it is at the end of the day. If you don’t have a way of disposing of it, it will end up sitting in a landfill, potentially for decades! That’s where The Broomsmen come in: they can help make sure your garbage is sorted appropriately so that yours is a Zero Waste event.

IF IT’S BROKE—FIX IT!

Did your toaster break? How about that electric fan? Obviously, it’s easier to just buy a new one, but why not bring it to a repairperson instead? Or better yet—learn to fix it yourself!

Knowing how to fix your own household items is incredibly empowering. Organizations like The Environmental Center are a real help in this department. Check out their site for upcoming events, including the Repair Café!