by MC Williams

Created on: May 22, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Sunriver may simply be one of the most beautiful places on earth, but I am biased since I lived in Salem, OR and we loved going to Sunriver with the kids. Sun River is located SE of Bend, Oregon. Sunriver is located in the center of the state and you will simply sit in awe of the surrounding land.

I think one of the major attractions to Sunriver is the small town feel and charm it has to this day. Sunriver has less than a couple of thousand people there, at peak times, which is appealing to many. You won't be shoulder to shoulder and feel like you need to get out of someone's way. You will feel relaxed and at home' when you are in Sunriver, and I believe it is that that brings people back, over and over.

Be sure to take the kids and sky watchers in your family to the Observatory, they are sure to be impressed. There are many telescopes for viewing the night sky and you are sure to hear the words "awesome" and "cool" a lot! There is a local event call WOW (war on weeds) where anyone is invited and you pick the weeds from the Nature Centers grounds, the person that picks the most weeds wins, kids love this event because as we all know kids love to get dirty. The WOW event is just one the Nature Center offers, so be sure to check out their calendar and see what event will be going on when you visit there, I will only say frogs and let you figure out what that means.

There are so many things to do in Sunriver and surrounding it, so I will try and give you a nice list to pick from. Tennis, golf, family recreation, a spa, canoeing, cave tours, river rafting, sky watching, animal shows, rodeos, chess tournaments, nature walks, snowshoeing, and probably the most fun a volcano tour. I think people only think of Hawaii when you say volcano tour', well I think you will add Oregon to your thoughts next time you hear that phrase, I have.

If you have the time, go over to Bend (20-30 minute away) and you can experience the Behind the Scenes Wildlife Tour', the Friend-Farmers Market has an array of activities, live entertainment, food, wine and even your animals are welcome so no need to lock them up in a hotel or leave a family member behind to tend to them. If your pets are a part of your family, like ours are, take them with you. Oregon is one of the most, if not the most, pet friendly state so don't pay for a neighbor to keep them back at home. As a general rule, ask before bringing your pet.

Sunriver also offers an array of accommodations; there are dozens of realtors that have hundreds of listings for condominiums and home rentals. There are hotel rooms and suites at the resort too so you are sure to find something that fits you and your families needs. So, next time you think of a place you want to go and visit that isn't overrun with hundreds of thousands or millions of people, think of Sunriver, Oregon.

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