From skiing at Mt. Bachelor, kayaking or standup paddle boarding the Deschutes River, mountain biking, hiking or running on the trails, this spot known as Bend has it all. There’s pretty much every outdoor activity you could think of & it’s all within thirty minutes of town. Luckily for us, we’ve been fortunate enough to discover the goodness Bend has to offer & we enjoy it so much, it has become our annual spring getaway!
On our last trip up to Bend, the weather the first day was less than ideal for snowboarding… so our first day in town was a chill one. Normally, we head straight to the mountain, but today was a day to relax & check out some spots around the city. We decided to go to the famous brunch spot – The Victorian Café.
Brunch and Bloody Mary’s
Situated at one of the roundabouts on your way to Mt. Bachelor, The Victorian Café is a high quality refueling stop before heading out on an adventure. Located in a quaint house converted into a restaurant, there’s a comfort like being at home. The café has been in business for over thirty years. That goes to show their formula is working.
As we were seated by Sarah, our server, she guided us on what we should order. Known for their Eggs Benedict, we ordered a couple of different variations. Since it was brunch, we of course had to go with an “adult” beverage to wash down this delicious food! 
Looking at the menu, we decided to try one of the Bloody Mary varieties they offer. The choices were pepper, pickle and regular. Since we couldn’t decide which sounded the best, the bartender made us a hybrid! It was a perfect combination that was just spicy enough to taste, but it didn’t overpower the flavor. The Cajun Spice on the rim of the glass was a great accent to the overall flavor.
The Eggs Benedicts arrived and the portions were large. First, we shared the SW Eggs Benedict. It was exactly what you’d expect from a high quality place like this. The chipotle sauce and spicy sausage really came through and delivered the heat. Together, the dish was spicy & tangy. Next, we dug into the Two of Hearts Eggs Benedict. This version was a combination of crab & lobster that paired really well. The flavor is beyond words. So, the award for best breakfast thirteen years running now makes complete sense. After a filling brunch, we hopped onto our bike cruisers & headed over to our favorite spot in Bend.
Boards and Brews
Just down the road, we made our way to Aspect Boards and Brews. Our friend Elliott was working, so we had to say hello & grab a pint. It amazed me to find out that their selection of brews had expanded. They have many of the local brews on draft and Montucky in cans! The selection was amazing. It ranged from the classics like Good Life’s Sweet As Pale Ale to the Boneyard RPM IPA. Typically, I’m not a fan of IPA’s, but with a little cajoling, Elliott had me try the Boneyard. He didn’t steer me wrong. Surprisingly, it was tasty. Now I understand why it’s becoming the staple of Bend. It has the crispness of an IPA, but not over the top hoppy.
Talking a little shop, we come to find out that 
they are the only Never Summer distributor in the region. People plan their trips to visit Bend to buy their deck at Aspect. It was nice to hear that business was good. After a few hours had past, we began to get hungry. Fortunately, Aspect is close to some food trucks. We picked Shred Town. This place has really amazing food & is affordable too. The pineapple carnitas sandwich was amazing. Normally, I’m not a big fan of pineapple on a sandwich, but it made sense with the pork. The sweet combined with the saltiness of the meat just worked perfectly.
