Bend is the Pacific Northwest with the sun turned up. Set on the dry, sunny side of Oregon's Cascade Mountains, about 165 miles southeast of Portland, it sits where the mountains meet the high desert and gets far less rain than the rest of the state. Founded as a farming and timber town in the early 1900s and named after an old pioneer spot called Farewell Bend, it has grown into one of the country's great year-round adventure towns.

Head out in any direction and you'll find millions of acres of public land, with trails, lakes and snowy peaks waiting. Mountain bikers, skiers and paddlers flock here, and Mt. Bachelor is just up the road. But Bend isn't all Gore-Tex. Browse downtown's shops and the Old Mill District, where big-name concerts fill the riverside amphitheater. Just south of town, the High Desert Museum mixes wildlife, history and art. Restaurants are relaxed enough that no one minds if you show up in ski boots, and with around 30 breweries in the area, there's always a pint waiting after a big day.

I'll match you with the right lodge or rental and plan the outdoor days, whether you're coming for powder, trails or the river.