In the arid spring, summer and falls months, Central Oregon provides a myriad of outdoor activities. You've probably seen the options throughout this web site - golfing, rafting, canoeing, hiking, caving, ATV riding, horseback riding and more. These experiences are all available in the Sunriver area.

Located off Highway 97, Sunriver provides a convenient starting point to Mt. Bachelor, Crater Lake, the high Oregon desert, the Deschutes River … get the idea?

And in the winter? There's skiing, of course, at Mt. Bachelor. There's also cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

At the center of it all is Sunriver Resort, created in 1968 by Portland developer John Gray. Today the community features recreation in around both the Deschutes River and lesser known Little Deschutes Rivers.

The main attractions:

Sunriver Facts Photos courtesy Mt. Bachelor, Inc. HOW TO FIND SUNRIVER -15 miles southwest of Bend - (shuttle service available) - 35 miles southwest of Redmond Airport (RDM) - 220 miles southeast of Portland Airport (PDX) LODGING Sunriver Resorts Sunset Realty Resort Qwest RECREATION Sunriver Resorts GOLF COURSES Crosswater Golf Club Yardage: 7,683 yards Par: 72 Course Rating: 76.5 Course Slope: 153 The Meadows Golf Course Yardage: 7,012 Par: 71 Course Rating: 72.8 Course Slope: 128 Woodlands Golf Course Yardage: 6,880 yards Par: 72 Course Rating: 73.0 Course Slope: 131 RECREATION RESOURSES Boating & Rafting Fishing Golf Hike/Bike/Climb Horses/Packing Hunting Outfitters/Guides Ski Resorts

weather, recreation and golf
The Sunriver area, like much of Central Oregon, enjoys a climate not normally associated with the state of Oregon. There's plenty of sunshine.

"We have 300 days of sunshine a year. It's always beautiful here so people come over from the I-5 corridor," says Sunriver Resorts' Wendy Brinkley. "We are definitely a year-round destination resort. We offer so much in the way of recreation and so much for families."

"Central Oregon is becoming known as a golf destination," she says. "It's too hot down south in (Arizona and Southern California) in the summer. But we're more than just a golf destination. The family wants to do different things. There's so much more than golf."

Lynnette Neeb Braillard agrees. As director of marketing for Sunset Realty vacation property rentals, Lynnette sees a steady stream of visitors looking to enjoy the area.

"Some people come for the scenery, peace and quiet of the outdoors and the trees of this high desert environment," Lynnette says. "A lot of families come for the bike riding and the activities. The majority of our guests like being in the Village Mall area so they can be in walking distance to the mall, the restaurants and pool.

"We have some houses outside the resort area, but people normally want to be in the center of things," She says.

Sunriver Lodge

Lodging
Sunriver Lodge features 209 rooms and suites. The resort has another 280 furnished private homes and condominiums for rent and 33 units in the river lodge.

Sunset Realty offers another 275 furnished private homes and condominiums for rent throughout the Sunriver community.

"People come here to get away. It's a safe place to take the kids," Lynnette says. "There are a lot of things for everyone to do. About 75% of our business is return or referred. People make it a tradition to come back every year. Many people book again before they leave."

Sunriver Resort's 3 golf courses
At the center of Sunriver activity is golf. The Sunriver Resort features three golf courses - Crosswater Golf Club, The Meadows and Woodlands. For those familiar with golf, see the vital statistics (right):

Crosswater is the most prestigious and exclusive course, Wendy Brinkley says. Located 2 miles south of the resort, Crosswater is available to members and resort guests only. The 18-hole championship golf spreads across a private golf community on 605 acres along the big and Little Deschutes rivers.

The Meadows starts at Sunriver Lodge and winds its way across a meadow and through Ponderosa Pines. It's a long course that is well suited for the accurate golfer who likes fast, challenging greens.

Woodlands is settled lakes and lava rock outcroppings, making accuracy and club selection high priorities.

There's also a 9-hole putting and chipping course that lends the feel of a regular golf course on miniature scale.

Other area golf courses: There's no shortage of course options in the Sunriver / Bend area. For a complete list, click here.

Winter Fun
Once the snow falls, Sunriver makes the transition to a popular bedroom community to nearby Mt. Bachelor 18 miles away. Vacationers also can take advantage of state-sponsored sno-parks.