When our daughter was in elementary school, my wife and I looked forward to Bend winters the way our little looked forward to Christmas. When the snow starts stacking up, our winter wonderland feels like one big gift. We skied and went sledding. We played chase on the ice at the Pavilion. Sometimes we just sat inside watching the snow fall with hot chocolate and a slice of pizza bigger than her head. It’s an on-demand holiday. 

Here are four easy steps for planning a stress-free family winter trip to Bend with younger kids.

When searching for the best hotels for families with kids in Bend or anywhere, really, parents know only one question matters: Does it have a pool? Answer “yes” with these.

Campfire Hotel may have the coolest pool in town—outdoors, saltwater, heated to 100 degrees.

Riverhouse Lodge along the Deschutes River has rooms with bunk beds, a local shuttle, and a barrel sauna. 

Hilton Garden Inn near the Old Mill has kid-friendly restaurants and shopping nearby. 

The Newberry Hotel in the heart of downtown sits a short walk from kid favorites like Pizza Mondo and nachos at Bend Brewing Co. 

SpringHill Suites has roomy suites for families close to the Old Mill. 

Element Bend has a hot tub and in-room kitchenettes close to downtown. 

Heading outside with little kids is easy during a Bend winter, with options for sledding, ice skating, skiing and more. 

The best place to go sledding with kids near Bend is Wanoga Sno-Park, offering a dedicated sledding hill and warming hut. The slopes are thrilling yet manageable for the walk back up. Remember to purchase a Sno-Park permit. For an in-town option, Hollinshead Park provides a gentle hill where you’ll meet neighborhood kids. 

Yes! Mt. Bachelor offers over 4,000 acres of skiable terrain for all abilities. Best of all: Kids 12 and under ski free when parents buy a “kids ski free” multiday ticket in advance online (kids 5 and under ski free, period, but need a ticket). Mt. Bachelor also has a top-notch lesson program for kids as young as 3, and a day care for infants as young as 6 weeks. In addition to terrain parks and a “fairy forest” to ski through, you’ll also find kid-friendly events like helmet-decorating and s’mores-making. And who doesn’t like crazy cute huskies? Book a trip through Bachelor for a sled-dog ride with Oregon Trail of Dreams out to Elk Lake Lodge, where cocoa and lunch await.  

From Virginia Meissner Sno-Park, enjoy a sprawling network of groomed cross-country trails and snowshoe routes that are entirely free (donations to the Meissner Nordic Ski Club are appreciated). You’ll also find trails at Swampy Lakes Sno-Park. The trails around Wanoga Sno-Park are dog friendly, too. (Don’t forget to get a sno-park pass!) Rent skis and snowshoes from local shops. Mt. Bachelor also offers a pay-to-play network for cross-country skiing, beginner group sessions, and ranger-led snowshoe hikes. Rent a weather-proof pulk from the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center to tow young children.

If Jack Frost is nipping a bit too aggressively at your kiddo’s nose, head down to the High Desert Museum to see cool wildlife like playful porcupines, a bobcat, fox, and river otters, as well as to wander through rotating exhibits with lots of hands-on fun. Outside but covered, the Pavillion has an ice skating rink with rentals, family skate times, and discounts for parents to skate with their child. The Sun Mountain Fun Center has a multilevel laser tag arena, virtual reality gaming stations, batting cages, miniature golf, and more. Freak’n Art downtown has walk-in sessions on weekends to help you bring your creativity to life. The Two Suns Art Center also offers art classes and open studio time. You can also get the wiggles out at our trampoline parks, Trampoline Zone and Mountain Air.

The McKay Cottage and Original Pancake House offer classic breakfasts. This winter, Elmer’s returns with seasonal menus, including Dungeness crab Benedict for adults and German pancakes for kids. Burrito Hooch serves diverse breakfast burritos, while Bend Burrito provides quick, delicious grab-and-go options, including vegan choices. Wander into Great Harvest Baking Co. in downtown Bend for belly-pleasing muffins, scones, breakfast sandwiches, and wonderfully fluffy biscuits.

Americana and Hardy’s Hotwings, Burgers & Ice Cream come exactly as billed, as does Killer Burger. Jackson’s Corner has pizzas and more in a family-friendly setting. The tots at the Tots! food cart at the Midtown Yacht Club tick all the kid food groups: brown, cheesy, and filling. Fricken Faco at The Lot makes scrumptious fried chicken tacos. My kid still loves Sora Sushi for the lunchtime-only conveyor belt of rotating goodies. Head over to BrownBag Popcorn for wild flavors like cookies and cream and apple granola pie.

The Drake downtown has a yummy mac ‘n’ cheese for the kids and filet mignon for you. Worthy Brewing offers pizzas, mac ’n’ cheese, and star-gazing. Abe Capanna’s does Detroit-style pizzas with cheese on the outside of the crust. McMenamins Old St. Francis School does bistro-style fare like steak frites and Kahlua pork plates along with kid staples like burgers and nachos. Red Robin in the Old Mill is a classic kid favorite with grilled cheese and a tower of onion rings.

Have a great trip, family! Bend really is great in winter. Just ask my kid.