Central Oregon is home to some of the best weather in Oregon! That said, a little rain must fall every once in a while. If you are spending stormy days with kiddos, having a plan is key. Meredith Lodging has rounded up our shortlist of favorite rainy day activities for kids in Central Oregon – and outings that the grown-ups will enjoy, too. Meredith Lodging has Central Oregon and Mt. Bachelor vacation rentals well-positioned to be your home base for adventure!
Spend a stormy day creating candles for your home at Wicked Candle Lounge! This family-friendly activity offers everyone the chance to create their own work of art – although kiddos under six will need to bring along an adult buddy to make the candle with them. Wicked Candle also offers packages for groups and parties. Stop by and create your next DIY masterpiece!
Cascade Indoor Sports takes indoor recreation to the next level. They offer more than 50,000 square feet of fun and activities, including youth and adult soccer, youth flag football, lacrosse, a huge indoor soft play system (called The Big Play Thing) – with more than 7000 square feet of climbing, playing and sliding fun. This facility also offers Central Oregon’s only dedicated indoor Kart Racing Facility. They are the first facility in the US to offer stat-of-the-art zero emission karts imported from Italy. Take your favorite speed-racer to Cascade Indoor Sports!
What better way to escape the rain than by going underground? Visit Central Oregon’s Lava River Cave and you can do just that! Explore a mile-long lava tube with your kiddos – they will think it’s the coolest thing ever – especially the resident bats! The Forest Service reminds cave-goers to dress for the average temps of 42 degrees and avoid wearing any clothing or gear you have worn on prior cave trips to protect the natural habitat. Plan on 1.5 hours to tour the entire cave, with an initial descent of 55 steps.
Does your kiddo dream of climbing Monkey Face someday at world-famous Smith Rock? Let them start developing their climbing skills early at Bend Rock Gym. This popular year-round facility offers climbing experiences the whole family can enjoy and has special programming and experiences for kids – and birthday party packages, too. They also offer Yoga classes and massage for parents whose kids have them climbing a wall (see what we did there?!). A great place to get the wiggles out and learn something new!
There is so much to see in this world-class museum it could keep you and your kiddos wide-eyed with wonder for days! Self-described as the place where Wild meets West, The High Desert Museum opened in 1982 and brings together wildlife, history, art and the natural world to demonstrate the wonder and awe-inspiring reality of North America’s High Desert. Visitors will experience award-winning outdoor exhibits, view wildlife in their natural habitats and learn by observing living history demonstrations. Kids love learning…and even more so in this accredited and authentic setting.
Meredith Lodging has hundreds of options for your next #staywithmeredith in Central Oregon! From beautiful Bend and Sunriver vacation homes, to the beauty and amenities of Mt. Bachelor Village Resort we can help you plan your perfect home away from home and plan your perfect getaway. Visit MeredithLodging.com to view our entire Central Oregon vacation homes collection.