Welcome to your ultimate guide for family fun in Sunriver!
Nestled in the beautiful high desert of Central Oregon, Sunriver is a picturesque vacation destination offering an array of activities and experiences for families. From outdoor adventures to educational explorations, there’s something for everyone.
If you’re planning a visit, explore our Sunriver rentals to ensure you have the perfect home base for all the things to do near Sunriver, Oregon.
Oregon Observatory
No visit to Sunriver is complete without stopping by the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory! Located next to Lake Aspen and surrounded by eight acres of diverse habitats, SNCO offers activities for everyone—day or night. At night, the observatory—one of the largest in the country—offers breathtaking stargazing opportunities. With minimal light pollution and over a dozen telescopes, you can see everything from our moon to distant galaxies.
Join an astronomer for a presentation and a laser-guided constellation tour. Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory offers year-round programs for all ages, including bird walks, lectures, and hands-on activities. Families can enjoy planetarium shows, rocket launches, and nature hikes, making it the perfect destination for learning and exploration! The public can experience an observatory nighttime visit on Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays. Nighttime visits include night sky viewing through various telescopes, a guided constellation tour, meteorites displays, and an educational presentation. See the schedule for exact times, additional nights, and other experiences. Reservations are required for all nighttime visits.
Horseback Riding at Sunriver Stables
Whether you have plenty of experience or none at all, enjoy exploring Sunriver Stables on a horseback adventure! For those aged seven years and older, set out on the trail horseback for a one-hour guided trail ride. The spirit of the West begins to soak in and brings to mind years gone by. You experience nature as never before as you and your horse mosey through the Great Meadow, blooming with wildflowers and native vegetation, along the forest and into the forest among the mighty Ponderosa Pines. Check out our pony rides for those with children who are two years old and weigh 60 lbs. or less—saddle up for a journey that will be the start of unforgettable memories. There are different tours available, including the following: Paulina Peak Path, Camp Abbot Trail, Lodgepole Loop, Ponderosa Pine Path. Trails vary in length and price, catering to a range of preferences and skill levels.
SHARC Aquatic Center
An oasis of fun for the entire family, the SHARC Aquatic Center, is a highlight of things to do in Sunriver Oregon. Stayin in one of our Sunriver vacation homes which come with passes to SHARC is essential when planning your stay. Each of these homes includes Recreation Plus Passes, which provide access to the SHARC indoor and outdoor aquatics, SROA pickleball and tennis courts, disc golf, and SROA boat launch. Each home has a unique number of passes. Indoor activities at SHARC include swimming, water basketball, water volleyball, a gym, and a café. Outdoor activities feature a body slide and tube slide, a lazy river, a water jungle gym, disc golf, bocce ball, and basketball courts. This center offers endless fun and relaxation options for the entire family.
Lava Lands Visitor Center
In the late 1960s, NASA chose Lava Lands in Central Oregon for astronaut moon mission training due to its moon-like volcanic landscape, formed by an explosion 7,000 years ago. Now part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, it features jagged lava rock fields. The Lava Lands Visitor Center serves as the educational hub, offering resources like a bookstore, a 3D map, films, and exhibits.
Visitors can explore various trails, such as the Trail of Molten Land and the Trail of Whispering Pines, take shuttles to Lava Butte for views, or use the 5.5-mile bike path to Sunriver. Aerial tours are provided by Big Mountain Heli Tours. In 2015, the monument celebrated its 25th anniversary with special events.
Behind the Visitor Center, two self-guided interpretive trails offer exploration at one’s own pace. The Trail of Molten Land covers a 7,000-year-old lava flow from Lava Butte, while the Trail of the Whispering Pines goes through a young ponderosa pine forest. The paved Sun-Lava path connects Sunriver, Benham East Day Use Area, and Lava Butte, with wildlife like golden-mantled ground squirrels, yellow-pine chipmunks, and yellow-bellied marmots visible in the area.
Plan Your Next Visit!
Are you ready to start planning your next adventure in Sunriver, OR? Browse our entire selection of Sunriver rentals today and find the perfect match for your stay!
Family-Friendly Restaurants in Sunriver
Sunriver Brewery
The Sunriver Brewery is located in the Village of beautiful Sunriver, Oregon. Pair their delicious take on quality pub food and award-winning craft beer with family-friendly service for the best restaurant experience in Sunriver. Try their Steelhead Sando, made with grilled steelhead, sesame cream cheese, arugula, tomato, pickled red onion, cucumber, and lemongrass remoulade.
Blondie’s Pizza
Open daily at 10:30 am, Blondie’s Pizza serves up family-friendly eats. Try their Mediterranean Magic featuring Blondie’s pesto sauce, garlic lovers garlic, sundried tomato, feta, gorgonzola, fresh spinach, and artichoke hearts. Or their BBQ Chicken Calzone, made with mozzarella, pineapple, garlic & smoky BBQ chicken.
El Caporal Sunriver
Family-owned and offering fresh, authentic Mexican food, El Caporal is a local gem. Since 1997, they’ve been bringing the taste of traditional Mexican cuisine to Central Oregon. Try their Chicken Taquitos, deep-fried flour tortillas filled with fresh tasty chicken on a bed of lettuce, garnished with sour cream and guacamole.
Sunriver Rentals at Cascara Vacations
When planning your trip, consider staying in one of our Sunriver vacation rentals with Cascara Vacations. Our SHARC Homes come with passes to the SHARC Aquatic Center and include access to a variety of amenities, as well as easy access to an array of things to do near Sunriver, Oregon. Each home offers a unique number of passes, so review the individual home descriptions to find the perfect fit for your family. Start browsing our collection of Sunriver vacation home rentals and begin planning your getaway today!
