Elena joined Visit Bend in November of 2022 as their Visual Content Manager to tackle all things photo and video. She has lived in Bend almost her entire life, moving here when she was just 5 years old from Portland, Oregon. She loves to do almost everything there is to offer in Central Oregon: biking, skiing, hiking, backpacking and paddle boarding… just to get started, and always with her dogs at her side. She’s dabbled in a few various careers, but always finds her most joy behind a lens, capturing people (and often times dogs) doing what they love the most, being outside with each other.
What’s your favorite Bend adventure:
Because I can’t pick just one, but here are a few of my favorite things to do in Bend: catching a sunrise after hiking up Pilot Butte, skiing a powder day at Mt. Bachelor, backpacking in the Three Sisters with my dogs and paddle boarding the lakes in the summertime on the Cascade Lakes Highway.
What’s Your Favorite Dining Spot:
Honorable mentions: I love a good taco, and my favorite is the fried tofu taco from Spork, make sure you get a margarita as well! For Thai food, the hot pots from Sen are great, and Toomies, Wild Rose and Noi are also yummy spots. For ramen, Miyagi Ramen is so delicious, especially after a day on the slopes! I try to eat a vegetarian and vegan diet, so if you’re the same, check out Lively Up Yourself, Toasty at The Podski, Fix & Repeat, A Broken Angel at Spoken Moto and Laughing Planet.
Best piece of advice for first time visitors to Bend:
There is so much to do in Bend, depending on how long you’ve got here, make a list of the top things you’d like to do, and if you can’t get to them all, we will always be here for when you can come back! I often find myself out longer than I was expecting (because its so pretty & I’m having too much fun), so make sure you bring extra snacks, water, a headlamp and layers, even for the pups!