POWELL BUTTE, Ore. — It doesn’t take long at Brasada Ranch, the delightfully fun family destination 20 minutes from Bend, Ore., to discover there is a problem here. But a problem only the best of summer resorts could appreciate.
When you look at the full list of activities offered for a summer stay, there is simply too much to do in the window you may have.
Golf, biking, fishing, eating, walking and trail exploring, swimming in two pools, experiencing the scenic landscape—the list goes on and on.
It’s the type of problem you would most like to have if you have a few days or even a week to explore the 1,800 acres, located halfway between the more known towns of Bend and Redmond in Central Oregon.
The area is known for great golf and the incredibly scenic Peter Jacobsen/Jim Hardy design here does not disappoint, but the variety of activities for every member of the family is what makes this place unique.
“We’re not a hidden secret any longer, people have started to discover how nice this is and how many choices you have,” Brasada Ranch head golf professional Kyle Johnson says. “We are doing a ton of weddings here and have golf and a new practice facility among many other things.”
But where to start? The lodging choices are numerous. The resort complex has 98 luxury cabins which are big or small enough for an entire family, a buddy’s trip, bachelor parties or even a “babymoon” with friends. They range in size from two to six bedrooms and include covered parking, bike racks and large BBQ grills, many of which overlook the golf course.
For the smaller crowd or just a couples weekend, you might want to choose the one-bedroom bungalows, a dozen of which recently opened located directly overlooking the adults-only pool and snowcapped mountains.
The compact units each include a sunken living area with couches, an outdoor patio and automatic window blinds to block out the evening sun. Plus, two large-screen televisions, a private outdoor hot tub and shower. In addition, you have your own golf cart to take anywhere on the property.
If that’s not enough, there is the breakfast delivered to your door each morning in a brown wicker basket with a single knock on the door. No need to pick out what you want on the menu, you get one or two of everything.
Choices, choices start from the beginning of your Brasada Ranch trip.
The staff is smart enough to know that if the kids are having fun and kept busy with activities, then they will continue to bring the parents back. That’s why the multi-story athletic center and sundance pool is a centerpiece of the fun here.
The resort pool has a multi-story twisted water slide for kids and parents brave enough to plunge into the cold water, plus a lazy river and a large indoor pool when it gets too hot, too cold or too wet for the outdoor variety.
There is a tiki bar with a full menu of drinks and food for all ages, an indoor puzzle and game room, a fitness facility, retail shop and even a separate yoga and workout building.
No wonder there is dedicated golf cart, car and bike parking at the athletic building. Next door there are tennis and pickleball courts, with their sounds echoing throughout the resort. And if all the choices are just a bit too stressful there is the modern Spa Brasada, with a variety of innovative treatments and steam facilities.
The golf course, one of the original amenities here, opened in 2007 and was designed by Oregon native and longtime PGA Tour player Jacobsen and his partner Jim Hardy and offers stunning views of the entire property and mountains with holes either rising or falling 200 to 300 feet at a time on the par-72 layout.
The course can play as long as 7,300 yards from the “Big Jake Tees”—a tribute to its popular local designer—but most golfers play it much shorter with multiple teeing options on each hole. Just don't expect to walk; a fully charged golf cart is mandatory as the steep terrain makes walking nearly impossible or strongly discouraged.
“We have a lot of wide fairways to encourage fun play,” Johnson says, “but with challenging and scenic hole designs which makes players want to come back again and again.”
Next door to the large practice range is the three-bay “Golf Shed” which was opened in August 2022. It carries all manner of technology and is both heated and cooled for golf year-round. Johnson gives lessons to both resort guests and the 210 golf members who blend seamlessly with the visitors.
Not surprisingly, many of the full-time members started out as visitors who finally gave up trying to make all those choices in their limited time and decided to just have it all here.
Next to the Golf Shed is the Equestrian Club, where you can stable your own horse or just take part in regular trail rides. Two stocked fishing lakes are nearby as well.
And if all you want to do is stretch out by the pool and rest, there is the adults-only pool with a large hot tub and chaise lounges on the lawn. Local weekend concerts are also staged as well.
All that activity has to make a person hungry and, again, you have the choice of the three-meal Ranch House Restaurant, perfect for families with indoor and outdoor dining and fire pits, or the more upscale Wild Rye dinner spot. From there you can ride your bike or walk over to the supply house for afternoon ice cream and snacks.
“Brasada Ranch is a place of immense natural beauty, elevated amenities and shared moments that bring people together,” says Sara Sherman, Brasada director of sales.
That’s more code words for lots of choices, but well worth the journey to escape the summer heat for a unique familiy or couples experience.
For more information, go to www.brasada.com.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Choices Abound at Brasada Ranch, and They Are All Memorable.