Skiing at Mount Bachelor, a West Coast favorite

Head to McMenamin’s Old St. Francis, 700 NW Bond St., a Catholic school turned hotel (doubles from $104). In addition to a billiards room, Turkish soaking bath and cigar bar, the downtown hotspot is home to concerts and shows $3 movies in a theater filled with couches. The staff will deliver pizza and beer right to your seat during the show.

Outdoors lovers may want to hook up with Wanderlust Tours — www.wanderlusttours.com — to spend a night trekking on a moonlight snowshoe tour or relaxing by a bonfire on the snow.

Or, for a winter classic, head up to the Seventh Mountain Resort — www.seventhmountain.com — and strap on some ice skates to twirl under the lights on an old-school outdoor rink.

After a solid night’s sleep – try McMenamin’s or Sunriver Resort, www.sunriver-resort.com – it’s likely snow hounds will be ready to get back on the slopes.

Save on gas and grab the mountain’s Super Shuttle ($7 one way), which leaves almost every hour from the Bend Park-N-Ride on the corner of Simpson and Colorado.

Before you go, don’t forget to grab the most important meal of the day. Locals suggest the Victorian Cafe, 1404 NW Galveston Ave., for eggs Benedict and Bloody Marys that draw crowds each weekend.

For a breakfast on the go, try Nancy P’s Baking Company, 1054 NW Milwaukie Ave., home of killer marionberry scones and a yogurt parfait that will keep you full until nightfall.

If some of your crew is staying in town, stop by the Old Mill District, the former site of the Brooks-Scanlon Mill, now a vibrant 49-store shopping complex in the heart of Bend’s west side.

Farther south you’ll find Factory Outlets, 61334 S. Highway 97, where bargain-hunters can grab deals from Oregon-based Columbia Sportswear and Nike.

For kids, the Working Wonders Children’s Museum, www.workingwonders.org, or High Desert Museum, www.highdesertmuseum.org, are great ways to spend the afternoon.

Or, if you’re looking for a family adventure, visit the Oregon Trail of Dreams, 800-829-2442, where musher Jerry Scdoris leads daily dogsled trips.

Although real estate and second-home development has softened here as elsewhere with the economic downturn, Bend is still a slam dunk for skiers and boarders looking for a weekend getaway. And despite all of its tourist draws and attractions, the town hasn’t lost its hometown feel.

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If You Go…

MOUNT BACHELOR: About 20 miles from Bend, Ore., and 185 miles from Portland. Ski resort: www.mtbachelor.com or 800-829-2442. Check Web site for “ski free” with lodging packages. Lift ticket, $58 daily ($69 Saturdays and holidays). Discounts for teenagers, children, seniors and adaptive skiers.