Being new to Bend can seem daunting when one is trying to explore all that Central Oregon has to offer.

It was the same for Joshua Savage, who, with his wife and daughters, had been traveling the country for their work, but hadn’t picked a spot to settle.

Originally from the Memphis, Tennessee, area, and a writing teacher by trade, Savage, now 47, and family settled in Bend about five years ago.

“We always get out and explore no matter where we are,” Savage said.

During his travels he had seen the guidebooks, “100 Things to do” depending where he was. After contacting the publisher, it was suggested he do a similar book for Bend. Hence, “100 things to do in Bend, Oregon, before you die” was published in October 2019 by Reedy Press. It’s a good bucket list for those new to the area.

This past October, the second edition hit the bookstore shelves. It’s 144 pages of short descriptions about where to explore in Central Oregon, plus tips about gardening, camping, dining, craft beers, etc. About one-third of volume two has brand-new content.

It not only covers the usual gambit of tourist attractions, such as floating the Deschutes River through the Old Mill District, or surfing the water park, but expands outward to lesser-known areas such as Crack in the Ground, Strawberry Wilderness and the Cowboy Dinner Tree restaurant.

“My favorites are the La Pine State Park or Fort Rock Park or the High Desert trail east of Bend; places that are a little less crowded,” Savage said.

The book is available at local bookstores and on Amazon.com.