The best things to do in Sunriver with kids are a day on the SHARC’s lazy river and water slides, bike rides on the paved paths, mini golf and ice cream in the Village, and the live birds of prey at the Sunriver Nature Center. Add a short float on the Deschutes, the otters at the High Desert Museum, and (for older kids) a walk through Lava River Cave, and you have a full family week without a single theme park.
We’re Riley and Anthony, and this is the plan we’d sketch for any family staying with us: what’s worth your time, what needs a reservation, and what to do when the weather doesn’t cooperate. We’ve left out prices and hours on purpose, since they change every season, so follow the links to check what’s current before you go.
What is there for kids to do in Sunriver?
The short version, roughly in order of how often families ask us about them:
- The SHARC: lazy river, water slides, and indoor and outdoor pools
- The Village at Sunriver: mini golf and bumper cars in summer, an ice rink in winter, ice cream all year
- The bike paths: paved, car-free, and everywhere
- Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory: live raptors by day, telescopes by night
- A short Deschutes float at Besson
- High Desert Museum and Lava River Cave, both a short drive north
- Fort Rock Park for the playground (and pickleball for the grown-ups)
For the full list of places we recommend, see our Sunriver attractions guide.
Is the SHARC worth it with kids?
Yes. If you only plan one thing, plan this. The SHARC (Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center) opens its outdoor side in summer, roughly mid-June through Labor Day and weather permitting: water slides, a lazy river, a water jungle gym, a zero-entry pool, and a separately fenced tot pool for the littlest swimmers. The indoor pool is heated and open year-round, which is why the SHARC doubles as our backup plan in every season.
Two things to know before you go. The slides have height minimums (42 inches for the body slide and 48 inches for the tube slide, per the SHARC’s safety and access page), so measure your smallest rider before you promise anything. And the summer parking lot fills fast, so arrive early or skip the lot and ride bikes over.
Our cabin includes six SHARC passes, one for every guest it sleeps, so nobody sits out a pool day. Here’s how the SHARC passes work, and check current SHARC hours before you head over, because the outdoor features change with the calendar. If you’d like the passes waiting for you on arrival, check availability.
What is there to do in the Village at Sunriver with kids?
The Village is Sunriver’s walkable hub of shops and restaurants, and it’s where a lot of family evenings end up. In summer, Alpine Entertainment runs an 18-hole mini golf course and bumper cars there (the bumper cars have a height minimum too), along with other seasonal attractions; check the current lineup and hours. In winter, a covered outdoor ice rink takes over from around Thanksgiving into early spring, with rental skates down to toddler sizes (ice skating details).
A few stops that work any time of year:
- Goody’s, an old-fashioned soda fountain that has been in the Village since 1984, for handmade ice cream and chocolate (Goody’s Sunriver).
- Tumbleweed Toys, a locally owned toy shop packed with puzzles, games, art supplies, and pool toys.
- A classic arcade, handy when an afternoon needs a reset.
The Village business directory has current listings for all of them.
Is the Sunriver Nature Center good for kids?
Very. The Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory sits on eight acres around Lake Aspen, inside Sunriver, and it’s our pick for a relaxed morning. By day you’ll find live birds of prey, the Creature Cave (snakes, frogs, lizards, and salamanders), a honey bee hive, a botanic garden of Central Oregon native plants, and nature trails where kids can scan the lake for wildlife.
By night, the observatory, which the center bills as the nation’s largest publicly accessible observatory, runs stargazing programs on select nights year-round, with extra nights in peak season. Reservations are required for all nighttime visits, so book ahead. Under clear desert skies, the stargazing here is incredible. One logistics note: summer nights get dark late, so evening programs suit kids who can handle a late bedtime. For younger kids, the observatory’s daytime solar viewing is a good alternative. Daytime hours shift with the seasons (the schedule is shorter in fall and winter), so check current hours and admission before you go.
Can kids ride bikes in Sunriver?
They can, and this is the part families don’t expect. Sunriver’s paved pathway system is the kid-freedom factor: the paths wind through the pines and connect the Village, the SHARC, the parks, and the neighborhoods, so a whole day can happen on two wheels. Four bikes come with our cabin, and the SHARC is about five minutes away by bike.
Know the rules before you roll:
- Helmets for anyone under 16. Oregon law (ORS 814.485) requires them for riders under 16, and Sunriver’s pathway rules point out that this includes little ones riding in bike trailers. Bring helmets for the kids.
- 15 mph maximum on the pathways.
- Pass on the left after an audible heads-up, and slow down and yield at road crossings.
- Walk bikes through gated tunnels.
The full list lives on the SROA pathway safety and rules page. Older kids with some stamina can ride the paved Sun-Lava Path from the north end of Sunriver toward Benham Falls: about 10 to 12 miles round trip, easy to moderate, with a short walk on dirt at the end. Our Sunriver bike paths and Benham Falls guide has more.
Where can kids float the river in Sunriver?
For young kids, our favorite float is the short one. At Besson, the Deschutes bends into a horseshoe: put in, float for 10 to 15 minutes, and take out in one spot. It’s a hidden gem, and it’s sized right for small attention spans (and small arms). Besson is a small Forest Service picnic area with a boat ramp, a restroom, and picnic tables, and parking requires a day-use fee or a recreation pass such as the Northwest Forest Pass (Besson details).
Put the kids in life jackets: the Deschutes moves faster than it looks in places. If your crew is older and wants a longer day, the Harper Bridge float runs 3 to 5 hours. Our guide to floating the Deschutes covers both.
Is the High Desert Museum good for kids?
Yes, and it’s one of our strongest family recommendations. The museum describes itself as about 10 minutes north of Sunriver on Highway 97, and it’s part wildlife center, part history museum: river otters, a birds of prey center with owls, hawks, eagles, and falcons, porcupines, and a Desertarium of smaller desert creatures, plus regional-history exhibits and outdoor forest paths. Staff-led wildlife encounters run on a daily schedule, so check today’s schedule and plan your arrival around the one your kids care about most.
Is Lava River Cave OK for kids?
For older kids who can handle stairs and cold, it’s unforgettable. Lava River Cave is a mile-long lava tube run by the Forest Service, open mid-May to mid-September with timed reservations on Recreation.gov. The way in starts with 55 stairs down, followed by boardwalk, uneven ground, and more stairs. The full cave takes about an hour and a half (roughly 2.2 miles round trip) and averages 42 degrees, so bring jackets even in July.
Everyone needs light, and the Forest Service suggests bringing or renting two light sources. No pets are allowed, and don’t wear clothing or gear that has been in another cave or mine. With steep stairs and a long walk in the dark, we’d save this one for school-age kids and up. Get the details on the Lava River Cave page and in our Lava River Cave and Lava Lands guide.
Where is the best playground in Sunriver?
Fort Rock Park, an easy ride on the bike paths. It has a playground with modern equipment for young kids, a ballfield, basketball, and a picnic pavilion. It’s also Sunriver’s pickleball hub, with 18 courts, three of them right by the playground. That’s the parent-friendly detail: one adult plays while the other watches the swings, then you trade. Court time is free with the SHARC passes, and from May through September you can reserve up to three days ahead (Fort Rock Park details).
What to do in Sunriver on a rainy day
Plans don’t always survive the weather, and in summer wildfire smoke can drift in, too. Here’s the backup list:
- The SHARC indoor pool, heated and open year-round.
- The High Desert Museum, with plenty to see indoors along with the animals.
- The Village: Tumbleweed Toys, the arcade, and a Goody’s run.
- A slow afternoon in: the cabin has board games, and the full kitchen makes a night in easy.
On smoky days, check current air quality on AirNow before you plan outdoor time, and lean on the indoor list. For what each season tends to bring, see our Sunriver weather and best time to visit guide.
A 3-day Sunriver family itinerary
Built for summer from everything above. In winter, swap in the ice rink and the indoor pool.
Day 1: Pool day and the Village
- Ride bikes to the SHARC early, before the summer lot fills
- Lazy river, slides, and the tot pool until everyone is pruny
- Evening walk to the Village for mini golf or bumper cars, then Goody’s
Day 2: Animals and the river
- Morning at the Sunriver Nature Center: raptors, the Creature Cave, the botanic garden
- Afternoon horseshoe float at Besson, life jackets on
- Observatory stargazing after dark, if you reserved ahead and the kids can stay up
Day 3: Up the highway
- High Desert Museum in the morning, timed around a wildlife encounter
- Older kids: Lava River Cave with a timed reservation (mid-May to mid-September)
- Younger kids: the Fort Rock Park playground while a parent plays pickleball
- An easy evening ride on the bike paths
Where should families stay in Sunriver?
Somewhere that makes the logistics disappear. Our cabin sleeps six: two bedrooms with queen beds plus a loft with two twin beds. For little ones we keep a Pack ‘n Play, baby safety gates, and children’s dinnerware on hand. The full kitchen handles picky eaters, the in-unit washer and dryer handles post-float everything, and the Village is a 3-minute walk from the door. See the cabin for photos and the full amenity list.
Summer weeks book early: check dates and book direct, and the SHARC passes will be on the counter when you arrive.