‘We’re feeling the spring break!’: Tourists shop around Bend, businesses see up-tick in sales

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Tourism on the High Desert generates more than $330 million a year, according to Visit Bend. Some of that money will come in during this week's spring break.

For Kambria Connor, visiting Bend with friends is tradition.

"Our family comes here like once a year for a ski trip," Connor said Wednesday.

With spring break here, students closed their notebooks, and many working parents closed their laptops to enjoy some vacation time. AAA Oregon/Idaho says Central Oregon is a top destination for the region's spring break travelers.

 In downtown Bend, visitors are exploring.

Connor said, "Our husbands-- I guess your fiancée went skiing today. So we're just walking around and checking on the shops."

And businesses are feeling the positive impacts of spring break.

Pegasus Books of Bend Manager Sabrina Cooper said, "It's definitely we're feeling the spring break!"

Jack and Millie's co-owner Abraham Gilreath agrees.

"Spring break has been really good," he said.

Some business owners believe spring break 2024 is on par with 2023.

Gilreath said, "Last week was -- we had a good little rush in. This week, still just kind of moving along slower pace, but people are just now coming to town for the weekend."

The impact of spring vacation will extend well beyond this week, with schools having staggered schedules for time off.    

Cooper said, "It's usually comes stilted because we get, you know -- states are not always having spring break at the time at the same time. So we usually get it for about three weeks."

Bend-La Pine Schools, COCC, OSU-Cascades, and the University of Oregon are all on break this week. For schools in Washington state, spring break comes next week.