Guided by wonder
Exploring Bend with Courtney
Braun of Wanderlust Tours
Discovering Bend Through the Outdoors
In Bend, Oregon, mother nature has a way of inviting you in. The scent of sage after a summer rain, the hush of a snowy forest in winter, and the slow bend of a river through ancient volcanic rock all gently nudge you to take a step outside and see what the landscape might reveal. For many Westman guests, that first step happens with Wanderlust Tours, a local company that has been opening doors to Central Oregon’s wild beauty since 1993. At its heart is co-owner Courtney Braun, whose journey from a corporate office to the Pacific Crest Trail led her straight into a life built around curiosity, connection, and joy.
Meet Courtney Braun, Co-Owner of Wanderlust Tours
Courtney joined Wanderlust in 2011, fresh off her PCT through-hike and ready to build a career rooted in nature. What began as a part-time guiding job quickly grew into something much bigger. Within a few years, she was guiding full-time, shaping experiences for travelers from around the world, and eventually stepping into co-ownership of the company. Fourteen years later, she still speaks about her work with the kind of excitement most people reserve for lottery wins or surprise vacations.
The Mission Behind Wanderlust Tours in Central Oregon
The mission of Wanderlust has remained steady from the beginning: to inspire people through the beauty of the outdoors, connect them meaningfully to the places they explore, and foster stewardship through education. Tours may evolve, but the heart of Wanderlust stays the same. Courtney and her team want people to fall in love with Central Oregon—to understand it, to feel part of it, and to carry that connection long after the experience ends.
What Sets Wanderlust Apart: Expert Guides & Small-Group Experiences
What truly sets Wanderlust apart is its guides. Knowledgeable, passionate, and playful, they create small-group experiences shaped by curiosity and guest interests. You don’t simply follow a guide along a trail—you share stories, ask questions, learn the natural and cultural history of the region, and often find yourself laughing in places where you expected only quiet awe.
Guests leave with a deeper sense of place—and, if Courtney had her way, at least one moment they can’t stop smiling about. Maybe it’s watching an osprey dive for fish, spotting a pine marten on the hunt, or seeing the Milky Way for the first time while floating silently on a canoe.
Accessible Outdoor Adventures in Bend
Accessibility is central to Wanderlust’s philosophy. Everyone deserves access to the outdoors, and through a partnership with AdvenChair, Wanderlust helps guests with mobility challenges reach places they might not otherwise experience. The wonder of Central Oregon, Courtney believes, should be available to all.
Art, Culture, and Creativity in Nature
Wanderlust’s creativity extends beyond trails, caves, rivers, and forests—it’s deeply tied to Bend’s cultural life. Art is woven throughout many experiences, rooted in Courtney’s belief that nature inspires creativity and that art belongs outdoors as much as it does in studios or galleries.
This philosophy led to Wanderlust’s Art in Nature series, where musicians, painters, photographers, and other artists share their craft in extraordinary outdoor settings. Guests might listen to live music by a lakeshore at sunset or learn photography techniques in a forest lit by soft morning light—another way Wanderlust deepens the experience of being in nature.
Forage to Table: A Unique Food Experience in Bend
Food lovers will find plenty to savor as well. The Forage to Table experience—created in partnership with chef Jackson of Luckey’s Woodsman—combines hiking, foraging, and an unforgettable outdoor meal.
The idea is simple: connect people to the land through local, organic flavor. Walk a little, learn a little, and taste something extraordinary in the quiet of the high desert. Courtney insists that everything tastes better outside, and it’s hard to argue with her.
Stargazing and Night Sky Experiences in Central Oregon
Then there is stargazing. Since the 1990s, Wanderlust has celebrated Bend’s famously dark skies—something increasingly rare. Guests from brightly lit cities are often stunned by the clarity overhead.
Stargazing experiences unfold from canoes, snowshoes, desert landscapes, or forest trails. People come expecting stars; they leave with a sense of reverence they didn’t quite anticipate.
Booking a Wanderlust Tour While Staying at The Westman
For guests staying at The Westman, booking a tour is seamless. Public tours depart from the Wanderlust office, with transportation provided. Private tours—often our favorite recommendation—can include pickup directly from the hotel, allowing guests to ease into their day before stepping into adventure.
Check out our offerings for private Wanderlust Tours here.
A Guest Favorite: Dinner & Canoe Under the Stars
Talk to anyone who has spent time on the water at night in Central Oregon, and they’ll describe it a little differently, but the feeling is the same.
It’s the stillness.
The clarity of the sky.
The sense that, for a few hours, everything else has fallen away.
The Westman and Wanderlust Tours teamed up to offer our guests a most memorable evening that brings together some of Central Oregon’s most defining elements: water, mountains, and sky.
The experience begins in the Cascade Lakes region, where alpine forests and high-elevation lakes create a setting that feels far removed from town. As guests settle in beneath the trees, a thoughtfully prepared outdoor dinner sets the tone: relaxed, communal, and rooted in the surroundings.
From there, the evening shifts to the water.
As dusk settles, canoes glide out onto a calm lake, the last light fading behind the mountains. Conversation softens. The pace slows. And gradually, the sky begins to open.
What follows is not just a paddle, but a perspective—one shaped by stillness, reflection, and the quiet presence of the natural world after dark.
A Moment That Says It All
Courtney’s own favorite memory comes from her first canoe tour. She guided a nervous but curious family along the Deschutes River—first-time paddlers who asked thoughtful questions throughout the journey. A week later, they mailed her a photo of themselves in a brand-new canoe, inspired by that day on the water.
It was the moment Courtney knew she was exactly where she belonged.
Sustainability Without Guilt
Sustainability guides Wanderlust’s approach, but never through guilt. The belief is simple: when people feel connected to a place, they naturally want to protect it. Guides model responsible practices, follow Leave No Trace principles, and share their love for the land in ways that inspire rather than overwhelm.
Why Wanderlust Is One of the Best Things to Do in Bend
Even the company name carries intention. Wanderlust—a German word describing a desire to roam—was chosen long before it became a popular travel cliché. And Courtney, a New Yorker by way of the Pacific Crest Trail, has fully embraced Oregon’s landscapes. Today, she’s raising a young child with hopes of passing that love of nature to the next generation.
In the end, a Wanderlust tour isn’t just something to do in Bend—it’s an invitation to see the world with curiosity. Whether paddling the Deschutes at sunset, listening to snow settle in the forest, or tracing constellations beside a warm fire, Courtney and her team help you slow down, look closer, and feel something real.
For Westman guests, it’s a natural extension of what travel should be: a deeper sense of place, days shaped by wonder, and experiences that linger. Sometimes, all it takes is stepping outside—and letting a great guide show you the way.
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