Massage Therapy in Sunriver, Oregon at Sage Springs Spa

Truth be told, I’ve never met a massage I didn’t like. The Sage Springs Spa in Sunriver Resort is no exception. Walking into the Central Oregon club and day spa, guests and members are immediately embraced in the spirit of the high desert region with its massive stone fireplace in the lobby, high beamed ceilings and rock pillars by the reception area.  Once ushered into the Sage Springs Spa, the smell of indigenous, natural and organic products fill your senses, while water features and subtle music play in the background. Open year round, the two story building includes the first floor day spa, as well as an indoor fitness center,  featuring three tennis courts, state-of-the art conditioning center and three lane lap pool.

Make sure to arrive early to your spa treatment to fully enjoy the steam room and hot tub, as they are especially inviting for relaxing sore muscles after a day of horseback riding, river rafting, skiing or outdoor adventure in Central Oregon.

Sage Springs Spa Facilities

Once inside Sage Springs Spa, your nose will guide you to the day spa with its aromatherapy scents. Spa guests are shown to the locker room and provided with a private locker,  plush robe and spa slippers. From here guest may relax in the steam room, hydrotherapy spa or chill in the lounge with a hot cup of tea or lemon water.

The lobby of Sage Springs Spa at Sunriver Resort in Central Oregon

Sage Springs Spa Treatments

From sun up to sun down, there is a Sage Springs Experience for everything your heart desires. Wake up tired skin with a scrub, try a Sunriver body wrap, hot stone massage or Sage Springs pedicure.

My 50-minute Gemstone Energy Massage rocked. My therapist, Debbie Simmons, introduced me to three ISUN gemstone massage oils to choose from. While the Rose Quartz Crystal energy supposedly opens the heart and elevates the spirit, the Amethyst Quartz Crystal is said to have calming and purifying benefits. I opted for the garnet gemstone, noted for giving strength to the body and grounding the nervous system. Personally, I liked the garnet smell and who am I to pass up on extra strength for my body?

According to Sage Springs Spa Esthetician Debbie Simmons, Isun skincare founder Bunnie Gulick, “adds the best ingredients, with gemstone infused in small batches to absorb the energy of the crystal.” While I didn’t walk away from the Gemstone Energy Massage channeling my inner Superman; able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, I was definitely relaxed and feeling grounded. Sage Springs Spa: I’ll be back!

Relax under the stars in Sage Springs hydrotherapy spa

What are your favorite things to do in Sunriver, Oregon? Follow Sunriver Resort on Twitter and follow Travel Writer and Spa Reviewer Nancy D. Brown on Twitter for insider tips to travel destinations.

The author's daughter after a Sage Springs Spa Treatment in Central Oregon

If You Go:

Sage Springs Spa

(541) 593-7891

Related Posts:

Mexico’s Marquis Los Cabos offers mini spa treatments

Things to Do in Sunriver, Oregon

Sage Springs Spa review and photos courtesy of Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown, who visited August 2011.

As is typical in the travel industry, the author received a complimentary spa treatment during her visit.

Sunriver

Kayak or canoe the Deschutes River in Central Oregon

Beer drinkers delight in Bend Ale Trail

Will your travels take you to Central Oregon? Visitors definitely won’t want to miss The Bend Ale Trail.  Bend probably has more microbreweries per capita than any other city in the state!

You can download the free app for iPhone or Droid, and get a passport from Visit Bend so you can make the rounds gathering stamps and beer samples. If you’d prefer not to meander on your own, and easy way to knock out four of the seven bend breweries in a fairly short time is with The Bend Brew Bus from Wanderlust Tours.

Wanderlust actually has a TON of really fabulous tours, ranging from caving to moonlight kayak and everything in between.

For visitors interested in trying mountain biking, the folks at CogWild offer great tours for riders ranging from first-timers to experienced cyclists.

Traveling with kids?

If you are traveling with kids, there is SO MUCH to do in Bend. I’ve mentioned before that my husband is from Oregon and I went to school at University of Oregon. There is plenty of activity to keep the kids busy from the Lava River Cave at Newberry National Volcanic Monument to whitewater rafting the Big Eddy Thriller. Kids can feed the fish at Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery in Camp Sherman or take pictures with eagles at the High Desert Museum.

Bend, Oregon eats

Velvet and Astro Lounge are two  “typically Bend” hotspots if you’re looking for a way to kick off an evening with good drinks and appetizers. The food is a little better at Astro, the service is better at Velvet. If you’re trying to hit happy hour, start at Astro. Theirs goes ‘til 7 p.m. and is particularly good.

Blacksmith feels a tiny bit more upscale, but still has a really cool feel and excellent drinks and apps. Good history, too.  High end Bend dining? Try Ariana Restaurant.

McMenamins at the old Saint Francis school is a neat place. Their soaking tub is pretty cool, and O’Kane’s at the back of the property offers a nice place to sit by the fire pits at the end of an evening and sip a local craft beer. There’s also Brother Jon’s, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. and Zydeco - get the house-smoked trout dip!

Fish on in Central Oregon! Kyle Connolly reels in a 6 pound, 25 inch trout

If you want to squeeze in a nicer dinner, try 900 Wall.

Another AMAZING restaurant that’s a little outside the downtown area is Trattoria Sbandati. Still walkable from downtown, but a bit off the beaten path. Some of the best food in Bend, but the location is teeny-tiny, so you’ll need reservations.

Best bets for breakfast or lunch, close to downtown, Jackson’s Corner is a great local fave, as is Alpenglow. Ditto for Chow. All three specialize in locally-produced ingredients, super fresh, unique food. You might also like:

• Bellatazza, downtown Bend
• Thump, downtown Bend
• Backporch, two locations in Bend
• Sparrow Bakery
• Nancy P’s Bakery

Debi Smith of Seventh Mountain Resort Stables, horseback riding on the banks of the Deschutes River

Looking for a little spa time after all that outdoor exercise? Check out Anjou Spa in Bend or Shibui Spa at FivePine Lodge in Sisters, Oregon.

When you want to send a home made postcard  from Central Oregon, get your picture taken at Smith Rock State Park with the monkey face in the background. (You’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it.)

The Old Mill District in Bend offers great views and is the best place to watch or experience headliner and free summer concerts, in addition to annual sporting events!

Looking for a little exercise? Try the Upper Deschutes River Trail - also a good place to go fishing.

The Bend Bulletin is the local paper in town. Go Magazine is published on Friday’s. The Source Weekly is, well, the weekly newspaper.

There’s always something going on in Bend/Central Oregon.

• 2011 USGA of Cyclocross – The Deschutes Brewery Cup – Bend, Oregon, December 10th and 11^th, 2011
• Munch n’ Music
• Bend Farmer’s Market

Pole, Pedal, Paddle take place in the spring time, as does pond skimming at Mt. Bachelor (you gotta see it, to believe it.)

Visiting Bend in the summer? Join in on Downtown Bend’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July Pet Parade.

Did you know that Central Oregon is known for world-class golf? Thomas, four-years-old, from Portland, Oregon, takes a swing.

Did you know that Central Oregon is also known for world-class golf? Surrounded by the Cascades, most offer spectacular views, but the following are stunning gems in the fall:

• Crosswater Club at Sunriver Resort
• Aspen Lakes in Sisters
• Crooked River Ranch
• Black Butte Ranch

Come to Central Oregon for skiing, snowboarding and other snow-play at Mt. Bachelor in the winter.

What are your favorite things to do in Bend, Oregon?

Related Posts:

Things to See and Do in Sunriver, Oregon

Horseback Riding at Long Hollow Ranch, Sisters, Oregon

Thanks to Kristine and Visit Central Oregon and Tawna and Visit Bend for assistance with this post.  Photos and YouTube video by Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown

University of Oregon opens the gates to learning with UO Ford Alumni Center

Gateway to Learning

The University of Oregon is opening its door to new students and old with the state of the art Ford Alumni Center. This new center is intended to welcome all visitors, to encourage new students to attend the innovative school and to bring alumni back to their old waddling ground.

The building is modern, boasting a 2,000 square foot interpretive center. It uses large touch screens to inform visitors about the history of the school and its modern offerings. 14-foot-high touch screen panels around the interpretive center tell stories through words, video and picture. These panels also show a three-dimensional map of the school. The alumni table allows visitors to search by name or activity through its database of 210,000 alumni and messages can be sent to other alumni. On a separate wall visitors can see what is happening around parts of campus. The whole system is intended to grow and change as the school evolves. The Ford Alumni Center encourages people to get involved and to interact before they even enter the campus.

University of Oregon makes me proud

As a current student at the University of Oregon this center makes me proud, not necessarily because of its innovative system or contemporary architecture but because it is made from sustainable materials and was built using green building practices. The center was designed for energy efficiency and low environmental impact. It is anticipated to get a gold certificate from the US Green Building council. U of O is making a concerted effort to make all of their new buildings and remodels green certified.

University of Oregon has people quacking

U of O is known for being a leader in sports but it is more than that; it is a leader in sustainability and green building, in innovation, design and architecture. The school is advancing and encouraging both new and old students to join and contribute to its metamorphosis.  U of O is progressive and experimental and in turn is receiving positive attention; this school certainly has people quacking.

Have you been to Eugene, Oregon? What are your favorite things to do in Eugene, Oregon?

This guest post was written by Elizabeth Azevedo. Azevedo is currently a journalism student at the University of Oregon

Related Posts:

Insider Tips for Things to See and Do in Eugene

48 Hours in Eugene, Oregon

Eugene