The 2020 OLA Conference will take place at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes Hotel & Convention Center in Bend. See the location on Google Maps.
The convention center is south of the hotel, across Northwest Mount Washington Drive. A walkable underpass connects the two areas.
Lodging
We have sold out our room block, but there is still in-house availability. Please call 1-866-453-4480 and reservations will honor OLA Conference attendees room-block rate.
Riverhouse Accessibility
The Riverhouse hotel has seven ADA rooms. Four are located in the Sagebrush/Three Sisters building, and three are in the Steelhead building. Guests must call 1-866-453-4480 to make a reservation for an ADA room.
Golf carts will be available during the conference to provide courtesy transportation between the hotel and the convention center across the street.
Alternative Hotels
We recommend the following hotels as alternative options to the Riverhouse.
Sugarloaf Mountain Motel
0.5 miles away from the Riverhouse
Amenities include: breakfast, wireless internet, seasonal outdoor pool
See website for rates and to book.
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriot
1.1 miles away from the Riverhouse
$126/night+tax for a Single King room or $132/night+tax for Double Queen
Amenities include: complimentary breakfast and in-room high speed internet access
Must book before April 8. Use the OLA booking link or call 541-318-1747 and mention you are with the Oregon Library Association.
The Signature Bend
1.2 miles away from the Riverhouse
From $119-159/night+tax depending on room choice
Amenities include: hot complimentary breakfast buffet, pool, bar on-site
Must book before April 6. Call 541-382-7011 and mention you are with the Oregon Library Association
Travel and Transportation
Bend is an approximately 3-4 hour drive south of Portland or east of Eugene. In late April and early May, the highways through the Cascade mountains might be slick with snow or rain. Consult the ODOT Trip Check for current weather and traffic conditions.
The Redmond Municipal Airport is a half-hour drive north of the conference location. The airport’s Ground Transportation page lists shuttle and car rental companies.
Cascades East Transit provides public transportation within the city of Bend, with limited routes to and from other Central Oregon cities.
Shuttle Service provided by Sunriver Town Car and Tours
For your convenience, OLA will provide a complimentary shuttle service on Wednesday, April 29th and Thursday, April 30th. The shuttle will stop in three of Bend’s popular dining areas: Downtown Bend, The Galveston Corridor, and The Box Factory and will depart every 30 minutes from the Riverhouse Convention Center starting at 5:30 p.m. with the last loop leaving at 8:30 p.m.
Food
See the options for included lunches and hosted dinners on the Menus page.
Please note that conference attendees cannot bring food from other restaurants into the Riverhouse.
Walking time estimates below are calculated by Google Maps, assuming a starting point of the Riverhouse hotel.
Restaurants
- Currents at the Riverhouse
- Shari’s Cafe and Pies (2-minute walk)
- Round Table Pizza (3-minute walk)
- McKay Cottage (5-minute walk — A local favorite!)
- IHOP (6-minute walk)
- Subway (7-minute walk)
Coffee
- Delish Donuts (3-minute walk)
- Dutch Bros (10-minute walk)
Groceries
- Natural Grocers (3-minute walk)
Local Attractions & Events
- Visit Bend: Find information about local points of interest and events.
- A Novel Idea: In the grand finale of Deschutes Public Library’s annual Novel Idea program, author Anne Griffin will present on Sunday, May 3, at 4:00 p.m. at Bend High School. A book signing will follow Griffin’s presentation.
- First Friday Art Walk: The monthly First Friday Art Walk will take place May 1. Downtown Bend will be extremely crowded with pedestrians and vehicles, so the conference committee recommends staying in the vicinity of the Riverhouse that evening.