Central Oregon & Sisters: Fine Art & The Great Outdoors

 Central Oregon 

One of the Best Destinations for the Great Outdoors

There are a) tourist destinations, b) great tourist destinations, and c) elite tourist destinations. If elite means worldwide and long famous—Rome, The Grand Canyon, the white beaches of the South Pacific, and huge crowds—then, make no mistake, Central Oregon does not qualify.  If a great destination can be defined as having gorgeous scenery, all levels of accommodations, a wide variety of activities, year round opportunities to fully enjoy the experience, and all this can be experienced without excessive crowds, then Central Oregon qualifies as one of the best great destinations. Numerous travel, business, and adventure magazines along with leading U.S. newspapers have counted this area as one of the top, if not ‘the top,’ places to visit or move to for the past 25 years.  

Sisters, Oregon

One of the Best Destinations for Fine Art Galleries

Sisters, Oregon is an iconic example of the American West. At 3200 feet in elevation, the surroundings include—towering mountain slopes commencing on its Southwestern side, the open Great Basin Desert just to the East, and coniferous forests to the North of town. Horse ranches, hiking trails, crystalline lakes and streams, ski slopes, resorts, spas and nationally acclaimed golf courses encircle the immediate area around Sisters.

Additionally, Central Oregon is gaining the reputation as the up and coming art destination for Oregon. In Sisters, an eclectic mix galleries are centralized in the small downtown area and Hood Avenue. Local, regional and international artists are represented in many galleries in Bend and Sisters. 

Somewhere between Mayberry-quaint and Bonanza-earnest, Sisters is a destination town, be it for a day, weekend, or relaxing week. Come see why we say, 'the West at its Best!"

For those of you unfamiliar with this area, we briefly offer some of the highlights—

Resorts

Resorts in Central Oregon typically include an exceptional golf course or three, spa treatments, and walking trails. One resort is for winter skiing. Most of them offer package deals. They are renown as some of the best resorts of the Pacific Northwest.

Brasada Ranch    (Between Bend & Redmond)    https://www.brasada.com

Tetherow    (SW Bend)   https://tetherow.com

Sunriver    (South of Bend)    https://www.destinationhotels.com/sunriver-resort

Black Butte Ranch    (North of Sisters )   http://www.blackbutteranch.com 

Eagle Crest    (East of Sisters )    http://www.eagle-crest.com

Pronghorn    (Between Bend & Redmond)    http://www.pronghornresort.com

Mt Bachelor Village    (West of Bend)   Ski Resort    https://mtbachelorvillage.com 

Golf Destinations

Most of these courses are rated as being among the best offered in Oregon; most are listed in the Top 25 in the state. Do keep in mind, Oregon’s golfing standards are exceptionally high, as the absolute finest golf complex in all of North America, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, with its 4 courses on the coast, is a 4 ½ hour drive from Sisters.    https://www.bandondunesgolf.com

Aspen Lakes Golf Course (Sisters )   https://www.aspenlakes.com

Pronghorn, 2 Courses  (see resorts above)

Sun River, Crosswater G.C.  (see resorts above)

Eagle Crest, 3 Courses   (see resorts above)

Brasada Canyons Golf Course  (see resorts above)

Tethrow Golf Course  (see resorts above)

Black Butte, 2 Courses  (see resorts above)

Winter Skiing

There are two destinations, and they are quite different.   Mt Bachelor is big time, with all those words can mean regarding a ski resort.   With 3,300 vertical feet, Mt Bachelor offers an overall skiing area of 7 square miles with 101 runs that are serviced by 8 express quads, 3 triple chairs, 2 magic carpets, 2 tubing tows   The other destination, HooDoo, is a more easy going, somewhat laid back classic family ski hill, 1000 vertical feet, 30 runs, 3 Quads, 1 triple, 1 double on 800 sq acres.  

Mt Bachelor ski area (West of Bend)   https://www.mtbachelor.com

HooDoo ski area (North of Sisters)  http://www.skihoodoo.com

Sisters Events

 Sisters holds three, 1st class small town events that embody Western charm; yet, each of comes with a quality that is worthy of the entire Northwest Region.   On the upside is the size of the crowds, neither too small nor too large, they are just right for a small town festival.  Please note, the local accommodations can get booked up for any of these events four months out.  If you make last minute plans, you might need to stay in Bend or Redmond.   Tickets to the Rodeo or Folk Festival sometimes sell out months in advance too.  Come early in the day as the roads leading to Sisters can get fairly jammed by mid morning.  

Sisters Rodeo (1949) “The Biggest Little Show in the World” 

http://www.sistersrodeo.com

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (1974)  “Largest Outdoor Quilt Show in North American”   

http://www.sistersoutdoorquiltshow.org

Sisters Folk Festival  (1995)  75 performers from around the world on 11 stages.  Note: the term ‘Folk’ is used somewhat loosely.    https://www.sistersfolkfestival.o

                                             Dude Ranches

For those wishing to experience the West in a more traditional manner with a certain level of guided expertise and comfort in mind.  

Long Hollow  https://www.lhranch.com

Black Butte Ranch  (See resorts above) 

Outdoor Activities

The Cascade Range offers a variety of quality outdoor activities that are below 10,000 feet in elevation, unless one climbs to the top of a peak. Whether its hiking, climbing, biking, or lake-small river endeavors, the air is clean, temperatures are usually mild, and either desert , mountain, or forest environments await, depending on your preference.

Trekking in the Three Sisters Wilderness or the Mt Washington Wilderness 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/deschutes/recarea/?recid=79444

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/willamette/recarea/?recid=4356

Rock Climbing or Day Hiking Smith Rock State Park

http://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=36

Rafting the Deschutes, McKenzie, and Metolius or Camping at our lakes: Three Creeks, Suttle, Scout, and Clear  

http://visitcentraloregon.com/attractions/lakes-rivers/

Mountain Biking Trails: Peterson Ridge, Suttle Tie, 99, Green Ridge, McKenzie

https://bendtrails.org

Fly Fishing  Metolius River, Whychus Creek, Crooked River, and Deschutes River

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/fishing/where_how/docs/50_in_60_bend.pdf

Exceptional Scenery 

The first and foremost compelling draw to this region, hands down, is the mountain scenery.  Whether or not you actually get out and onto their slopes, they powerfully add to the experience a person has in Central Oregon. With the possible exception of the Oregon Coast, Central Oregon offers the most sublime scenery experience in the state.  A quick drive or walk to the top of Powell Butte, on the eastern side of Bend, fully confirms this bold declaration.

The primary view, sweeping South to North (left to right) goes—

Mt Bachelor at 9000 ft, Broken Top at 9200 ft, The Three Sisters at 10,000 ft each, Mt Washington at 7800 ft, Three Fingered Jack at 7800 ft, Mt Jefferson at 10,500 ft. (There’s also the Newberry Crater National Monument @ 7800ft with the Obsidian Flow Lava Fields.) 

Within 2.5 hours driving Town of Sisters

Crater Lake National Park    

https://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 

https://www.nps.gov/joda/index.htm

Within 3.5 hours of driving Town of Sisters

Oregon Coast      The only ‘fully accessible to the public’ beach coastline on the U.S. Pacific Coast and the only part of the state that truly rivals the scenery of Central Oregon.  

https://www.traveloregon.com/places-to-go/regions/oregon-coast/

https://www.wikitravel.org/en/Oregon_Coast

Portland, Oregon     This is the San Francisco Bay Area or Seattle Puget Sound Region but on a smaller scale.   Portland is both The City of Roses and Weird Portland. Don’t just visit the downtown area however; it is the neighborhoods that make this city a wonderful and unique experience.

https://www.wikitravel.org/en/Portland_(Oregon)

Regional Airport

Roberts Field services Redmond, Bend, and Sisters (25 minute drive to Sisters) and is utilized by Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Airlines.  Direct flights are offered to Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

http://www.flyrdm.com/?Airlines---Destinations

Really Good Grub In Sisters

Bakeries

Sisters Bakery    Iconic and simply awesome!

Angelina’s Bakery   [Oxymoron Alert]  Health food … bakery, vegan options!

Exceptional Coffee Houses

Sisters Coffee House  (a local’s gathering stop)

Navigator News  (across the street from us, our go to spot) 

Yo Bean  (along the main drag)

And if you must tea, then by all means, do so with …  Suttle Tea

Restaurants    (Just a few of the 2 dozen we have)

Three Creeks Brewing    (Pub, directly across from the Movie Theatre)

Cottonwood Café    (A slightly bit upscale breakfast and lunch only spot)

The Open Door   (within Clearwater Gallery, combination relaxed/ fine dining venue) 

Sno-Cap   (right out of a John Mellencamp song, old school ice cream/ burger joint)

Rancho Viejo   (Mexican food) 

Sisters Meat and Smokehouse (Artisanal Butchery and Eatery)

Boone Dog Wood Fired Pizza

Melvin’s Grocery  (natural/ health food with a deli in the back) 

 Food Cart Center at EuroSports   

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g52072-Sisters_Central_Oregon_Oregon.html

Sisters and Bend Accommodations (excluding the local resorts)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g52072-Sisters_Central_Oregon_Oregon-Hotels.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g51766-Bend_Central_Oregon_Oregon-Hotels.html

last but certainly not least    …  The Sisters Movie House

For a very small town to have a movie house with 4 screens that show the better Hollywood movies along with lots of art and indie films is a rare and exceptional gem. You can order beer or wine along a bite and then have it delivered to your seat. http://www.sistersmoviehouse.com