All over Central Oregon, you’ll find plenty of charming small towns that offer easy access to some of the region’s best outdoor experiences, host acclaimed eateries, and burst with all kinds of historic landmarks.
So whether you’re taking a road trip, planning a weekend getaway with the family, or are looking to explore the breadth of what Central Oregon has to offer, we’ve put together a guide to some of the best small towns in Oregon. Those include:
Ready to learn more and enjoy a bit of solitude? Keep reading for more about the best small cities in Oregon.
Sunriver
The historic community of Sunriver is a beloved getaway destination, thanks in large part to the long-running Sunriver Resort. There, guests enjoy lodge rooms and vacation rentals for groups of all sizes, four of the region’s top golf courses, and a wide range of activities—including a popular aquatic park, more than 30 miles of protected pathways for casual cycling, several popular restaurants, and close proximity to the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory.
In winter, the resort makes an idyllic basecamp for skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort. Mt. Bachelor is the seventh-largest ski area in the United States, and Sunriver Resort guests can skip driving by booking daily, round-trip shuttles. Visit Sunriver for more about how to make the most of your time in the bustling resort community.
Photo courtesy of Max Rhulen
La Pine
Just 30 minutes south of Bend via Highway 97, La Pine sits between the Cascade Range and at the base of one of Central Oregon’s largest volcanoes—all while offering a small-town experience in the midst of numerous outdoor adventures.
To the west sits the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway—which opens up every summer and heads into the heart of the Cascades while passing numerous lakes, trailheads, and viewpoints. One of the notable lakes along the route—and the closest to La Pine—is Wickiup Reservoir; the shallow lake offers easy opportunities to spy wildlife (including several species of waterfowl and shorebirds) and is beloved among anglers for its prolific brown trout populations.
To the east (and north) is the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Three disconnected units sit between La Pine and Sunriver, and the closest to town is Newberry Caldera—where visitors can drive into the heart of an active volcano, stay the night in on-site lodges or at one of several campgrounds, paddle on two lakes, and more.
Learn more about what to expect when you visit La Pine on your next getaway.
Tumalo
The small community of Tumalo—with a population of fewer than 700 year-round residents—sits just 7.5 miles northwest of Bend. Despite that close proximity, Tumalo feels like a world away from the region’s largest city—cementing its status as one of the great small towns in Oregon.
In summer, visitors flock to the nearby Tumalo State Park to pitch a tent, park their RV, and stay in cozy yurts. The park also hosts short hiking trails, an on-site playground, and a put-in spot for floating the Deschutes River.
In Tumalo itself, visitors can savor the flavors of Central Oregon at The Bite (a popular food-cart pod), several restaurants, and a pair of creative cider makers. Get the scoop on the town’s food and drink, as well as its attractions, when you visit Tumalo.
For more recreation ideas—from caves and craft beer to hiking and shopping—check out things to do in Central Oregon.
Sisters
Sisters is undoubtedly one of the best Oregon small towns—thanks to a host of attractions that includes outdoor recreation (much of which heads into the Three Sisters Wilderness), a thriving art scene, and plenty of Western charm that shows up in everything from boutique stores to the town’s stylized architecture.
We couldn’t begin to list every last highlight, but we’ll cover a few reasons Sisters is so popular. The town of 3,000 sits about 22 miles west of Hoodoo Ski Area, making it a popular basecamp for a day on the slopes. It’s also home to some of the top restaurants in Central Oregon, many of which use local ingredients in fresh, flavorful, and seasonal dishes. Find more to love when you visit Sisters.
Camp Sherman
Camp Sherman is one of the cool small towns in Oregon for a very simple reason: Its location is among the most remote of any cozy community in the region. The peaceful town is about 10 miles northwest of Sisters via Highway 20—and another five miles north of the road—which gives it the vibe of an undiscovered hidden gem.
At the doorstep to the Cascade Mountains, Camp Sherman offers plentiful fly fishing (pick up supplies at the Camp Sherman Store), several hiking trails (including the family-friendly West Metolius River Trail), campsites and overnight stays where you can escape from it all, and the charming Head of the Metolius Observation Site—where you can see the beloved river bubble up out of the ground before heading northward.
Terrebonne
When you visit Terrebonne, you enter a community defined by its high-desert surroundings and the stunning wonders nearby. The small town sits about six miles north of Redmond and 20 miles south of Madras—and offers plenty to love in the midst of it all.
The top attraction around town is Smith Rock State Park, which is just three miles away and is among the top outdoor sites anywhere in Central Oregon. There, climbers tackle several thousand climbs on khaki-colored rock faces, hikers traverse trails along the Crooked River and up to wide-open viewpoints, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes watch for the park’s wildlife—which includes river otters, falcons, deer, and even rattlesnakes.
For another view of the area’s rock formations, sign up for a horseback ride through Smith Rock Trail Rides—or a hot air balloon ride above it all with Big Sky Balloon Company.
Culver
Little towns in Oregon are common, but Culver earns plaudits for its charm and location away from Highway 97; if you wind up in Culver, it’s you and the locals.
You’ll find a few watering holes around town, and the city comes alive every summer for the Crawdad Festival (where the fun includes a parade, a beer garden, live entertainment, and—naturally—plenty of crawdads to eat).
But The Cove Palisades State Park, just three miles to the west, is perhaps Culver’s biggest year-round draw. There, visitors can choose among nearly 300 campsites, hike past juniper trees and bushes of sage, and spend whole days on the water at Lake Billy Chinook—a man-made reservoir where the Crooked, Metolius and Deschutes rivers come together.
Learn more about all the fun you’ll have when you visit Culver.
Maupin
Maupin sits in a rocky river canyon and is bisected by the Deschutes River at the far northeastern edge of Central Oregon. The cozy community boasts a year-round population of just 400 or so—but that swells every spring and summer with rafters looking to run the river’s famed whitewater. There, rapids range from Class I to Class IV, challenging paddlers of all experience levels in the midst of rugged canyons and at the base of juniper-covered hillsides. Anglers, meanwhile, love fishing for rainbow trout in spring and early summer. Nearby, a multi-tiered waterfall tumbles in a cozy canyon at White River Falls State Park.
Get the most out of your experience, and check out all the fun things to do when you visit Maupin.
Travel Tips for Visiting Oregon’s Small Towns
You’ll want to keep a few tips in mind when visiting Central Oregon small towns. Here are a few helpful hints for the best possible stay:
TripCheck: The Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck tool is an invaluable resource for drivers all year long. TripCheck includes maps of roads and highways across the state with updated webcam recordings, safety alerts, construction notices, closure information, and other helpful tips. In winter and early spring, drivers can get the scoop on snowy roads—while summertime alerts help visitors stay safe in the event of an occasional wildfire.
Timing: There is truly no bad time to visit our small towns, all of which offer services and access to outdoor attractions all year long. If visiting in summer, try to book hotel rooms, campsites, and vacation rentals up to six months out—or as soon as you know the dates of your visit. Stay in Central Oregon for more information about lodging and other overnight accommodations.
Exploration: You won’t find many big-name chains in our small towns; for the most part, restaurants, hotels, and boutiques are run by the same people you’ll encounter at brewpubs and on the trail. Whenever possible, support these locally owned businesses. Doing so doesn’t just help the community; it also creates a deeper, more authentic connection to Central Oregon.
Curious for more tips? Get started with our guide to Central Oregon vacation planning.
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