Redmond, OR

Redmond sits in the heart of central Oregon's high desert, in Deschutes County, with a population of approximately 33,000 residents. The city has a laid-back, outdoorsy character and serves as a key gateway to some of the Pacific Northwest's most celebrated landscapes, including the volcanic peaks of the Cascade Range, the rock spires of the surrounding badlands, and the broader recreational playground that surrounds the larger city of Bend. Redmond is about 20 miles north of Bend, the nearest major city, and roughly 150 miles southeast of Portland along the spine of Highway 97.

Just a few miles northeast of town, Smith Rock State Park rises dramatically from the Crooked River Gorge and is widely regarded as the birthplace of American sport climbing. The park's rust-colored cliffs and pine-topped tuyas draw climbers, hikers, and photographers year-round, and its trail network offers gentler loops for visitors who simply want to take in the views. The park entrance is about a 15-minute drive from downtown Redmond, making it an easy morning or sunset outing for short-term-rental guests.

To the west, the small town of Sisters sits about 20 miles from Redmond along Highway 126. This Western-themed community is known for its pine-clad storefronts, art galleries, and proximity to the forests and rivers at the eastern foot of the Cascades. Visitors come for the annual events, fly-fishing along the Metolius basin, and the surrounding trail network, and many use the town as a quieter stopover for exploring the area's lakes and pine country.

A short drive south brings guests to the High Desert Museum, roughly 25 minutes from Redmond. The museum blends indoor exhibits and outdoor wildlife habitats to tell the story of the region's Indigenous, pioneer, and natural history, with live raptor presentations and re-created frontier settings. From Bend, it is another 45 minutes or so up the Cascade Lakes Highway to Mt. Bachelor, where winter brings skiing and snowboarding and summer opens the slopes to hiking and mountain biking.

Redmond's combination of small-town calm and immediate access to Smith Rock, Sisters, Bend, and the broader Cascade Range makes it a particularly flexible base for short-term rentals. Guests can return each evening to a quieter, more residential setting than Bend while remaining within easy reach of central Oregon's marquee outdoor and cultural attractions, an arrangement that tends to appeal to road-trippers, climbers, anglers, skiers, and families exploring the high desert.