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Bend isn’t merely the picturesque cultural hub of Central Oregon (population: 76,000). Geographically, it’s also located close to the exact center of the state! Established as a lumber settlement called “Farewell Bend” in the mid-1800s, Bend is the county seat of Deschutes County, named for the nearby Rivière des Chutes (River of the Falls), a name first coined by French-Canadian fur trappers.

With its mountainous high desert location and forested surroundings, Bend is scenically beautiful and rich with outdoor recreational activities. It’s also home to a growing economy despite its distance from other major Oregon cities. In fact, perhaps its Bend’s geographic isolation which has permitted it to develop a distinct metropolitan identity all its own, with local TV stations, a handful of newspapers and institutes of higher education such as the “Cascades” campus of Oregon State University and Central Oregon Community College (COCC).

As per its motto “Shop, eat, drink, play, or just come to hang out,” Downtown Bend is buzzing year-round with art events such as the monthly First Friday Art Walk, theater performances and music concerts as well as a number of annual festivals and parades. Bend’s charming downtown and the nearby historic Old Mill District are also home to over a dozen craft breweries (best enjoyed aboard the pedal-powered, 16-seat “Cycle Pub”), coffee shops, eateries, galleries, shops, and the aptly named Mirror Pond, an urban lake formed in 1910.

Also located within Bend city limits is the extinct volcano Pilot Butte, a popular hiking destination with beautiful views from its cinder cone summit. The Mount Bachelor ski resort is just 30 minutes away via the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, a highway which weaves through the eastern Cascade Range, passing numerous lakes. Climbers’ paradise Smith Rock is also nearby, about 30 minutes northeast of Bend via U.S. Route 97.

Residents have every reason to be proud of their city: according to Downtown Bend’s website, Bend has been named “The Nation’s Dog-Friendliest Town,” “The #1 Town for Sportsmen,” “America’s Top Adventure Town,” “One of the Top 10 Fly Fishing Towns in the U.S.”, and “The #1 Mountain Biking Town in the U.S.” by various national magazines and news journals.