Bend and Redmond are two different places entirely.

Bend is a more liberal, hippie-like, trendy community with wine bars and natural food restaurants. The prices of homes are skyrocketing, and the community is booming.

Redmond is like an overgrown truck stop where you can see high-riding pickup trucks, horse trailers, and "GW" signs all over. People who can't afford to live in Bend anymore live here, as well as those who just don't like those "hippie types" or those who just want a large chunk of horse pasture.

You'd never know they're only a few minutes apart.

Sisters has been redeveloped into a "old-west" style town, and has really become a tourist attraction (for reasons I haven't figured out yet).

Central Oregon is the mountain biking, rock climbing, golf, and powder skiing capital of the Northwest. It's often called the "Playground of the Northwest". I can't live there - love to visit though. I miss the smell of grass, flowers, and even dirt when I spend too much time over there.