Sisters' position between the Cascades and the high desert makes it an excellent base for day trips in almost every direction.
Smith Rock State Park, 40 minutes east, is the standout — internationally famous for sport climbing, but the hiking is the equal of the climbing and the high-desert landscape is dramatic. Easily a full day out.
McKenzie Pass and the Dee Wright Observatory, west on Highway 242, opens in summer only and is one of Oregon's great scenic drives — through the Belknap and Yapoah lava flows up to a panoramic viewpoint of the Cascade peaks. Combine with a visit to the Sahalie and Koosah waterfalls further down the McKenzie River.
Bend, 30 minutes south, is the regional centre — bigger restaurants, breweries, the High Desert Museum south of town. Mount Bachelor beyond Bend has the largest skiing in the area.
The Three Sisters Wilderness trailheads are technically not a day trip but a starting point — Pole Creek, Park Meadow, Tam McArthur Rim, Green Lakes all open out from short drives outside town.
For something further afield, Crater Lake National Park is around three hours south and is genuinely the highlight of southern Oregon — an exceptional but long day.