Holiday vacation fun in Sisters

Capitalizing on the Pacific Northwest's winter recreation appeal, Sisters has produced a full calendar of holiday ideas to inspire visitors to take satisfaction in simple pleasures, especially those outdoors.

"It's a season to celebrate with relatives, friends and the family dog, and we want folks to know they can do that in Sisters without breaking the bank," said Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, Erin Borla. "It's just a magical time of year to be here, with furry livestock and lights all strung downtown and snow in the mountains. We want to give people ideas for enjoying everything about the season, without losing sight of what the holidays are really about."

The Cowboy Christmas event calendar includes a December 18 geocaching "stampede," with a complete Sisters Winter Edition Charm Bracelet hidden in a local cache. The first collector to locate it keeps the 13-charm bracelet.

The chamber also encourages "voluntourism" with ideas for building charitable works into vacation time.

"We're a community that always does its part, so we've listed some easy ways to give back during the season of giving," such as donating supplies to the local food bank, or participating in the annual Christmas bird count, said Borla.

View the Cowboy Christ-mas calendar for holiday travel ideas in Sisters. Visit the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce Web site at http://www.sisterscountry.com or call 549-0251 for more details.