Medford is a friendly, walkable small city surrounded by forests, lakes and the Pine Line Recreation Trail, with biking, fishing, Perkinstown winter sports, a few cozy breweries and regular community events—perfect for a multi‑week travel-therapy stay that feels active and restorative rather than dead‑end.
For bigger-city options, Wausau—about a 45–50 minute (≈48‑mile) drive—offers museums, a lively downtown dining/arts scene, larger medical centers and seasonal festivals you can easily access between shifts.