Dayton, Ohio is the sixth-largest city in Ohio. It is located in the southwest part of the state, about forty-five minutes north of Cincinnati. It is considered a small city, but there is a lot to do, and Dayton is an innovation hub, so there is a lot of history. This ultimate travel guide to Dayton, Ohio has the best things to do, where to stay and eat, and much more!
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What to Do in Dayton, Ohio
There are many different things to do in Dayton, Ohio that are included in this ultimate travel guide. From museums and history to bars and sports, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
National United States Airforce Museum
Dayton is the home of Wilber and Orville Wright, the brothers who created the airplane.
There is a large US Airforce base northeast of the city, home to the National Airforce Museum. The museum is HUGE! It has hundreds of airplanes, missiles, and interactive exhibits. There are exhibits on the airplane’s invention, the use of airplanes in wars, and aviation in space.
Outside of the museum, there is a nice park with walking paths, benches, and memorials for important people in the aviation community.
| Cost: FREE! Website: National US Airforce Museum Address: 1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson AFB Ohio 45433 |
Dayton Art Institute
Founded in 1919, the Dayton Art Institute is a highly rated art museum located in Downtown Dayton. The building itself is gorgeous. It was built in 1930, and it was modeled after a mansion in Capraola, Italy, and the signature stairs were modeled after the stairs at a famous villa in Rome. The building is a registered U.S. National Historic Place.
The museum is home to works by well-known artists including Claude Monet, Andy Warhol, and Georgia O’Keeffe.
| Cost: $15 for adults; $5-10 for seniors, military, students, and youth; Free for children 6 and younger Website: Dayton Art Institute Address: 456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH 45405 |
Five Rivers Metroparks
Dayton has 18 Metroparks – parks that are located in the city. Five Rivers Metroparks is named after the five rivers that run through Dayton.
If you are staying downtown or can only visit one Metropark, I would recommend Riverscape. It is located on the Miami River on the north end of downtown. It runs along the river with walking paths, swings, picnic tables, concerts, and ice skating.
Throughout the park, there are statues and informative plaques about the inventions that were created in Dayton.
The parks are scattered all around the city, and each park has different features and activities, so you can find one that suits your interests.
| Website: Dayton Metro Parks |
Oregon District
The Oregon District is Dayton’s primary shopping and entertainment area. It stretches two blocks on East 5th Street downtown. There are over fifty businesses, including restaurants, bars, theaters, beauty and tattoo shops, and retail stores.
The area was part of the original city, beginning in the 1820s until the revitalization in the 1960s. As the city expanded, the district was preserved and became a registered historic district in 1974.
| Website: The Oregon District |
Warped Wing Brewery
One block north of the Oregon District is Warped Wing, Dayton’s local brewery. The brewery has six permanent beers and a large variety of seasonal offerings.
The brewery does not have an outdoor area, but the inside tasting room is large. They sell food, and in addition to the beers, they have wine and cider. There are board games and a pinball machine for guests to play while they enjoy the beer.
They offer tours on weekends that come with a free beer to enjoy during the tour and a cute pint glass to take home!
| Website: Warped Wing Brewery Address: 26 Wyandot St, Dayton, OH 45402 |
Dayton Dragons Games
The Dayton Dragons are a minor league baseball team in the Cincinnati Reds organization. They play at Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton. Tickets to games are cheap, and they have many ticket packages for families. However, games are very popular! In 2011, the Dayton Dragons overtook the Portland Trailblazers record for the most consecutive sold-out games. The Dragons still hold the record today at 1,315 sold-out games in a row.
| Website: Dayton Dragons Address: 220 N Patterson Blvd, Dayton, OH 45402 |
College Basketball Game
The University of Dayton and Wright State University are located in Dayton, on the south and north sides, respectively. Both schools have good men’s basketball teams who are in the NCAA Tournament most years.
If you are not a basketball fan, or want to attend a free game, both colleges have a variety of other sports teams with free tickets.
2nd Street Market
Second Street Market is an indoor/outdoor farmers market in downtown Dayton that is open most of the year. The market has a booth for nearly everything. There is fresh, local produce, hot food stands, handmade clothing and jewelry, pet shops, jams, meats, dairy products, and much more! The market is open a few days a week and gets very busy on weekends! For more details on hours and vendors, check the website below.
| Website: Second Street Market Address: 600 E 2nd St, Dayton, OH 45402 |
Schuster Performing Arts Center
The Schuster Center in Dayton is a beautiful downtown performing art center. Constructed in 2003, the center is the heart of Dayton’s fine arts. The Schuster Center theaters host local, national, and international shows and events in a wide range of genres.
| Website: Schuster Center Address: 1 W 2nd St, Dayton, OH 45402 |
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum
The Woodland Cemetary is located next to the University of Dayton in the south part of downtown. The Cemetery was founded in 1841. There are over three thousand trees and over one hundred and sixty species of plants. It is one of the oldest rural garden cemeteries in the United States.
The cemetery is open year-round and is home to many famous gravesites. The Wright Brothers (Wilbur and Orville), the inventors of aviation, have a beautiful plot. Other notable people are the poet and author Paul Dunbar, comedian and writer Erma Bombeck, and inventors John Patterson and Charles Kettering.
| Website: Woodland Cemetery Address: 118 Woodland Ave, Dayton, OH 45409 |
Where to Stay & Staying Safe in Dayton, Ohio
These are the neighborhoods I recommend staying in when you travel to Dayton, Ohio since they offer good accessibility to the places above, but there are also surrounding suburbs that are a good option if you have a car.
- Downtown Dayton has many hotels and some modern Airbnb options. The location makes it easy to walk to many central attractions, and you can be close to the rivers for good views and walking paths.
- South Park is the cutest neighborhood in Dayton. The houses are all old and colorful. Using Airbnb, it is easy to find a place to stay in South Park, and the neighborhood makes it easy to walk downtown, the Oregon District, and the University of Dayton.
Safety
Dayton is similar to most cities; there are safe areas, and there are unsafe areas. According to locals and law enforcement in the city, anything east of I-75 (the highway which divides the city in half) is safer than the west side. Of course, this is not an exact divide, as the Art Institute is west of the highway, but it is a safe place to go. Take this with a grain of salt, but from my experience, the east side is safe.
Restaurants in Dayton, Ohio
Tank’s Bar and Grill
For some greasy but delicious bar-style food, eat at Tank’s Bar & Grill. Tank’s has an amazing breakfast menu that is served all day, along with an American lunch and dinner menu.
| Website: Tank’s Bar Address: 2033 Wayne Ave, Dayton, OH 45410 |
Milano’s Subs
Milano’s has the best subs in Dayton, and possibly in Ohio! They make their own bread in house and bake it fresh everyday.
| Website: Milano’s Address: 1834 Brown St, Dayton, OH 45409 (There are also locations North and South of Dayton) |
South Park Tavern
For hot pizza, cold beer, and a good time, check out South Park Tavern. The pizza here is some of the best, and they have a huge variety of classic and specialties pizzas to choose from.
| Website: South Park Tavern Address: 1301 Wayne Ave. Dayton, OH 45410 |
Getting There & Getting Around
Dayton is accessible by many major highways if you are driving from any larger midwest cities. There is also a small international airport north of the city. Cincinnati’s airport is also an option if you rent a car and the drive to Dayton is about an hour.
Bike Sharing!
The City of Dayton has a great bike-sharing program called Link Dayton. You can rent bikes all over the city for a few hours a day or get a membership for long-term access. There are Link stations near all the major attractions mentioned above and in many other locations. If the weather is nice, I would highly recommend using the bikes to get around town.
When to Travel to Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio is in the Midwestern part of the United States, so the best time to visit weather-wise is between April and September. This is Spring and Summer, so the weather is warm with no snow and little rain. Visiting from October to February is not bad if you do not mind the snow. You will not want to bike or walk very far, so it is best to have a car if you visit during these times.
If you visit between August and May, there will be college students at the universities’ bars and restaurants. There is usually a round of the March Madness basketball tournament held at one of the universities, so part of March will be busy and expensive.
Enjoy Traveling to Dayton, Ohio!
Dayton is a great city for anyone to visit. From the history to the fun restaurants, bars, and activities downtown, visiting Dayton, Ohio has something for everyone. This ultimate travel guide to Dayton, Ohio will help you have a great time when you visit.
For more travel in the Midwestern United States, read my posts on Chicago and Minnesota!
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All information is current as of publication. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect travel, and all destinations have different rules and restrictions in place. The pandemic may also affect the opening times of the attractions and establishments listed. Please do independent research before traveling anywhere, and consider the risks involved.