Dayton

Dayton is known as the Gem City and it's no wonder. In addition to being the birthplace of aviation (the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, lived here and perfected their design for the first practical aircraft), it is also home to one of the few multi-site National Parks in the U.S.- the Dayton Aviation Heritage Park. There are several things to do and see in the city and its suburbs.

Climate

Dayton has a humid continental climate, which means, like the rest of Ohio, that it sees four very distinct seasons.
;Winter : being situated in the Midwest, winters are cold. Snowfall isn't particularly excessive; but it can at times fall at a rate that will cause havoc with traffic.
;Spring : often cool, with cold and mild days sprinkled throughout the period. Storms during this period may produce tornadoes.
;Summer : characteristically hot and humid. While the thermometer may read one number in the summer, it will often feel hotter due to humidity.
;Autumn : Autumn in Dayton and Southwest Ohio is usually cool, but an extension of summer-like days into this season is possible. Storms seem to increase during this season too, which, due to the fluctuation of temperatures can produce extremely dangerous storms with the potential of producing tornadoes late into the year.

By plane

• James M. Cox Dayton International Airport

  phone: +1 937-454-8200
  address: 3600 Terminal Dr
  James M. Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY, KDAY) is in the northern part of the metropolitan area. Nonstop service is available from Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis, Newark, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. (IAD and DCA). Dayton is the nation's number one 90-minute air market, meaning the city can be reached in 90 minutes or less by 55 percent of the population. A surprising and very nice feature is free Wi-Fi, which can be accessed under the name of "public" in the airport. Before August 2013, there was no public bus service going to the airport, which made Dayton International Airport the second-busiest airport in the continental United States without a public transportation option. Today, the local busing authority, the RTA, offers service three times daily on Route 43. Cabs from the downtown area to the airport cost at least $30.

By car

• Interstates 70 and 75, major cross-country routes, meet just north of Dayton near the airport, making Dayton easily accessible by car from almost anywhere in the region.

• I-75 runs from north to south through downtown Dayton. Dayton is less than one hour from Cincinnati and about two and a half hours from Toledo on this road.
• I-70 runs east to west across the northern part of the Dayton area. To the west, Indianapolis is about two hours away; to the east, Columbus is about one hour away.

I-675 is an eastern interstate by-pass for Dayton that connects with I-70 at the north end and I-75 at the south end.

U.S. 35 is another important expressway, providing access primarily from places to the east and southeast. The road has been improved to a limited-access freeway as far east as Chillicothe, making Charleston, West Virginia 4 hours away to the south and east.

By bus

• Greyhound

  phone: +1 937-837-6251

Travel in the region is easy by car and you can move from the urban city to the rural county in minutes. The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority operates bus routes (including electric trolley bus service) within Montgomery County.

• Miami Valley Trails

  address: 111 E Monument Ave
  Ohio's Miami Valley area offers an outstanding system of trails and bikeways for residents and visitors. Over of trails stretch across ten counties surrounding the Dayton and Springfield region. The Little Miami Scenic Trail is the most popular, but only the beginning of the fun.

Aviation

• Wright Patterson Air Force Base

  phone: +1 937-257-1111
  Wright Patt is a significant part of the local economy with some 23,000 employees and a reason behind most tourism, boasting the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field where the Wright Brothers perfected their flying skills in 1904-05.

• National Museum of the U. S. Air Force

  phone: +1 937-258-1218
  address: 1100 Spaatz St
  The world's largest military aviation museum with over 300 aircraft on display from the earliest days of aviation to modern prototypes. It is well maintained and interesting even for non aviation buffs. Highlights include the B-2 (stealth) bomber and Mercury space capsule.

• Huffman Prairie Flying Field & Interpretive Center

  phone: +1 937-425-0008
  address: 2380 Memorial Rd
  Huffman Prairie is part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park which also includes the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, the Wright Cycle Company building, the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center, the Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial and Carillon Historical Park, which houses the original 1905 Wright Flyer III.

Museums & galleries

• Wright Cycle Company Complex

  phone: +1 937-225-7705
  address: 22 S Williams St
  The Wright Cycle Company complex consists of two adjoining buildings: the Hoover Block, also known as the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center and Aviation Trail Visitor Center and Museum, along with the Wright Cycle Company building. The Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center is the main visitor center for the park, and occupies the restored Hoover Block building. In 1892, the Wrights opened a bicycle repair shop in addition to their printing business. From 1895 until 1897, both businesses were located at 22 S Williams St, “known as the Wright Cycle Company,” the fourth of five locations for their bicycle business.

• Dayton Art Institute

  phone: +1 937-223-5277
  address: 456 Belmonte Park N

• Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

  phone: +1 937-275-7431
  address: 2600 Deweese Pkwy
  A children's museum of science with numerous exhibits.

• Carillon Park

  phone: +1 937-293-2841
  address: 1000 Carillon Blvd
  Carillon Park is an outside historical museum containing original historic homes that have been moved there. It is sort of like Greenfield Village in Michigan, but smaller. It contains artifacts from NCR, the Wright Brothers, and more.

• Dayton International Peace Museum

  phone: +1 937-227-3223
  address: 208 W Monument Ave

• SunWatch

  phone: +1 937-268-8199
  address: 2301 W River Rd
  An interpretive Indian village and archeological park.

Performing arts

• Dayton Opera

  phone: +1 937-228-3630
  address: North Main Street
  Tickets sales are managed by Ticket Center Stage.

• Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

  phone: +1 937-228-3630
  address: 109 N Main St
  Tickets sales are managed by Ticket Center Stage.

• Dayton Ballet

  phone: +1 937-228-3630
  The Ballet performs at two locations so be sure to call and find out where the performance will be held. Tickets sales are managed by Ticket Center Stage.

• Human Race Theatre Company

  phone: +1 937-228-3630
  address: 126 N Main St

• Encore Theater CompanyETC performs in various locations in Downtown Dayton, including: the Mathile Theatre in the Schuster Center, the rooftop of the Firefly Building (123 Webster St), the Litehouse Town Home (123 Patterson). Encore Theater Company's mission is to perform new or rarely performed works of musical theater.

Festivals

• Dayton Air Show

  phone: +1 937-898-5901
  address: 3800 Wright Dr, Vandalia

• Greek Festival

  phone: +1 937-224-0601
  address: The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 500 Belmonte Park N

Sports and recreation

• Dayton Dragons

  phone: +1 937-228-2287
  address: 220 N Patterson Blvd
  The Minor League Baseball Dayton Dragons are a Cincinnati Reds farm team that plays in a beautiful stadium downtown and abuts the new Riverfront development. Catch the laser light show during the summer months.

• Dayton Flyers

  phone: +1 937-229-4433
  address: 1801 Edwin C. Moses Blvd
  Sports teams of the University of Dayton, competing in NCAA Division I in seven men's and 10 women's sports. Most teams play in the Atlantic 10 Conference, while the football team plays in the Pioneer Football League, a football-only conference in the second-level Division I FCS that does not allow its members to award scholarships (all of that league's members award scholarships in other sports). The most notable team is in men's basketball, a frequent NCAA tournament participant. Most athletic facilities are on campus, most notably UD Arena (basketball), which hosts the "First Four" round of the immensely popular NCAA men's basketball tournament. The football team plays off-campus at Welcome Stadium, owned by the local (K–12) school district.

• Wright State RaidersSports teams of Wright State University, in nearby Fairborn (though with a Dayton mailing address), competing in NCAA Division I in seven men's and nine women's sports in the Horizon League. Unlike UD, Wright State does not have a football team; without that sport, the hot-button sport on campus is typically men's basketball. Like UD, most of WSU's athletic facilities are on campus, with the most notable being the Nutter Center (basketball).

• The Riverscape is beautifully landscaped and hosts cultural events weekly during the summer. During the winter, there is an outdoor ice rink set up with skate rental available.
• The Bikeway runs through downtown Dayton, following the river and offers a nice recreational activity for the family.

• University of Dayton

  phone: +1 937-229-1000
  address: 300 College Park

• Wright State University

  phone: +1 937-775-3333
  address: 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy

• Sinclair Community College

  address: 444 W Third St

• Air Force Institute of Technology

  address: 2950 Hobson Way
  On Wright-Pattseron Air Force Base, this is the Air Force's main technical school for graduate degrees, offering Masters and Ph.D. courses in fields ranging from Logistics and Program Management to Aeronautical Engineering and Physics.

• Dayton Mall

  phone: +1 937-433-9833
  address: 2700 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd

• Mall at Fairfield Commons

  phone: +1 937-427-4300
  address: 2727 Fairfield Commons, Beavercreek

• The Greene

  phone: +1 937-490-4900
  address: 51 Plum St, Beavercreek
  An up-scale dining and shopping facility. The outdoor lifestyle center has stores and restaurants ranging from Sephora and Coldwater Creek, to the Cheesecake Factory and Bd's Mongolian Grill.

• Oregon DistrictFeatures bars, clubs, restaurants, and specialty shops.

• Mendelson's Liquidation Outlet

  address: 340 E First St
  A giant industrial salvage shop.

• Second Street Market

• The Chop House

  phone: +1 937-291-1661
  address: 7727 Washington Village Drive
  Steakhouse

• House of Thai

  phone: +1 937-429-2236
  address: 3230 Seajay Dr, Beavercreek
  Excellent and most authentic Thai restaurant in the Fairborn - Xenia - Beavercreek area. Traditional Pad Thai, curry dishes and lot of Thai specialties. Sushi is also available.

• Marion's Piazza

  phone: +1 937-277-6553
  address: 3443 N Dixie Dr
  This unique and delicious style of pizza, intensely popular with the locals, has been a part of Dayton traditions for over 40 years, and is a must try for anyone visiting the area. The Dayton tradition for pizza is to cut it into a multitude of small square pieces. Décor is not much more that a typical fast food restaurant and have to queue twice, once for food and once for drinks.

• Milano's

  phone: +1 937-222-7072
  address: 1820 Brown St
  A popular restaurant on Brown Street immediately to the West of the UD campus featuring pizza and baked subs. Mixed crowd during the day, becomes a college bar after 9. Also frequented by more affluent suburban families and professionals. Newly renovated interior features sleek, "modern" design while still being fairly warm in atmosphere.

• The Pine Club

  phone: +1 937-228-7463
  address: 1926 Brown St
  An excellent steakhouse located just off of the campus of the University of Dayton, this is one of the areas most renowned restaurants. The restaurant only accepts cash and does not take reservations.

• Thai 9

  phone: +1 937-222-3227
  address: 11 Brown St
  A trendy Thai restaurant on the West end of the Oregon District featuring traditional Thai specialties and sushi. Free parking.

• Tacqueria Mixteca

  phone: +1 937-258-2654
  address: 1609 East 3rd Street Dayton
  Urban hole-in-the-wall with authentic Mexican food and good guacamole.

• Little Saigon

  address: 1718 Woodman Drive Kettering
  Tasty, inexpensive Vietnamese food with a huge menu, especially in terms of vegetarian options with a variety of meat alternatives.

• Olive, an urban dive

  address: 416 E Third St
  Gourmet, locally sourced food with a Mediterranean flair, located in a tiny diner downtown.

• Coco's Bistro

  phone: +1 937-228-2626
  address: 515 Wayne Avenue
  Coco's sets the high standard for Dayton area restaurants. It's a great place for a business lunch, drinks at the friendly (but small) bar, or for a nice dinner with a date or friends.

• Butter Cafe

  phone: +1 937-985-9917
  address: 1106 Brown St
  They serve organic and free range food.

• Bargos Grill and Tap

  phone: +1 937-449-0971
  address: 1151 Brown St
  A UD bar with a ton of TVs, pool table, patio, and the best chicken tenders in the area. There is also another location in Centerville.

• Canal Street Tavern

  phone: +1 937-461-9343
  address: 308 E First St
  Hole-in-the-wall bar that hosts bands and concerts. The place does not accept credit cards nor does it have an ATM so be prepared.

• The Crowne Plaza View 162

  phone: +1 937-224-7822
  address: 33 E Fifth St
  On the 14th floor of the Crowne Plaza, it offers wonderful city view of Dayton. Features live jazz on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and cocktails.

• Dublin Pub

  phone: +1 937-224-7822
  address: 300 Wayne Ave
  Serves traditional Irish food with some flair and claims to be the #1 seller of Irish whiskey in Ohio.

• The Fieldhouse

  phone: +1 937-461-2111
  address: 1126 Brown St
  A classic college bar popular with University of Dayton. Specialty is the Fishbowl, a large concoction of assorted liquors in many flavors for sharing. Collectible pint glass refill specials on Thursday nights feature catchy slogans.

• Flanagan's

  phone: +1 937-228-5776
  address: 101 E Stewart
  A UD bar with a more mature atmosphere frequented by students, alumni, and locals. Well known for their St. Patrick's Day party.

• South Park Tavern

  phone: +1 937-586-9526
  address: 1301 Wayne Ave
  A friendly neighborhood bar & pizza place (serving Pizza Factory pizzas & calzones). The staff of SPT have been expanding their service over the past year to include a large bar featuring 18 taps, many craft beers & micro-brews, a great outdoor patio space, and live music. A popular location for Historic South Park neighbors to gather on the weekends.

• Tank's Bar & Grill

  phone: +1 937-252-45410
  address: 2033 Wayne Ave
  Solid place to grab a drink and get a nice lunch. Excellent Over-Stuff Sandwiches, Burgers and Hot Dogs. Popular with locals. Also a great idea if you are headed to a University of Dayton basketball game, they have a shuttle bus that will take you from the bar to the game.

• The Trolley Stop

  phone: +1 937-461-1101
  address: 530 E Fifth St
  Also on the far eastern end of the Oregon District. A relaxed bar featuring live local music most days of the week, with a comfortable patio outdoors and a party house available for rental.

• The Century Bar, A Bourbon House

  address: 10 S. Jefferson St.
  This classic but casual downtown after-dinner nightspot features 60+ bourbon whiskeys (think Kentucky), complimented by a variety of American and Canadian whiskeys. The expert bar staff will educate even the most timid palate and enlighten connoisseurs. Draft and bottle beers round out the choices to make you feel at home with the 1862 back bar.

• Proto BuildBar

  phone: +1 9376222-6253
  address: 534 E First St
  A bar that also serves as a makerspace.

Budget

• Comfort Inn Dayton Hotel

  phone: +1 937-836-9400
  address: 9305 N Main St
  Heated indoor pool and continental breakfast included.

• Econo Lodge

  phone: +1 937-435-1550
  address: 1944 Miamisburg Centerville
  Outdoor pool and a free continental breakfast.

• Super 8 Miamisburg/Dayton South

  phone: +1 937-866-5500
  address: 155 Monarch Ln, Miamisburg
  Clean, quiet, comfortable new beds and a free continental breakfast.

Mid-range

• Best Western Executive Hotel

  address: 2401 Needmore Rd

• Fairfield Inn Dayton North

  address: 6960 Miller Ln

• Hawthorn Suites Dayton North

  address: 7070 Poe Ave

• SpringHill Suites Dayton South/Miamisburg

  address: 7305 Springboro Pike

Splurge

• Crowne Plaza Hotel

  address: 33 E Fifth St

• Dayton Marriott

  phone: +1 937-223-1000
  address: 1414 S Patterson Blvd

• Drury Inn

  address: 6616 Miller Ln
  Butler Township.

• The Golden Lamb Inn

  phone: +1 513 932-5065
  address: 27 S Broadway
  Ohio's oldest operating hotel.

• Dayton Metro Library

  phone: +1 937-463-2665
  address: 215 E Third St

• Post Office

• Caesar Creek State Park, northeast corner of Warren County, I-71 exit 45, Route 73 west, southeast of Dayton. 285 campsites, electrical hook-ups. The campground offers showers, flush toilets, pet camping, horseman's camp with 30 sites, two camper cabins, one cedar cabin, 2,830-acre lake, unlimited horsepower, boating, water skiing, five launch ramps, forty-three miles of hiking trails, thirty-one miles of bridle trail, horsemen's camp, five-mile mountain bike trail, 3½-mile novice trail, hunting, fishing, picnic areas, tables, grills, drinking water, nine picnic shelters, day lodge, a meeting room, kitchen, outdoor tables, grills, 1,300-foot beach, concession area, changing booths, nature center, naturalist programs year round, pioneer village with 15 historic buildings depicting life in early 1800s. Playground equipment, basketball court, games and sports equipment.
• Cute shops abound within walking distance in historic Centerville, a nearby suburb of Dayton. It also has the largest collection of historic stone houses in the US.
• Visit nearby college town Oxford, home of Public Ivy Miami University, about 45 minutes southwest.
• The nearby community of Yellow Springs is highly recommended, offering a unique and eclectic downtown shopping experience and great outdoor recreation.
• Both Cincinnati and Columbus are roughly an hour from Dayton.
• Approximately 45 minutes south on State Route 48 is Lebanon, Ohio, which is a rich historic town and also home to the Fort Ancient Archaeological dig, one of the largest Native American historical sites in the United States.