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Area Regions
Bright Sites, Big City
Downtown Dayton is lively during the day, with a vibrant community of business people, shoppers and visitors. As the sun sets, the active daytime community gives way to a magnificent array of choices for an exciting and fabulous nightlife.
Getting Around
Traveling around downtown is easy with the Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority (RTA). For routes and schedule details log onto www.greaterdaytonrta.org.
Dayton stands out as one of only five cities in the country to offer a unique and environmentally responsible form of mass transit. RTA's electric trolleys offer year-round transit throughout the Dayton area. RTA also has buses for year-round travel around downtown and beyond the city limits.
Downtown Renaisssance
Shopping and Dining
Dayton provides a variety of shopping opportunities along its downtown thoroughfares. Satisfying those cravings for ethnic or American food is simply a matter of choosing from among downtown's roughly 60 restaurants.
Neon District
The Neon District first lit up the city when neon trim was applied to the Transportation Center and movie theater buildings. These days there's more neon and lots of entertainment, including the New Neon Movies, where you can soak up art films.
Oregon Historic District
Dayton's oldest neighborhood, the Oregon Historic District, was founded approximately 170 years ago around the time the Miami-Erie Canal was opening for business. Merchants and artisans settled the area and built homes and businesses in a range of architectural styles, from Gothic and Classic Revival to Stick and Shingle.
The Motor Car District
The Motor Car District along Ludlow Street once hosted several post-World War I dealerships. Today visitors can enjoy The Citizens Motorcar Company: America's Packard Museum, the only museum in the nation dedicated to the Packard.
Webster Station
Bounded roughly by Keowee Street, Fourth Street, Monument Avenue and Patterson Boulevard, the Webster Station Historic District features Roman and Sullivan-styled architecture. Currently, many of the old grocery-related buildings have been converted into The Cannery development, a conglomeration of urban-living lofts and eclectic retail spaces, including art galleries, a wine shop and farmers market. The National City Second Street Public Market (937-228-2088) makes its home here, featuring more than 50 local farm, floral, arts and gift vendors. For late-night dining and entertainment, try Therapy Cafe (937-461-4000), an upscale establishment offering a full bar as well as sandwiches, salads, coffees and desserts. Check out the artists of tomorrow at K-12 Gallery (937-461-5149), an art studio for children, get in more shopping at area boutiques, including Joey Eric House of Style (937-586-9050) and Ashley and Hilary (937-224-0500), or find unique gifts and objects for the home at Go Home (937-228-4663).
Terra Cotta District
The Terra Cotta District, centered around Fifth and Ludlow streets, is a reminder of the popularity of terra cotta as a local building material during the reconstruction that followed Dayton's devastating flood of 1913. The historic buildings, with their ornamental facades, are a sharp contrast to the district's other more modern structures.
Green Scene
No matter where you are in Montgomery County, you're never more than 15 minutes from discovering your own Walden Pond. The Five Rivers MetroParks system offers green spaces among lovely public parks, scenic river corridors and assorted footpaths and biking trails. The nationally acclaimed parks system serves the Greater Dayton area and consists of 20 facilities with nearly 11,000 acres for year-round recreation and rejuvenation.
Click to see map of area natural sites
Outside the City Limits
Outside of the city, charming and easily accessible suburban areas continue to build on Montgomery County's reputation for unique attractions, pleasant living, abundant shopping and restaurants and exceptional natural beauty.
Click to see map of area
Brookville
Less than 10 miles northwest of Dayton,this community embraces its homegrown roots. Once a farming town, Brookville is easily accessible via I-75 and I-70. Brookville is also home to the 13-mile Wolf Creek Trail. www.brookvilleohio.com
Centerville
This historic town south of Dayton calls itself a "warm and cheerful" place to live. Centerville's streets are lined with antique shops and specialty boutiques in addition to it's restored nineteenth-century farm, Benham's Grove. Also, for a superb round of golf, visit Centerville's Yankee Trace Golf Club, ranked one of the best public courses in the area. www.ci.centerville.oh.us
Clayton
A northwest suburb, Clayton boasts a beautiful rural setting within close proximity to downtown Dayton.This young community grows every year, while maintaining its small-town charm, and boasts world-class sports and recreation. www.clayton.oh.us
Englewood
Once a stopping point on the old National Trail, Englewood now boasts more than 2,000 acres of trails and ponds at its Metropark. In addition to the Englewood Metropark, this community, northwest of downtown Dayton, is home to the Stillwater River and Aullwood Audubon Center. www.englewood.oh.us
Germantown
Southwest of Dayton, this historic community is home of the Florentine Hotel, Ohio's sec- ond-oldest hotel. The town also contains several historic buildings, churches and homes, including a covered bridge. www.ci.german- town.oh.us
Huber Heights
This growing city is located northeast of downtown, right off of I-70. Huber Heights has long been known as the United States' largest community of brick homes. www.ci.huber-heights.oh.us and www.huberheightschamber.com
Kettering
Kettering is home to 20 parks, including Indian Ripple and Delco Park. Its largest park, Lincoln Commons, invites visitors to enjoy its fountains, flowers, two-acre pond and Fraze Pavilion. Kettering also boasts one of Dayton's most popular shopping centers, Town and Country,located at the corner of Far Hills Avenue and Stroop Road. www.ketteringoh.org
Miamisburg
Once home to the Miami Indian tribe, Miamisburg is still home to the tribe's ancient burial mounds. Miamisburg also conveys its appreciation for history in the Daniel Gebhart Tavern Museum and the annual Spring Fling Festival and parade in May. www.ci.miamisburg.oh.us
Moraine
Splash Moraine, the city's wave pool waterpark cools off visitors to this city just southwest of downtown Dayton. The city is also home to several parks as well as an annual Heritage Festival. www.ci.moraine.oh.us
New Lebanon
West of downtown Dayton on U.S. Rte. 35, New Lebanon is home to approximately 4,000 people. This community hosts two annual festivals, the Annual Stagecoach Days in June and Christmas in the Village in December. www.newlebanonohio.com
Oakwood
Located just south of downtown Dayton, Oakwood is an upscale neighborhood complete with fine historical homes and tree-lined streets. Hawthorn Hill, the Wright family home, is located in Oakwood. Along Far Hills Avenue, visitors can enjoy the city's quaint shops and restaurants. For gourmet groceries, visit the Dorothy Lane Market. www.ci.oakwood.oh.us
Riverside
This city, located east of I-75, is next to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. www.riverside.oh.us
Trotwood
Named after Betsy Trotwood in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield, this growing community is on the northwest side of Dayton. Trotwood is home to Sycamore State Park, a fabulous location for bird watchers and horseback riders. The city is in the process of developing a new town center. www.trotwood.org
Union
A town of just over 6,000 residents, Union is located northwest of Dayton, just off I-70. This community is home to several walking trails and city parks. www.union.oh.us
Vandalia
Known as the "Crossroads of America," Vandalia ia is located at I-75 and I-70, near the Dayton International Airport. This city is also home to the annual Dayton Air Show. www.ci.vandalia.oh.us
West Carrollton
This community of 15,000 is located southwest of downtown Dayton off of I-75. West Carrollton hosts several festivals including the Fourth of July Ice Cream Festival and October's Old Fashioned Day. In addition, one of Ohio's best Latin restaurants, El Meson Restaurante, calls West Carrollton home. www.westcarrollton.org | 
