Take to the Trails

Enjoy the outdoors in Greater Dayton, where you’ll find the nation’s largest network of paved trails comprising more than 350 miles! Pack or rent bicycles (electric models are available, too!) or opt instead to hike, jog or skate along the various pathways of the Miami Valley Trails while enjoying diverse landscapes such as wetlands, ravines, mature forests, woodlands, gently rolling terrain, and picture-perfect river views. Visit attractions along the trails, refuel at restaurants near the bike path, and overnight in one of the many comfortable hotels nearby. A day spent on any of these trails will provide a variety of wonderful ways to explore nature.

Lush in spring and summer and magnificently colorful in fall, the stands of sycamore, maple, and ash trees lining the banks of the Stillwater River Trail provide a glorious backdrop to the varied terrain that attracts runners, skaters, and cyclists of all skill levels. The trail, which runs along the banks of the Stillwater River, encompasses downtown Dayton’s 43-acre Island MetroPark and Diehl Bandshell, which has set the stage for outdoor concerts since 1943.

Boasting views of the city’s spectacular urban skyline, along with stunning river vistas, the Great Miami River Trail has something for everyone. The 75-mile route is nestled along the waterway bearing its name and winds through picnic facilities and natural parkland that offers plenty of spots to relax, cycle, run or skate. A natural oasis that was once the site of a historic railroad yard, the Iron Horse Trail features a bikeway/trail that’s easy for all to navigate. Whether biking, skating, or walking, the Mad River Trail is a great way to get from downtown to many of Dayton’s naturescapes — and, since most of the trail is relatively flat, it’s an easy route for children to traverse.

The first seven miles of Dayton’s newest trail, the Great-Little Trail, was completed in 2015 as part of a planned route connecting the Great Miami River Trail to the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Located along the trail, Wright B. Flyer Inc. features a museum chronicling the history of the famous Dayton siblings who taught the world to fly. A focal point is the non-flying Valentine Wright Model B, one of several replicas Tom and Nancy Valentine built for the 1978 TV movie, The Winds of Kitty Hawk.

Make Waves

Whether you’re paddling or surfing, the rivers and lakes in Dayton offer plenty of ways to cool off and stay active. Kayak, canoe or SUP on the Great Miami, Stillwater or Mad Rivers, or on Eastwood Lake. Rent equipment at Whitewater Warehouse. You don’t have to be a West Coaster to feel the surf vibe: Surf Dayton will have you up to speed in no time on the water features in the Great Miami. Anglers of all skill levels will land the perfect catch at North Park Pond in Englewood MetroPark, in area rivers or at Eastwood Lake in Eastwood MetroPark.

Dayton Changed the World

Learn about Dayton’s spirit of innovation and place in history, and why “you can’t go a day without experiencing one of Dayton’s inventions” at Carillon Historical Park. The 65-acre campus features 30 museum buildings and interactive exhibits about the city’s numerous inventions, as well as the Wright Brothers National Museum containing their original 1905 Wright Flyer and more Wright brothers artifacts than anywhere else in the world, and the 57-bell Deeds Carillon that’s the largest in Ohio, and listed on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. “The Great 1913 Flood” exhibit tells the story of Ohio’s worst natural disaster and the fortitude left in its wake. Learn about Dayton’s numerous inventions such as the airplane, the electric car starter, cash register, freon, pop top can and more — you’ll walk away inspired!

Glorious Gardens & Park Delights

Get inspired by visiting one the city’s opulent gardens, including Cox Arboretum MetroPark, featuring specialty rock and water gardens and 189 acres of hiking trails and a butterfly house. Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark showcases stunning federal gardens and a Children’s Discovery Garden comprising a sensory garden, music maze, sandboxes and a fossil cave. Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, which was founded in 1841, is filled with 3,000 mature trees and 165 specimens of native Midwestern woody plants gracing 200 acres of rolling hills. Don’t miss RiverScape MetroPark where you can sit among stunning floral displays, relax with a stroll by the reflecting pools and peruse Dayton’s ingenuity commemorated along the Inventors River Walk.

A Work of Art

Set on a hill overlooking the Great Miami River and the city of Dayton, the magnificent Renaissance-styled Dayton Art Institute is renowned for its collection of European, American, contemporary, Asian and African works. Return for other specials events, like concerts, expected to be announced throughout the year. Enjoy rotating exhibits by regional artists at The Contemporary Dayton located inside the Dayton Arcade.