Explore the Region

14 counties. One incredible region.

From big-city energy downtown to small-town charm in Yellow Springs — the Dayton Region has more personality per square mile than you'd expect.

Arts & Culture

A scene that surprises everyone.

Dayton Art Institute

Dayton Art Institute

World-class permanent collection spanning 5,000 years. Free general admission. One of Ohio's premier art museums.

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Schuster Performing Arts Center

Broadway shows, Dayton Philharmonic, ballet, and opera in a stunning 2,300-seat venue downtown.

Oregon District

Oregon District

Historic entertainment district. Independent restaurants, bars, galleries, and live music venues on brick-lined streets.

Levitt Pavilion

Levitt Pavilion

Free outdoor concert series every summer. Nationally touring artists, food trucks, and community gathering downtown.

National Museum of USAF

National Museum of USAF

Largest free aviation museum in the world. 19 acres of galleries with 350+ aircraft and missiles.

Yellow Springs

Yellow Springs

20 minutes from downtown. Quirky artisan village with galleries, farm-to-table dining, and the incredible Glen Helen trail system.

Outdoors

16,000+ acres of free parks and trails.

Five Rivers MetroParks is consistently rated the #1 amenity by Dayton residents. Over 150 miles of paved trails, rivers for kayaking, and nature preserves — all completely free.

Great Miami River Trail
75+ miles of paved multi-use trail
RiverScape MetroPark
Downtown riverfront park with ice skating, concerts, and festivals
Eastwood MetroPark
Fishing, hiking, and mountain biking on 185 acres
Glen Helen Nature Preserve
1,000 acres of old-growth forest near Yellow Springs
Caesar Creek State Park
Lake, beach, camping, and 40+ miles of trails
Dayton outdoors
Dayton outdoors
Dayton outdoors
Dayton outdoors
Innovation Heritage

Birthplace of flight. Built for what's next.

The Wright Brothers didn't just build an airplane here — they built a culture of innovation that still defines the region. Dayton has more patents per capita than most cities twice its size.

1903

Powered Flight

The Wright Brothers invented and perfected powered flight in Dayton.

1879

Cash Register

James Ritty invented the cash register here, launching NCR Corporation.

Today

Defense R&D Hub

Wright-Patterson AFB is the nation's premier military research facility.

Explore the full 14-county region.

Regional OverviewCounty Profiles