Dayton

Explore Dayton through art, aviation history, and vivid insights into life in earlier times. Its attractions range from a narrated ride on a narrow-gauge railroad to an extensive art collection and places that commemorate the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Wright brothers. When planning your trip, you can choose from a range of interests rather than reducing Dayton to just one area of interest.

Ride the railroad past the exhibits

The Carillon Park Railroad is a nearly one-mile-long narrow-gauge railroad with a track gauge of three feet. Its locomotive is a replica of an 1851 locomotive. On the narrated round trip, the train passes the exhibits at Carillon Historical Park and carries up to 120 guests. The ride combines a hands-on railroad experience with a view of the exhibits; when choosing what to do, consider whether you prefer to experience technology and history in motion or set aside time for art and individual historic sites.

Art history at the Dayton Art Institute

The Dayton Art Institute’s permanent collection spans 5,000 years of art history and includes more than 28,000 objects. Around 1,000 rotating works are on display. The figures give an idea of the collection’s scope, while the works on display offer a changing view of part of the collection. If you are interested in art, you can make this visit a focus in its own right alongside the historic sites; the permanent collection’s broad span of time offers a different way to experience Dayton than focusing more narrowly on an individual or an invention.

A poet and aviation pioneers

The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park was established to honor the life and achievements of poet and writer Paul Laurence Dunbar and aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright. The Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site is the poet’s home. It is open Friday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; tours are offered throughout the day, and admission is free. You can factor the stated opening hours into your day’s plans. Dunbar’s home offers a personal connection to literary history, while the National Historical Park focuses on the achievements of several notable figures.

A taste of Dayton in the 1850s

Carillon Brewing Co. gives visitors a glimpse of Dayton in the 1850s through authentic food and drinks prepared in the style of the period. This experience complements the history of art and aviation with the era’s food and drink culture. If you enjoy combining different ways of exploring on a trip, you can consider this historical glimpse as a culinary highlight in its own right, distinct from visits to museums or memorial sites.

More discoveries in the surrounding area

The history of the Wright brothers comes to life at several sites in the wider region. A ranger-led tour is offered at the Wright Cycle Company Fourth Shop. Orville and Wilbur Wright built and sold their Van Cleve and St. Claire bicycles there. The Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center has two levels of exhibits and a museum shop. The Aviation Trail, Inc. Parachute Museum features exhibits on the history of the parachute. These sites each offer a different focus: bicycles, exhibits on the Wrights, and the history of the parachute each appeal to different interests. You can weigh these subjects separately when choosing your excursions.

Walking trails and views

As an alternative to exhibits and historic sites, the Moraine Trails near the destination offer walking paths and a bird’s-eye view of Carillon Historical Park and the city of Dayton. This gives you the option of enjoying a walk outdoors alongside your visits to places with a historical focus. If you’re looking for a vacation rental for your stay, your trip’s planned activities can help guide your decision: art, the history of the Wright brothers, Dunbar’s life, historic food, or a walk each foregrounds a different interest, without requiring one theme to define your entire stay.

More destinations to explore: Centerville, Englewood, Germantown, Huber Heights, Vandalia, Brookville, Miamisburg and Moraine.

For the broader travel overview: Montgomery.