Activities




     

     

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Activities

The Hotel at Dayton South Dayton

Dayton is a destination packed with  big-city experiences, amenities, attractions and shopping wrapped in small-town charm.  Need some ideas for your trip to Dayton?  We've put together some exciting sample itineraries to help you plan!

 

Five Rivers MetroParks

Five Rivers MetroParks provide an abundance of outdoor experiences, whether you want to sit under a pavilion, mountain bike some of the region’s most challenging terrain, or just unwind in the outdoors.

340+ Miles of Paved Trails

Ohio’s Miami Valley region provides over 340+ miles of paved, multi-use recreational trails. Stretching across county lines, these trails connect schools, parks, historic landmarks and area attractions. Travel through meadows, scenic countryside, forested areas and city centers while on the path.
Pursue outdoor adventures such as kayaking, cycling, fly-fishing and bird watching, all while enjoying the wonderful sights and sounds around you. Serene lakes; striking waterfalls; lush greenery and much more. You can also enjoy a hike in one of our many trails or read a book under a great big tree near a meadow. This is Ohio recreation at its best.
Dayton has the nation's largest network of paved trails--340+ miles!  Dayton is recognized as a Bronze Level Bike Friendly City! 
The League of American Bicyclists recognizes Dayton as a Bike Friendly Community—a national recognition for communities that actively support bicycling.  Bike Friendly Communities welcome cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation.

 

Bicycling Magazine includes Dayton in their list of the top 50 cycling cities in the United States.
Cyclists can take off in the birthplace of flight with 30 miles of central-city trails connecting to a 340-plus mile network of paths that offers something for everyone from the beginning rider, the casual rider, and families, to competitive spirits and professionals. Bike-mounted National Park Service rangers lead riding tours of Dayton’s aviation history, including the Wright Brothers’ original bike shop. Bicycle trails in Ohio offer cycling experiences for anyone and everyone.
Bike Downtown
Downtown Dayton is a bike friendly urban area. With enhanced bike lanes on the city streets and a plethora of bike racks, you'll enjoy checking out the sights on two wheels. 
To make that easier, Dayton has launched a new program: Link DYT. Link DYT is a bike share program in the downtown area. It is easy to find - look for the BRIGHT green bicycles - and even easier to use. Link Dayton Bike Share will launch a new system in early summer 2020.  A new Link Dayton app will b available that users can download to check out bikes on the shared bike system
Link’s new system will also include 100 e-bikes, electronic bikes that, when assisted by a biker's pedaling, will travel up to 15 miles per hour. As part of the system upgrades, Link is also replacing its 27 bike docking stations with bike-rack "hubs" across the city, and is transitioning to an app-based system with its new partner Drop Mobility. To see more details about the new system, including pricing for pay-as-you-go or memberships, visit the Link Q&A page here.

Dayton Water Paddle Sports

The Dayton area has a long history in paddle sports due to our bountiful network of rivers and streams. Five Rivers MetroParks has multiple places to paddle from beginners to advanced canoe and kayak enthusiasts.  Check out these places for perfect paddling!

Surf Dayton - Facebook Live

Surfing in Dayton, Ohio?  Absolutely!  We recently joined Surf Dayton for a Facebook Live event on the Great Miami River where you can surf the waves, kayak, and have amazing fun on the water!

Unexpected Benefits of SUPing

What is SUPing, you ask?  It's stand-up paddle boarding and we have you covered in Dayton and Montgomery County.  Check out this blog that shares the benefits and fun you'll have SUPing!

RiverScape River Run

RiverScape River Run opens the downtown river to a beautiful seven-mile paddle from Eastwood MetroPark on the Mad River, through downtown to Carillon Historical Park and the University of Dayton area.

Eastwood's 185-acre lake and access to the Mad River provides an ample setting for a variety of water sports, while on-land features include biking and hiking trails, picnic shelters and a playground. The Midwest Outdoor Experience, formerly known as GearFest, is hosted on the grounds each year. Eastwood Lake is a mile-long, 185-acre lake fed by water from the Mad River and is part of a system of ponds, lakes and lagoons located in the area that serve as artificial charge basins for the Dayton well fields found nearby. It is a popular site for boating and fishing. Eastwood Dock is three-quarters of a mile long, has seven islands, a dock, and a ramp. Access the Mad River whitewater features at Eastwood Metro Park.

Named for the historic Huffman Dam, this MetroPark is conveniently connected to the Kauffman Road Bikeway and offers more than eight miles of sustainable mountain bike trails developed to International Mountain Bike Association standards. This park is home to the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area, MoMBA --- and expert and beginner cyclists alike will find fun and challenge on this course. Visitors also enjoy Huffman Lake, the Mad River, miles of hiking trails, picnicking and fishing.