MIAMI VALLEY, Ohio (WDTN) – It’s been a long winter, with cold and snow overstaying its welcome, but spring is here and with it, sunshine and finally some heat! Now is the time to shake off that cabin fever with some outdoor activities.
Looking for ideas? Here are some suggestions for outdoor fun in the Dayton Area.
Lakes and rivers
Looking for a waterside outing? pack a picnic basket or a canoe and enjoy the beauty of these local water features and boat rentals.
- Caesar’s Creek – Waynesville
- Hometown Kayaking – West Carrollton
- Bellbrook Canoe Rental – Bellbrook
- Old River Park – University of Dayton
- MetroParks – Various locations
Parks
The Dayton area has many parks with a variety of views and paths to walk, bike or hike. Check some of them out at the sites below.
- Five Rivers MetroParks
- This collection of parks has locations across the Dayton area.
- 3 State parks
- John Bryant – Yellow Springs
- Caesar’s Creek – Waynesville
- Sycamore – Dayton
- Carillon Historical Park – Dayton
- Rip Rap Road Park – Huber Heights
Bike parks and trails
While cyclists are welcome at the parks shown above, the following parks and trails are bike-specific, so if you want to try a new trick, or do some mountain biking, check out some of the spots below.
- Metroparks Mountain Biking Park – Dayton
- Kettering BMX – Kettering
- Miami Valley Bikeways Map – Various Locations
Skate parks
If skateboards or rollerblades are more your thing, check out these locations to get moving.
- DC Shoes skate park – Kettering
- Oak Creek South park – Centerville
- Osborne Skate Park – Fairborn
- Yellow Springs Skate Park – Yellow Springs
Mini-Golf
If you’re the competitive sort, grab some friends and head to the golf course. These locations make easy fun for even the most inexperienced putters.
- Young’s Dairy – Yellow Springs
- The Magic Castle -Dayton
- Your Adventure Golf – Washington Township
- Trails Miniature Golf Course – Kettering
- Hazards Miniature Golf – Huber Heights
- Englewood Fun Center – Englewood
Concerts and plays
‘Soak up the Sun’ with Cheryl Crowe and more of your favorite artists at an outdoor concert this summer. Lots of concerts are coming to these outdoor venues this season, so grab a friend and enjoy some good music and fresh air.
- The Fraze Pavilion – Kettering
- Rose Music Center – Huber Heights
- Stubbs Park Amphitheater – Centerville
- Levitt Pavilion – Dayton
- Riverscape Metropark Pavilion – Dayton
If any of that sounds fun, check out this list of concerts coming to the Dayton area this summer.
Shopping
If you want to get some sunshine, but like the city sights, check out these places to walk around and window shop or get some fresh goodies.
- The Greene – Beavercreek
- 3rd Sundays Outdoor Market – Dayton
- Yellow Springs Downtown – Yellow Springs
- Farmers Markets
And if you’re looking to get out of town, or even out of state for a bit, check out this list of the closest national parks to Dayton.
Is something missing from this list? let us know at Newstips@WDTN.com.
