Dayton, OH
The sixth-largest city in Ohio, Dayton is small enough to feel cozy and big enough to host a wide variety of attractions. It’s especially beloved by history and science buffs who can get a taste of Dayton’s connections to invention, travel, and aviation (Orville Wright was born here) with a visit to the National Museum of the United States Air Force (which houses the the National Aviation Hall of Fame), the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, or America’s Packard Museum.
Dayton makes for an especially kid-friendly, educational day trip, as the Dayton Art Institute was voted one of the 10 best art museums in the country for kids. And if you don’t want to eat at one of the museum cafés, you can try the killer apple-and-Brie grilled cheese or a customizable grass-fed beef burger at downtown gastropub Mudlick Tap House.