2024's 9 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Ohio
Ohio, from the Iroquois word “ohi-yo” meaning “great river,” has plenty of great places for tourists and travelers to go exploring. For example, 2024’s most beautiful small towns in Ohio are recommended destinations for people curious about the state’s culture, history, and natural features. Whether you are admiring the wilderness from Put-In-Bay or seeing how the Buckeye State has contributed much to modernity at Mount Vernon and Milan, you will definitely feel as comfortable as American presidents like William Henry Harrison, Ulysses S. Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes used to feel in their homeland of Ohio.
Put-In-Bay
Experience the numerous wonders of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes of America, from the small town of Put-In-Bay. As the “Key West of the North,” Put-In-Bay opens several opportunities and attractive avenues for you to go sightseeing. For example, Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center has kaleidoscope of butterflies for you to admire as well as Kimberley’s Carousel for those wanting vintage circular rides.
Learn all about the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812 from Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial as well as the Lake Erie Island Historical Museum at South Bass Island. Every year from May 5 - 6, the townsfolk celebrate the Blessing of the Fleet which you can attend. Some of you might be interested in seeing the Benson Ford Ship House, a forecastle of a wrecked ship that was once owned by Henry Ford’s company. Never worry about where to stay, because the Commodore Resort, Victory Station Hotel, and Bird’s Nest Resort have the accommodations you will ever need for a merry vacation in Put-In-Bay.
Yellow Springs
Yellow Springs, approximately 20 miles from the city of Dayton, beckons newcomers wide and near to a number of beautiful attractions in Ohio’s outdoors. With the town’s 752-acre limestone gorge at the John Bryan State Park and several hiking and biking lanes in the Little Miami Bike Trails along the Little Miami River, you will not be dismayed by Yellow Springs’ mellow atmosphere. Celebrate Earth Day on April 20 with the town’s many encouragements to get as many fruits as you want from blossoming trees, and espy the diverse quantity of Ohio’s animals at the Glen Helen Nature Preserve. Clifton Mill’s grist mills have played a historic role to Yellow Springs’ development which you can learn all about. And should you wish to sleep peacefully in Yellow Springs, then let the warm comforts of the Mills Park Hotel, The Owl’s Roost, or Jailhouse Suites get you relaxed and merry.
Marietta
Since its founding in the year 1788, after being rebuilt from a Native American settlement of the Hopewell and Adena people, Marietta has been the oldest settlement in the state of Ohio. The remnants of the Hopewell and Adena culture is best seen in the passageways, embankments, and burial mounds found approximate to the confluence of the Ohio River and Muskingum River. You can find even more of these cultural artifacts from the Mound Cemetery and Marietta Earthworks, while those curious about the pioneers who established Marietta into a more modern community can read David McCullough’s The Pioneers. More sites and sights can be enjoyed from the expansive woodlands of the Wayne National Park, as well as other destinations such as Gunlock Park and Kroger Wetland. As for lodgings, look no further than to the Lafayette Hotel or the Hackett Hotel for your nightly needs.
Granville
Approximately 35 minutes from the city of Columbus, the grandiose town of Granville offers deep insight into much of Ohio’s indigenous past. From the Hopewell mounds at Infirmary Mound and Salt Run Park to a replica of a Hopewell settlement at the Raccoon Valley Park, you can admire all manner of cultural and historic artifacts from the Native American peoples that have lived in Ohio for millennia. The Licking County Area contains man y Newark Earthworks to admire, just as the Circle Museum elaborates on the Hopewell tribe. On the other hand, the history of the pioneers who built a more permanent residence in Granville can best be reviewed at places such as the Robbins Hunter Museum, Bryn Du Mansion, and Granville Inn. So if you are curious to see more, then you ought to book a room at the Broadway Guest House, the Porch House Bed & Breakfast, or the Historic Buxton Inn.
Milan
On the Huron River and about 36 miles from Put-In-Bay lounges the delightful small town of Milan, where the famous American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born and where his redbrick home can be found along Edison Drive. There are many more praiseworthy attractions worth visiting in Milan aside from the Edison-themed destinations, such as the Milan Historical Museum with its toy and doll museum and a blacksmith’s workstation known as the Sayles House. This same museum also focuses on the Moravian missionaries who founded the town, and for those of you who are eager for the outdoors, the Milan Wildlife Area has enough acres to keep your feet on the move. For accommodations, seek out the White Dog Bed & Breakfast, Alto Inn, or Milan Inn-tiques for whatever you need.
Loveland
As a certified Buckeye Trail Town and the “Sweetheart of Ohio,” Loveland promotes panoramic biking routes vis-à-vis the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trails. Delve into the town’s compelling past at the Loveland Historical Society & Museum and experience the lovely present through live performances at the Loveland Stage Company and the Loveland Art Studios on Main. Afterwards, tour the two magnificent and beautiful castles that make Loveland a desired destination among other small towns in Ohio—first, the Loveland Castle which is also referred to as Chateau Laroche, and Castle Skateland where you can go skating and do other athletic hobbies. Book a room in fine establishments like the Loveland Lofts, and since it is only 24 miles from the city of Cincinnati, enjoy a much-needed hiatus in the small town of Loveland.
Mount Vernon
Sharing the name of George Washington’s original home, the small Ohio town of Mount Vernon has its roots deep in American history. Along the Kokosing River you will find several historic structures such as the former homes of Daniel Decatur Emmette—the man who composed “Dixie”—and Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a Union nurse during the American Civil War. On August, you can attend the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival, while on July, the townsfolk will be celebrating annual the Knox County Fair. Some of you might also be invested in live performances at the oldest known free-standing opera house in the US, the Woodward Opera House. No need to feel unwanted in Mount Vernon, especially when you are staying in welcoming lodgings like the Mount Vernon Grand Hotel, the Mount Vernon Inn, or the Coleman Family Gallerie Suite.
Sugarcreek
Sugarcreek is a 54-mile away getaway from the satellite town of Akron. With its cheese and the Ohio Swiss Festival occurring every year in September, it is no wonder why people laud Sugarcreek as the “Little Switzerland of Ohio.” Let the World's Largest Cuckoo Clock in Sugarcreek’s main square consistently remind you of the hour, and hop aboard a trainway to history at the Age of Steam Roundhouse where one can learn all about Ohio’s industrial era. From a town founded by immigrants hailing from Switzerland and Germany, there are many European amenities to delight and ogle over even though Sugarcreek is right beside Ohio’s Amish Country. So let the town’s cultural splendors and its many fine establishments like Weaver Barns, Sugarcreek Village Inn, and Carlisle Inn Sugarcreek entertain and enamor you for more.
Athens
Come on over to the small town of Athens, so named after the capital acropolis of Greece. With its educational and aesthetic cultures expressed in the Kennedy Museum of Art, Dairy Barn Arts Center, the OHIO Museum Complex, and even the Ohio University, Athens is an American reflection of the birthplace of democracy. Venture into the expansive wildernesses of the Wayne National Forest, the Lake Hope State Park, and the Zaleski State Forest. Recharge and refreshen yourself for another beautiful day at either the Athens Central Hotel, Ohio University Inn, or Hometown Inn. Most importantly, have a pleasant and memorable experience in the small town of Athens.
Let 2024’s most beautiful small towns in Ohio show you the magnificent landscapes and compelling histories that have forged the Buckeye State into a place of unparalleled marvel. With arts and cultures and Native American communities brimming all the way from Athens to Granville, and with scenic spots best seen from Put-In-Bay, Sugarcreek, and more, these destinations in Ohio are sure to make you soar with delight the same way that the Wright brothers first tested their aircraft in Ohio. This year, the great rivers of Ohio will guide you down to the most beautiful small towns worth visiting in the Buckeye State.
