9 Friendliest Towns to Visit in Ohio in 2024
Ohio's warm, welcoming charm is beautifully showcased in these nine friendly towns, ideal for 2024 travels. Zoar Village offers a picturesque setting and communal atmosphere, while Marietta stands as the oldest city in Ohio. Chagrin Falls provides a delightful spot to enjoy popcorn by its waterfall. Put-in-Bay allows for leisurely exploration via golf cart, and it's also home to the birthplace of the first man on the moon. Yellow Springs and Oberlin bring back memories of carefree college years. Chillicothe hosts one of only 25 UNESCO sites in the U.S. Geneva-on-the-Lake features world-class wineries along the banks of Lake Erie. Each of these delightful Ohio towns boasts unique attractions and friendly vibes.
Zoar Village
Zoar Village is a picturesque town founded in 1817 by German settlers looking to escape religious persecution in Germany. The town is named after the biblical town of Zoar, where Lot and his daughters sought refuge. Along with the Amana Colonies in Iowa, Zoar is one of the longest-running communal settlements in American history. Today, less than 200 residents live in the historic Zoar Village.
Reflecting the communal nature of the original village, many of the over 50 well-preserved buildings in Zoar are numbered or simply named, like the School House, the Cider House, and the 1835 Number One House, which was the home of the town’s leader. The Zoar Store sold homemade goods as the Zoarites had no money; the Tin Shop made all the cooking utensils; and the Zoar Hotels, where President William McKinley once stayed. Zoar still resembles a German Village from the 1800s, and in the center of town, visitors can explore its iconic garden from Garden House #11, which takes up an acre of land whose paths symbolize different paths to heaven.
Marietta
Marietta is the oldest city in Ohio. It is nicknamed the “Riverboat Town” because of its location at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers. Marietta is designated as a National Navigation Historic District because of its contribution to river transportation in the U.S., particularly during the 19th century, when steamboats and barges were the only way to transport people and goods.
The two rivers and unique lock and dam structures still play an essential part in Marietta, particularly in the tourism industry. Paddlers come from all over to explore the Muskingum River Water Trail, its 160-year-old navigation system, and ten hand-operated locks. Visitors can also explore both rivers on a pleasure cruise on the Valley Gem, a genuine sternwheel passenger vessel, or the Major/Riviera, a brand-new passenger barge, with Valley Gem Sternwheeler. From September 6 - 8, 2024, Marietta hosts its 48th Annual Ohio River Sternwheel Festival with live music, food trucks, fireworks, and the crowning of Queen Genevieve for a crowd of over 100,000 visitors.
Chagrin Falls
Chagrin Falls is a pretty little town where the river really does run through it. Twenty-five miles southeast of Cleveland, the former mill town has a thriving arts scene centered around the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, founded in 1930, celebrating its 95th season in 2024 - 2025 with productions of The Sound of Music, Murder on the Orient Express, and Clue. It also hosts an annual Arts by the Falls festival, which attracts 15,000 visitors to the town with about 4,000 residents.
The town’s namesake waterfall is located in the heart of town on North Main Street, where visitors will also find the landmark Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop, where President George W. Bush once stopped for a snack with his wife and daughters. For a unique experience, visit the Glass Asylum, take a one-hour workshop, and bring home a souvenir. Book a bistro table at the Paris Room for dinner, where guests can order a Maria Callas tapenade or an Anais Nin salad.
Put-in-Bay
It’s no wonder the small town of Put-in-Bay, a community on Lake Erie’s South Bass Island, was named one of USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice awards for 2024. Once the naval base during the battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812, today it is the location of the only peace memorial in the U.S. National Park system, the Perry's Victory and International. Spend some time in the Visitor Center to learn more about the battle through photographs and interactive videos, the longest-held peace agreement between three nations (the United States, Canada, and Great Britain), and climb to the top of the rotunda to the observation deck which looks like a lighthouse and rises 352 feet above Lake Erie.
Take a ferry to Perry’s Island from Port Clinton, Sandusky, or Catawba Island because residents and visitors tend to get around this friendly town by golf carts, which can be rented from the Put-in-Bay Golf Cart Center. Other things to see and do, especially with kids in tow, include touring Perry’s Cave, a limestone cave discovered in 1813, visiting the Butterfly House, or playing a round of mini golf at the War of 18 Holes.
Chillicothe
Chillicothe is along the Scioto River, the longest river entirely within the state of Ohio. The town is famous for serving as Ohio’s capital twice during the state’s 220+ years of history, thanks mainly to political infighting, so it was Chillicothe-Zanesville-Chillicothe until the capital was finally moved to Columbus. It is also home to the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, which contains the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks—eight archaeological sites of the Hopewell Indigenous people dating back nearly 2,000 years. The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are Ohio’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the 25th World Heritage Listing in the United States. Visitors to Chillicothe can enjoy numerous hikes along the five large geometric earthworks trails around the 1,800-acre park, while kids can participate in the Junior Ranger Program.
Downtown Chillicothe has two historic districts to explore. The commercial district has Victorian-style buildings dating back to the late 19th century, like Machinery Hall, built in 1881. It was once an Implement Store selling farming and other equipment but is now the popular Pour House, which serves over 30 craft beers. From August 23 -24, 2024, the town unloads 300 tons of sand onto its streets for its 4th Annual Sand in the Streets festival.
Wapakoneta
“That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” said astronaut Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969, putting his hometown of Wapakoneta on the map. In honor of Armstrong becoming the first person to walk on the moon, the town is celebrating its annual Summer Moon Festival from July 12 - 21, 2024. The much-anticipated event will include bed races, live music, pickleball and cornhole tournaments, and a meet and greet with NASA astronauts at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum.
Learn more about the town’s history at the Wapakoneta Museum or take a self-guided walking tour of historic Wapakoneta, which has 65 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Stop at the quirky city-block-sized Temple of Tolerance—a Stonehenge-like mix of glacial boulders, architectural artifacts, and lots of unusual treasures, the 1904 former opera-house-turned-movie-theater Wapa Theatre, and Neil Armstrong’s boyhood home. End the tour with a stop at Five Vine Winery’s tasting room, where “it’s five all the time.”
Yellow Springs
Twenty miles east of Dayton, the picturesque town of Yellow Springs is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Known for its natural beauty, it is home to the 1,000-acre Glen Helen Nature Preserve, the John Bryan State Park, and the stunning Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve with its dramatic limestone gorges and lush scenery. The Glen Helen Nature Preserve has over 15 miles of rustic trails, stone steps, and wooden boardwalks connected to the John Bryan State Park on its southern edge.
Yellow Springs is a college town through and through, with the private liberal arts Antioch College located on the Glen Helen Nature Preserve, so there’s a vibrant arts community in downtown Yellow Springs with funky shops like the House of Ravenwood mystical shop, independent Dark Star Books, and Vinylgram. The Yellow Springs Brewery and Taproom is in the heart of the town, featuring 20 taps and a rotating parade of food trucks. The brewery is next to the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a multi-purpose 78-mile trail that winds through Yellow Springs. Finally, no visit to Yellow Springs is complete without a stop at Young’s Jersey Dairy, a local farm that dates back to 1869. Pretend to go for the fresh produce, but stay for a round of Udders & Putters mini golf, a spin around Cowtherine’s Carousel, and a double-scoop of their Flavor of the Week homemade ice cream.
Oberlin
Oberlin is another liberal arts college town, with the prestigious Oberlin College and its world-class music conservatory as its centerpiece. Over one-third of the town’s population is students, and the town has a youthful and vibrant atmosphere. With a very progressive history for its time, Oberlin was the first college in the U.S. to grant bachelor’s degrees to women and among the first to admit African-American students.
Tappan Square is a 13-acre community green space that connects the college to the town and is a National Historic Landmark. In addition to exploring the college campus, other sites to see in Oberlin include the Allen Memorial Art Museum, whose rotating exhibits for 2024 include “Echoes of the Pandemic” and an exploration of Christianity and HIV/AIDS, the historic Apollo Theater, open since 1913, and the Oberlin Heritage Center which offers guided tours of Oberlin’s landmark buildings: The 1866 Monroe House, the 1836/37 Little Red Schoolhouse, and The 1884 Jewett House.
Geneva-on-the-Lake
Geneva-on-the-Lake is a charming resort town on the shores of Lake Erie. It is a very walkable town, so park the car at the hotel and rent a golf cart from Sunset Transportation to get around. While there, ask out their wine tours of the Grand River Valley to visit nearby wineries like Debonne Vineyards—the largest estate winery in Ohio with over 175 acres of land. However, with over 30 wineries in Ohio Wine Country, there are plenty of wineries to explore.
The main road in Genena-on-the-Lake runs along Lake Road and is commonly referred to as “The Strip,” making it easy for visitors to stroll up and down, popping into shops, entertainment hotspots, and eateries like 1950s-era Eddie’s Grill for cheeseburgers, fries, and root beer out of a barrel, Madsen Donuts, or Pucker Up Candy Shoppe for old-time favorites like neon pink cotton candy, gummy worms, and candy buttons. Kids won’t resist the lure of the Adventure Zone Family Fun Center, where they can go zipline, go-kart, practice in the batting cages, and play putt-putt golf.
The Takeaway
Explore Ohio's welcoming charm and rich history with its friendly small towns. From picturesque villages and historic river towns to vibrant arts communities and scenic resort areas, Ohio offers an eclectic range of experiences. Full of outdoor adventures, historical landmarks, unique local shops, and family-friendly attractions, any of these nine small towns in this Midwest state make an ideal destination for making new friends and lasting memories.
