A 48-Hour Weekend Itinerary in Dayton

Two days is enough to get a real feel for Dayton without rushing. Here's how we'd spend it if you asked us directly.

Saturday morning. Start at the National Museum of the US Air Force — go early to beat the crowds and give yourself at least three hours. Grab lunch at the on-site café or hold out for downtown.

Saturday afternoon. Head into downtown Dayton for a slower pace: the Dayton Art Institute if you want a museum that isn't aviation-focused, or a walk along the Riverscape MetroPark trails along the Great Miami River.

Saturday night. The Oregon District is the move — dinner on Fifth Street, then work your way through a couple of the neighborhood's bars on foot. It's compact enough that you don't need to drive between stops.

Sunday. Keep it easy: brunch, then pick one based on what you're into — Kettering's parks and the Fraze Pavilion grounds if there's a show, or a short drive out to Yellow Springs for its shops, cafés, and the Clifton Gorge trails, before heading home or to the airport.