What is Dayton like (Columbus, Cincinnati: townhouses, neighborhoods, theater)

[ferner1]

Would you recommend Dayton compared to Cincy or Columbus? What drew my eye was the extensive bike trails they appear to have. Is that true, for those who live there, do you feel there are good bike trails? Is it a good culture city, good coffee/restaurants? What makes Dayton stand out

[joe from dayton]

Are you asking about Dayton proper or Dayton metro?

Dayton has a great metro park system and bike trails. I think we have a lot of cultural type things for a city of our size, but I wouldn't call Dayton a cultured city. The stuff is out there (theater, music, dance, museums, etc.) if you want to find it. Covid has obviously hit the hospitality industry pretty hard. In addition to all of the usual chain places, we have a pretty good selection of independent restaurants, coffee shops, pizza places, and bakeries.

I don't know if anything makes Dayton stand out. It is a typical rust belt city that is trying to reinvent itself, and it is having some success in that regard after many years of decline. The University of Dayton is a great community partner with the city. Hopefully the downtown Arcade project will be a crown jewel for the city and the university. Premier Health is another major player in the area.

If you like sports, UD basketball and Dayton Dragons baseball are major draws and are well supported.

Are you trying to choose which of the three cities to move to?

[aca1]

Compared to Cincinnati, the bike trails are better. I have thoroughly enjoyed them over the past year I have lived here. I couldn't really say about the bike trails vs the ones in Columbus. I also think the metro parks hiking trail systems here are a bit better than either Cincinnati or Columbus.

I would recommend it for price, but if you are into culture as in coffee shops and trendier restaurants then Cincinnati or Columbus would be more your style. Dayton has some of all of that, just in smaller amounts.

The pizza and sandwiches stand out to me food-wise.

[Natural510]

I don’t know much about Cincinnati, though I appreciate the architecture there. I prefer Dayton to Columbus (despite living in Cbus as a kid) because it’s more dense and easy to navigate, and more of a down-to-earth vibe. Ten years ago Dayton didn’t have much going for itself, but there’s been a ton of new restaurants, cafes and drinking spots which have opened up since then, and more people (especially in their 20s-30s) living downtown. The park system and convergence of rivers running through the city lend a nice aesthetic, and the Dayton Art Institute is pretty nice for a city this size.

[woxyroxme]

I would say Dayton is a good place to live. Driving from A to B is hassle free and less problematic, lighter traffic and drivers tend to be more considerate. The Oregon District is awesome, there is a lot of renewal taking place downtown, new townhouses on Monument Ave, restoration of the Arcade and the “commercial building” at 4th and Ludlow. There are plans to invest in the fireblocks district (3rd & St.Clair area) I know people who have bought houses in East Dayton that they are fixing up which is a good thing that Dayton needs more of as opposed to fueling the sprawl in Beavercreek and Springboro.

If I was working in downtown Dayton I would not have a problem living in a close in area like Grafton Hill, 5 oaks, St. Anne hill or east Dayton and fixing up an existing house which is what I did with my house in Lebanon when my wife and I bought it.

[ohio_peasant]

The bike-trails and other nature-type of sites are unusually vibrant in Dayton, for a city of its size. Look especially to the SE side of Dayton for the better amenities. But unlike Cincinnati or Columbus, Dayton is more "blue collar". It no longer has the corporate-HQ, the office-type of jobs that would presumably attract professionals who seek to relocate. The one notable exception is Wright-Patterson AFB, and its satellite companies and offices. These are sometimes referred to by locals, as a bubble of affluence.

[Nomomo07]

I tend to think very little about Dayton other than when I visit my friend who lives in the Oregon District. It seems like a nice little city but I have always thought there is very little to do. Culture-wise it is what you'd expect to it to be. Less to do than a larger city like Cincinnati or Columbus but I can't speak to quality because I've never had a reason to explore the arts there. I already have so much to do here in Cincinnati. Lots of lovely little neighborhoods though and I really appreciate the bus system still using the overhead wires.