20 Charming Small Ohio Towns That Are Worth The Trip

Sometimes we all need a little escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Ohio is home to plenty of beautiful, small towns that boast history, culture and a taste of nature. Here's a few to consider for your next quiet get-away.

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Granville

Located about 2.5 hours from Cincinnati
Granville is a small town located about 30 minutes east of Columbus, with a downtown area filled with shops, restaurants and lovely sights. Settled by New Englanders, the style of its historic buildings resemble those you would see in towns of Massachusetts. You can explore landmarks such as the Alligator Mound, the Bryn Du Mansion estate and the Robbins Hunter Museum.
Photo via Facebook.com/GranvilleOH

Yellow Springs

Located about 1.5 hours from Cincinnati
Yellow Springs is the perfect destination for those who have a love for arts, culture and nature. Throughout the year the town hosts various arts and music festivals, ranging from intimate gatherings to large events. The village is surrounded by nature reserves, hiking and biking trails and canyons. With its close proximity, Yellow Springs is a great choice for a day trip filled with adventure and stunning sights.
Photo: Elizabeth Schmitt

Millersburg

Located about 3.5 hours from Cincinnati
If you’ve ever been interested in the Amish culture, Millersburg is in the heart of Amish country and just over a three-hour drive from Cincinnati. There you’ll find Yoder’s Amish Home, where you can learn firsthand about Amish day-to-day living and culture via tours of the farm, house and land. There’s also the Guggisberg Cheese Factory, which is the home of the original baby Swiss cheese. There are also many other Amish towns nearby, such as Berlin or Walnut Creek, with more activities and lodging.
Photo via Facebook.com/YodersAmishHome

Oxford

Located about one hour from Cincinnati
Oxford is a small college town in southwest Ohio that's home to Miami University. It has plenty of restaurants, bars, festivals and concerts to keep any visitor entertained, and Hueston Woods State Park is located just 10 minutes away from downtown.
Photo via Facebook.com/EnjoyOxford

Willoughby

Located about 4 hours from Cincinnati
Willoughby sits beside the Chagrin River, and is a town rich in history that can be dated back to Native American settlements. It is also the only town in America to belong to six different counties at one point or another. With scenic nature reserves and historical buildings and monuments, Willoughby is a great spot to roam and soak in the antiquity of Ohio. Concerts in the Wes Point Park Pavilion are to be held Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. from June 20-Aug. 29.
Photo via Facebook.com/TheCityofWilloughby

Marblehead

Located about 4 hours from Cincinnati
Sitting on the tip of Marblehead peninsula, dividing Lake Erie from Sandusky Bay, and 20 miles from Cedar Point amusement park is the small village of Marblehead, home to less than 1,000 permanent residents according to the 2010 census. This quaint lakefront hamlet is in a region known as “vacationland” for its sport fishing and boating community during the summer months. Marblehead also has a functioning lighthouse that has been in operation since 1822.
Photo via marbleheadohio.org

Marietta

Located about 3.5 hours from Cincinnati
Marietta was the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory. Today, it stands bustling with beautiful historical attractions and adventurous outdoor activities. The city has over 30 miles of hiking and biking trails, and access to kayaking and canoe rentals on its picturesque river. There’s also an incredible amount of monuments, museums and architectural marvels to check out.
Photo via Facebook.com/CityMariettaOhio

Wooster

Located about 3 hours from Cincinnati
Wooster, Ohio is filled with amazing architecture, from the gothic revival courthouse to the victorian homes. Take a walk down the main street and you’ll fall in love with this little slice of historical heaven. Oh, and the food is pretty great too!
Photo via Facebook.com/CityofWooster

Tipp City

Located about 1.5 miles from Cincinnati
Tipp City attained its odd abbreviated moniker decades after it was founded in 1840, when it was named after “Tippecanoe,” the nickname of our shortest-tenured president, William Henry Harrison. In its early history, Tipp City operated as a popular stopping-off point along the 274-mile Miami and Erie Canal. Ohio Magazine named Tipp City in its annual list of top 5 hometowns in 2015-16.
Photo via Facebook.com/DowntownTippCity

Medina

Located about 3.5 hours from Cincinnati
Medina, located about 20 miles west of Akron, is a community that is proud of its heritage and passionate about preserving it. The charming historic center located in the heart of town defines their image. On Friday nights in the summertime you can find musicians playing in the Public Square Park, just as they have since 1859.
Photo via Facebook.com/CityofMedinaCityHall