Dayton Ohio

[Artistic Skaters]

That is one boring drive from Springfield to Columbus on I-70! A lot of other OH interstates give you the "repent so you don't go to hell" serial signs on the side of the barns (or stuck in the cornfields) for entertainment during the journey, but not this one. So bring books on CD or NPR! Or take the 'off the beaten path' road via Route 40 & stop at the historic Red Brick Tavern for tea.

I like the Westcott House by Frank Lloyd Wright and can easily spend all day at the Heart of Ohio antique center - both in Springfield.

[Prancer]

That is one boring drive from Springfield to Columbus on I-70!

Ack! I hate driving on 70. Wall-to-wall semis! I usually do the Springfield to Columbus section with gritted teeth and white knuckles, although that may be because I somehow always end up driving that way during heavy commute hours.

I don't know that I have ever been to Springfield. People I know there describe it as a farm town married to the ghetto . Somehow, it just hasn't hit my list of places to go.

[Artistic Skaters]

Take old Route 40. It only adds a little more time. There is this great rundown diner in an old gas station (I think it's called Henry's - blink and you miss it) in W Jefferson where they make the best pies! We had strawberry rhubarb & it was really delicious pie. It's listed in the Road Food book by the Sterns. And the Red Brick Tavern is where all the presidents stopped - it needs renovations now, but they'll let you go look upstairs & you can picture it in the old glory days.

[Meredith]

If you have only one day in Dayton - or part of a day - I'd check out one of the museums others have listed above.

Driving to Columbus from Dayton via I-70 will be tricky; the interstate has been closed down completely on the west side of Columbus for a few days due to bridge work. Negotiating that highway has to be a nightmare right now.

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/loc...t.html?sid=102

[PDilemma]

IKEA!!! (Sorry, suffering IKEA withdrawal here out in the boonies.)

Um, there's a kind of creepy giant Jesus sculpture (in front of a church) rising out of the ground off of I-75 as you're heading into Dayton. I'm sure it wasn't meant to be creepy but the way it's situated is, well, strange.

It's definitely creepy. What kind of tackiness has overtaken both the artist and the congregation who paid to have it on their property?

[Prancer]

It's definitely creepy. What kind of tackiness has overtaken both the artist and the congregation who paid to have it on their property?

It was originally intended to be a gigantic, whole body statue, but either they didn't have enough money or they couldn't get approval or something, and had to go with what you now see.

Thank God (no pun intended). It's frightening enough to come across it as it is.

[Susan1]

What days will you be there? You can check to see if there are any concerts at the Fraze Pavilion those nights. Its in Kettering, Ohio, so not too far from where you will be. I LOVE Fraze Pavilion for concerts! Its very small and intimate and situated right in the middle of a boulevard. Not a bad seat in the house, not even on the lawn or terrace (bleacher seating). I drive from Cincincinnati to see concerts there versus Riverbend in Cincinnati because the Fraze is such a better venue.

http://www.fraze.com/

The Goo Goo Dolls are there tonight. Johnny Rzeznik is less than 10 miles away from me!!!! Oh well...........

[Susan1]

If you fly into the Dayton Airport, you won't be anywhere near Ol' Touchdown Jesus.

The Air Force museum is one big zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz if you ask me. It's a plane. It's another plane. It's a whole lot of planes and then a whole lotta jets. There is a small but interesting Holocaust exhibit, but otherwise, zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Where are you staying and are you going to have a rental car? Springfield is about 25 miles from Dayton, so if you are staying in Springfield, you might to look for things to do there instead of Dayton.

What night might you be stuck and what do you like to do?

I've been to the AF museum four times in my life (twice on school field trips). A few years ago with a boyfriend who used to be in the air force, so he was very educational. What I spent the most time looking at was a WWII exhibit that had letters and clothes and memorabilia. (Why are we talking about this???)

And..........Springfield is "about" halfway between Dayton and Columbus. If I was stuck in Springfield, I'd find something to do in the Columbus suburbs. Their zoo is fantastic.

[Susan1]

I think there's an arboretum in between Dayton and Miamisburg. I flew into the Dayton Airport once to get to Miamisburg, but I was going there for work so I didn't have time for sightseeing. However, I remember taking a bunch of those pamphlets from the hotel in case I ever went back there. I remember the taxi driver (a native of Dayton) telling me that I should go to Cincinnati if I ever came back.

Cox Arboretum south of Dayton on St. Rt. 741. Very nice, yes.

Where were you going for work here in lovely Miamisburg?

[Susan1]

[QUOTE=Prancer;2752833]Ah, class of '84. You probably remember Jonathan's .

I do. I do!!!

Carillon Park. It's a museum park. I find it about as interesting as I find the Air Force museum, but there are people who like it.

You didn't used to have to pay to see the exhibits or go to the restaurant! "Back in the day" - they had a Wright Brothers Cycle Shop reproduction. My grandfather worked there when he was a kid.

The problem with Butter Jesus is that he's right along I-75, which is a very busy highway. You can't stop and gawk at him--or rather, you can, but it's not particularly safe.

Just get somebody else to drive!! Hey, if you're here on a weekend, there's a great big flea market right past "Butter Jesus".



For shopping, I would recommend The Greene. It's a pedestrian mall with lots of shops

High priced shops!

You might also like Yellow Springs, as tracylynn mentioned above. Yellow Springs is a tiny little hippie village.

In the spring and fall, there is a street fair that is really fun and interesting.

If you are up for a longer drive, you could also go the opposite way and go to Columbus, which is much bigger and there's more to do there.

That's what I said!

[Stefanie]

Cox Arboretum south of Dayton on St. Rt. 741. Very nice, yes.

Where were you going for work here in lovely Miamisburg?

There's a company called Sourcelink (printing) that I work with on a government contract. It's located near a Max and Erma's restaurant and I went there for lunch and it was very good. (I'd never been to one before.)

[Susan1]

There's a company called Sourcelink (printing) that I work with on a government contract. It's located near a Max and Erma's restaurant and I went there for lunch and it was very good. (I'd never been to one before.)

Glad you got to go to Max & Erma's. That one is closed now! There is a new one down 741 though. I don't suppose you got the chocolate chip cookies? You order them early so that they come to the table hot (and gooey and delicious). Totally off topic now, but does anyone remember when Max & Erma's had those old fashioned telephones at the table so you could call other tables. We-ird! They had the best quiche for years.

[Prancer]

Totally off topic now, but does anyone remember when Max & Erma's had those old fashioned telephones at the table so you could call other tables.

Ha ha ha ha ha, I do; it was supposed to be a swinging singles place then. Do you remember the giant masthead woman with beer tap boobs? When I was about 14, one of my friends' older brothers and his girlfriend took me there for dinner for my first visit and allowed us to order drinks--which we were served without question. I had two Harvey Wallbangers that I drank very quickly and then my friend and I started calling other tables.

Now Max and Erma's is just another TGIFriday's/Chili's/Whatever. Even the Garbage Burger and sundae bar in a bathtub are mere shadows of their former selves.

[KCC]

Another weird thing about that Max & Erma's restaurant -- the restrooms were switched. On each restroom, there was a picture of "Max" or "Erma". The pictures had "men" and "ladies" written on their arm and they were pointing to the other room. That place was always full of quirky little surprises.