Whether you're in Ohio visiting Airstream's Jackson Center production facility and service center, or just passing through, we've got your guide to getting the most out of the Midwest. We've organized this Round Trip guide into three sections: Best places to eat, best places to get a drink, and great nearby attractions that we love. Each list is assembled in descending order, from closest to Jackson Center to furthest away.
Before You Head Out of Town
If this is your first trip to Jackson Center – or if it's been a while since you were last here – don't head out of town without first checking out the local sites. Start at our Travel Trailer Production Facility (the large building on the west end of town). There you'll find:
- The Airstream Heritage Center: Step back through more than 90 year of iconic RV history, complete with a stunning collection of vintage Airstreams and curated collections of artifacts, schematics, videos, and more. Click here for more information about hours, cost, and details.
- Airstream Plant Tours: Take an in-depth walking tour of facilities. Currently, we offer tours of our Travel Trailer, Touring Coach, and Basecamp Production Facilities (three separate tours). Click here for more information and to schedule a tour.
- The Airstream Supply Company Flagship Store: Located just inside the lobby of our Travel Trailer Production Facility, our Airstream Supply Company store is stocked with unique apparel, camping gear, vintage items, and gifts galore.
- Caravan Cafe, Proudly Serving Starbucks: Grab a coffee or a cold drink and start your day on the right foot.
Once you've taken a tour and visited the Heritage Center, it's time to look beyond the cornfields of Jackson Center. While we try our best to keep these guides up to date, it's always a good idea to double check to ensure locations are open before you set off.
Best Places to Eat
- The Inn Between, Botkins: Home-cooked meals, incredible fried chicken, and a great selection of craft beer. Link
- The Sene Grill, Sidney: Traditional Senegalese food with a Caribbean twist. Link
- Brewfontaine, Bellefontaine: Big draft beer menu (plus dozens of cans and bottles) with great sandwiches, salads, and sides. Link
- Haren's Market, Troy: A small market specializing in local meat, grass-fed beef, and more. Grab a sandwich and eat on the porch, or grab grilling essentials to take back for dinner. Link
- Agave and Rye, Troy: Epic tacos with a whiskey/tequila bar to boot. Link
- La Fiesta, Troy: A longtime favorite for Mexican food (two locations in Troy: One is a sit-down restaurant, while the other offers a drive-thru). Link
- Sakai Japanese Bistro, Troy: Fresh flavors, a Hibachi grill, and a wide-ranging sushi menu. Link
- Coldwater Cafe, Tipp City: A fine cuisine restaurant that's been a popular destination for more than 20 years. Link
- Jollity, Dayton: A relative newcomer, Jollity offers an eclectic menu of Asia-inspired cuisine. Link
Best Places to Grab a Drink
Bars + Carry-Out
- The Heidout, Jackson Center: Hometown bar that's walking distance from the Airstream Terraport.
- The Growler Station at Karoc Marathon, Sidney: This gas station offers one of the best craft beer selections in the area, including a dozen growler fill taps. Link
- Moeller Brew Barn, Maria Stein & Troy: Hand-crafted beer with great food selection. Link
- Bodega, Tipp City: A wide variety of wine, along with carry-out dinners and a la carte food options. Link
- Tender Mercy, Dayton: An underground bar with an eclectic vibe. Link
- Century Bar, Dayton: An expansive whiskey menu with a speakeasy feel.
- Warped Wing, Dayton: One of Dayton's most beloved craft breweries. Link
Coffee
- Greenhaus Coffee, Sidney: Great coffee with a midcentury vibe, with a small gift and plant store for browsing. Link
- Winans, Various locations in Wapakoneta, Troy, and Piqua: A local stalwart of the coffee scene, they have a great factory tour. Link
- Purebred Coffee, Troy: Bringing together the art and science of coffee. Link
Best Attractions That Are Worth the Trip
- Armstrong Museum, Wapakoneta: Located in Neil Armstrong's hometown, this small but mighty museum is an ode to Ohio's place in space.
- The Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen: An impressive collection of early bicycles highlights this local gem.
- Carillon Historical Park, Dayton: 65-acre open-air history museum with many original, historic buildings, and an original Wright Brothers airplane.
- The Neon Movies, Dayton: A fun little art house theatre showing the best new releases.
- US Air Force Museum, Dayton: Rivals the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, with a massive collection of jets, airplanes, and more.
- SunWatch Indian Village, Dayton: A museum and recreation of an 800-year-old American Indian Village that once stood on the same site.
Best Places to Get Outdoors
- Glen Helen, Yellow Springs: This funky little community east of Dayton is a destination in its own right, but take some time to explore "the Glen" – one of Ohio's most beautiful natural landscapes.
- Brukner Nature Center, Troy: Miles of hiking trails, ponds, ridges, and valleys make for excellent outdoor time.
- Hocking Hills, Logan: A bit of a drive from Jackson Center (approximately 2 hours), but you're rewarded with one of the country's most amazing, underappreciated natural areas, with incredible caves and cliffs to hike in, around, and through.
This guide to Jackson Center and the surrounding area was built with the Airstreamer in mind. But you don't have to be an Airstreamer to take advantage of everything Ohio has to offer. Whatever your reason for visiting the Buckeye State, we've got your guide to getting the most out of your stay.
