An Airstreamer-Approved Guide to Jackson Center, Ohio
Make the most of your trip, with our picks for where to stay, where to eat, and where to experience the best of the Midwest.
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.
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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.
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).
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See how our iconic travel trailers and touring coaches are crafted, then explore the campus and visit the Heritage Center to experience Airstream history up close.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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.