Explore the top things to do in Yellow Springs, Ohio! Go hiking, discover murals, go shopping, and eat at favorite Yellow Springs restaurants.

Things To Do In Yellow Springs, Ohio

Explore the top things to do in Yellow Springs, Ohio! Go hiking, discover murals, go shopping, and eat at favorite Yellow Springs restaurants.

Things To Do In Yellow Springs, Ohio

Known as “Everyone’s Favorite Place,” this hippie town in Ohio is small but packs a wallop. It’s a colorful, diverse, and genuine place where everyone is welcome. We’ve been to Yellow Springs a couple of times now and just love the vibe there. If you’re ever passing through Ohio, we highly recommend you visit.

Where is Yellow Springs, Ohio?

Yellow Springs, Ohio is about 30 minutes east of Dayton and 20 minutes south of Springfield. If you’re looking for day trips from Cincinnati or Columbus, it’s perfectly situated near I-675 and I-70, so the drive is just about an hour from both cities.

Downtown Yellow Springs

Downtown Yellow Springs is fun and eclectic. As you walk down Xenia Avenue, downtown’s main street, you’ll see vibrant colors, friendly people, and a mix of unique shops and eateries. We’re especially fond of the murals and artwork sprinkled throughout Downtown Yellow Springs.

Downtown Yellow Springs Ohio
Downtown Yellow Springs
A fun Yellow Springs OH mural
A fun Yellow Springs mural
sculptures around Downtown Yellow Springs
We also found sculptures around Downtown Yellow Springs
Beautifully decorated bench in Yellow Springs Ohio
Beautifully decorated bench

Yellow Springs Shops

One of our favorite things to do in Yellow Springs is to wander the town’s many shops. Most are located on Xenia Avenue, but you’ll also find many on Kings Yard, Corry Street, and Dayton Street.

Yellow Springs shops offer something for everyone; from pottery and jewelry to eco-friendly handmade clothing and comic books. Some of our favorite shops include Asanda Imports, Urban Handmade, Super-Fly Comics & Games, House of Ravenwood, and Little Miami Mercantile which is the gift shop inside the Mills Park Hotel.

Asanda Imports in Yellow Springs Ohio
Asanda Imports
Asanda Imports in Yellow Springs Ohio
Inside Asanda Imports you’ll find incredible pieces from Bali
Cool sign inside Urban Handmade
Cool sign inside Urban Handmade
Everything in Urban Handmade is made by local artists
Everything in Urban Handmade is made by local artists
Inside Super-Fly Comics & Games in Yellow Springs Ohio
Inside Super-Fly Comics & Games
House of Ravenwood in Yellow Springs Ohio
House of Ravenwood
Inside House of Ravenwood in Yellow Springs Ohio
Inside House of Ravenwood you’ll find gems, books, sculptures, and more
Mills Park Hotel in Yellow Springs Ohio
Mills Park Hotel
Little Miami Mercantile
Little Miami Mercantile

Yellow Springs Restaurants

There are plenty of Yellow Springs restaurants and cafes to choose from. One of the most popular is Ye Olde Trail Tavern. It’s one of the top things to do in Yellow Springs because it is the oldest tavern in Ohio! Besides beer and wine, they also have great food. We had a Chicken Kebap that was delicious!

Ye Olde Trail Tavern
Ye Olde Trail Tavern
Chicken Kebap from Ye Olde Trail Tavern
Chicken Kebap

Another place you absolutely must go to is Young’s Jersey Dairy. It’s a working dairy farm and restaurant that sells homemade ice cream and cheese curds! And yes, it is acceptable to eat both at the same time. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Mark getting up close to one of the Young's Jersey Dairy cows
Mark getting up close to one of the Young’s Jersey Dairy cows lol!
Buddy enjoying homemade ice cream and cheese curds
Buddy enjoying homemade ice cream and cheese curds

About three miles north of town is Brandeberry Winery. We really enjoyed the flight of wine we had (only $6) as well as the peaceful setting of the winery itself. We could have spent all afternoon there!

Wine tasting at Brandeberry Winery
Wine tasting at Brandeberry Winery

We’ve also eaten at, and recommend, Underdog Cafe, Sunrise Cafe, and Calypso Grill and Smokehouse.

Additionally, we’d like to point out that there is a very popular beer scene in and around Yellow Springs. In town you’ll find Yellow Springs Brewery and in nearby Xenia and Springfield you’ll find Devil Wind Brewing and Mother Stewart’s Brewing Company, respectively. In nearby Dayton, you’ll find Warped Wing Brewing Company, which comes very highly recommended.

Hiking Trails

Just east of Downtown Yellow Springs you’ll find Glen Helen, a 1000-acre nature preserve. Inside there are 20 miles of hiking trails, along which visitors will see wildflowers, majestic trees, waterfalls, and the beautiful yellow spring for which the town is named. To facilitate your hike, we recommend downloading the Glen Helen Trail Map.

Some of the wildflowers you might see while hiking
Some of the wildflowers you might see while hiking

Bike Trail

There’s also a Yellow Springs bike trail that is also very popular. It’s called the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and it is the third longest paved trail in the US. It runs just over 78 miles, from Springfield to Cincinnati, and is paved the entire way making it perfect for biking. From Yellow Springs you can bike north for about seven miles to Springfield or south for about 10 miles to Xenia. The bike trail briefly runs along Glen Helen Nature Preserve.

forest in Ohio
As you bike you’ll pass rivers, parks, and forests

Pro Tip: Another town we love for its welcoming and vibrant vibe is Provincetown, Massachusetts!

Final Thoughts On Things To Do In Yellow Springs

Since our first visit, we really enjoyed this funky small town and are so happy we’ve been able to go back and visit again. There’s such a strong feeling of community there, with everyone supporting each other. There are no chain restaurants or businesses, only local. And everyone is welcome, no matter your race, religion, gender, or sexuality. We love visiting towns like this, and wish more places around the world would emulate Yellow Springs’ welcoming nature.

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Explore the top things to do in Yellow Springs, Ohio! Go hiking, discover murals, go shopping, and eat at favorite Yellow Springs restaurants.

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10 Comments

  1. I agree with you and Buddy on Yellow Springs being a very cool town to visit. it was a nice surprise from the present-day towns that we see all too often all over the USA. If it wasn’t for you and Buddy, I would not have stopped here.

    For your readers who like pizza, the pizzas at the Ye Olde Trail Tavern are designed for one person (no small, medium, large). However, when I had the taco pizza, I was shocked to see how ginormous it was. It was fantastic and certainly filled me up better than a medium pizza but I had to chase it down with a beer. Well worth it.

    I certainly look forward to passing through Yellow Springs again one way or the other somehow. I was very surprised at how close it was to Dayton when we went to visit the National Museum of the US Air Force. It took us what, 30 minutes to get there? I can only imagine how much time would fly if staying in Yellow Springs and using as a base to explore nearby areas up to an hour away.

    1. It’s certainly in a good area to be able to do plenty of day trips from. ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. I am a lover of the color yellow. So I looked up images of the yellow spring flower and got sunflowers! So, What month are they best seen in Yellow Springs, Ohio?

    1. I’m not sure about flowers, the town is named after a spring.

  3. I love that you’ve highlighted a fun and quirky small town I could easily visit here in the Midwest. I pulled up a Google map to pinpoint where Yellow Springs is located, and it’s not far from I-75! I’ve made a mental note to visit Young’s Jersey Dairy for ice cream and cheese curds and to stop by Brandeberry Winery for a tasting. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. Awesome! I know you’ll enjoy the town and its eateries. ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. At first glance, Yellow Springs is an inconspicuous and boring little town. I thought so, too, until I visited a year ago. This is an absolutely amazing place, insanely cozy, and the people there are incredibly kind and responsive! You have shown Yellow Springs as accurately as possible.

    1. Thanks so much Ellen! We appreciate your comment. Yellow Springs really is a hidden gem. ๐Ÿ™‚

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