1. Forget New York Vs. Chicago—Dayton Style Pizza Is The Best Thing Ever
Who needs a giant plate-sized triangle of pizza, or a slice as thick as lasagna? Tiny square slices from Marion’s Piazza reign supreme in Dayton.
2. No One Is More Devoted Than A Dragons Fan
The Dayton Dragons aren’t just any old minor league baseball team. They’re a minor league baseball team backed by the most enthusiastic fans ever… literally. The Dragons have broken the record for most consecutive sellouts by a professional sports team at 815 consecutive games.
3. Everyone Wishes It Was Winter All Summer
Dayton summers aren’t just blisteringly hot—they’re also ridiculously humid. That’s why the most common sentence uttered during a Dayton summer is, “I can’t wait for winter.”
4. Everyone Wishes It Was Summer All Winter
Of course, when winter does actually hit, Daytonians are bombarded with six feet of sticky snow they have to shovel out of their driveway… and then summer starts to look pretty good. It’s an endless cycle.
5. No One Can Choose Between Mike-Sells And Grippo’s
Mike-sell’s potato chips are produced in Dayton, and Grippo’s are made in nearby Cincinnati. Asking a Daytonian to choose a favorite is like asking a parent to pick their favorite child.
6. Airplanes Are A Seriously Huge Deal Here
The Wright Company’s first manufacturing plant was located in Dayton, but this city isn’t just a part of the history of flight. If you’re from Dayton, odds are you also know someone who works at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (the largest in the country).
7. But Pilots Aren’t The Only Flyers Daytonian Go Wild About
If you’re in Dayton while the Flyers are playing, root for the Flyers. Unless, of course, you want to be totally ostracized.
8. Everyone Sides With Cincinnati
Dayton isn’t too far from Columbus or Cincinnati, but if Daytonians are forced to choose where they want to take a day trip, it’s Cincinnati every time.
9. Unless The Ohio State Buckeyes Are In The Playoffs
And then Daytonians, like everyone else from Ohio, get totally into Columbus for a little while.
10. Yep, People Actually Like Chili On Spaghetti
Skyline Chili is, admittedly, an acquired taste. But Daytonians will always stand by the spaghetti-chili-eight-pounds-of-cheese dinner as a delicious staple meal.
11. You Don’t Have To Fly To Get To Oregon
When Daytonians talk about going to Oregon, they’re not talking about the one in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon District is a quaint historic district with tons of art galleries, coffee houses, and boutiques.
12. But The Craft Brewery Scene Rivals The Other Oregon’s
Between Warped Wing Brewing Company, Toxic Brew Company, and the Carillon Brewing Co., Dayton’s craft brewing scene is definitely on the map. Crafty (get it?) Daytonians even brew their own with the help of local group D.R.A.F.T.
13. Everyone Is Passing Off Those Killer Brownies As Their Own
Dayton knows how to do brownies right—gooey delicious caramel between two fudgy layers of chocolate brownie, with lots of chopped pecans and powdered sugar. Odds are if someone is from Dayton, they’ve totally bought a Dorothy Lane brownie plate and passed it off as home baking at some point.
14. If You Don’t Work In Aviation, You Work In Healthcare
If you had to describe a typical Dayton home, one parent would work at an Air Force Base, and the other would work at one of Dayton’s many hospitals or research centers.
15. Everyone From Dayton Is A Chocoholic
Hey, you would be too if your city was the home of the totally decadent Esther Price Candies.
16. Everyone Went To Wright State Or University Of Dayton
It’s not strange to walk around downtown with a Daytonian and run into fifteen of their former college buddies in the process.
17. Those Stereotypes About Daytonians Being Uncultured Is Totally Untrue
If you have any doubts, a trip to the Dayton Art Institute definitely will. The museum contains over 20,000 objects, including works by Edgar Degas, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Claude Monet.
18. You’ll See A Lot Of Those Orange Barrels
Every road in Dayton is always simultaneously under construction… or at least it starts to seem that way after awhile. Add an extra fifteen or twenty minutes onto any travel time, and you should be just fine.
19. Politics Aside, Daytonians Support Their Troops
If you don’t say thank you to anyone you see in uniform, a Daytonian just might shame you. This is one city where, regardless of political affiliation or personal beliefs, the troops get a whole lot of respect.
20. If Dayton Feels Too Small, Explore During Urban Nights
Every spring and fall, downtown Dayton comes totally alive for Urban Nights. Over 30,000 people pack the streets for the massive street party that highlights local nightlife and businesses, proving once and for all that Dayton isn’t some small town.
21. But You Should Still Watch Out For Deer
Every Daytonian has at least one near-miss story or a really messed up bumper from a car vs. deer collision. Dayton may not be the middle of nowhere… but deer don’t really seem to know that.
22. The Best View Is From… A Cemetery
So, you haven’t hung out in cemeteries since you were an angsty eighth grade mall goth… but all that is about to change. The view from the highest point of Woodland Cemetery is one of the best in the city.
23. Everyone Is Irish At The Dayton Celtic Festival
It’s like Saint Patrick’s Day, but bigger and better. Bring your own kilt, and relax in a beer garden while listening to lots of live music for a truly Dayton experience.
24. No, The Price Tag Is Right—It’s Really Just That Cheap
The cost of living in Dayton is ridiculously low. Rent is cheap, food is cheap, and entertainment is cheap. A little goes a really long way.
25. You Shouldn’t Feed The Ducks At Eastwood Park
Because they will gather around you in a massive duck cluster and follow you around all day. But you should totally feed yourself. Eastwood is one of the prettiest places to have a picnic on a nice spring day.
26. Bill’s Donut Shop Is Totally Worth The Drive
Located in the Dayton metro area in Centerville, Bill’s serves up some seriously delicious donuts. Maple bacon, anyone?
27. The Only People Who Can Dis Dayton Are Daytonians
You’ll hear Daytonians curse and praise their city in the same breath, but don’t even think about it as an outsider. Even if a Daytonian is complaining about their home, they’ll immediately jump to its defense if you say one negative word.
What do you have to explain about Dayton to out-of-towners? Tell us in the comments below!
