By Heather Rader

Posted On: Mar 25, 2022

Located in west central Ohio, Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County and offers visitors a range of aviation, local and Ohio history, locally owned shops and restaurants, outdoor adventures, and a welcoming small-town atmosphere, which makes Urbana a great day trip for all ages.

Founded in 1805 by William Ward, a frontiersmen and associate of Simon Kenton, the town was named Urbana after the word urbanity meaning refinement. The town grew slowly until the late 1880's with the completion of three railroads which connected Urbana to other populated towns in Ohio.

Urbana Historical Highlights

History enthusiasts can learn about the rich history of Champaign County and admire dozens of historical buildings throughout downtown, many of those listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don't miss these historical highlights during your day trip to Urbana:

• Take a self-guided walking tour on Scioto Street to learn more about the grand homes built in the industrial age.
• Visit the Champaign County Historical Society Museum and then search for the dozens of Ohio Historical Markers located throughout Urbana.
• Explore the Johnny Appleseed Museum, the center holds the largest collection in the world of memorabilia and written information about the life of John "Appleseed" Chapman.
• Learn about the area's aviation history by visiting Grimes Municipal Airport, home to the Champaign Aviation Museum. After exploring the museum, be sure to dine at the Airport Café where you can watch planes take-off and land while eating!

Photo credit: Monument Square District Urbana, Facebook 

Explore Monument Square District

Located in the heart of Urbana, the Monument Square District is home to local specialty shops, boutiques, and restaurants. This downtown district is pedestrian friendly with wide sidewalks and crosswalks and free public parking throughout.

The specialty shops of Monument Square District entice shoppers to peruse local boutiques for unique treasures. You’ll find locally owned clothing boutiques, furniture, home décor and antique shops, flower and plant shops, a historic candy store and so much more. Be sure to visit these local shops:

• Carmazzi's Candy & General Store (an Urbana favorite since 1893!)
• Farm Charm
• In Good Taste Market
• Kaleidoscope
• Lily's Garden
• Serendipity Antiques
• The Vintage Traveler
• Willow & Walker

Find even more shops when you explore Urbana's Monument Square District. 

Exploring all that Urbana has to offer will work up an appetite. From homestyle cooking to multi-cultural cuisines, there's no shortage of yummy local foodie finds in Urbana. A few local favorites to try:

• Airport Café
• Brackens Pub
• Café Paradiso
• Crabill's Hamburger Shoppe
• Fusion
• Let's Eat Cake
• Mumford's Potato Chips & Deli (known for their delicious kettle-cooked potato chips)
• Teabaggers
• The Depot Coffee House
• The Farmer's Daughter

More fun things to do in and around Urbana is to watch a movie at the historic Gloria Theatre, explore Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, hand feed fish at Freshwater Farms of Ohio, pick ripe berries at Champaign Berry Farm (open seasonally), and ride your bicycle on the Simon Kenton Trail.

Check off more exciting local activities along the Champaign County Family Fun Trail, the Champaign County Heritage Trail or the Champaign County Outdoor Adventure Trail.

There's so much to explore in Urbana, making it the perfect Ohio day trip!

For more charming towns and ways to explore Urbana, check out #OhioFindItHere at Ohio.org.