Dayton to Indianapolis drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Dayton to Indianapolis by car is 117 miles, with a driving time of 1h51m. The best road trip stops on the Dayton to Indianapolis drive are the Lewisburg Haunted Cave, Richmond and the Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House.
Planning a Dayton to Indianapolis road trip itinerary
The drive from Dayton to Indianapolis takes you from the home of the Wright Brothers to the biggest city in Indiana.
Dayton, Ohio, isn’t a massive city, but it has more than played its part in history. It was here that Orville and Wilbur Wright created the first plane capable of manned, sustained flight. The original Wright Cycle Company Shop that still stands is not where the Wright Flyer was made – that was a future incarnation of the company HQ – but it was home to their bicycle business.
In Dayton, you can also visit the SunWatch Indian Village, a recreated Native American village, and the National Museum of the US Air Force.
Worthwhile Indianapolis experiences include a Fountain Square food tour and a walking tour around the city’s highlights.
Dayton to Indianapolis distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Dayton to Indianapolis is 117 miles. That makes for a driving time of one hour and 51 minutes.
The quickest route is mostly along the I-70.
The best stops on a Dayton to Indianapolis road trip itinerary are the Lewisburg Haunted Cave, Richmond and the Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House.
Lewisburg Haunted Cave
The Lewisburg Haunted Cave bills itself as the world’s longest haunted house. Located 80ft below ground, this cave is supposedly home to more than 30,000 bats.
Tours of the Lewisburg Haunted Cave take place on Friday and Saturday evenings, and are hokey affairs with costumed actors. As long as you’re signing up for the schlock factor rather than wanting to admire cave decorations, it’s fun.
Best stops between Dayton and Indianapolis: Richmond, Indiana
Right on the Ohio border, Richmond plays host to a few moderately interesting museum. The Model T Museum should keep car lovers happy, while the Joseph Moore Museum is mainly about natural history, but also includes an Egyptian mummy.
Perhaps the coolest attraction in Richmond, however, is Thistlethwaite Falls. This photogenic, cascading waterfall is man-made. It was created by blasting out a channel in the Whitewater River in order to provide more power to a saw mill.
Dayton to Indianapolis drive: Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House
The Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House in Shirley, Indiana, is an oddity. As the name suggests, it has eight sides. But there’s a strange history to the house, too – not least that it was moved wholesale from its original location.
The house was built in 1879, and is kept in period style. You’ll need to book in advance to snoop around the house. But it still makes for good photos from the outside.
More Dayton road trips
Dayton to Chicago | Dayton to Cleveland | Dayton to Columbus | Dayton to Detroit.
More Indianapolis road trips
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