Time Travel in Yellow Springs

Step back to the 1960s or ’70s in this groovy, charming village near Dayton.
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Enjoy the vibes along Xenia Avenue.

Photograph by Catherine Viox

Folks in this part of the world have always been fascinated by the little town of Yellow Springs, which seems to exist in its own time bubble northeast of Dayton. Known for counterculture Antioch College, revived after a three-year closure, a visit still gives you the vibe of simpler, laid-back days.


The Hook

Check out the tilework at Yellow Springs Pottery.

Photograph by Catherine Viox

Some of the first things you’ll see on Xenia Avenue, the business district’s main drag, are pop-up tents in a gas station parking lot selling tie-dyed shirts and crystal jewelry. The quaint/groovy vibe flows into the avenue’s boutique shops, record and book stores, galleries, and the single-screen Little Art movie theater. You might even run into comedian Dave Chappelle, the town’s most famous resident, on a random Saturday. (I did.)


Eat and Drink

Photograph by Catherine Viox

Winds Café has been drawing visitors to Yellow Springs since 1977, specializing in the “farm to table” menu approach before it had a name. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, the dining room is tiny, so make a reservation (tables on the patio this time of year help the capacity). The current dinner menu features seared tamarind duck breast and halibut in fresh English pea sauce, but longtime owner Mary Kay Smith and co-owner/chef Roland Eliason change things up every few months, depending on which local ingredients they can access. Sunrise Café is the kind of casual diner where you can get breakfast all day, or go ahead and order the Wagyu sirloin. Yellow Springs Brewery is located right on the Little Miami Scenic Trail running through town; lots of cold craft beers, but no food.

Winds Café, 215 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, (937) 767-1144

Sunrise Café, 259 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, (937) 767-7211

Yellow Springs Brewery, 305 Walnut St., Yellow Springs, (937) 767-0222


Where to Stay

The Mills Park Hotel is a great spot to crash once you’ve explored up and down Xenia Avenue. The ornate, nicely appointed three-story hotel was built in 2015 to mimic the town’s first home, erected by William Mills in 1842 (and torn down in 1966); it features 28 rooms, Ellie’s Restaurant, a fitness center, and conference/banquet rooms. There’s occasionally live music on the front porch.

Mills Park Hotel, 321 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, (937) 319-0400

Explore the outdoors on a bike from Village Cyclery.

Photograph by Catherine Viox

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