This Ohio Town Has The Most Walkable Downtown
Downtown Marietta, Ohio, is dotted with blooming hardwood trees and features Victorian-era architecture. Walkability is at the core of downtown Marietta, with the River Trail fronting the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers creating a scenic downtown experience. Front Street is the main commercial and cultural corridor in town, with establishments like Town House serving happy hour items while sports games play on the television, and the Campus Martius Museum, which houses exhibits of the town's storied history. With a population of only about 13,500, Marietta is not a sprawling city where you need to rely on your car or public transport to get around. Instead, its riverfront greenways and downtown streets culminate in the most walkable downtown in Ohio.
Marietta Historic District
As the first permanent settlement in the Northwest Territory, Marietta has one of the oldest and most intact historic districts in southern Ohio. The Campus Martius Museum is just off Front Street, on the corner of Washington and Second Street. Exhibits at the museum depict the early settlement of Ohio, as well as the later migration to other cities and industrial centers.
From the Campus Martius Museum, head up Washington Street and turn right on High School Lane to reach the Castle Historic House Museum. The house was built in 1855 and is regarded as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Ohio. The house was occupied up until 1974, home to some of Marietta’s most prominent and influential families, including lawyers, bankers, and land and oil speculators. It opened for tours as a museum in 1994. It is decorated with antiques and furniture from past occupants of the home, as well as other families from Marietta.
Downtown Dining
Downtown Marietta has many versatile dining options suitable for any occasion and any time of the day. Jeremiah’s Coffee House serves premium micro-roasted coffee and freshly made baked goods on Front Street, just a step away from the historic district.
Snack on half-priced appetizers during happy hour at the Town House, also on Front Street and just a block over from Jeremiah’s Coffee House. Whether you want to break up your day with a quick game of darts, catch a football game, or just rest your feet, make sure you stop in at Town House.
For dinner, the Riverfront Bar and Grill creates an authentic grand riverboat-era dining experience inside the historic Lafayette Hotel. It is favored by locals and visitors alike. The restaurant is furnished with original riverboat paintings and model boats that are paired with dining views of the Ohio River.
River Trail
The River Trail is the scenic route for traversing downtown Marietta. The trail runs over four miles through downtown Marietta, connecting people to green spaces dotted along the trail, such as Indian Acres Park, where the trail begins. The park also has a boat ramp, baseball fields, and a skate park.
Other parks include the Ohio Riverfront Park, which stretches from the mouth of the Muskingum River along the Ohio River. The park hosts the Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, Marietta’s biggest annual celebration on the weekend after Labor Day. Up to 100,000 festival goers enjoy free admission to view paddle-wheelers, take part in events, and watch a firework display.
Nearby Towns
As it is just across the river from Marietta, cross the Williamstown Bridge into Williamstown, West Virginia. Here, visitors can tour Henderson Hall, a beautifully preserved historic mansion. It was built in 1836 overlooking the Ohio River, comprising three floors and 29 rooms. This Italianate mansion features 17th-century furnishings and portraits, as well as period pieces like a rosewood piano, original hardwood floors, and a collection of rare clocks.
Belpre is about twenty minutes down the Ohio River from Marietta. Depot Park is in the center of town, featuring a railroad passenger car and a restored caboose that has a railroad museum inside. Although the trains are kept behind a fence to help preserve them, the public is granted access to them during the annual Railroad Day celebration each June.
Caldwell is about thirty minutes north of Marietta and is home to the Historic Jail Museum and Visitor Center. The jail was built in 1882 and is one of only a handful of places that house both the jail and the jailer’s residence in the same building. The museum contains many displays showcasing the history of the jail, as well as displays on the history of the local area.
Walkable Delights in Downtown Marietta
Downtown Marietta offers a varied downtown experience, whether that is the scenic route along the River Trail or the historical route along Front Street. Regardless of how you walk it, downtown Marietta is an appealing experience. Places like the Riverfront Bar and Grill combine the best of both worlds with a meal inside a historic building and views of the Ohio River flowing past the window. When it comes to getting around on foot, Marietta may just be the most walkable downtown in Ohio.
