Car Rental - Dayton 

 

Rent a car in Dayton, Ohio, the Birthplace of Aviation, home to impressive museums dedicated to the history of flight, delightful inner city and suburban parks, and a bustling Main Street.

From the Wright Brothers Museum to the National Museum of the US Air Force, the city has artefacts galore that showcase its aviation credentials. Art lovers will enjoy visiting The Contemporary gallery and The Dayton Art Institute. While history buffs can explore the Native American archaeological site at Sunwatch Indian Village.

Start your trip at one of our Hertz Dayton car rental pick up locations dotted across the city, including at Dayton International Airport. Explore further afield in your Dayton rental car, Cincinnati is within easy reach and Cleveland is around three hours north-east.

Browse our amazing range of SUVs, sedans, minivans and sports cars to find your perfect vehicle and reserve your Dayton car rental online with Hertz.

Dayton Locations

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Map data ©2026 Google
Map data ©2026 Google

A Quick Guide to Dayton

Carillon Historical Park

Carillon Historical Park

1000 Carillon Boulevard, OH 45409

Be transported back in time at this open-air museum. With more than 25 historic buildings and hundreds of unique artefacts, you can watch Dayton’s past come to life. See the Wright Brothers’ 1905 Flyer III, ride the hand-carved carousel and visit the city’s oldest standing building – Newcom Tavern.

Dayton

The Dayton Art Institute

456 Belmonte Park North, OH 45405

An impressive collection of more than 27,000 objects from around the world, along with an interactive gallery, are on display at the Dayton Art Institute. Park your Dayton car rental and work your way around 5,000 years of art history. You’ll find European and American pieces on the upper level and Asian Art and special exhibitions on the lower.

National Museum of the US Air Force

National Museum of the US Air Force

1100 Spaatz Street, OH 45431

Dayton is known as the Birthplace of Aviation. It more than lives up to this lofty tag with the impressive official museum of the United States Air Force. With exhibits that feature several Presidential aircraft, Wright Brothers artefacts and over 360 aircraft and missiles, it’s the perfect place to learn about world, and Dayton’s aviation history.

Lily’s Dayton

329 East 5th Street, OH 45402

With its outdoor patios, airy interiors and botanical details, Lily’s offers a relaxing space for brunch and dinner. Blending Southern flavors and Polynesian cooking, you can tuck into creative dishes such as wasabi-filled deviled eggs, pork belly ramen, and braised beef short ribs bao buns.

Oakwood Club

2414 Far Hills Avenue, OH 45419

Low lighting and leather booths add to the cozy ambience of Oakwood Club, a family-owned steakhouse, just a short drive south of Downtown Dayton in your rental car. Dine on carefully selected Angus beef, well-marbled steaks, and locally sourced seafood specialties, like Maryland crab cakes and melt-in-your-mouth scallops.

Salar Restaurant and Lounge

400 East 5th Street, OH 45402

From empanadas, seafood rice, and papitas, to Peruvian-style lamb shank, Salar is renowned for its fusion of world flavors. Dine al fresco on the outdoor patios or savor an intimate meal in the main dining room, with views over the beautiful Oregon Historic District.

AC Hotel Dayton

124 Madison Street, Dayton, OH 45402

Whether you’re in the area for business or pleasure, sit back, relax and enjoy the European influences present in this hotel. Enjoy a Spanish-inspired breakfast to start your day of adventure in your Dayton car rental. Or finish your journey with a bite to eat at the rooftop restaurant, overlooking the Day Air Ball Park.

Fairfield Inn & Suites Dayton

305 East Monument Avenue, OH 45402

Fairfield Inn & Suites offers Downtown on your doorstep, placing you in an ideal location to explore Dayton’s central attractions. Find a spot for your Dayton rental car in nearby Water Street Garage and make the most of the free hot breakfast, business and fitness centers and high-speed Wi-Fi.

Marriott at the University of Dayton

1414 South Patterson Boulevard, OH 45409

Spacious rooms and stylish décor await at this newly renovated hotel. Take a dip in the swimming pool and explore nearby attractions, including the Carillon Historical Park. Head to the on-site Dewberry 1850 Restaurant & Lounge for New American fare in a casual setting or enjoy the privacy of in-room dining.

Driving In and Around Dayton

  • City of Dayton Municipal Parking Garage (45402) is open 24/7 and is ideal for parking your Dayton car rental close to Day Air Ballpark, The Contemporary Dayton art gallery, and the Schuster Performing Arts Center.
  • Main Street Garage (45402) has more than 1000 spaces on Main Street and is the perfect base for parking your car rental before browsing Dayton’s best local stores and dining at their nicest restaurants.
  • On street parking is available throughout Downtown. Rates and time restrictions may vary, so always read the signs on the meter.

 

  • Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north-south highway passing through six different states. It travels through central Dayton to some of the state’s major cities, including Cincinnati and Toledo.
  • Interstate 70 (I-70) runs east to west through Dayton, connecting the city with Columbus and Indianapolis.
  • U.S. Route 35 (US 35) is a southeast to northwest highway that runs from West Virginia to Indiana. It passes directly through downtown Dayton at an interchange with the I-75.

 

How to get from Dayton International Airport to Dayton

It takes less than 20 minutes to drive from the airport to Downtown Dayton in your holiday car rental.

  1. Leave the Hertz Dayton airport rental car park via Access Road.
  2. Keep left at the fork to merge onto I-70 East.
  3. Use the right two lanes to take Exit 33A and merge onto I-75 South.
  4. Follow I-75 South for around eight miles towards Dayton.
  5. Before crossing the Miami River, take Exit 54A.
  6. Use left two lanes to turn left onto OH-48 South / North Main Street into Downtown.

 

How to get from Dayton to Columbus

The state capital is around an hour’s drive from Dayton in your car rental. Leaving Downtown, join OH-4 and use the slip road to merge onto I-70 East. Follow I-70 East for over 50 miles, before taking Exit 96 to join I-670 East and continue into Columbus.