Why visit Athens
Townapedia lists 28 museums and landmarks, 39 parks and trails, 118 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 10 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Athena Cinema, Signal Hill, Athens Downtown Historic District and Athens Governmental Buildings.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Athens
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Athens
Athens is a city in Athens County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 23,849 at the 2020 United States census. Located along the Hocking River within Appalachian Ohio about 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Columbus, Athens is best known as the home of Ohio University, a large public research university with an undergraduate and graduate enrollment of more than 21,000 students. It is the principal city of the Athens micropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Athens, Ohio (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do10
Museums and landmarks28
Athens Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Athens, Ohio, listed on the NRHP in Athens County, Ohio
Athens Governmental Buildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Local government building in the United States
Athens Lunatic Asylum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Collection of buildings, former state hospital in Athens, Ohio
Athens station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Former rail station in Athens, Ohio, US
Beasley Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Athens, Ohio, NRHP-lsited
College Green of Ohio University
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Quadrangle of Ohio University
Manasseh Cutler Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, USA
Sheltering Arms Hospital
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Hospital in Ohio, United States
Wolf Plains
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Archaeological site in Ohio, United States
Athens B&O Depot
Monument and historic site · 0.4 mi
123 West Union Street, Athens
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Athens State Hospital Cow Barn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
16 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds39
27 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes118
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 2.5 mi
1006 East State Street, Athens
Mo-Th,Su 07:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-24:00
Donkey Coffee & Espresso
Cafe · Coffee Shop
17 1/2 West Washington Street, Athens
Mo-Fr 07:00-00:30; Sa-Su 08:00-00:30
Jackie O's Taproom & Production Facility
Bar and pub · 0.6 mi
25 Campbell Street, Athens
Mo-Th 14:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-18:00
El Camino
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.6 mi
1017 East State Street, Athens
Mo-Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa-Su 11:30-21:00
Tim Hortons
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.7 mi
903 East State Street, Athens
Mo-We 06:00-19:30; Fr-Su 06:00-19:30
106 more on the map.
History
The first permanent European settlers arrived in Athens in 1797, more than a decade after the United States victory in the American Revolutionary War. In 1800, the town site was first surveyed and plotted and incorporated as a village in 1811. Ohio had become a state in 1803. Ohio University was chartered in 1804, the first public institution of higher learning in the Northwest Territory. Previously part of Washington County, Ohio, Athens County was formed in 1805, named for the ancient center of learning, Athens, Greece.
Ohio University in Athens was established with the first federal endowment of an educational institution in the United States. In July 1787, the Congress of the Confederation gave to the Ohio Company of Associates "two townships of good land for the support of a literary institution" in the newly created Northwest Territory.
From the History section of Athens, Ohio on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Churches and places of worship20
Mount Zion Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Shopping24
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare21
Map of Athens
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 22°F | 2.9 in | 5.8 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 2.9 in | 5.9 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 3.6 in | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 42°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 32°F | 2.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 27°F | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Athens Ou (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Athens County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-04-08: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides (Flood)
- 2018-04-17: Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2012-08-20: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2012-06-30: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Regional Airport (ATO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Marietta 36 mi east, about 57 min by car
- Lancaster 39 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Zanesville 44 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Chillicothe 48 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Circleville 48 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Heath 51 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Pickerington 52 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Canal Winchester 52 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Newark 54 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Cambridge 55 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Athens City Hall, Jaknouse, CC BY-SA 3.0
- County Courthouse Athens OH USA, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Athens First UMC, Nyttend, Public domain
- Downtown Athens, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greetings from Athens, Ohio, "Home of Ohio University" - Large Letter Postcard (6793607434), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Red brick alley in downtown Athens, Ohio, connecting North Congress Street and North Court Street, south of West State Street · 2021-07-03-4786, Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CampusOU, No machine-readable author provided. Buckeye~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain
- Athens Train Depot OH USA, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- OU College Green, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Plains mound-1, Jaknouse, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Cutler Hall, Orchysterium, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mt Zion Baptist Church Athens OH USA, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Beasley Building Athens OH USA, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Athens Downtown Historic District OH USA, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sheltering arms-1, Jaknouse, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ASH Cow Barn Athens OH USA, Ed! (talk) (Hall of Fame), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cutler Hall Bicentennial plaque at Ohio University, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- Front of Cutler Hall at Ohio University, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 6, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 1, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 5, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 8, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 3, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 7, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 4, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ohio University Campus Green 2, Kayura Mendonza, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Manasseh Cutler Hall, Ohio University, User:Ottawa80, Public domain
- Galbreath Chapel 2024 June 26, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- GalbreathChapel2024June27, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- McGuffey Hall at Ohio University, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- National Pan-Hellenic Council Plaza at Ohio University, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- Back of Scripps Hall at Ohio University, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- Ohio University archives reading room, Gkuriger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bryan Hall Lit, TRANSISTORM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alden Library Park Place entrance, Gkuriger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ohio University Memorial Auditorium, Orchysterium, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cold and emptiness 2, Mouree013, CC BY-SA 4.0
- WOUB Radio Television building Ohio University, Gkuriger, CC BY 4.0
- Ohio University Police Cruisers, OUPD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hygrocybe caespitosa 13079707, mycowalt, CC BY-SA 4.0
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