Athens (Ohio)

Athens is a city with a major university (population 26,000 -2010) and county seat of Athens County (population 68,000 2010 Southeast Ohio, best known for being home to over 29,000 Ohio University students. Athens was settled in 1797, and the university was the first to be founded in the Northwest Territory in 1803.

Not to be confused with Athens, a city in Greece.

Get in

By plane

By car

SR 33 and SR 50 intersect at Athens.

By bus
  • GoBus. Provides intercity between smaller cities in western Ohio, Cincinnati and Columbus. Greyhound with partner companies serves the city with several daily departures from nearby larger cities. Many local taxi companies in Athens also offer shuttle service. Long distance buses stops at 🌍 Athens Community Centre station and 🌍 Athens - Ohio University station. It is possible to change to local buses at both stations. (updated Jul 2022)

Get around

By foot
  • Athens is a small town that can be easily traversed by foot.

By taxi
  • There are many different taxi companies servicing Athens, all with easy numbers to remember.
  • RIDE, ☏ +1-740-594-7433. Has been servicing Athens for over 10 years. The types of car include 2007-2008 Aveos and Limos. Great service. (updated Jul 2022)
  • GOTO, ☏ +1-740-594-4686. Fast service, but GOTO only has mini-vans, which are in very poor condition. (updated Jul 2022)

By bus
  • Athens Transit. Provides a small bus network with departures every 30 minutes, buses does not run on Sundays. A single fare is $1. (updated Jul 2022)

See

Arts and culture
  • Ohio University School of Theatre, 307 Kantner Hall, ☏ +1 740-593-4818, . Features six mainstage productions a year as well as a series of Lab Shows (updated Dec 2018)
  • The Seabury Quinn, Jr. Playwrights' Festival. Graduate playwrights' festival held each year, usually at the end of May. Features readings, staged readings, and full productions of graduate work. (updated Dec 2018)
  • Midnight Madness (The Hahne Theater, School of Theatre Building). Every Friday at midnight. Each week the graduate playwrights write a ten minute play based on a theme they receive that Monday. (updated Dec 2018)
  • Lost Flamingo Company. Ohio University's student run theatre company. Features nine to twelve productions a year, as well as yearly productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Fall Quarter), The Vagina Monologues (Winter Quarter), and Short Stack, a collection of ten minute plays written by Ohio University students (Spring Quarter). (updated Dec 2018)
  • Comedy for the Masses. Ohio University's student sketch comedy group. Features six shows a year, as well as an annual Stand-Up Showcase. Founded in 2001, in part by Michael Busch (An actor who worked on Conan and Glee). (updated Dec 2018)
  • The 48-Hour Shoot Out. An annual competition sponsored by the School of Telecommunications in which students are given two days to write, film, and edit a short movie based on a line of dialogue, a prop, and a genre. (updated Dec 2018)
  • 🌍 Athena Cinema. (updated Dec 2018)

Do

Sports
  • Ohio Bobcats. The Bobcats compete in the Mid-American Conference of NCAA Division I-A College Athletics. (updated Dec 2018)
  • 🌍 Ohio University Golf Course, 106 South Green Dr, ☏ +1-740-593-4669. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 🌍 Peden Stadium. The football stadium for the Bobcats. (updated Dec 2018)
  • 🌍 Ossian C. Bird Arena. The Ohio University Ice Arena. (updated Dec 2018)
  • 🌍 Ohio University Aquatic Center. Hosts the Bobcats swim team and regional swim meets. (updated Dec 2018)
  • 🌍 Bob Wren Stadium, 140 S. Shafer St. The Ohio University baseball stadium. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 🌍 Pruitt Field. Pruitt Field hosts the Bobcats Field Hockey team. It is surrounded by the Goldsberry Track for the Bobcats track teams. (updated Dec 2018)
  • 🌍 Convocation Center. The basketball arena for Ohio University. A distinctive building in its own right, its dome is a good landmark. (updated Dec 2018)

Buy

Eat
  • Casa Nueva, 4 W. State St. Great "Mexican" (non-authentic) food, vegan and vegetarian options, dedicated to using local resources. Restaurant has been worker-owned since 1984. 
  • China Panda, 965 E. State St, ☏ +1 740 593-8883. 11AM-10PM. Sitdown & takeout. Excellent American Chinese cuisine (includes General Tso's Chicken and California Rolls.) 
  • O'Betty's Red Hot, 15 W. State St, ☏ +1-740-589-6111, . Burlesque-themed hot dog joint. 
  • HangOverEasy, 18 N. Court St. Greasy spoon diner. 
  • Avalanche Pizza, 329 E. State St, ☏ +1-740-594-4664. Cheap, internationally award winning pizza. Insanely great deals (especially if you pick-up rather than get delivery) and an obscene amount of topping choices and specialty pizzas. 
  • Bagel Street Deli, 23 S. Court St, ☏ +1-740-593-3838, . Charming deli featuring nearly 200 different bagel sandwiches and other fares, ranging from vegan to ultra-carnivore. Walls are decorated with tin foil sculptures and chalk signatures of past customers. Home of the annual Pickle Fest (pickle eating contest). 
  • Donkey Coffee, 1/2 W. Washington St, ☏ +1-740-594-7353, . 17 rated best coffeehouse in the state by Ohio Magazine. Features calming music, great coffee, board games, open mic nights, poetry nights, local art, and is open 24 hours during finals week. 
  • Souvlaki's Restaurant and Deli, 9 W. State St. Late night gyros and baklava. 
  • Big Mamma's Burritos, 10 S. Court St, ☏ +1-740-566-4100. A local option for those who loathe Chipotle. Many burrito and salsa options. Chipotle Ranch is a customer favorite. 
  • Burrito Buggy. A stand that sells amazing burritos at the intersection of Court St. and Union St. It's bright orange, yellow, and purple; you can't miss it. (updated Jul 2022)
  • Stephen's, 66 N. Court St., ☏ +1-740-594-7132, . Amazing restaurant with a constantly changing menu (updated Jul 2022)
  • Zoe, 24 1/2 East State Street, ☏ +1 740-592-4443. Zoe features New American cuisine in a contemporary Setting. The ever changing a la carte menu features meat, seafood, poultry, and vegetarian options with an emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients. Tuesday evenings half price wine, and Friday evenings prime rib. Reservations recommended but not required. 
  • Village Bakery & Cafe, 268 E. State St, ☏ +1 740-594-7311. Uses locally grown organic vegetables, non-GMO meats, and free-range eggs. Serves Fair Trade organic coffee, Herbal Sage teas, and bake with organic dairy, flour and sugar to create a variety of freshly baked hand crafted loaves, flaky quiches, sweet and savory pastries, breakfast pizza and a selection of tasty soups, salads and sandwiches for lunch. For dessert, they serve cookies, brownies, tarts, and cakes. The Sunday brunch menu includes individual omelettes, French toast, and sides of locally produced sausages, ham, polenta or home fries. They offer no espresso-based drinks. 
  • Fluff Bakery, 8 North Court St, ☏ +1 740-249-4286. Fresh-baked goods and sanchwiches. 

Drink

There are many bars on Court Street located near Ohio University's College Green.

Pubs
  • 🌍 Union Bar & Grill, 18 W Union St, ☏ +1 740-593-5060. Voted one of the best dive bars in America by Maxim Magazine. Features $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon, live indie rock of varying volumes, and Dance or Die, a monthly dance party. They shut down the grille, and the roaches left in protest. (updated Aug 2017)
  • 🌍 The Pub, 39 N Court St, ☏ +1 740-592-2699. Well known for their Beer Cheese Soup, Aquarium Night (beer in obscenely huge glasses), and for being massively packed during the weekend. (updated Aug 2017)
  • Pigskin Bar and Grill, 38 N. Court St, ☏ +1-740-594-5002. Very well known for their signature drink The Black Widow, a one of a kind dark purple concoction that is a must have for any visitor to Athens. (updated Dec 2018)
  • Red Brick Sports Pub, 14 N Court St. Many flat screen TVs and a pretty decent menu. (updated Dec 2018)
  • Tony's Tavern, 7 W. State St. Considered a "townie bar." Tony's is very well known for their 'Hot Nuts' shot. Daily specials on Killian's and a very laid-back, friendly dive bar atmosphere. Be there on Friday night for Tony's happy hour (free food!). 
  • Casa Nueva & Cantina, 4 W. State St, ☏ +1-740-592-2016, . Great food, warm and friendly bar. The nation's oldest co-op restaurant. 

Bars
  • 🌍 The Smiling Skull Saloon, 108 W. Union St, ☏ +1 740-589-2474. Known as Athens' biker bar. Great jukebox ranging from Johnny Cash to Dylan to The Clash. Open 365 days a year. Very reasonable drinks and nearly guaranteed to be free of frat and sorority types. Two dollar "Black and Tans" on Tuesdays. Your (well-behaved) dog is welcome to come inside! (updated Aug 2017)
  • 🌍 Jackie O's, 22-24 W Union St, ☏ +1 740-592-9686. Home of the only micro brewpub in Athens, offering live music, food and outdoor patio. A great alternative to the typical Athens bar scene. (updated Aug 2017)
  • 🌍 The J Bar, 41 N Court St, ☏ +1 740-249-4015. Features the signature drink Junction Punch. Gin is probably an ingredient and one is more than enough. (updated Aug 2017)
  • Pawpurr's, 37 N. Court St. A "dive bar" with a small (and mostly unused) dance floor. 
  • 🌍 The Crystal, 34 N. Court St, ☏ +1 740-593-3679. Very easily the #1 frat/sorority bar. 
  • The C.I., 32 N. Court St, ☏ +1-740-593-5709. The Hockey Bar. Crowded on weekends, College to Locals. 
  • Cat's Eye, 12 N. Court St, ☏ +1-740-592-9676. A mix of locals and college kids. 
  • Lucky's, 11 N. Court St. The official Steelers bar of Athens. Very good daily specials. 
  • Broney's, 7 W. Carpenter St, ☏ +1-740-592-5900. At the very end of Court Street. Kind of sterile compared to the rest of the bars in town. 
  • Courtside, 85 N Court St, ☏ +1-740-594-9999, . Sports bar that has a beer garden ideal for day drinking on a spring day. (updated Dec 2018)

Sleep

Mid-range

Connect

Go next
  • Burr Oak State Park and Resort Lodge, Athens County, north of Glouster and east/adjacent to the Wayne National Forest off of Route 13. A variety of overnight accommodations, cottages and campground. Cottages: 30 family cottages, air conditioning, cable TV, sleeps six people, bath/shower, living room, complete kitchen, dining area, screened porch. Linens, towels, cooking, eating utensils are furnished. Camping: 100 non-electric campsites, showers, flush toilets, 21 primitive sites, pet camping. Fishing, hunting, swimming, beach, bathhouse, showers, changing booths, snack bar, twenty-eight miles of hiking trails, Burr Oak Backpack Trail, horseshoe court and playground.
  • Lake Hope State Park, eastern Vinton County, approx. 20 miles west of Athens. Lake Hope State Park is entirely within the 26,824-acre Zaleski State Forest and adjacent to part of the Wayne National Forest. Dining lodge. Cottages: 72 cottages, all cottages have linens, towels, complete kitchens, microwave ovens, heat, air conditioning, outdoor grills and fire rings. Camping: 219-site campground, heated showerhouses, pit latrines, waste disposal, laundry facilities, picnic tables, fire rings, 46 sites have electric hookups, pet camping, three Rent-A-Camp units, one camper-cabin, one Rent-A-Tepee. Boats with electric motors only, 120-acre lake, canoes, kayaks, and rowboats, available for rent. Swimming beach, beachhouse, sun deck, restrooms, concession building, fishing, hunting, seventeen miles of hiking trails, 21-mile backpack trail with primitive campsites, 33 miles of bridle trail and 23-mile singletrack bike trail.
  • Stouds Run State Park, Athens County, east of Athens, on Route 690, inside of Wayne National Forest on Dow Lake. 75 non-electric campsites, picnic tables and fire rings, pet camping, three Rent-A-Camp sites, boating, fishing, hunting, 15 miles of hiking trails, birdwatching, nature study, 8½ mile bridle trail, 900-foot sand beach, change booths, drinking water, restrooms, scuba diving with proper equipment, picnic tables, cooking grates, three shelterhouses, basketball court, playground equipment, boat rentals, volleyball court and another playground.

Go to Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh or West Virginia.

Routes through Athens
Columbus ← Nelsonville ←  W  E  → Jct N S → Spencer → Weston
Chillicothe ← McArthur ←  W  E  → Belpre → Parkersburg
Newark ← Heath ← Jct W E ← Jct W E ←  N  S  → END
Cincinnati ← Jackson ←  W  E  → Belpre → becomes → Parkersburg


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