Dayton lands in 25 best towns for outdoorsy people

Dayton has been named one of the 25 best towns of 2017 for outdoorsy people.

Outside Magazine, a publication dedicated to outdoor living, fitness and adventure, puts together a list of the “best towns ever,” based on places that have “drool-worthy food and drink scenes, are great for kids and are welcoming to people of any background.

Dayton landed on the list, dubbed the “Best Rebirth of the American Dream.” Outside Magazine outlined the city’s bleak past: “When Dayton struggled after a major General Motors plant closed in 2008, city leaders came up with a plan: recast its image based on its rivers and trails. It worked.”

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The list highlighted Dayton’s cultural vibrancy, the Oregon District, Second Street Market and its hundreds of miles of hiking trails. The city also has 60 miles of mountain biking track, ten within city limits and approximately 400 miles of waterways in the Miami River Valley.

Other cities that landed on in the top 25 include:

— Bend, Oregon: Best Multi-Sport Town

— Portland, Maine: Best Top-End Food in Zero-Degree Weather

— Salida, Colorado: Best Unsung Mountain Town

— Saint Petersburg, Florida: Best Paddling in the Gulf

— Charleston, South Carolina: Best Low-Country Hangout

— Bishop, California: Best Climbing Hamlet to Call Home Before It’s Too Late

— Santa Fe, New Mexico: Best Combination of Mountains and Margaritas

— Grand Rapids, Michigan: Best River Town

— Missoula, Montana: Best Big Sky

— Kansas City, Missouri: Best Mix of Barbecue and Biking

— Seattle, Washington: Best Big City with Bona Fide Adventure

— Birmingham, Alabama: Best Southern Renaissance

— Spearfish, South Dakota: Best Makeover from Pit Stop to Playground

— Austin, Texas: Best Fast-Growing City

— San Luis Obispo, California: Best Blend of Sunshine, Food, and Beaches

— Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota: Best Place to Bike-Commute Year-Round

— Bentonville, Arkansas: Best Place to Ride Singletrack Past World-Class Art

— Reno, Nevada: Best Low-Key Hideout

— Flagstaff, Arizona: Best Desert Outpost

— Fort Collins, Colorado: Best Bike-to-Happy-Hour Town

— Kona, Hawaii: Best Place to Forget About Time Completely

— Boise, Idaho: Best Rocky Mountain Secret

— Anchorage, Alaska: Best City for Making the Most of Summer

See the whole list here.

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