Dayton is a city in western Ohio. It’s home to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, with a vast collection of aircraft from early 1900s planes to a space shuttle exhibit. Carillon Historical Park contains a Wright Brothers plane, 19th-century buildings and antique trains. The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery has kids’ science exhibits and a small zoo. International fine art is on view at the Dayton Art Institute

Ohio’s borders are within 500 miles of roughly 60 percent of the country’s population and manufacturing infrastructure, making the Dayton area a logistical centroid for manufacturers, suppliers, and shippers. Dayton also hosts significant research and development in fields like industrial, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering that have led to many technological innovations. Much of this innovation is due in part to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and its place in the community. With the decline of heavy manufacturing, Dayton’s businesses have diversified into a service economy that includes insurance and legal sectors as well as healthcare and government sectors