U.S. Route 50 is a 3,200-mile road that spans 11 states and showcases some of America’s most beautiful scenery — especially in Ohio. This route winds its way through the entire southern portion of Ohio, showing off some of the Buckeye State’s best rural scenery and most charming small towns. The roughly 200-mile stretch of Route 50 through Ohio is a beautiful drive everyone ought to experience.
One of our favorite sights in the world is the Welcome to Ohio sign. If you’re driving from Indiana, you’ll encounter this greeting along Route 50, a scenic byway with 209 magnificent miles in Ohio.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
You can drive the route from west to east, or east to west. Either way, you’ll see some of the most beautiful scenery that Southern Ohio has to offer.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
You’ll also encounter some only-in-Ohio roadside attractions, like the Frisch’s Mainliner restaurant just outside of Fairfax, Ohio. Stop in and fuel up with a Big Boy and fries.
Rachel Fujita/Flickr Frisch’s Big Boy, 5760 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, USA
Traveling west to east, Route 50 begins with a stretch of very charming towns in Southwest Ohio. Near Cincinnati, a small stretch of the drive runs along The Ohio River Scenic Byway, which is a gorgeous route that features great views of the river, too!
Doug Kerr/Flickr Mariemont, OH, USA
Milford is certainly a highlight along the drive; this town boasts one of the cutest Main Street districts in Ohio, and is just teeming with small-town charm!
Frank DiBona/Flickr Milford, OH, USA
As you head east, the landscape will become more rural. Barns, farms, and rolling countryside all make for glorious dashboard views.
Mike/Flickr
Chillicothe marks the halfway point of Route 50 through Ohio. This quaint town was actually Ohio’s very first state capital. If you have time for a stop, you’ll want to check out the nearby Mound City, which features the largest collection of Hopewell culture burial mounds in eastern North America.
David Wilson/Flickr Chillicothe, OH 45601, USA
As we near the end of our trip (and West Virginia border), you’ll notice the topography and landscape become decidedly more hilly – mountainous, even. Welcome to Ohio’s Appalachia!
Visit Athens Ohio/Facebook Athens, OH 45701, USA
Athens, Ohio, is the final stop in this scenic Route 50 road trip; it’s a charming college town that, amid other things, is known to be extremely haunted.
Paul Sableman/Flickr
Athens is home to Ohio University, the oldest college in the state. In addition to being breathtakingly beautiful, it’s full of haunted legends and lore, which makes for a delightfully frightful finale to our scenic road trip on Route 50!
Ohio University/Facebook Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
Have you driven Route 50 through Ohio before? From Cincinnati to Athens, this is one glorious Ohio road trip you won’t soon forget!
Doug Kerr/Flickr
Rachel Fujita/Flickr
Frisch’s Big Boy, 5760 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, USA
Mariemont, OH, USA
Frank DiBona/Flickr
Milford, OH, USA
Mike/Flickr
David Wilson/Flickr
Chillicothe, OH 45601, USA
Visit Athens Ohio/Facebook
Athens, OH 45701, USA
Paul Sableman/Flickr
Ohio University/Facebook
Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
Looking for more scenic drives in Ohio? How about a drive along the Amish Country Byway?
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