Fun Things to Do in Marietta, Ohio | River Town Picks

Marietta mixes sternwheeler rides, frontier museums, mound sites, river trails, and brick-street dining into an easy weekend.

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The best fun things to do in Marietta, Ohio, start where the Muskingum River meets the Ohio River. The city is compact enough for a low-stress weekend, but it has more range than many small Ohio river towns: a working sternwheeler, early Northwest Territory history, a 2,000-year-old mound, brick streets, local shops, and paved riverfront walking.

Plan Marietta as a history-and-river trip first, then add outdoor time if the weather is good. Most first-time visitors will be happiest staying near Front Street or the riverfront, parking once, and building the day around short walks between museums, meals, shops, and the levee.

For paid activities, compare river cruises, ghost walks, and guided history options once you know your dates:

How Many Days Do You Need In Marietta?

One full day is enough for Marietta’s riverfront, one major museum, Mound Cemetery, and dinner downtown. Two days is better if you want a Valley Gem Sternwheeler cruise, The Castle, Harmar Village, and a trail walk without rushing.

A weekend works well because Marietta’s best stops are close together. Campus Martius Museum, the Ohio River Museum area, Front Street, Muskingum Park, and Mound Cemetery can all fit into a relaxed loop if you start early and keep meals downtown.

Marietta is also a good overnight stop on a larger southeast Ohio trip. Athens, Hocking Hills, and Wayne National Forest are all realistic add-ons, but Marietta itself has enough for a self-contained weekend.

Things To Do Around Marietta: Riverfront, Mounds, And Trails

Marietta’s strongest activities sit in three clusters: river experiences, early American history, and easy outdoor time. Use the table below to decide what belongs on your first day and what can wait for a second morning.

Start On The Riverfront And Front Street

The Ohio Riverfront is the right first stop because Marietta’s identity is tied to the water. Begin near the levee, walk Muskingum Park, and use Front Street for coffee, lunch, or dinner between attractions.

The Valley Gem Sternwheeler is the most memorable paid activity if cruises fit your schedule. The operator runs different cruise types by date, including lunch, dinner, music, lock, and themed sailings, so the exact choice depends on your travel day rather than a fixed daily timetable.

Front Street is the easiest base for a loose afternoon. You can browse local stores, step down toward the river, and get dinner without moving the car. If you have kids, keep the river walk early or late in the day during summer, since shade can be limited along the open levee.

History Stops Worth Your Time

Campus Martius Museum, The Castle, and Mound Cemetery give Marietta more depth than a normal riverfront stop. Pick Campus Martius first if you want the city’s founding story, then add Mound Cemetery for a short outdoor walk.

Campus Martius Museum sits on the original stockade site and focuses on the first organized American settlement in the Northwest Territory, with current hours and admission listed by Ohio History Connection’s Campus Martius Museum page. Adult admission is listed at $10, with reduced pricing for children, students, and veterans.

The Castle adds a different slice of local history. The guided house tour is better for visitors who like architecture, period rooms, and stories about 19th-century Marietta families. Check tour times before building your day around it, since house museums often run on shorter seasonal schedules than larger museums.

Mound Cemetery is the stop that surprises people. The cemetery surrounds the Conus Mound, and the setting turns a short walk into a layered history stop: Indigenous earthworks, early Marietta families, and Revolutionary War burials all sit in one quiet neighborhood.

Outdoor Time Without Leaving Town

Marietta has real outdoor time inside the city, not just scenic pull-offs. The River Trail is the easy choice for most visitors, while the Marietta Trail Network is better for hikers and mountain bikers who want dirt trails.

The local tourism office lists the River Trail as a 3.5-mile paved, accessible multi-use path along the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers. The same trail system information lists the Marietta Trail Network as 18-plus miles of rugged terrain near Marietta High School, open to foot and bicycle traffic.

For a low-effort plan, rent or bring bikes and ride part of the River Trail before dinner. For a more active morning, use the off-road trail network only when conditions are dry; muddy use damages trails and makes the ride less fun.

Trip tip: Marietta is walkable downtown, but a car helps if you want Broughton Nature and Wildlife Education Area, Wayne National Forest, or covered-bridge drives outside the city.

Where To Stay For Easy Access

Staying downtown or near Front Street makes the trip easiest because Marietta’s core attractions are close together. A riverfront stay is best for a first visit, while a hotel near I-77 works better if Marietta is one stop on a longer road trip.

Downtown puts you close to the levee, museums, restaurants, and evening walks. The trade is that some historic buildings have older layouts, so check parking, elevators, and room style before you commit.

Use a riverfront or downtown stay if you want to park once and walk to dinner, museums, and the levee:

What Should You Do First In Marietta?

First-time visitors should start with the riverfront, then choose one history stop before slowing down on Front Street. That sequence gives you the water, the story, and the small-town dining scene without turning the day into a checklist.

For one day, use this order:

1. Walk the Ohio Riverfront and Muskingum Park after breakfast.
2. Visit Campus Martius Museum or The Castle before lunch.
3. Eat on or near Front Street.
4. Walk Mound Cemetery in the afternoon.
5. Ride a Valley Gem Sternwheeler cruise if the schedule matches your date.
6. Finish with dinner downtown and a short river walk at sunset.

For two days, keep day one focused on the riverfront, Campus Martius, and Front Street. Use day two for The Castle, Harmar Village, the River Trail, and any cruise or guided tour that did not fit the first day.

The smartest Marietta plan is not the longest one. Choose one paid anchor, one free walk, one museum or historic house, and one relaxed meal downtown; that mix captures why this Ohio river town is worth the stop.