Lancaster Ohio

Get Outside

Bobcats learn just as much outside as they do in the classroom. While we take academics very seriously, not everything worth knowing can be learned in a book. Sometimes you just have to get out there and be open to the full OHIO experience, like joining a campus experiential opportunity or learning abroad.

Hocking Hills State Park

Just 21 miles from campus, Hocking Hills State Park feels like stepping into another world. Towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, deep gorges, and winding trails create a natural playground for hiking, photography, camping, and quiet reflection. This is a place where weekends turn into adventures and where getting outside becomes part of recharging your mind as much as your body. Whether you are chasing waterfalls or simply taking a break from the books, Hocking Hills has a way of grounding you and inspiring what comes next.

Discover even more nearby attractions at www.hockinghills.com

Global Opportunities

Regional campus students at Ohio University have meaningful access to global learning through the Office of Global Opportunities. Through this office, students can participate in a wide range of significantly discounted guided tours and experiential learning programs around the world. These opportunities include short term faculty led travel, cultural immersion experiences, service learning programs, and academic travel offered during academic breaks or the summer. Each program is designed to be accessible and well supported, allowing students to engage globally while staying on track academically.

Coffee, Food, Music

If you want to feel like a true local in Lancaster, Ohio, you should start by knowing where to find a great cup of coffee and a memorable meal. Lancaster’s downtown and surrounding neighborhoods offer a welcoming mix of locally owned restaurants and cafés where it is easy to slow down, connect, and enjoy the character of the community.

From The Pink Cricket, known for its homemade pizza, to Cherry Street Pub, where the fish and chips are a local favorite, Lancaster delivers comfort food with personality. For a more elevated dining experience, Ale House 1890 offers refined fare in a historic setting, while O’Huids Gaelic Pub brings Irish food and hospitality to the heart of the city.

Coffee lovers are equally at home in Lancaster. Square Seven Coffee House offers an artsy, relaxed atmosphere perfect for lingering, while 7 Brew is ideal for a quick, on-the-go caffeine boost. For handcrafted coffee, tea, and specialty drinks, L-City Coffee rounds out the local favorites. Together, these spots reflect Lancaster’s strong sense of place, community pride, and growing food-and-drink culture.

Art Feeds the Soul

When your stomach gets full, there’s plenty of arts and culture to give you a taste of the Lancaster scene.

Historic Skyview Drive-In

Skyview Drive-In Theatre is a classic outdoor movie destination located just east of downtown Lancaster, Ohio, offering affordable family entertainment under the stars. Originally built in 1948, this historic drive-in has been delighting audiences for decades and remains one of the few remaining drive-in theaters in the state. 

Decorative Arts Center

The Decorative Arts Center of Ohio is a nonprofit arts museum and cultural hub located on East Main Street. The Center’s mission is to enrich the human experience through the arts by presenting innovative and stimulating exhibitions, offering dynamic arts education programs, and preserving the historic Reese-Peters House and its collections for the community to enjoy. Admission is free, with group tours available by reservation, and the Center also features sensory-friendly tours, an engaging museum shop, and community events throughout the year.

Get On-the-Job Experience

Ohio University Lancaster students gain meaningful, hands-on experience through strong partnerships throughout Fairfield County and the region. Nursing students deliver direct patient care during clinical placements with trusted healthcare providers such as Fairfield Medical Center, OhioHealth, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and others. Engineering and engineering technology students frequently secure internships and long-term employment with innovative companies including Pace Robotics, Mid West Fabricating, Anchor Hocking, Anduril, and additional advanced manufacturing and technology employers. Education students strengthen their classroom skills through early field experiences and teacher shadowing in local schools. Social work students are deeply engaged in the community, participating in the annual Social Work Community Resource Fair, visiting correctional facilities, supporting refugee families through CRIS Ohio, and taking part in service-learning opportunities that prepare them for meaningful, people-centered careers.