Overview
Jackson is a city and county seat of Jackson County, Southeast Ohio.
8 sights · 2 things to do · 6 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 4 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Jackson
Hammertown Lake
Lake Alma
Leo Petroglyph
Buckeye Furnace Covered Bridge
Byer Covered Bridge
Johnson Road Covered Bridge
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Columbus)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HTS Tri-State Airport / Milton J. Ferguson Field, Huntington — 47 mi away. Directions
- LCK Rickenbacker International Airport, Columbus — 55 mi away. Directions
- CMH John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Columbus — 67 mi away (major hub). Directions
By car, Jackson is located just off of OH-32. Accessible from the north (Columbus area) by taking US-23 south through Circleville and Chillicothe , then taking US-35 towards Jackson. From the west (Cincinnati area) take OH-32 east.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Hammertown Lake, Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve, Leo Petroglyph
- Lunch Cardo's Pizza
- Afternoon Lake Alma, Buckeye Furnace Covered Bridge
- Dinner Dakota's Roadhouse
- Evening stockroom 601
Day 2
- Morning Welsh-American Heritage Museum, Jefferson Furnace
- Lunch Michael's Ice Cream
- Afternoon Byer Covered Bridge, Jackson County Apple Festival
- Dinner Pizza Pub & Patio
- Evening The Corner Pub
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car, Jackson is located just off of OH-32. Accessible from the north (Columbus area) by taking US-23 south through Circleville and Chillicothe , then taking US-35 towards Jackson. From the west (Cincinnati area) take OH-32 east.
By plane, the closest airports to Jackson are Port-Columbus International and Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport.
See
See Hammertown Lake
See Lake Alma
See Leo Petroglyph
See Buckeye Furnace Covered Bridge
See Byer Covered Bridge
See Johnson Road Covered Bridge
Oak Hill
Do
Do Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve
Eat
Eat Cardo's Pizza
Best pizza and sandwiches in town. Plus a pizza buffet.
Eat Michael's Ice Cream
An old-fashioned ice cream parlor that's got the best ice cream in town. Be sure to try out a Jackson County Bubble or a Jackson County veal.
Eat Toro Loco
Very good Mexican food with a daily all-you-can-eat lunch buffet
Drink
Drink stockroom 601
Occasional live music.
Sleep
Stay Days Inn of Jackson
Stay Red Roof Inn of Jackson
Go next
- Cincinnati, Ohio - appx. 2 hr drive
- Columbus, Ohio - appx. 1.5 hr drive
- Huntington, West Virginia - appx. 2 hr drive
- Charleston, West Virginia - appx. 3 hr drive
- Ashland, Kentucky - appx. 1.5 hr drive
- Portsmouth, Ohio - appx. 1 hr drive
Nearby
Hocking Hills State Park
Park · 19 listings · 27 mi away
Chillicothe
City / town · 43 listings · 27 mi away
Portsmouth
City / town · 29 listings · 29 mi away
Gallipolis
City / town · 9 listings · 29 mi away
Point Pleasant
City / town · 11 listings · 31 mi away
Wayne National Forest
Park · 15 listings · 31 mi away
Athens
City / town · 59 listings · 35 mi away
Nelsonville
City / town · 14 listings · 36 mi away
My experience
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