Romantic Getaways in Marietta Ohio: Couples Guide [2026]

Marietta sits at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers, and it is both Ohio's oldest city and, in a straight fight, its most beautiful. Founded in 1788 as the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory, it grew as a river town in the steamboat era and then quietly stopped growing, which is exactly why the downtown survived. Streets of Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Victorian buildings stand largely intact, sloping down to a levee where paddlewheel boats still tie up.

For couples, Marietta is a specific kind of weekend: history, architecture, and water, on foot, at a slow pace. There are no gorges to hike and no resort spas. What there is instead is a candlelit dining room in a hotel from 1918, a sunset cruise on a working sternwheeler, and a two thousand year old earthwork you can stand on in the middle of town.

Why Couples Choose Marietta

Marietta wins on atmosphere. The downtown historic district is frequently cited among the best preserved 19th century river towns in the country, and the effect is cumulative rather than concentrated in one restored block. You walk for twenty minutes and the period detail never breaks.

The rivers do the rest. Two rivers meeting means water on two sides of downtown, a levee to walk, boats to watch, and long views west at sunset. Add the river hills rising behind town and October here delivers a landscape most of Ohio cannot match. The trade off is that Marietta is a drive from everywhere: about 2 hours from Columbus, 3 hours from Cleveland. It repays the distance, but plan two nights rather than one.

Things to Do for Couples in Marietta

Walk the Historic Downtown

Front Street and the surrounding blocks are the heart of it. Brick sidewalks, cast iron storefronts, independent shops and antique dealers, and residential streets behind them holding some of the finest domestic architecture in the state. The Lafayette Hotel anchors the corner where Front Street meets the levee. Do this walk twice: once in the afternoon with shops open, once after dark when the gaslight style lamps are on and the river is black.

Valley Gem Sternwheeler Cruise

An authentic paddlewheel boat operating sightseeing, dinner, and sunset cruises from the Marietta levee on a seasonal schedule, generally spring through fall. The sunset run is the one to book. You pass the confluence, the town's waterfront from the water, and the wooded hills on the West Virginia side while the light goes orange. This is the single most memorable hour available in Marietta and it should anchor your Saturday. Confirm the current schedule with the operator, since cruise types vary through the season.

Mound Cemetery and the Marietta Earthworks

An ancient conical burial mound built by the Adena culture roughly two thousand years ago, standing at the center of a cemetery that holds more Revolutionary War officers than any other burial ground in the country. Those two facts sharing one small city block is genuinely strange and genuinely moving. Steps lead to the top of the mound. Nearby, the Sacra Via and Quadranaou earthwork remnants survive as part of the same ancient complex the town was built around rather than over. It takes half an hour and it will be what you talk about later.

Ohio River Museum and the W.P. Snyder Jr.

The museum tells the story of the inland river system and the steamboat era that built this town, and moored outside is the W.P. Snyder Jr., a steam powered sternwheel towboat and the last of its kind in the country. Standing on its deck explains river commerce better than any exhibit panel. Adjacent, the Campus Martius Museum preserves the actual 1788 Rufus Putnam house inside the building, which is the oldest known residence in Ohio.

Marietta College and the Levee Walk

Marietta College's small brick campus sits a few blocks up from the river with mature trees and a quiet green, and it connects easily to a walk along the levee and the river trail. The stretch where the Muskingum joins the Ohio is the best place in town to sit and do nothing, which on a romantic weekend counts as an activity.

River Hills Hiking and Wayne National Forest

The hills behind Marietta are steep, wooded, and largely undeveloped, with Wayne National Forest units north and west of the city. Trails deliver panoramic views over the river valley, and in October the combination of foliage and water is the best scenery in southeast Ohio. Trails are less developed than Hocking Hills, so download maps and expect wet footing.

The Ohio River Scenic Byway

Route 7 follows the river north and south of Marietta through small river towns, lock and dam sites, and long water views. A two hour driving loop with a few stops is an easy, low effort afternoon, especially in fall. Crossing into West Virginia at Williamstown adds an antique mall and a glass making heritage stop for couples who like that kind of detour.

Ohio River Sternwheel Festival

Held on the levee in September, drawing dozens of paddlewheel boats, live music, and a nighttime lighted boat display on the water. It is the best weekend of the year in Marietta and also the busiest. Book lodging months ahead if you are targeting it, and avoid the dates entirely if you want quiet.

Where to Stay in Marietta

• The Lafayette Hotel: The obvious and correct first choice. A 1918 riverfront hotel at the foot of Front Street, with Ohio River views, a rooftop bar, riverboat memorabilia throughout, and the Gun Room restaurant downstairs. Ask for a river facing room, which is the entire reason to stay here.
• Historic bed and breakfasts: Several operate in Victorian and Federal era homes in the residential historic district, walkable to downtown and generally quieter than the hotel.
• Downtown short term rentals: Apartments in restored commercial buildings on and around Front Street, often the best value for two nights, with the advantage of a kitchen.
• Country and riverside rentals: Cabins and cottages in the hills outside town for couples who want dark skies and a porch, with a ten to twenty minute drive in for dinner.
• Hocking Hills split: One night in Marietta, one night in a hot tub cabin northwest. This is the strongest way to structure a longer southeast Ohio trip.

Book ahead for the September Sternwheel Festival, Marietta College family and graduation weekends, and peak October Saturdays.

Where to Eat and Drink

Downtown Marietta feeds you well for a city of about 13,000. The Gun Room at the Lafayette handles the occasion dinner, with river views and an old fashioned formality that suits the setting. Beyond it, Front Street and the surrounding blocks hold an independent lineup: a coffee roaster for slow mornings, a bakery, a long standing pizza room, Italian and American kitchens, a brewery taproom, and a wine bar or two. The Lafayette's rooftop bar is the best drink in town simply for the view over the confluence at dusk.

Practical notes: reserve Saturday dinner, particularly during festival weekends and in October. Several downtown kitchens close Sunday evening and Monday, so plan the last night of a trip accordingly.

A Two Day Marietta Itinerary

Friday

• 5:00 pm: Arrive, check into a river facing room at the Lafayette, park for the weekend.
• 6:00 pm: Drink on the rooftop bar while the light goes off the confluence.
• 7:30 pm: Dinner in the Gun Room downstairs.
• 9:00 pm: Walk the levee and Front Street after dark.

Saturday

• 8:30 am: Coffee and pastry on Front Street.
• 9:30 am: Mound Cemetery, then the Sacra Via earthwork remnants.
• 10:30 am: Campus Martius Museum and the 1788 Putnam house.
• 12:00 pm: Lunch downtown, then browse the antique dealers and shops.
• 2:00 pm: Ohio River Museum and the deck of the W.P. Snyder Jr.
• 4:00 pm: Drive Route 7 along the river, or hike a river hills overlook trail.
• 7:00 pm: Sunset cruise on the Valley Gem. Book this in advance.

Sunday

• 9:00 am: Breakfast, then a last walk through the residential historic streets.
• 11:00 am: Marietta College green and the confluence overlook.
• 12:30 pm: Drive northwest toward Hocking Hills for a second night, or head home.

Best Time to Visit Marietta

• Fall, late September to late October: The best window. River hill foliage, the Sternwheel Festival in September, cool walking weather, and the boat schedule still running.
• Spring, April and May: Green hills, high water, quiet streets, and the beginning of the cruise season. Best value of the year.
• Summer, June to August: Warm and humid, with the fullest river boat schedule and the longest evenings on the rooftop.
• Winter, December to March: Very quiet. River operations largely pause, but the Lafayette in winter with a fire and an empty dining room has its own appeal, and rates are lowest.

Getting to Marietta

• From Columbus: About 120 miles, roughly 2 hours via I-70 and I-77.
• From Cleveland: About 180 miles, roughly 2 hours 50 minutes down I-77.
• From Cincinnati: About 200 miles, roughly 3 hours 15 minutes.
• From Pittsburgh: About 130 miles, roughly 2 hours 15 minutes, which makes Marietta a genuine cross state option.
• From Hocking Hills: About 70 miles, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.
• From Athens: About 60 miles, roughly 1 hour 10 minutes.

Downtown parking is free and easy on the side streets, and the Lafayette provides guest parking. Once you are checked in, the car can stay put.

Frequently Asked Questions