A car is strongly recommended for seeing all of Dayton's highlights. The National Museum of the United States Air Force and Huffman Prairie are east of the city centre at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and walking or cycling between the main sights is impractical.
The Greater Dayton RTA operates bus service across the city, though routes are infrequent outside peak hours and won't serve most visitor destinations efficiently. The Dayton Aviation Heritage sites on the west side of downtown can be walked between in about 20 minutes. Downtown itself is compact and walkable.
Ride-sharing (Uber, Lyft) is available and is a reasonable alternative to a rental car for travellers staying in the Oregon District who want to reach the Air Force Museum.