February 23, 2026 by

Coming to Cedarville without a car?  

When I first started planning for college, I was afraid of being stuck on campus and not ever having anywhere to go. I was limited to the University campus and the Village of Cedarville, but I still found plenty of cool areas to explore! 

I have full confidence that you can too, especially with some ideas! That’s what I’ll be sharing in this post: ideas for what to do as a college student in Cedarville without leaving the Village. 

 

Explore Cedarville Community Park 

Now, you may not have been to a park since elementary school. You may see them as playgrounds and walking paths for moms who want to exercise.  

Cedarville’s community park fits that description, but it is within only a short walking distance from campus, and it offers a really nice escape from the busyness of campus. 

Every year, Cedarville sets off fireworks for Labor Day, and students and families from the community gather to watch in the park. We flood the baseball diamond, surrounding parking lots, and grassy areas to enjoy the festivities together. I have had so much fun over the last three years going to watch the fireworks and playing board games, kill ball, and other fun yard games with friends beforehand.  

 

Visit Cedarville Community Library 

Cedarville may be a small town, but it has a cute public library for all ages. Even as a college student with access to the Centennial Library, I obtained a public library card in case I ever needed to go.  

This semester, the library is graciously allowing me to do two separate service projects with classmates in their meeting rooms. These rooms are available to rent and use for events if you and your friends ever want to get together to do something for the community. And it’s only about a 10-minute walk from campus right down Main Street! 

Check Out Cedarville’s Main Street Shops 

Speaking of Main Street, there are so many fun places to explore in Cedarville that are even closer to campus than the library. 

The two coffee shops on Main Street, Beans-n-Cream and Orion Coffee and Tea, are the most popular student gathering places, but other shops, such as Church Street Cookies and Second Act, a thrift store, are also wonderful spots to check out.  

I have personally had Church Street Cookies, and they are delicious! Many of my friends have also boasted about Second Act’s treasures. If you are a thrifter or a cookie connoisseur, you don’t need a car to enjoy these fun Cedarville activities.  

The Village of Cedarville also hosts an event called Sidewalk Saturdays — on the first Saturday of every month, it welcomes pop-up shops, food, and games onto Main Street. One of these included some line dancing, and I definitely suggest checking that out when you come! 

 

Go for Walks 

Not only does Cedarville’s campus offer beautiful scenery, but the town itself is also a great place to go walking or hiking. With the Indian Mound Reserve right around the corner and plenty of neighborhood streets, there is always somewhere new to explore.  

There have been many afternoons or evenings where I’ve wanted to get off campus but didn’t know where to go. Even just walking a few blocks down the road, out of sight of the University, can get you away from the busyness of campus life for a few moments. 

I have found all sorts of little treasures while strolling through town, such as the nearby graveyard during the fall. I couldn’t help but take some pictures because of how pretty it all looked. 

 

Since I’m from Kentucky, with its rolling green hills and acres of horse farms, learning to live in Ohio’s cornfields was pretty difficult. But there was one afternoon when my roommate and I were out walking on the road, and I was struck by how pretty the cornfield next to us looked against the sky. I snapped a picture so I could always be reminded of the small things. I didn’t need a car. We were probably only a three-minute walk from campus, but I was still able to enjoy it. 

Find a Friend With a Car 

With all the fun things to do in town, I think this is something many students don’t really think about until their later years, when they have a more defined friend group: If you don’t have a car, finding a friend who does has so many amazing perks!  

First, you can hitch a ride whenever you want and contribute to gas money when needed. And second, it opens up so many more opportunities to get to know different people and to see the places surrounding Cedarville, like Young’s Jersey Dairy, the city of Beavercreek, or The Greene, with its massive bookstore and Cheesecake Factory! I would recommend visiting those two places in The Greene back-to-back to get the full experience.  

No Car? No Problem! 

Not having a car on campus does not mean you can’t leave. If you reach out to people, Cedarville students are always more than willing to lend a hand driving you to church, Walmart, or anywhere else you might want to go. You can build community during those drives to get groceries or late-night Taco Bell runs, and you don’t even need to be the one with the car!  

 

I hope I have eased some of your concerns about getting connected and finding things to do in Cedarville. You do not have to stay confined to your dorm just because you don’t have a vehicle. There is plenty to do outside of campus in the Village of Cedarville throughout the year — you just have to know where to look! 

 

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