I'm not looking for an app that lets me read the HTML of web pages or create web pages which is all I can see to find searching the store.

I have a folder of offline HTML files that I use as reference material and I used Dropbox to put it on my iPad 3rd Gen and it won't let me open it in Safari and says I don't have an app to view the files.

I need an app that I can use to view the files or a way for me to upload them so I can view them in safari.

Any suggestions are welcome. I'm an old PC guy and this is my first iPad so still learning the ropes.

Think this what you are looking for

Web Page Developer for iPad on the iTunes App Store

Gusto will let you look at HTML pages, try that

Any chance there is a free viewer? Both of those are developer tools, which I don't need, if I want to write HTML I can do it myself. I'm really just looking for the equivalent of using a browser on local files.

GoodReader might work. It will view html files; but I don't know if it will do it in a way compatible with your needs.

GoodReader is not free, but then again it does so many other things that you might find it worth buying anyway; if you don't already have it. It's a very popular and versatile app. Oh, yes, you can download files form DropBox directly in GoodReader. No need to half step through the DropBox app.