Be sure to check out How to Spend 1 Day in Cincinnati and the Midwest Region page for other ideas around the best things to do in Cincinnati Ohio. Also, this is a bit of a love letter to Cincinnati, since it is where I was born, raised and continue to live. I will also include details on Northern Kentucky (Covington and Newport) as they are directly across the river!
*Last updated 1/13/2024
The Best Things to Do in Cincinnati
Table of Contents
- Downtown Cincinnati
- Union Terminal and Cincinnati Museum Center
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
- Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
- Newport Aquarium
- Other Museums
- King’s Island
- Cincinnati Sports
- Concerts and Shows
- Jungle Jim’s International Market
- Loveland Castle
- Cincinnati Foods
- Seasonal Festivals and Events
1. Downtown Cincinnati
The main part of Downtown Cincinnati has seen a lot of changes over the last 20 years. The core population has been growing and new restaurants have been opening. My wife and I first met working at a music festival downtown. The main areas are Fountain Square ( central commercial area), The Banks (by the river and the stadiums) and Over the Rhine (smaller restaurants and bars north downtown). Just east of downtown is also Mount Adams, which has a popular nightlife and good views of the city. Just south of downtown is Covington and Newport, which also have a lot of restaurant options and can offer a little less expensive hotel options to explore the city.
Underground Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Underground tours takes you underground and back in time to the city’s beer heritage days as the country’s leading beer producer. Additionally, tours are begin in downtown Cincinnati. However, if you are short on time, you can stop down to Ghost Baby, a bar that was converted from one of the underground beer tunnels. Beware, it does book up so be sure to make reservations early.
Over the Rhine
Over the Rhine has numerous restaurant and bar options. Additionally, it includes Washington Park and Music Hall. However, the main area with the highest amount of restaurants is Vine St, Walnut St and Main St, between 12th and 15th streets.
Washington Park
Washington Park is located in Over the Rhine and was recently redesigned a few years ago. Also, it makes a great place to relax for a bit. There’s a dog park to bring your 4-legged friends, a kids splash park for the summer months and Christmas lights in the winter months. They also do some outdoor concerts right across the street from beautiful Music Hall.
Findlay Market
Findlay Market is located in the northwest area of Over the Rhine. Additionally, it is open daily and has over 50 food and market vendors, as well as restaurants.
The banks
The Banks is the Cincinnati area along the Ohio River. It offers numerous bars and restaurants. Additionally, it includes the Reds and Bengals stadiums, as well as the Underground Railroad Freedom Center (described below).
Hard Rock Casino
The Hard Rock Casino (formerly Horseshoe Casino) is an option for anyone that enjoys gambling. Additionally, there are some restaurant options in the casino as well.
2. Union Terminal and Cincinnati Museum Center
The Union Terminal houses numerous museums. Visit the page for the Cincinnati Museum Center, which includes the Children’s Museum, Cincinnati History Museum, Museum of Natural History and Science and the Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust Center. Additionally, they are all a nice rainy-day option. However, kids will love all of the play areas in the Children’s museum. Also, they do a big train display over Christmas and have some neat local Cincinnati displays. Lastly, there is the newer Holocaust Center, you can get a combo ticket that includes both it and the Underground Railroad Museum (below).
3. National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is an unique museum to Cincinnati. Additionally, it details the history of slavery in America, slavery today and the regional past of the underground railroad. There are numerous exhibits and about half a dozen films. Additionally, “Brothers of the Borderland” (on the 2nd floor) is narrated by Oprah Winfrey. Also, we took our 6 year old and felt like there was plenty of interactive exhibits that were appropriate for her age.
4. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
The Cincinnati Zoo is the second oldest zoo in the United States. Also, it is home to the oldest zoological building in the country (The Reptile House). Over Christmas they have a festive holiday display called “The Festival of Lights”, which includes a train and a pond light show synced to music. Additionally, it is home to everyone’s favorite hippo, Fiona!
5. Newport Aquarium
The Newport Aquarium is a great stop for kids and aquatic enthusiasts. Also, if you are here on a rainy day, it is a nice indoor place to visit. They have a main aquarium with the normal sharks, shark rays and fish. Additionally, they have numerous eels, jellyfish, penguins, an octopus and fish from around the world.
6. Other Museums
Cincinnati has a lot of great museums. If any interest you, be sure to check out the William Howard Taft National Historic Site, Cincinnati Art Museum, Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), Taft Museum of Art, the American Sign Museum and the Krohn Conservatory.
Cincinnati Art Museum
The Cincinnati Art Museum is now free to enter thanks to funding from the Ronsenthal Foundation. It has a broad collection of art from different regions and time periods. While in the area, you may also want to visit nearby Eden Park, Krohn Conservatory, Playhouse in the Park and Mount Adams.
7. Kings Island
Kings Island was purchased and is now operated under Cedar Point ownership. Additionally, Cedar Point has done a great job of bringing in some new thrill riders, including Kings Island’s first “giga-coaster”, Orion. However, they have a ton of rides for both kids and adults. Also, there is “Orion”, which is only one of 7 “giga-coasters” in the world (over 300 foot drop).
8. Cincinnati Sports
Cincinnati is home to three major league sports teams: Cincinnati Bengals (Football), Cincinnati Reds (Baseball), and FC Cincinnati (Soccer). Additionally, Cincinnati is also home to minor league hockey, the Cincinnati Cyclones. Also, Cincinnati hosts the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament (formerly Western & Southern), one of the non-major US tournaments for men’s and women’s tennis.
9. Concerts and Shows
Cincinnati has a pretty good arts scene as well. Also, one good option is the Aronoff Theater, which shows primarily revolving musicals (Hamilton pictured). Additionally, Music Hall is home to the Cincinnati Orchestra and The “Pops”. However, there are some other venues that include Riverbend, for large outdoor acts, as well as a number of smaller entertainment venues.
10. Jungle Jim’s International Market
Jungle Jim’s International Market is a grocery store unlike anything you have ever seen before. However, it is not just the size (it is huge), but the crazy and exotic items you can find. Additionally, there are two locations, the original in Fairfield and the newer store in Eastgate.
11. Loveland Castle
The Loveland Castle is located just north of Cincinnati in the suburb of Loveland. Also, it is the work of one man’s life work to build the castle on the banks of the Little Miami river and is fun to explore for a couple of hours.
12. Cincinnati Foods
The number one most recognizable food is Cincinnati-style chili. The main chain is Skyline. However, there is also Gold Star and family-owned parlors in almost every neighborhood. Additionally, for pizza there is the local chain, LaRosas, and for ice cream there is Graeters.
13. Seasonal Festivals and Events
WEBN Labor Day fireworks and BLINK are two of the popular special events in downtown Cincinnati. Additionally, The Flying Pig marathon in the spring and the Queen Bee in the fall are two of the top running races in the area. Also, there is the Taste of Cincinnati, featuring local cuisine, and Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany.
