Cincinnati is a colorful and exciting city that offers both traditional and new attractions. It’s big on major league sports, arts, festivals, and amenities that will make it hard for you to decide what to do first. Our suggestion? Try everything on your next visit to Cincinnati. The city is oozing with greenery, museums, and other activities that will surely make you come back for more.
The city continues to improve, and new constructions of restaurant and coffee bars, as well as breweries, are visible as a sign of its growth. Here are some of the best things to do and see in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo features a wide variety of exotic animals ranging from cheetahs to snow leopards, to wolves, to snakes, to armadillos. Their aquarium houses sunfish, piranhas, and other types of fish you want to witness with your own eyes. The zoo is also renowned for its CREW conservation program that helped preserved the great lowland gorilla of the Congo.
BLOC Coffee Company
BLOC Coffee Company is what an independent American café is all about. This café lying on the Price Hill neighborhood, offers a variety of grilled cheese and potato chips with the focus on their coffee. There are the traditional Americanos and espressos on the menu, but they also have alternative offerings such as chai lattes, Chemex coffee, and French presses. The walls of the joint showcase pieces by local photographers and artists.
National Underground Railroad
There are plenty of museums in the city and of the newest addition is the National Underground Railroad that was established in 2004. It is considered a “conscience” museum along with other modern breeds of museums in the country. The museum will leave you contemplating the wonders of the city’s darker past. The institution is located where prisoners would stop on their way to their escape in the north. You can find collections of films and relics from the years of oppression and slavery. They also feature a slave pen that is among the few examples that still stands in the country.
Cincinnati History Museum
If you want to learn more about the chronicles of the city and how it becomes the Queen City of the West that it is now, you should head to Cincinnati History Museum located in the Union Terminal. The exhibits in the museum range from relics of WWII to the reconstructions of how life was for the early inhabitants of the city. There’s also an exhibit of a Mississippi steamboat that brings back at the time when Cincinnati was a primary stopover for traders and tourists alike in the 1800s.
Great American Ball Park
The Great American Ball Park was built and opened in 2003. It is the home of the Cincinnati Reds. This is the best place to be if you want some Major League Baseball action in the city. The venue features some unique architectural designs that add to its exciting vibe. You can see the Power Stacks, which tries to replicate how the steamboats look once drift up the Ohio River, as well as mosaics that commemorate the prime years of Cincinnati baseball. Next to the stadium is the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.
Carew Tower
Carew Tower was built in the 1930s and has been one of the well-known landmarks in the city since. The tower is renowned for its intricate mirrored eating halls and Secessionist designs. It also houses the luxurious Hilton hotel, as well as numerous dining hubs and shops. Don’t miss the chance to witness the knockout views of the downtown area in the observation deck on the 49th floor.
Spring Grove Cemetery
Cincinnati houses one of the most mysterious National Historic Landmarks in Ohio, the Spring Grove Cemetery. It spans 700 acres of land and is dubbed as the second-largest cemetery in the country. In this solemn graveyard lie countless individuals from generals to mayors, to baseball pitchers to ordinary people who once crossed paths with the city. It is an excellent place to stroll with its beautiful surroundings and greenery.
Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati Art Museum features a wide selection of artworks by world-renown artists such as Memling, Rubens and Bouguereau, and Modigliani. It is considered one of the best classic art museums in the United States. The museum was built in 1886 and has since featured permanent exhibits of international artists. Cincinnati Art Museum also organizes regular touring exhibitions, as well as regular family-friendly art workshops.
Eli’s BBQ
Eli’s BBQ is well-loved by both locals and visitors because of its classic American barbecue. Its menu offers hickory-smoked pulled pork burgers, greasy ribs, and beef dogs. They also include Tex-Mex jalapeno-infused cornbreads in their side dish offerings. The interior of the joint is homey and straightforward, which adds to the reason why you will keep coming to the place.
MadTree Brewing
MadTree Brewing is one of the most popular independent microbrews in the city. The taproom is inviting with its timber bars and a chalkboard menu. It is located in an industrial warehouse on the far north-eastern sides of the town. It serves the Gnarly Brown and Dreamsicle, which is a fusion of orange and vanilla. You can also enjoy their Neopolitan pizzas from Catch-a-Fire Pizza. If you come on a Saturday, you can join their tour of the brewery.
Ohio River
Cincinnati was once a hub of trade and tourists in the 1800s and early 1900s because of the numerous riverboats that traveled back and forth the Ohio River. Right now, several businesses offer trips on the classic streamers. You can take a dining cruise or sightseeing cruise, depending on what time you will come.
Eden Park
If you are looking for urban greenery in the town of Cincinnati, you have to come to Eden Park along the Ohio River banks. This is no doubt one of the best spots to have a relaxing walk in Cincinnati. The park features fountains and beautiful architectural designs. You shouldn’t miss the chance to see the Spring House Gazebo and the statues of the founders of Rome.