Things to see in Cincinnati

We do not recommend that you travel to Cincinnati after dark

The Connector

The Connector is a free streetcar with 18 stops in Cincinnati.  Runs every 12-15 minutes.  Board and exit at any one of the station stops along the route.   Street Car Map

Favorite stops include Findlay Market, Washington Park, Riverfront, Fountain Square

Monday- Friday: 7:30 am-11:30 p.m. Saturday: 8:30 a.m- 11:30 p.m. Sunday: 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

 

Krohn Conservatory

Krohn Conservatory is located in Eden Park. There are many exhibits including The Fern House, Palm House, Desert House, Orchid House and the Bonsai Gallery.  1501 Eden Park Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45202        Open Monday 3 PM to 8 PM and Tuesday – Sunday 10 AM to 8 PM

 

Eden Park

Eden Park is nestled between East Walnut Hills and Mt. Adams. The park is home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and the Krohn Conservatory.

Landmarks within the park include the Hinkle Magnolia Garden, Mirror Lake featuring the Bettman Fountain in the center and the Spring House Gazebo overlooking the lake. There once was an old quarry that was converted into two small lakes joined by a footbridge. Also, within Eden Park is a historic 172-foot high Water Tower from 1894. HOURS Open 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM

 

Findley Market

Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest public market.  Located just blocks from downtown in Over-the-Rhine, a dense historic neighborhood rich in 19th century architecture, Findlay Market remains the bustling center of farm fresh, locally sourced, artisanal and specialty foods.

The market house tower bell is rung at the start of each market day        1801 Race St., Race & Elder Sts., Cincinnati  (513) 665-4839                           Tues – Sat 9 AM – 6 PM, Sun 10 AM – 4 PM, Mon: Closed

 

Over-the-Rhine Neighborhood

    Over-the-Rhine is a go-to shopping destination in Downtown Cincinnati, with a wide variety of boutiques and specialty stores, from home décor to high-end fashion, and more. Stroll along Vine Street’s historic buildings or explore the eclectic selection of merchants located on Main Street.

 

Fountain Square

        Fountain Square is the heart of downtown Cincinnati and is a place to gather for lunch, dinner, festivals, people watching, free public programming and special events. It is surrounded by a wide variety of shopping and dining and is a great place to gather any time of day. 520 Vine Street

The nine-foot-tall Genius of Water, dedicated in 1871, known as “The Lady”, streams water from her outstretched hands. Below her, large human figures represent water’s practical uses, and on the base, four child figures represent the pleasures of water. These were originally designed as drinking fountains, and visitors can still drink from them. The water that flows from these figures is fresh, not chlorinated, water.

 

Smale Riverfront Park

Smale Riverfront Park runs along the Ohio River and connects downtown to the river along Merhing Way from Elm St to Broadway.  The bridge from Covington crosses the river right into the middle of the Park. The park boasts multiple water play features, giant swings, an interactive foot piano, an imaginative play area for kids, expansive pollinator gardens, a labyrinth, and Carol Ann’s Carousel (8 E. Merhing Way Cincinnati, OH Fri – Sun 11 – 4 $2.00/ride) Several historical monuments can be found like the Black Brigade Monument and the Marian Spencer Statue.

 

American Sign Museum

  The Sign Museum features 20,000 square feet of more than a century of American signage.  From early, pre-electric signs adorned in goldleaf, to the earliest electric signs, to beautiful art-deco neon, to the modern plastic-faced sign, the museum covers it all.   1330 Monmouth Avenue                  Wed – Sun 10 – 4  Closed Mon and Tues. Neonworks is closed on Sunday        $20 – Adult, $15 – Seniors (65+), $10 – Students (with a valid student ID)

 

 Cincinnati Museum Center

The Museum Center is inside the Cincinnati Union Terminal.

The building houses the Cincinnati History Museum, Children’s Museum, Museum of Natural History and Science, Holocaust & Humanity Center, OMNIMAX Theater, Culinary Studio and Special Exhibits.

Union Terminal is a train station.  It’s Art Deco design incorporates several works of art, including two Reiss Industrials, a set of sixteen mosaic murals depicting Cincinnati industry The main space in the facility, the Rotunda, has two enormous mosaic murals.

Admission Price: Includes Cincinnati History Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science and The Children’s Museum.                                                      Holocaust & Humanity Museum several dollars extra.                                          Adult (13–59) $22.50, Senior 60+ $15.50, Child (3–12) $15.50

 

 National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Located on the banks of the Ohio River which separated the slave states of the South from the free states of the North. This museum shares stories from the era of the Underground Railroad and helps visitors understand the true meaning of inclusive freedom.   An immersive educational experience for children and adults alike, the center offers a combination of permanent and traveling exhibits that utilize storytelling, film, artwork, hands-on activities, and more.

50 East Freedom Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (near Smale Park)                    513-333-7500      Wed – Sun 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Closed Mon & Tues
Adults: $16.50, Seniors (60+): $14, Children ages 3-12: $11.50

Holocaust & Humanity Center

The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center is located inside Union Terminal.  The Center was created to carry on the moving stories and powerful lessons of one of the darkest chapters in human history. Rooted in this educational mission is a vision to create an entire community of upstanders—high-minded, everyday heroes who act because they refuse to be bystanders to the world’s humanitarian injustices or unmet needs when they know they have the capacity to help.

1301 Western Ave Suite 2101, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203.Open Thurs – Mon 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For inclement weather or questions about museum hours please call  513-487-3055.Adults (Ages 13-59) $10, Seniors (60+) $7.50, Students $5 (Under 13 or with ID)

 

**Note:  Combo Ticket to visit both the Underground Freedom Center and the Holocaust & Humanity Center  Adults: $20, Seniors (60+): $16, Children ages 3-12: $12

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Aside from the many animals in special habitats there is a train, carousel, kanga climb and giraffe feeding for additional purchase.  The Botanical Gardens are all around the zoo in different displays.

Check the website for accurate pricing and attractions available on the day you are going.

Prices depend on the day and package you want and can be purchased on their website. General Admission: Adults (13-61) $17 – 26, Senior $11 – 20, Child (3-12) $11-20

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things to see in Covington

Southbank Shuttle Trolley

The Southbank Shuttle, aka the Trolley, serves the cities of Bellevue, Newport, and Covington in Kentucky and travels to downtown Cincinnati in Ohio. It runs every fifteen minutes on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. The cost to ride the Southbank Shuttle is $1, a transfer $0.25, or you can buy a $5 Metro/TANK Day Pass for unlimited travel on both the trolley and bus systems.  Printable Trolley Map

Check out the website for more information, current pricing and routes.    There is a shuttle stop 0.4 mile from the hotel.

 

MainStrasse Village

A short 7 minute walk from our hotel is ‘MainStrasse’ or Main Street.  It is a designated historic district, is walkable, and features unique shops & galleries, restaurants, and watering holes. The neighborhood has eclectic street art.

The Carroll Chimes Clock Tower (605 Philadelphia St) in Goebel Park has four clock faces and the largest of its 43 bells weighs nearly one thousand pounds. The carillon plays music at various scheduled times and its characters tell the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin. You can visit the tower where 6th Street and Philadelphia Street intersect.

The beautiful Goose Girl Fountain is in the center of Mainstrasse Village at 6th & Main St.  Printable (and clearer) map

 

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

(A stop on the Monday Tour)

 

 

 

 

This Catholic church, completed in 1910, is built from Indiana Limestone in a Late Gothic Revival style. There are ornate moldings on the western facade, inspired by Notre-Dame de Paris. The interior has 82 stained glass windows including two rose windows and a mammoth 24 foot by 67 foot window in the north transept. The Stations of the Cross are mosaics, the high altar is carved from Italian Carrara marble and there are paintings by Covington artist Frank Duveneck (1848-1919).

Self-guided tour brochures are available at the Greeters Desk, found by the North side entranceThe Cathedral is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, for visitors. On weekends, the Cathedral is open for regularly scheduled Masses and confessions, and from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.        Download tour brochure here

 

Licking-Riverside Historic District

Its boundaries are Fourth Street to the north, Scott Street, Eighth Street to the south, and the Licking River. The area is noted for its vibrant population, stately architecture, streetside dining, city views and river walks.

There are several life-like bronze figures installed along the Riverwalk – among them, Roebling Suspension and Brooklyn bridge designer, James A. Roebling, James Bradley and painter John James Audubon.

Its streets are lined with original river mansions that demonstrate every major evolutionary style of American architecture from 1815 to 1920. A mix of rowhouses, bungalows and multi-unit housing are neatly blended into the neighborhood’s tree-lined streets.

On the west boundary sits Roebling Point, located on the banks of the Ohio River at the base of the Roebling Suspension Bridge. Roebling Point, Covington’s original business district. Visitors to these shops and restaurants have said, “It’s almost like you’re in Paris.”

Roebling Suspension Bridge

                                                                                The John A. Roebling Bridge, connecting Cincinnati and Covington, opened to traffic on January 1, 1867. It served as an engineering prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge. The most impressive features are the two primary cables, each containing 5,180 individual wires. The cables were “spun” in place using wire imported from England. It has been an iconic landmark over the Ohio River for more than 150 years.

Roebling Murals on the Floodwalls

    18 murals illustrate some of the history of Covington. Depicting a variety of scenes from the meeting of General George Rogers Clark, Simon Kenton, and Daniel Boone on the mouth of the Licking River to Jacob Price, a local African American leader of the late 1800s, the murals span hundreds of feet along the floodwall and create a spectacular visual effect.

Behringer-Crawford Museum

Behringer-Crawford Museum, in Devou Park, is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the unique arts, heritage and culture of Northern Kentucky.

You will learn about the impact of the railroads, enter a mid-century railroad depot to see a rare 1924 Stewart Iron Works’ U.S. Motor Truck and Kentucky, the last streetcar to run in Northern Kentucky.

The automobile changed the way Americans lived and viewed life.  Have a seat in the 1959 Buick Electra convertible, watch an original drive-in movie, punch up a tune on the vintage jukebox, and discover an authentic Studebaker English horse gig from the early 1900s.

Walk across a replica of the historic Roebling Bridge to learn more about other structures, steamboats and river disasters, as well as the history of Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky regional airports.

1600 Montague Road Covington, KY

Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m.- 5 p.m.  Sunday: 1:00- 5 p.m. Closed Mondays   $9 adults $8 seniors 60+  $5 children ages 3-17

 

 Garden of Hope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          This tranquil park features an exact replica of Christ’s tomb in Jerusalem, along with historic artifacts, statuary and imported stones from the Jordan River, Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, Solomon’s Temple and more. Also see a Spanish mission replica built with stones from the Horns of Hatton, where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. The space is also a beautiful spot for a picnic with views of the river and skyline. 699 Edgecliff Covington. Open sunup to sundown.

The B-Line (as in bourbon)

The Bourbon line is Northern Kentucky’s self-guided tour cream-of-the-crop bourbon-centric restaurants, bars with at least 100 bourbon varieties on hand, and craft distilleries, all of which are part of Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour®.

You can download the tour stops online and get a B-line passport.