Cincinnati

Understand

Peak tourist season is summer and fall. If you are visiting during the winter or early spring, some activities or sights may have shortened hours or possibly be closed.

History Formerly known as Losantiville, the city was renamed Cincinnati by the first governor of the Northwest Territory, Arthur St. Clair, in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, a society named after Roman dictator Cincinnatus who famously gave up absolute power and returned to his farm after serving his country in times of crisis and founded at the end of the Revolutionary War. Many members of the society were prominent men in the early years of the United States. The city's early economy was based on the pork industry, and this was celebrated in the summer of 2000 with the Big Pig Gig, during which large flying pig statues took up residence along the city's main thoroughfares. Many of these pig statues later found homes downtown in offices, parks and even private residences. The Miami and Erie canal was completed in the 1840s, and was used to transport hogs and butchered pork products to Cincinnati from much of western Ohio. During this time period massive waves of Germans settled into the city populating neighborhoods which at their height in the late 1800s were some of the most densely populated outside of New York City. These German immigrants built a culture based on beer gardens, beer brewing, dance and music halls giving Cincinnati a very distinct and vibrant local culture. Very little remains from this era due to both World War I anti-German backlash and the prohibition of alcohol in 1920. Lately, with the beginnings of revitalization of the Downtown Basin neighborhoods, there has been a renewed interest in this heritage and some of it can be seen to this day in faded German signs on densely built ornate Victorian buildings in Over-The-Rhine, a high per-capita number of bars, and the celebration of large German festivals such as Bockfest, Mayfest, and the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States. Cincinnati also has a charming riverboat heritage that dates back to the days when large, steam and paddle-wheel driven vessels were used to transport locally produced pork products. In recognition of this tradition, the city plays host to the Tall Stacks Festival once every few years (although it hasn't been held since 2006), during which time the river front is transformed into a mass of color, with river boats of all shapes and sizes jostling for positions along the river banks. Baseball is another Cincinnati tradition, and the Cincinnati Reds were the first

Getting there

By plane 1 Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG IATA) (Follow I-275 south then east to Exit 4, State Route 212. Follow the signs to airport terminals and parking), ☏ +1 859 767-3151, [email protected]. It is on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, so you'll have to cross the bridge to get to Cincinnati itself. The airport serves 56 destinations on nearly 200 daily flights, with international service to Freeport, Cancun, Montego Bay, Toronto, and Paris. The airport is a focus city for Delta Air Lines and offers daily flights to many of the largest U.S. cities, in addition to nonstop service to France, Canada, and Mexico. In addition, the airport is a focus city for Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines, which are U.S. ultra-low-cost carriers and offer daily flights across the United States and Caribbean. Although fares have been historically high, Delta's market dominance has considerably diminished in the last decade, resulting in much more competitive fares compared to nearby cities. Air Canada: Toronto–Pearson Allegiant Air: Austin, Baltimore, Cancun, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Walton Beach, Jacksonville (FL), Las Vegas, Montego Bay, Myrtle Beach, Newark, New Orleans, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, Punta Cana, Punta Gorda/Fort Myers, San Juan, Savannah, St. Petersburg/Clearwater American Airlines: Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Washington–National Apple Vacations: Cancun, Monetgo Bay, Punta Cana Delta Air Lines: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cancun, Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Fayetteville/Bentonville, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Houston–Intercontinental, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Orlando, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, St. Louis, Tampa, Toronto–Pearson, Washington–National Frontier Airlines: Atlanta, Cancún, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Houston–Intercontinental, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, San Francisco, Tampa Southwest Airlines: Baltimore, Chicago–Midway United Airlines: Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, San Francisco, Washington–Dulles Vacation Express: Cancun, Freeport, Monetgo Bay, Punta Cana 2 Cincinnati Municipal Lunken Airport (LUK IATA). Lunken Airport is the other option for travelers, but, in general, only travele

Getting around

By bus The main form of public transportation is by bus. The region is served by two bus systems. The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (Sorta) operates Metro, the bus company that serves the Ohio side of the state line. The Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (Tank) serves Northern Kentucky and all routes between Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. Bus lines marked with a "X" are express routes and make less frequent stops. Be sure to check whether the bus makes a stop at your required destination before you get on. Sorta and Tank operate a different fare rate system, though both require passengers to submit the exact fare and no change is given. If you plan on taking the bus, highly recommended is the "Cincinnati Frequent Transit Map" which was developed by a concerned citizen looking to increase transit use. This will give you a good idea of which parts of town are well served by transit as well as which parts of town are underserved, eliminating lines from the official map that don't have frequent service. More information here: https://web.archive.org/web/20221211225107/http://cincymap.org/ For sightseeing the recommended option is the Metro 1 bus. Metro's tag line for this bus is "Ride the One for Fun," because it visits the most important cultural destinations in the city. The bus loops from the Union Terminal Museum Center, to downtown's theaters and museums, to the sports stadiums and parks on the riverfront, to the upscale Mount Adams residential neighborhood, to Eden Park and Krohn Conservatory, ending in nearby Peebles Corner, Walnut Hills. This bus is $1.75 a ride, but passes are available. If taking the 1 especially if from a more transit rich city, make sure to check a schedule first as the line can close early and doesn't have the highest frequencies of routes. If you wish to cross the river into Kentucky be sure to ride the Southbank Shuttle, which loops around the riverfront on the Ohio and Kentucky sides. Stops include Fountain Square, The Banks, Newport on the Levee, and Roebling Point. The Shuttle is often used by locals who do not want to drink and drive or pay high parking prices, as the shuttle stops at many popular nightlife spots. The Shuttle is instantly recognizable by its old-fashioned trolley look, but are newer and cleaner than the regular TANK bus system. The shuttle is also cheaper at $1 a ride. Daily passes are available. Metro charges passengers based on zones: Zone 1 (The City of Cincinnati), Zone 2 (Hamilton County, outside of Cincinnati), and Zone 3 (Stops outside of Hamilton County and the City of Cinc

See

Some highlights of the city include a menagerie of museums like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Taft Museum of Art, the natural history/children's Cincinnati Museum Center, and the American Sign Museum. For more natural experiences, there are the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Krohn Conservatory. And for distinctive views of the Queen City, try walking across the Purple People Bridge or John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge and enjoy the skyline with the Ohio River draping the foreground.

Do

Cincinnati has quite an impressive assortment of 19th century architecture. Parts of town will remind a visitor of large east coast cities like Boston or Brooklyn. With a renewed interest in the oldest parts of the city there are an increasing number of tours highlighting Cincinnati's golden age when it was one of the largest cities in the US. During some events like Oktoberfest or Bockfest, additional tours are offered, such as those highlighting the cities strong brewing heritage, or even the rare venture down into the abandoned subway tunnels, inquire locally or read local blogs as these are not well advertised to people from out of town. Sports are taken extremely seriously in Cincinnati. Everyone roots for the Reds and the Bengals, but college basketball is where the city becomes divided. One of the most intense rivalries in all of college basketball is the Crosstown Shootout (called "Crosstown Classic" from 2012 to 2014), the annual matchup between the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. The game has returned to having the two schools alternate hosting duties after three years at the neutral site now known as Heritage Bank Center in the Central Business District. This came about because the 2011 game ended in a bench-clearing brawl (which also led to the temporary name change).

Buy

Cincinnati has 52 neighborhoods, and each one has its own shopping districts. Some of the more noteworthy are Clifton Gaslight District (Ludlow Avenue between Clifton Avenue and Middleton Avenue), which offers bohemian and international shops, Northside Business District (Ludlow Viaduct/Blue Rock Street/Spring Grove Avenue), Hyde Park Square (Erie Avenue between Zumstein Avenue and Shaw Avenue) and Oakley Square (Madison Road between Hyde Park Avenue and Marburg Avenue) offer upscale boutiques. If you're searching for something that is quintessentially Cincinnati, be sure to look for Rookwood Pottery, Findlay Market, Ulf's Big Onions, or Graeter's handmade candy.

Eat

Cincinnati is famous for its unique chili, based on a Macedonian recipe. It contains finely-ground meat, no beans or onions, and usually contains spices such as cinnamon or cocoa powder, and not as much tomato as traditional recipes. It is served over spaghetti with finely-shredded Cheddar cheese on top, known as a "three-way"; add diced white onions or kidney beans to make it a "four-way"; and add both kidney beans and onions for a "five-way". It's also served over hot dogs with shredded Cheddar cheese on top, known as a "cheese coney." Cincinnati has more chili restaurants per capita than any city in the United States. The debate over where to find the best Cincinnati chili is almost a religious war. Two major chili-parlor chains (Skyline & Gold Star) are dominant, but individual parlors and other smaller chains have their fans as well. Goetta (pronounced "get-uh") is another Cincinnati tradition, developed by German immigrants. It's a sausage made of pork and/or beef, mixed with oats and spices. It's usually sliced and then fried, and most often served as a breakfast food, although goetta sandwiches are also popular.

Drink & nightlife

The Main Street Entertainment District (on Main Street north of 12th Street in Over-the-Rhine) was a popular area featuring many clubs and bars. However the riots did their number on the district forcing just about every bar to close down during the 2000s. This isn't all doom and gloom as, there have been attempts to bring bars back up there with several notable night spots opening up in the last few years such as Neon's and Japp's. After a few years of Kentucky getting the attention, the center of nightlife in Cincinnati has shifted to the area near Fountain Square and the Arnoff Center, or Restaurant Row generally bounded by 8th St to the North, 5th St to the South, Vine St to the West and Main St to the East. The area is always busy on weekends, especially with many young professionals. Over the last few years it has been slowly growing with many new bars/clubs and other night spots opening up. Across the Ohio River in Kentucky, many restaurants and nightspots are along the riverbank in Covington's Mainstrasse District and the area of Newport around Newport on the Levee. With the loosening of laws regarding microbreweries and allowing them to sell beer on site, and with increased interest in reviving its brewing heritage, Cincinnati has a growing scene of tap rooms which aren't necessarily open late but may be a good way to get microbrew straight from the source.

Sleep

Many Covington hotels shamelessly play up their proximity to their more famous neighbor. From Covington, it's a short drive, walk or bus ride (Southbank Shuttle) across the bridge to get back to downtown Cincinnati, so it's not an inconvenient option.

Go next

Adjacent places Cincinnati is part of a very fractured metro region with many old small towns and suburbs, some of the more notable ones include:

Clermont County, directly to the east Milford-Miami Township. An average town with plenty of outdoor activities and parks. Warren County, to the northeast Lebanon. Home of the Golden Lamb which is historical and famous for hosting many US presidents including George Washington. Mason. Home of several amusement parks including Kings Island. Oxford. Home to Miami University, called "the prettiest campus ever there was" by Robert Frost. Northern Kentucky Florence. Just south of I-275 in Northern Kentucky. Famous for the Florence Y'All water tower. Creation Museum, near Hebron - A unique and interesting attraction, whether you believe it or not. Ark Encounter in Williamstown, billed as a life-size replica of Noah's Ark and operated by the same organization responsible for the Creation Museum. Said organization also offers a combo package that includes a one-day Ark Encounter ticket and a two-day Creation Museum ticket, and a 7-day pass with unlimited entry to both attractions. See the website of either attraction for details. Southeastern Indiana Perfect North Slopes. Winter ski resort in nearby Lawrenceburg. 1/2 hour from Cincinnati. Rising Sun. 30 mins west in Indiana by the Ohio river. Regional center for casino gambling, home of the Grand Victoria Casino.

Farther afield Cincinnati is centrally located in reference to other interesting Midwestern or Southern cities and attractions. The following are accessible as day trips:

Indianapolis. Home of the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 automobile races. A two-hour drive from Cincinnati via Interstate 74. Chicago. The largest city in the Midwest is a little over a four-hour drive from Cincinnati via Interstates 74 and 65. Flights to Chicago are also available from $100-200 and take just under an hour. Dayton. 45 min north on I-75. Home of the Wright Brothers, The Dayton Art Institute, The National Museum of the United States Air Force, and The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. Columbus. Ohio's capital and largest city is a 1½ hour drive from Cincinnati. Cleveland. The Rock and Roll city is in northern Ohio and is about a four-hour drive from Cincinnati. Flights to Cleveland are also available from $200-300 and take just under an hour. Serpent Mound. The largest effigy of a serpent in North America (¼ mile long). The park is dated to belong to the Fort Ancient era. The mound apparently represents an uncoiling serpent eating an egg. It's believed that the hea