I’m interrupting my South East Asia posts for a bit of variety with a hop across the pond which I took at Christmas (plus if I leave it much longer it’ll feel ridiculous posting Christmas trees in the Summer)…..so off we go to the USA again!
I must start by confessing that Cincinnati had never been on my travel radar. But then, my husband’s NFL team the Cincinnati Bengals were playing my beloved Arizona Cardinals over Christmas, and we knew we had to get on a plane to experience the game.
Beyond the NFL we discovered a city that had interesting things to see and do, and we really enjoyed exploring it for a couple of days. It was an off the tourist trail city break – and we had fun getting to know it. Read on to find out more!
Want to read more about going to the Bengals game? Read my post HERE (coming soon).
Contents
Itinerary Day 1: Eden Park & OTR
Morning: Krohn Conservatory & Eden Park
Start your trip to Cincinnati by visiting the beautiful Krohn Conservatory, filled with gorgeous plants and even an indoor waterfall. As a Botanic Garden lover I adored it and at Christmas it is filled with bright red poinsettia plants, and even a full holiday display of Cincinnati in miniature. Magical!
After exploring the Conservatory, walk around Eden Park for some lovely views out over the Ohio River. I imagine in the summer it would be stunning, but it was -15 degrees Celsius on the day we visited so we were well wrapped up. In total the visit will take 1.5-2hrs.
Top Tip: If you enjoy art museums, you could also add the Cincinnati Art Museum in to your morning plans, as it’s within Eden Park.
Afternoon: Over the Rhine
Cincinnati is where a large population of German settlers came in the 1800s and as a result the city has a district called Over the Rhine (OTR), named after the famous German river. The city leans in to its heritage, and lots of German artwork and traditions can be found across the city, including the sale of pretzels (obviously I was a fan!).
Over the Rhine is one of the nicest areas of the city, and is where you can find:
- Washington Park and the Cincinnati Music Hall
- Findlay Market
- Numerous eateries, bars and cafes (recommendations below)
- Independent shops
- Lots of beautiful street art
It’s easy to spend 3-4hrs in this area taking it all in.
Evening: Breweries
Cincinnati is known as the “beer capital” of the US, which is unsurprising given its German heritage. It has long been home to Beer Halls and there are multiple breweries just to the north of the OTR district which are open to the public to enjoy. They did remind me a bit of Germany, and I loved that they were large communal spaces, often with games on offer. We particularly enjoyed Rhinegeist and Northern Row. You could also choose to do a Breweries organised tour.
Itinerary Day 2: Downtown
Morning: National Railroad & Freedom Center
Another very interesting fact about Cincinnati is that it was right on the border between a free state (Ohio) and a slave state (Kentucky) during the period of slavery in the US. It means it was a critical hub of activity for escaping to safety, with only a river separating slaves from their freedom.
This museum tells the story of the history of slavery from its origins through to abolition and beyond. It was absolutely fascinating and we learned so much, including the pivotal role Cincinnati played. The museum moved me beyond words and in total we spent an entire day (6.5hrs) reading everything (!).
I think a normal person would need at least 2.5hrs so give it a whole morning.
Afternoon: The Banks & Smale Riverfront
Just a short walk from The National Railroad and Freedom Center lies the Ohio Riverfront, which in itself has a lot to offer. You won’t be able to fit it all in to an afternoon, but pick the activities to suit your interest as I think there is something for everyone:
- The Cincinnati Reds Baseball Stadium and Hall of Fame. If you’re in to baseball, you can do stadium tours, see a game and visit the on-site museum. This can easily take a couple of hours.
- The Cincinnati Bengals NFL Stadium: If you like the NFL, watching a game is a must (as we did, and loved it!), or as a minimum a stadium tour could be a great option.
- Riverside Walks: The river has a number of walking paths to follow along the Ohio River which would be particularly lovely in summer.
- Roebling Bridge: The Roebling Bridge connects Cincinnati in Ohio, to Covington in Kentucky, across the Ohio River. It’s cool to walk across it and have your feet across two states!
- Cincinnati Escape Game: A cool interactive experience if you enjoy Escape Rooms (as we do).
Evening: Fountain Square
Finish off your time in the city in Fountain Square, a lovely plaza perfect for dinner and drinks. There are lots of nice bars and restaurants around, and even in the winter it was nice with cosy bars looking out on to the Christmas tree. Lovely!
Have a Little Longer?
Cincinnati Museum Center
The Cincinnati Museum Centre is just a short Uber ride away from the main areas of the city, including OTR and Downtown. The Museum is worth visiting just to see from the outside and inside the main entrance hall. It used to be a railway station and it’s absolutely stunning.
Housed within it now are a number of museums including the Cincinnati History Museum, Cincinnati Natural History Museum and the Cincinnati Children’s Museum. It also has various exhibitions; at the time of our visit there was a Christmas Trains exhibit and an Auschwitz exhibit.
Important Information: The museum is geared to families and children. Whilst we did enjoy it, we didn’t need hours and hours in ways we have at other museums. In total a visit took us 2.5 hours.
Other
There were a number of other things we wanted to explore whilst in Cincinnati but as we visited for only a couple of days over the Christmas period, a lot of it was closed/we ran out of time. Here are some other things you could do in the city:
- The American Sign Museum: I was so gutted to miss this one as it looks amazing and has rave reviews online.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe House: A historic home which was once the residence of influential antislavery author who wrote the 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Another one I’m sad to have missed.
- William Howard Taft National Historic Site: Home of the Taft Education Center & guided tours of the President’s restored Victorian-era house.
- Cincinnati Zoo: I don’t really like zoos but if you’re visiting with children, this could be a great option.
- Cincinnati Fire Museum: An interesting museum on the history of firefighting in the city, with engines, poles and interactive exhibits.
Where to Eat and Drink in Cincinnati
We had some really great food in the city. I can recommend the below restaurants in the two main eating/drinking areas of the city:
Over The Rhine
- The Bagelry: Perfect for breakfast; their egg & bacon bagel was delicious.
- Pepp & Dolores: For delicious Italian food, perfect for a late lunch or dinner.
- Kanji @ Findlay Market: The sushi was so good. Make sure you try the “Benagls Roll” which was our favourite. We liked it so much, we ate here twice.
- 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab: For the best Chai Latte ever.
- Ghost Baby: Such a cool bar with a good vibe.
- Rhinegeist: Communal Brewery.
Downtown
- Maplewood Kitchen: For really good brunch plates.
- Wild Eggs: An amazing diner type option for breakfast. The omelettes and breakfast burgers were so tasty.
- Taste of Belgium: Great location for decent pre game day food.
- E+O Kitchen: Asian Fusion. Another restaurant with great stadium location.
- O’Malleys in the Alley: A super fun Irish bar.
Top Tip: Cincinnati is famous for its chilli. It’s home brand, Skyline Chilli, is a must try. I didn’t love it, but when visiting you have to try it! There are restaurants all over the city.
Where to Stay in Cincinnati
We struggled to find good hotel options in Cincinnati, and settled on Moxy Downtown. It was only a 5 minute walk to the stadium, right in the heart of the downtown area, and walkable to OTR. It served as a good base, but didn’t offer a restaurant or many guest services. Overall I’d still recommend it as one of the best options in town.
On a slightly separate note, there are always a few things when visiting America that stand out as cultural differences. I am always struck by them, and historically food portions have always been the main one – but in Cincinnati I realised the portions were reasonable, no different to the UK, which was a nice surprise! The ones that really struck me this time:
- TV adverts (commercials): They seem to all be for medication. We saw adverts for psychosis and schizophrenia medication, and you could even scan a QR code to buy some OCD meds! I don’t think I’ve ever seen an advert for prescription medication on UK TV, and it always surprises me how commercialised health is in the US.
- The cars: They are all so big, and all the roads are massive. Plus what on EARTH is that Tesla Cybertruck?!
- Walking: It’s noticeable that in UK city centres, there’s normally 1 or 2 main car parks, and pedestrian only zones in city centres making them largely walkable. In Cincinnati there were literally dozens of carparks and no major pedestrian only zones that I could see. Whenever I am in the US, I always feel surrounded by roads and cars – it feels as if driving is the default, not walking.
So there you have it; 2 days in Cincinnati. What do you think of the Queen City? Have you ever been, or would you want to visit? Let me know in the comments below – and as always, stay safe and happy travelling!
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