While I grew up and went to school in New England, I’ve lived in Cincinnati for 16 years. Here are my recommendations for the very best things to do here on a long weekend. 

A high school friend of mine, who happened to also settle in Cincinnati, once said to me, “Cincinnati will surprise you.” And I think that, after having lived here as long as I have, that she was right. It’s one of these Midwestern cities that visitors fly (or drive) into it with no expectations and then come away at least surprised and delighted – if not blown away entirely. 

The Airport

Speaking of flying into Cincy, our airport is across the river in Kentucky. Yes, it’s in another state. We know this and yet visitors find it hilarious. (Fun fact: the airport code of ‘CVG’ actually stands for Covington, Kentucky.)

If you do fly into CVG, keep your eyes peeled as you head north on I-71/75 toward the city. You’ll approach a large cut in a hillside and the road bends to the left. It’s a great ‘reveal’ of the city’s skyline (especially at night). 

Cool Neighborhoods. 

Cincinnati is somewhat like Boston in that it’s sort of a conglomeration of many little neighborhoods with a central square for many of them. 

First, you absolutely must check out ‘Over the Rhine’ (or simply ‘OTR’). When German immigrants arrived here, the British settlers were not too psyched to see them and said that they needed to live on the other side of what was then the Erie Canal (long since filled in and now Central Parkway). That canal was nicknamed the Rhine and so all the German immigrants lived… you guessed it, over the Rhine.

This community was absolutely booming back in the day with German beer halls, several German-language newspapers and the highest beer consumption per capita in the nation. The Germans helped build Music Hall (next to Washington Park in OTR), a stunning building with Venetian Gothic architecture that was constructed between 1876 and 1878, using private funds raised through what is believed to be the nation’s first matching-grant fund drive. 

But, during World War I, it became not-so-cool to show off your German heritage and many of the people living there left for other, less conspicuous areas. Over the decades that followed, the entire neighborhood fell into disrepair and became an urban wasteland inhabited only by lower-income peoples. That’s entirely changed now though and the area is rife with great bars, restaurants and shops. It’s beautiful with blocks upon blocks of preserved architecture from the 1800’s and absolutely worth your time. 

Another great neighborhood is Clifton, which is near the University of Cincinnati (and where I live). Note that Clifton Heights is where all the college kids hang out so it’s home to lots of fast-casual restaurants and affordable bars. Clifton itself is a little more upscale (but never snotty) and includes a great arthouse movie theater, excellent restaurants and bars from ‘divey’ (Arlin’s) to upscale (Alive & Well). Oh, and Ludlow Garage is a former garage turned music venue (and restaurant and bar). Check out their schedule to see who might be in town on your weekend here! 

If you are staying a little north of the city’s core or just exploring further out, some other great neighborhoods to check out include Hyde Park, Pleasant Ridge and Mount Adams. If you’re looking to stretch your legs or perhaps get some time on a bike, then go even further north to the quaint trail town of Loveland. 

Restaurants.

Okay, let’s cover some great local options, rapid-fire:

Mellotone Beer Project – Located in an old church in OTR (just north of Washington Park), it’s a fabulous place for great local beer but plenty of craft cocktails and wine too. And the food is amazing with smashburgers and danger dogs to more upscale options. The third floor ‘beer garden’ (which is the former choir loft) includes a pool table and darts while ‘Under Tone’ (on the first floor, street level) often has music, trivia and other activities. 

Teak – Also in OTR and right across the street from Washington Park, it serves up some excellent Asian food. 

Alcove Kitchen + Bar – Run by the local brewers at Madtree (a little more on them later), it too is in OTR and has excellent food and drink. 

Local Post – If you find yourself out in the Columbia Tusculum area, check out this excellent restaurant/bar that was once a post office (and will even mail a postcard for you). 

Pizza – Dewey’s is a great local chain with outstanding, slightly upscale pizza and also excellent salads too. Located in Clifton Heights, Adriatico’s is another great local pizza joint with more traditional pies (including the option of thin crust, regular or deep-dish Sicilian). Yet another great option is Goodfellas Pizzeria, which has several locations all over town. Their locations in OTR and Pleasant Ridge both have excellent, full-service bars on the second floor too. 

Cincinnati Chili.

If you really want to learn the full story behind the history and just the general ‘Why?’ of this local staple, check out this article I wrote. It will explain why it’s served on spaghetti and the origins of this very unique style of chili.

The bottom line though is that you have the two big chili parlors, Skyline and Gold Star and they’re both all over town. You have Dixie Chili on the Kentucky side, which many consider a step above the other two. Locals will often swear though that Camp Washington Chili is the best and this single restaurant’s diner-like interior is absolutely covered by articles and reviews about the restaurant. There are plenty of other independent parlors in town though too, in Blue Ash, Pleasant Ridge, etc. 

If you’ve lived here long enough, you don’t need to look at the menu. But as a visitor, take your time checking out all the options. Just know that:

• A three-way is spaghetti, Cincinnati chili and a mob of shredded cheese on top
• A four-way is spaghetti, Cincinnati chili and a mob of shredded cheese on top – and EITHER onions or beans
• A five-way is spaghetti, Cincinnati chili and a mob of shredded cheese on top AND BOTH onions and beans

And yes, a chili hot dog in Cincinnati is called a ‘Coney.’ BTW, if you’ve lived here as long as I have, you might step into a Skyline and ask for a “Black bean & rice four-way, onions on the side, light spaghetti, juicy, inverted.” 

Things to Do.

Here are my list of favorite things to do:

Cincinnati Museum Center – This old train station houses history, natural history, and children’s museums as well as an IMAX theater. The museums are great and the history one in particular will showcase much of the city’s past in a very accessible atmosphere. But, while the museums are certainly worth your time, you don’t even need to go into them to enjoy the CMC as the building itself is just gorgeous. While it was almost torn down in the 1980’s, this stunning art deco building was saved and is now just a great place to walk around the massive domed lobby, enjoy the murals, grab a snack or ice cream and just generally marvel at this fantastic space. (Fun fact: the unique facade of the building is the inspiration for the Hall of Justice from the Super Friends cartoon and, because of this, the building was featured in the latest Superman movie).

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – Prior to and during the Civil War, Kentucky was a slave state while Ohio was a free state. So it’s fitting that this powerful museum is on the banks of the Ohio River, where so many freedom seeking people crossed in their quest to be free. The building has an eternal flame high up on a third floor balcony to memorialize all those that lost their lives (and freedom) as enslaved people. But it’s also a reference to the fact that many homes on the Ohio side used to light a candle in their window at night to let enslaved people know that they could seek refuge there, if they made it across the river. (Fun fact: if you drive along the Ohio River further into the central and eastern parts of Ohio, you’ll see some homes that still have a candle, albeit an electric one now, in their windows.) Just plan accordingly for the truly powerful exhibits and stories presented by this nationally-renown museum.

The Fowling Warehouse – Where bowling and football meet. You simply throw a football at the bowling pins to knock ‘em down. If you’re lucky, you just might get a ‘bonk’ and get to pull on the ship’s air horn to let everyone in this massive open warehouse know that you hit perhaps the most rare shot in fowling. There’s a huge bar (two actually) with tons of taps for beer and other refreshments. This is a great, fun activity for adults and families too. 

American Legacy Tours – Started as a fundraiser by some local history teachers to raise money for school trips, this is now a full-time, professional tour company. Check out their amazing tours of the German beer tunnels, Cincinnati’s ‘Black Sox’ history (after all, the Chicago White Sox were playing the Reds in 1919), local hauntings and (my favorite) the Newport Gangster Tour (which will explain why Newport, Kentucky was almost Las Vegas – and I’m not kidding). 

Breweries, Bars and Distilleries.

Again, let’s hit some great options, rapid-fire:

Rhinegeist – Located in OTR, their name translates from German to ‘Rhine ghost’. An outstanding brewery in a cavernous space with cornhole, great beers, german pretzels and more. 

Madtree – Their primary location is in the Oakley neighborhood and is in an old paper pulp mill. Excellent beers, seltzers and pizza too. 

Annie Oakley’s – If you’re in Oakley, check out this great cocktail bar which pays homage to the Ohio-born sharpshooter. There are plenty of great craft cocktails and Annie’s life story is written out across the bar top. (Fun Fact: Annie was born ‘Phoebe Ann Mosey’ but changed her name when she moved to this neighborhood.) 

Mainstrasse Village

There are some great restaurants in Mainstrasse (which means ‘Main Street’ in German):

• Frida 602 – lovely corner location with indoor/outdoor seating that serves innovative Mexican dishes and tasty margs

  

• Bouquet Restaurant – Award winning farm-to-table fare, and their charcuterie board is truly amazing (Further, they were named one of the hundred best restaurants the U.S. by Esquire magazine and they are a stop on the local bourbon trail, The B-Line.)
• Nagomi Japanese Restaurant – Authentic Japanese food, like sushi and Bento boxes
• Cedar – Burgers, salads, and excellent brunch options (and Bloody Mary’s)
• Goodfellas Pizza – New York style pizza that you can get by the slice or as whole pie and then take upstairs to Wiseguy Lounge, a speakeasy type bar (which is also on The B-Line)
• And if you’re looking for a damn good bar in the area, check out Paddy’s on Main

Braxton’s – It’s on the Kentucky side, and is another great brewery with seltzers, etc. Their rooftop bar has some great views of the Cincy skyline too. 

New Riff – Also on the Kentucky side, this is an amazing distillery (that just happens to be located right next to what may be the largest liquor store in the country) cranks out some truly awesome bourbons, ryes and even gins (and their bourbon-barrell-aged gin is not to be missed). Be sure to take the tour and be ready to buy some great souvenirs in their gift shop. 

B-Line – Speaking of bourbons, if you want the full bourbon experience in Northern Kentucky, check out the B-Line. It’s a tour of all the best distilleries and bourbon bars in the region, with many of them walkable within the Newport/Covington area (while some others require a drive further out).