A while ago, I was conversing with a friend, who grew up here, and she asked me what there is to do in Cincinnati. I was confused because I assumed she would know more than me since she’s been here most of her life. When we couldn’t think of anything outside of eating and visiting bars, I challenged myself to come up with things I couldn’t think of. While Cincinnati isn’t my favorite city (see my 2 year review), there are some interesting seasonal activities you can participate in and there’s a great variety of delicious food here. Though, for the rest of the year, you’ll have to figure out what you’re interested in seeing when visiting the city. However, I don’t recommend coming in the winter because it’s really cold and grey here, making it uncomfortable to be outside.
PHOTOS BY: DORESE JENAE PORTRAITS
5 THINGS TO DO IN CINCINNATI
UNION TERMINAL
This converted train station features several museums and exhibits, including the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, and the Cincinnati History Library & Archives. While the Amtrack still operates in this terminal, most people visit for the museums, exhibits, and events. The last time I went there was a jazz brunch, which was so fun!
WALK ALONG THE OHIO RIVERFRONT
While the Ohio River is not something I would recommend anyone getting into – even though there are events that take place in there – the riverfront is a beautiful place to be. The riverfront boasts great scenic views on either side, Kentucky or Ohio, and you can stroll through Smale Riverfront Park. The park was renovated before I left in 2017 and the update brought a carousel, fountains, and a walking trail. I love this space on nice days throughout the year because it’s great to get some walking in or just take in the views.
VISIT CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM
In Eden Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum is one of my favorite places to visit, not only because of the beautiful artwork available to you but also because the museum itself is like a piece of artwork. The different rooms are just as beautiful as the pieces you go to see. It boasts a collection of over 60,000 works of art, ranging from ancient times to the present day, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts. I highly recommend this place if you’re an art lover.
EXPLORE WALL MURALS WITH ARTWORK
I absolutely love a great mural. I’ve shared a total of 15 places to shoot in Cincinnati some of which include murals created by ArtWorks. ArtWorks is a nonprofit that creates community-based public art. Over the last 26 years, they have created a citywide gallery of more than 14,000 public and private art projects, including more than 250 permanent outdoor murals. Because they’ve done so many murals around the city, they have created a paid mural tour and map for self-guided tours if you want to tackle it on your own. The self-guided tour helps you explore the different neighborhoods that exist in the city – 52 to be exact!
THE BREWERY DISTRICT
There are a ton of breweries all over the city. It’s part of the reason I enjoy beer now. I think back to when my palate was only used to drinking cheap beer – which is why I hated it so much then – that I was shocked to learn about the many different options and flavors for beer. Cincinnati has a lot of local microbreweries that you can explore, or even do a tour, including Christian Moerlein Brewing Company, Rhinegeist, and MadTree. Even if you’re not a beer fan, it’s a fun activity to participant in to see the different microbreweries around the city.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN CINCINNATI?
