Cincinnati

...with children, young or old, Cincinnati will have everything you could want with excellent forms of transportaion to get there.

It is an old conservative city that lies on the border of Ohio. In fact, it is only the Ohio river that separates Cincinnati, Ohio from the state of Kentucky. Because of the close proximity you will hear the terms 'Greater Cincinnati Area' and 'Northern Kentucky' spoken almost interchangeably. Also, because ...
...that peer over to the Cincinnati side. If you prefer the more subtle, and not so hustle-bustle skyline, you would prefer to have a hotel on the Cincinnati riverbank that looks out over to the calmer waters of Kentucky. Either way, you will still have full and easy access to the attractions of Cincinnati.

Being an old city, you will find a bit of history and a large variation of cultures blended together in a fairly small space. All ... more

Cincinnati, where to start! It is not as big as New York or Chicago, and yet probably has all the culture and excitement of any of your major cities. For a holiday, you will be at a loss what to do in the time allotted as opposed to what to do! Whether you are single, married with children, young or old, Cincinnati will have everything you could want with excellent forms of transportaion to get there.

It is an old conservative city that lies on the border of Ohio. In fact, it is only the Ohio river that separates Cincinnati, Ohio from the state of Kentucky. Because of the close proximity you will hear the terms 'Greater Cincinnati Area' and 'Northern Kentucky' spoken almost interchangeably. Also, because there is a bridge that joins the two cities, visitors of the area will often stay on the riverbanks in either state according to the skyline they prefer. For instance if you like the tall skyscrapers and baseball/football fields as your skyline, you would stay in Northern Kentucky hotels that peer over to the Cincinnati side. If you prefer the more subtle, and not so hustle-bustle skyline, you would prefer to have a hotel on the Cincinnati riverbank that looks out over to the calmer waters of Kentucky. Either way, you will still have full and easy access to the attractions of Cincinnati.

Being an old city, you will find a bit of history and a large variation of cultures blended together in a fairly small space. All races and nationalities are welcomed and you will find there tends to be a high level of tolerance for different cultures. Also, you will find entertainment and cuisine that caters for innumerable numbers of peoples from around the world, whether it be Russian, German, Indian, Jewish, Italian, Irish, or even Czechoslavakian. All people will probably find a 'little bit of home' in Cincinnati. Besides catering to the cultures of different countries, you will also find Cincinnati well diversified in the areas of entertainment, religion and politics that appreciate individual preferences and choices, such as gays and liberals, to the staunch devout Christian or Catholic.

Getting to Cincinnati
Downtown Cincinnati is about a 20 minute drive from the Greater Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport. So, no matter where you are coming from, once your plane lands, your travelling is nearly done. Most hotel operators offer free or low cost shuttle service from the airport as well. Therefore, you don't HAVE to rent a car, but if you are familiar with driving in America you may find a car quite helpful. If you are not familiar with driving in America, or for any other reason prefer not to drive on your holiday, and your hotel doesn't offer the shuttle service, you can take a taxi from the airport for around $30 American. Once in the downtown region, you will find that taxis and buses abound. I have always found the busses to be easily accessible with many routes and plenty of stops between routes, low cost, and on time. They are, however inner city busses and therefore not the cleanest form of transportation. You will find bus schedules on any of the busses you use, and also for any of the routes you need inside the Bus Terminal, which is located on the river's edge of the city. All hotel operators can easily direct you to the location. The taxis are a tiny bit cleaner than the busses (maybe), and quite a bit more expensive, however, they are far more convenient and quicker.

Places To Stay

Cincinnati offers the cheapest to the most exquisite four and five star rated hotels. We will not discuss the overly cheap ones, as no one goes on holiday to experience that kind of disappointment. The family hotels range between $60 and $120 American per night. Most include continental breakfast (cold) and swimming pools. They are nicely decorated and fairly spacious. Hotels in this range would include: Ramada Inn and Holiday Inn. The nicer hotels are beautiful and not to be beaten by those in London or Paris. They are The Cincinnatian, a beautiful hotel that was renovated from the old Enquirer Building, and the Hyatt Regency. These are two very exclusive hotels that will cost you upwards from $160 per night, but are both well worth the cost. They offer the finest in luxury for that first class dream holiday maker. You will also find a selection of hotels all along the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati waterfront which make for great morning views! For detailed information on hotels in the Greater Cincinnati location, you can find excellent websites by entering the keywords Cincinnati accomodation.

Entertainment

There is everything IMAGINEABLE within a 20 mile radius of Cincinnati. I will list here a few favourite attractions, beginning at the city center, with brief descriptions.

Must See Sights:

The Carew Tower- A very old, and at one time the tallest, building in Cincinnati. It has 49 floors and is 574 ft (175m) tall, with an observation deck at the very top. Children especially love this as all the people are dwarfed to the size of 'ants.' You can also buy very cheap to very expensive souvenirs here.

The Reds Stadium-Home of the Cincinnati baseball team. Home games are held here throughout the summer months. Great for adults or baseball fans, but a bit boring for smaller children.

The Suspension Bridge- Self explanatory, but very pleasant to walk across and get a first hand view of the river and the 'humming' this rare kind of bridge makes. It has a very safe walkway and makes for pleasant morning exercise.

The Observatory- A huge dome with a phenomenal telescope that lets you gaze at the stars almost upclose.

The Krohn Conservatory- A beautiful plant conservatory set in Eden Park. Many couples are married in this park and around this conservatory. A must see part of Cincinnati for its sheer beauty.

The Modern Art Museum- This art museum is in the town center and has regular exhibitions of new and 'out there' art that challenges the mind and the moral fiber. Depending on the exhibition it is usually not a place to take young children, as some of the art may be unsuitable.

The Cincinnati Art Museum- A very large museum housing many works from artists such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Also, you will see mummys in the Egyptian section and old furniture and clothes in the furnished area.
The Cincinnati Zoo- A lovely park filled with animals from around the world, such as bengal tigers, apes, walruses and penguins. Some of its main attractions are the reptile house, the crocodiles and of course the camel rides for children and adults alike. There are also ample places set up for those who wish to take picnic lunches.

Kings Island- A roller-coaster based theme park, this place has coasters that can be found named in the Guiness Book of Records and is a great adventure land for children of all ages and excitement levels. It offers a nice surroundings with everything from waterrides to baby rides to some of the best rollercoasters in the world.

Mount Storm- One of the very well kept secrets of Cincinnati. Though easy to find, what is not mentioned are all the beautiful mansions along the drive. There are huge eye consuming mansions all along this hilltop drive. This is also the area where you will find the Observatory and some lovely parks and hiking paths.

Playhouse In The Park- A theater with regular showings of modern to old classic plays.

Nightlife:
You will find pubs and dance halls interspersed throughout Cincinnati. In the heart of town, you will find loads of gay and lesbian bars of varying degrees of class as well as cocktail bars and riverboat lounges and dance halls. For some of the young and active, a trip up the hill to University Town, you will find all sorts of University nightlife from bars to nightclubs to internet cafes. For younger families you can take a lovely evening ride through the city on a horse and buggy or visit one of the many cinemas around town.

Shopping:
Cincinnati has shops to suit every budget and taste, from record shops to the exclusive Saks Fifth Avenue. There is a skywalk that runs the extent of the downtown region from east to west. It has several areas where you can take stairs or lifts to come off and it is covered for comforts sake when the weather is unkind. There are all sorts of shops along the skywalk as well. There are souvenir shops, greeting card shops, gift shops, clothing shops, jewelers, tailors, dry cleaners, and street vendors. You have it all. Its all within a 20 block circumferance!

Food:
The culinary experience of a lifetime. You have restaurants, takeaways, and cafe style eateries all over the city. You can eat on the strictest of family budgets or dine in the exquisite restaurants in the Hyatt Regency or the Maisonnette- Cincinnaiti's finest restaurant. You can experience an American buffet or a Japanese table-top cooking adventure. You can have kosher food for lunch and Indian curry for dinner and everything in between. I suggest NOT trying White Castles. Though very inexpensive and extremely tasty, and also exclusive to ONLY the Greater Cincinnati area, these little burgers have names from 'burger bombs' to 'gut busters' to 'burp burgers' I think you get the idea. They are not for anyone prone to gaseous attacks or indegestion disorders. They ARE tasty though.

Events:

Riverfest: The biggest firework party I have ever seen. All day long there are planned activities along the riverbank along with music from the radio and a few live artists. In the evening a spectacular firework experience that you will not believe. I assure you, you have probably never seen anything like THESE fireworks. They are sponsored by WEBN (the local hard rock radio station) and TOYOTA. This event happens every year on the first Sunday in September as a blast off from Summer and into Autumn. Over 2 million people gather on both sides of the river in the evening to view $1 million worth of fireworks! It is one SPECTACULAR must see event if you are visiting at this time. Reverfront hotels are great places for viewing.

Oktoberfest: Cincinnati has a strong German background. So everyyear in October there is the annual Oktoberfest which is a food and drink festival based on the German Festival.

Cool Jazz Festival: An annual concert held in the Cincinnati Stadium with all the hottest jazz and R&B artist of the present time.

St. Patricks Day Festival: Every year this Irish festival is celebrated in the town center. There is food, entertainment, and green beer to be enjoyed by all.

Summary:

I grew up in the Cincinnati area, and from a very poor childhood to an adulthood of prosperity, I have always loved the little town. I got my first job there, and went to University there. Now, I have traveled many cities throughout Europe and have been all over, but I have never come across a more culture friendly and diverse city in my life. I have met people from every country on earth in Cincinnati, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who would like to get a good glimpse of city life in the Ohio region. It may not be the cleanest of places as most rural places of this sort aren't, but it is safe and exciting and a unique experience. There is so much to learn, see and do. Children will be in awe, and adults will feel welcomed and completely satisfied.

 

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