The Ultimate Cincinnati Guide
Never been to the Queen City before? Have no fear. We are Cincinnati locals who are gifting you with The Ultimate Cincinnati Guide.
Ask any Cincinnatian, and they’ll tell you how much pride they have for their city. Every visitor soon understands after experiencing our rich culture and entertainment options.
From delicious cheese coneys to trendy bars, disappointing sports teams and unique museums, every traveler will find their sweet spot in this underrated city on the Ohio River.
About Cincinnati
Cincinnati is the third largest city in Ohio (following Columbus and Cleveland). Don’t let size fool you, we’re clearly the best city in the state.
Initially founded in 1789 under the name “Losantiville”, it finally was renamed Cincinnati in the early 19th century.
During the first 40 years of its existence, the city experienced immense growth. Because of this quick expansion, the citizens began calling it “the Queen of the West” and “the Queen City”. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow also wrote a poem about the city, solidifying its title as the Queen of the West.
From that day 200 years ago to the present, citizens feel immense pride to say they live in Cincinnati, OH.
Now that you know a little more about the city and its claim to royalty in name, let’s talk about all of the wonderful things Cincinnati has to offer residents and visitors.
Top Places to Visit
Cincinnati Arts Museum
The Cincinnati Arts Museum will start your visit with a bang.
Located in Eden Park, this museum features an art collection of more than 67,000 works spanning 6,000 years.
They have permanent works that stay in the museum year round to offer some insight into the various cultures of the past worlds.
Not only that, they have both national and international traveling exhibitions that they feature throughout the year.
Recently, I got to see the Burning Man exhibit that traveled to the museum. Let’s just say, amazing! The combination of permanent and new pieces took my breathe away.
Traveling on a budget? General admission is free for all. This gives you access to all of their permanent works and usually at least two of their exhibitions.
Make sure to check out the website to see what exhibits they’re offering for when you’re in town.
Findlay Market
Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market.
It’s located in Over The Rhine, a historic area that’s been modernized in the past few years.
The best way to describe Findlay Market it is a large, continuous farmers market. The market is indoors so it runs year round and is not affected by the weather.
They have more than 40 merchants that sell food from dairy products to ethnic foods.
All of the merchants are local. So when you go to the market, you will be buying local Cincinnati products.
If you’re more interested in the history of the market, they offer free tours on the second and fourth weekend of the month. They also offer paid tours that go a little more in depth and give participants their choice of food from any of the merchants.
They also have live music every Friday and Sunday from June to October.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Located downtown by the river, the Freedom Center is an experience like no other.
The exhibits, which opened in 2004, offer both permanent and temporary work to tell the story of heroes that are prominent in the fight for freedom. These heroes are not limited to the Underground Railroad era. The Freedom Center works to feature important figures from that era to the present, as slavery unfortunately hasn’t stopped.
Tickets do cost money but the experience is absolutely worth it.
John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge will be a site you can’t miss if you’re anywhere near downtown.
The suspension bridge, named after the prominent civil engineer John A. Roebling who designed it, opened in 1867. It connects Cincinnati, Ohio to Covington, Kentucky.
This marked the world’s longest suspension bridge until Roebling contructed the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883.
Being a part of the Cincinnati skyline for about a century and a half, the suspension bridge has become a staple for our city and has been named a National Historic Landmark.
Smale Riverfront Park
Smale Riverfront Park is perfect for a relaxing walk along the river. You might even see a steamboat pass by if you’re lucky.
Divided into two levels: the upper level and lower level, the park lies between downtown and the river.
The first phase of the park opened in 2012 and officially opened in 2015.
If you check out Cincinnati Parks, you can find all of the events that are held there throughout the year. The popular ones include:
- A pop up farmers market
- 5k runs
- Walks that benefit various organizations
- Yoga
- Outdoor fitness classes
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Love animals? The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens is the second oldest zoo in the United States.
You will get a little taste of everything when you visit the Cincinnati Zoo’s 20 habitats that feature animals from the deserts of Africa to the cool ice of Antarctica.
The zoo is fiercely committed to conservation and make an active effort to conduct research to save endangered species and help nurse sick animals back to health.
They also offer seasonal events if you come in October or Winter.
For example, in October, they host Hallzooween. Kids come dressed up in costumes and get little goodies as they walk around the zoo.
Their most famous event, however, is the Festival of Lights. They put this on in the winter and completely light up the zoo with different sculptures and light shows. It is a surreal experience and I cannot recommend it enough.
If you do decide to go, you have to see their zoo babies. In quite a few of their habitats, they have babies for the public to see.
The Cincinnati Zoo’s most famous zoo baby is Fiona the hippo. You have to see Fiona if you’re going to the zoo, she’s a bit of a local celebrity.
Eden Park
Eden Park is one of our larger parks in Cincinnati and home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, The Cincinnati Playhouse and Krohn Conservatory.
Eden Park has a lot of land to have a picnic and take in the beautiful nature sites.
There is also an amphitheater, a playground and vast gardens to spend an afternoon.
Much like Smale, Eden Park also has a list of events they host throughout the year.
It also boasts a rich history. You can see a water tower that was built in 1894 and stands 172 feet tall. Not every park has that.
American Sign Museum
Fun fact: The American Sign Museum is the largest public museum dedicated to signs in the US.
You might be wondering what a sign museum is. Don’t worry I used to wonder the same thing.
A sign museum is dedicated to showcasing how signs have been used for commercial use.
The American Sign Museum showcased over 100 years of American sign history.
They offer guided tours that will tell the stories behind specific signs, how they were made and why they use certain materials. Putting together the pieces of US history through signs is a whole lot more fun than you’d think.
You do need to pay for tickets to see this extraordinary display up close.
Washington Park
If you can only make it to one park, Washington Park is the one to see.
Located in the center of Over the Rhine and dating back to 1860, they have a porch where you can get drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and light snacks. There you can sit down and relax while you take in the sites.
Depending on the day, there may be:
- Live music
- Public markets
- Outdoor fitness classes
- Children’s activities
One of the features that is unique to the park is the large, interactive water park with 130 pop-up ets synced to music and lights. Kids love it, and adults are all about the hands-off entertainment.
Come to the park to experience a diverse Cincinnati crowd and atmosphere.
The Carew Tower
This may be your favorite part of Cincinnati.
The Carew Tower was built in 1930 in the heart of downtown. It is 49 stories tall and on the 49th story, they have an observation deck that shows a view of the entire city.
I visited the Carew Tower for the first time last year and it was one of the most breathtaking experiences in my life.
I was a little hesitant at first to go to the top because I have a fear of heights but they do a great job keeping it enclosed so you feel safe on the 49th floor. The trip up there in the elevator is like no other when the elevator flies from the 25th to the 49th floor.
On the 49th floor, there is a little gift shop where you can get souvenirs for making it to the top.
The Carew Tower has more to offer than just the observation deck as well. On the first floor, they have 25 shops and restaurants.
Cincinnati Music Hall
Located in Over the Rhine and built in 1878, Cincinnati Music Hall became a place for both classical and contemporary musicians to perform.
After it’s recent construction to improve the old architecture, this National Historic Landmark is more glorious than ever.
Some of the notable performers that have performed at Music Hall are Frank Sinatra, Prince and Elton John.
Besides being a place for entertainment, the hall is also known for being one of the country’s most haunted buildings.
Back in 1878, the architects of the building built it on a cemetery. Ever since then, visitors have reported seeing and hearing paranormal things while they’ve been in the building.
They offer tours both inside and outside of the building. I would recommend taking the tour to fully appreciate this epic piece of architecture.
Food & Restaurants You Must Try
Skyline Chili
If there’s one thing I can tell you for certain, it’s that Skyline Chili will be the first place any Cincinnatian will recommend to a visitor.
Skyline Chili has become the city’s identity, and we’ve become extremely territorial over it. If you don’t like Skyline, the message that comes across is you don’t like Cincinnati. Meaning you better enjoy it.
There are two specific menu items that you absolutely have to try.
The first is the 3-way. The 3-way is spaghetti with their special chili and cheese on top. You might be confused about how that could possibly be good, but when you try it you will be wondering where it’s been all your life.
The second is the cheese coney. The cheese coney is a hot dog with onions and mustard, topped with their special chili and cheese. It shouldn’t work, but it does, oh so well.
Their chili is not your normal chili with tomatoes and beans. Their chili is their own special recipe with their own unique ingredients. I’m not going to tell you the ingredients because I want to see if you taste it when you first try it.
Montgomery Inn
If you’re looking for something slightly more upscale than Skyline, Montgomery Inn will treat you right with the best ribs in the city.
They have their own special, killer barbecue sauce that they put on all of their ribs.
You can either choose to dine in or take out, depending on your plans.
The dine in is slightly on the fancy side with white table cloths and dimmed lights, but they are very welcoming to anyone.
Large steak fries come as a side with your ribs, amongst a number of other delicious side options.
The complimentary warm bread, both white and brown, they offer is delicious.
If you decide you really love their food (which I know you will), you can buy their addicting and delicious barbecue sauce at local grocery stores.
Graeter’s Ice Cream 
Greater’s can be your dessert after Skyline.
Greater’s is an ice cream store that was founded in Cincinnati.
What makes Greater’s so much different is their use of actual chocolate chunks in their ice cream and their homemade whipped cream.
A spread of flavors are kept year round while a selection of seasonal flavors change each month.
Their most famous flavor (and the one you have to try) is their Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip. It is a black raspberry ice cream that has full chocolate chunks in it. It’s deliciousness in your mouth!
They also have flavors that relate to Ohio and Cincinnati. Try Buckeye Blitz that is a peanut butter ice cream with chocolate chunks and little peanut butter chunks.
Greater’s also have a Chunky Chunky Hippo that is dedicated to Fiona, they baby hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Whatever flavor you decide, don’t make the mistake of only getting one scoop.
Precinct
Founded by Jeff Ruby, who also owns Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse (another hit Cincinnati restaurant), The Precinct is a steakhouse made out of a former Cincinnati Police House—hence the name.
The Precinct is known to have Cincinnati’s best steaks, seafood and service, making
a great place to go for a fancy night out in the town.
If you have some extra money to spend on food, this restaurant is a home run.
Mazunte
Modeled after your typical local taco shop, it’s a certainty you’re getting the freshest ingredients in the world.
The founder of the shop was tired of consuming tacos that used stale or “fake” ingredients. He committed his time to doing the necessary research to figure out what ingredients and recipes create the freshest and most authentic tacos. And based on this food taste, we all know he figured it out.
They offer more than just meals.
When you go into the shop, you can visit their market where they sell the meat, salsas and other fresh produce they use in their tacos.
This little taco shop is sure to impress you.
Coppin’s at Hotel Covington
Coppin’s at Hotel Covington is actually located in Historic Covington which is across the river in Northern Kentucky.
Being a restaurant inside Hotel Covington, the #1 hotel in Kentucky, it serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. The options are a mix of steaks, salads and sandwiches.
In the Artisan Coffee Bar, they serve locally roasted coffee so when you shop there you will be supporting local merchants. They also serve a variety of teas, house-made drinks and smoothies, and freshly squeezed juices.
The Patio offers mingling and relaxation, while lawn games, movies and live music are often going on.
The Eagle
Located in Over the Rhine, The Eagle has a slightly different food selection than the restaurants we’ve mentioned so far.
The Eagle is known for its amazing fried chicken and southern style food that’s made in house everyday.
While you’re enjoying your southern-style food, you can enjoy live blues music.
You can also pair your food with one of over 100 craft beers and custom made cocktails.
You’ll really feel like you’re in the South at this OTR restaurant.
Holtman’s Donuts
If you like donuts, you have to try Hotlman’s.
People crave their gourmet donuts that involve ingredients you would have never imagined putting on a donut.
One of my personal favorites is their maple bacon. It’s a glazed donut with maple icing and bacon bits on top. It is incredible.
Their most famous creation is cereal donuts. These donuts usually have vanilla icing and cereal on top. They have lucky charms, fruity pebbles, fruit loops and so many more.
As soon as you walk into the store, you will be hit with the sweet smell of donuts.
I would highly encourage you to go and have an open mind as you select a unique donut creation, aka masterpiece.
Goodfellas Pizza
Another OTR spot is Goodfellas. This is not your typical pizza joint.
Compared to greasy and unclean stores, Goodfellas is a swanky pizza joint that’s committed to creating a 1920s feel.
The whole store is based off of the 90s movie, so you better believe you’re getting New York Style pizza.
The bar’s styled after a 1920s speakeasy with traditional style drinks.
Besides pizza, they also serve subs and salads where most of their food items are named after different aspects of the movie. For example, they have a sub called “The DeNiro”.
Salazar
Salazar is the place to go for hip and trendy.
This farm-inspired brunch and dinner restaurant is located in Over the Rhine.
Brunch options include a mix of traditional breakfast foods like pancakes and lunch foods like steaks. You can really find something for everyone on this menu.
For their dinner options, they serve burgers, steaks, chicken breasts and a few seafood options.
All of their meats are free-range and their ingredients are fresh.
They also have an extensive wine, beer and cocktail list for you to enjoy at your leisure.
Fun Bars
Japp’s
Hitting the town? You absolutely have to go to Japp’s.
If not because this bar was founded in 1879 in Cincinnati, then go for their interesting mix of classic cocktails that range from the 1700s to the 1950s.
If classic drinks aren’t your style, have no fear. They also have new craft cocktails.
Besides their interesting history, they also have a variety of different events they host throughout the year. Some of these events include tiki night and tequila and tacos.
If you’re looking for a good, traditional Cincinnati night out, Japp’s is the place to go.
16 Bit Bar + Arcade
16 Bit Bar is an OTR bar that’s unlike any bar you’ve ever been to.
They combine nostalgia with alcohol, and crowds love it.
Have fun with their extensive collection of retro video games, like Pac-Man, Mortal Kombat, and pinball for customers to play and challenge your friends.
They offer both classic and new wave cocktails, drafts, classics and mocktails for those that don’t want to drink.
If you’re looking for something fun to do, 16 Bit Bar is the place for you.
Come at the right time, you might even make it into one of their classic games tournaments.
Sundry and Vice
Sundry and Vice is located in Over the Rhine as well—shocker.
It is an apothecary themed bar. The drinks are pretty much traditional styled, the interior is modeled after traditional design and people look traditional.
If you’re wanting to feel like you’re living in “the old days”, Sundry and Vice is the place for you. Don’t fret, they do have some contemporary options if classic cocktails aren’t for you.
The Blind Lemon
The Blind Lemon was founded in 1963 and is located in Mt. Adams.
Since 1963, they’ve been known to have live entertainment for their guests to enjoy.
They have a grand courtyard that is open year round for guests to go outside and enjoy their drinks to the sounds of nature.
When it gets cold, they have a large, open fire pit to warm guests that choose to go outside to enjoy their drinks.
The interior is decorated with a number of vintage buttons, stickers, watches, etc.
Hit up the Blind Lemon for a relaxing environment to gather and enjoy a few drinks with friends.
Aster
Aster can be found on Fourth Street in the city.
They get the Aster name from the dictionary, “a ‘social sippery’ where old friends gather and new ones are made”.
This description truly defines what the welcoming and inclusive experience when you visit.
Locally grown herbs make for delicious cocktails. And if you’re feeling hungry, they also sell some snacks and sandwiches.
On the weekends, you can expect to hear live jazz while you’re enjoying your drinks and food.
The Stretch
Within walking distance from Great American Ballpark and Paul Brown Stadium, The Stretch has a large, outdoor patio that is separated from the indoor part of the bar by a garage door.
The best part of their patio is it’s open for all seasons.
The patio has heaters for when it gets cold and misters for when it gets unbearably hot.
On the weekends, you can expect to see a DJ performing on their stage.
Whether you’re waiting for a Red’s baseball game to start or are enjoying the live music, try some of their amazing cocktails, beer, or wine.
Tokyo Kitty
Can you sing? Tokyo Kitty is a Japanese-style Karaoke bar.
While it may seem completely out of your comfort zone, nights like these often make the best times.
There’s a main stage where karaoke is free to participate in. If you’re hosting an event or simply don’t feel comfortable performing in front of everyone, you can rent private rooms to perform in.
Each private room has a different theme for you to enjoy.
They serve Japanese tiki cocktails, so the drinks will also be a new experience for you.
This bar is located in the heart of downtown and is also owned by the same people that own the Video Archive.
Tin Roof
The beauty of Tin Roof is that it offers a place for its performers and customers a place to hang out.
After performers do their show, they are welcome to sit and hang out at the bar.
You can also find this bar within walking distance from the Great American Ballpark and Paul Brown Stadium.
Their food puts a southern twist on what you typically would consider “bar food”.
Besides a happy hour, everyday of the week has their own special whether it be for food, drinks or both.
This is a great place to go either before or after a baseball or football game downtown.
Yonder By Commonwealth
One of the newest rooftop bars in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area is, Yonder. Owned and located right above the restaurant, Commonwealth, Yonder is a relaxing oasis in the heart of Mainstrasse.
They offer a small bites menu that changes weekly and as well as hand crafted cocktails. You won’t feel like you’re in the midwest when you visit this rooftop.
Pins Mechanical
Located in Over the Rhine, Pins Mechanical focuses on old-school entertainment.
They offer:
- Foosball
- Pinball
- Bowling
- Ping Pong
- Bocce
They serve drafts, cocktails, punches and wine.
Besides their main bar, they also have a rooftop patio for guests to play games and enjoy their drinks.
First responders, military personnel and veterans all get a discount.
If you have enough time, you can sign up to be in a league to compete in the various old-school games offered.
Pins Mechanical is a great place to let loose and get to know the other people there.
Tree House Patio Bar
The final bar we’re going to recommend you visit is a new hit in Over the Rhine called the Tree House Patio Bar.
It is entirely outdoors and is open year round. When it gets cold, the patio becomes enclosed so guests can still enjoy their drinks.
You might be wondering how this is any different than the rooftop bars we’ve already mentioned? I have two words for you: rope swings.
Yes, they have rope swings for guests to sit on when they get their drinks and relax.
They really stay true to their name and create an authentic tree house feel for their guests.
Booming Breweries
MadTree
The Queen City is bumping with breweries, and MadTree is one of our most popular.
Customers enjoy hanging out with beers in both the taproom and garden. Besides their own brews, they also sell food so guests have food to pair with their drinks.
The brewery is pet friendly so you can feel free to bring your furry friends to your events.
You also don’t have to worry about leaving the kids at home. MadTree is friendly for all and welcomes the children of their guests.
Bonus: When you find your favorite brew, you can visit the shop and take some home with you.
Christian Moerlein
Chrisitan Moerlein is an addition to the Moerlein Lager House founded in 1853.
Christian Morelein immigrated to American and found himself in Cincinnati. He had a passion for brewing beer and started to brew and sell his beers until he finally decided to open a restaurant in 1853.
This restaurant sells a variety of steakhouse-esque dishes. The beers that they sell at Christian Moerlein are brewed on site and all of the beers can be paired with one of the dishes sold at the Moerlein Lager House.
They offer seasonally brewed beers every month and they offer daily specials.
If you really want to feel connected to the city, its history is intertwined with Christian Moerlein.
Rhinegeist
Rhinegeist is on the same level as MadTree in the fight to be the most popular brewery in town.
Founded in 2005, Rhinegeist has been experimenting with different flavors for their brews since day one.
They have a taproom, second bar and rooftop for guests to purchase and enjoy their ales.
Their iconic brand image is known by all of Cincinnati.
Besides on location, you can find their brews in many grocery stores across the city. You can even find specific ales in Cincinnati restaurants.
Some of their most popular ales are Bubbles, Truth and Wowie.
Braxton Brewing Company
Braxton Brewery has quite an interesting origin story.
The brewery was born in a garage and the creators decided that they wanted to honor that and build the official brewery in a garage.
They call this garage, “The Hub”.
Braxton Brewery has a taproom where they have their ales on tap.
You can also visit their separate location called Braxton Labs.
At Braxton Labs, they have some of their more popular ales on tap plus their new prototypes for you to experiment. They are always creating and mixing new flavors for their fans.
Who knows, you might end up trying their next popular flavor.
The Woodburn
The Woodburn’s beers are quite unique in how they differ.
Most of the beers they offer are traditional style beers. This isn’t the place for extra fruity drinks.
Where their beers vary is the aging process and the elements that make up the beer. Some of there beers have been stopped earlier in the aging process than others, providing a different taste for guests.
The Woodburn is also pet friendly so you can feel free to bring your furry friends to enjoy the day.
Urban Artifact
Want cool? Come to Urban Artifact. This former church, now brewery, became an open space with high ceilings and a stage for speakers and the DJ.
The lower section can blow you away. It has a fully functioning bar with tables and a local band playing live music for the guests. They also had board games for guests to play while they listened to music and enjoyed their ales.
They serve both tart and wild beers, plus they have food you can order.
Urban Artifact also sells their drafts so if you really enjoy what you’re drinking, you can purchase it to take home.
Taft’s Ale House
Constructed in 1850, this brewery has been standing strong ever since.
Taft’s Ale House has happy hours daily. They also have something called “Taft Tuesday” where you can get half off pints for wearing a shirt from any brewery or any beer apparel. It doesn’t even have to be the apparel from their own brewery.
They have a variety of different flavors on tap that are a mix of sour and sweet ales.
If you have an event that you want to host, you can rent the space to put on your event.
3 Points Urban Brewery
3 Points Urban Brewery does actually have 3 points that they base their brewery off of.
- Work with local artists to tell the story of their beers. They feature art in all mediums to encourage community interaction. All of the artists they collaborate with have pieces somewhere in the brewery.
- Create an experience that is very collaborative. They do this by acting as a free coworking space for businesses. Companies can bring their employees to 3 points to work together without having to rent out a space. They also serve coffee so people using the space for work can still order drinks.
- Offer a variety of different beers on tap. You can order more than beer, however. They also have a decent wine and cocktail selections for guests to look through.
This brewery is going to have a much more modern, chic feel to it than any of the other breweries.
Best Shopping
Kenwood Towne Center
Kenwood Towne Center has an indoor mall with essentially every store you could possibly need.
This mall is perfect for a shopping spree with typical clothing stores like Dillard’s, Forever 21 and Victoria’s Secret, as well as a Sephora, Altar’d State, Free People and Dry Goods.
If you need to get your phone or laptop fixed, you can find an Apple Store at Kenwood.
Get hungry and you can go to any of the many food places from Red Robin to the Cheesecake Factory.
Kenwood has something for everyone and is a great place to go to do some serious shopping.
Over the Rhine Stores
As you can tell, Over the Rhine venues litter this list.
OTR also has special shopping options that you won’t want to miss.
The Native One
The founder created the Native One right after taking a break before deciding to go to college.
Since then, she has blossomed and created an established clothing store.
They primarily sell cute and trendy clothes and accessories for women.
Besides selling products, they also provide services for their customers. They offer classes like how to create a flower arrangement or take care of plants. These are a local hit.
Idlewild
The next store you should check out in Over the Rhine is Idlewild.
Idlewild is even younger than The Native One. It was founded in 2018.
Idlewild is a great place to shop because they strive to only buy and sell products that have been ethically and sustainably produced.
Idlewild cares about the quality of the clothes they sell. And they want to make sure their customers are getting the best clothes that are produced in optimal ways.
Their services and products are designed to help women celebrate their bodies through their own personal style. Idlewild strives to empower women and raise awareness to the fact that all bodies are beautiful and should be celebrated.
Elm & Iron
Elm & Iron is not a clothing store. They sell home goods.
If you’re not entirely sure what home goods are, they basically sell home furnishings, accessories and decor.
What’s so cool about Elm & Iron is that they are constantly changing what they sell so every time you walk in the store, there will be something new.
The last time I was in Over the Rhine I popped in this store and I was blown away by how homey it felt.
It really has a sort of rustic feel to it that invites you in. The best way I can describe it is cozy.
Be on the lookout for warehouse sales where you can get their amazing products for discounted prices.
The Most Beautiful Thing In The World Is
Selling virtually everything from clothes to apothecary, The Most Beautiful Thing in the World Is a place you must check out.
They collaborate with a large number of designers that create their pieces for them to sell. All of the designers they collaborate with are on their website.
Their products can be on the pricey side. But they also are pretty good about having sales and discounted pieces so be on the lookout for those.
If you’re looking to switch up your style to personalize your wardrobe, this store is a great place to start looking.
Downtown
The Downtown area has traditional chain stores like Macy’s and Tiffany and Co. that you can go in and shop. Then there’s also Cincinnati original stores you won’t find anywhere else.
Hellman Clothiers
Hellman Clothiers is located in the heart of the city and focuses primarily on men’s fashion.
They sell men’s suits and high end accessories for men to walk the streets feeling their absolute best. You can walk out of their store with a blazer and coat, belt, shirt, jeeans, pants, shoes, sun glasses, and even pocket squares.
You can get made-to-order clothes that are designed for your body.
Cincinnati Reds, Bengals, and celebrities are known to shop here.
A Style Breeze
Instead of shopping yourself, use A Style Breeze’s personal styling service run by Cincinnati native and fashion expert, Alli Robben.
She offers personal styling, box services and closet clean outs to inspire lives of confidence.
If you’re not entirely sure what looks good on you or if you’re shopping at the right places, you can contact A Style Breeze to go shopping with you to ensure you’re buying things with the right price tag and fit for your body.
Alli can completely change your wardrobe in a single shopping trip.
Alli is also a Cincinnati fashion blogger who has done collaborations with many Fortune 500 brands.
Top Places to Stay
Hotel Covington
Home to a restaurant we previously discussed called Coppin’s, Hotel Covington provides both vintage and modern touches to create an elegant space for guests to stay in comfort.
What’s better, Hotel Covington is pet friendly so if you’re traveling with a four-legged best friend, you can stay here.
Stay here and you’ll receive:
- Complimentary wifi
- Overnight dry cleaning and laundry services
- Full service dining
- A 24-hour finess center
- Tailored room experience options
The Hotel Covington will exceed your expectations and provide you with an elite, comforting abode during your time in the city.
21C
21C is going to be one of the more artsy places around.
Being both a hotel and a museum, 21C features contemporary art through rotating exhibits. The art can be found outside on the sidewalks, on the walls, in the elevators and many other unexpected places.
As far as the hotel part, 21C is a renovated version of the 100-year old Metropole Hotel that is one of our city’s historic sites.
The rooms are comfortable and contrast the energized art that can be found throughout the museum.
You can expect:
- An inhouse spa service
- 24-hour fitness center
- 24-hour valet service
- Pet-friendly rooms
- Free Wifi
- A museum shop
If uniqueness gets you excited, consider staying at 21C.
Red Whale Rentals (AirBnB)
Red Whale Rentals offer visitors the premiere AirBnB’s in Cincinnati.
They have a variety of options for the best AirBnB’s the city has to offer. Each rental has private chef services that include:
- In-home meals
- Personal grocery shopping
- Prep and clean-up for all means
Private entertainment services, where Red Whale will connect you with local artists if you’re looking for entertainment for an event you’re hosting, are also offered.
You can also expect personal trainers that can workout with you in the rental as well as access to private fitness facilities in the area.
If you’re really looking for an up-scale experience, Red Whale Rentals will do it right.
AC Hotel Marriott- The Banks
AC Hotel Marriott in the Banks can be found in the heart of downtown with easy access to anywhere in the city.
You’ll be right by Great American Ballpark if you’re going to a baseball game. You’re also not too far from Over the Rhine in this location.
The design of this hotel is mainly modern and is primarily geared toward comfort.
You can expect:
- Free wifi
- A fitness center
- Parking
- Meeting event spaces
Enjoy your stay in the Queen city for a reasonable price at the AC Hotel Marriott.
Transportation Tips
Cincinnati is what they call a car town. This isn’t a place like New York or San Francisco where you can get by without a car, using Ubers, public transportation, and scooters.
Though this doesn’t mean you can’t walk anywhere.
Also, a great way to save money and use as few Ubers as possible is to decide what you want to see before you leave your hotel each day.
If you decide you want to do the art museum, then you can choose to also tackle all of the sights in Eden Park.
Or if you decide you really want to eat at the Eagle, you can also hit everything we’ve mentioned that’s in Over the Rhine.
The city also just opened a new connecter as well that takes you anywhere you need to go in the city.
You can also download the Cincy EZRide App that makes using public transportation so much easier.
Sports Games To Attend
Cincinnati Bengals
Opposing fans have more fun at Paul Brown Stadium than the home fans, but we still love our Bengals anyway. If you’re in town during football season, consider going to a fired up Bengals game.
The fanbase is so fiercely loyal that you’ll be guaranteed to meet some true Cincinnatians.
Just don’t expect a Bengals W, or you’ll be dissapointed on most Sundays.
Cincinnati Reds
The Great American Ballpark is a staple of Cincinnati with the Ohio River as the outfield backdrop.
Out front, you’ll see statues of notable Reds players.
The stadium has Cincinnati written all over it. You can get Skyline, Greaters and UDF all inside the ballpark.
If you have time and there’s a game, I would highly encourage you get a ticket and go.
FC Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati is our newest sports team, and it’s surprisingly popular given its soccer.
If there’s anything I can tell you about Cincinnati sports fans, it’s that they are extremely loyal to their teams.
The team does not have their own stadium yet, coming in 2021, and play their games at Nippert Stadium which is the University of Cincinnati’s stadium.
They frequently have games so it shouldn’t be hard to find tickets.
While you’re in Clifton at the game, you can explore the campus of the University of Cincinnati as well.
Cincinnati Cyclones
Hockey fans should go to a Cincinnati Cyclones game to see some gritty hockey played. This minor league team doesn’t have stars, but cheap beer and stadium food can make for the perfect start to your night.
You might even get to ride the zamboni while you’re there, who knows?
The stadium is in the US Bank Arena so you’ll be in the downtown area so either before or after the game to explore more.
Kentucky Speedway
The Kentucky Speedway is nearby and will get you more excited about Nascar than you ever thought was possible. Nascar is here in July, but the speedway has races that you can come and watch throughout the year.
You can buy tickets online and at the track.
Unique Art
Contemporary Arts Center 
The Contemporary Arts Center is free to the public and right across the street from the Aronoff Center downtown.
Like many of the other museums we’ve discussed, they have both permanent and temporary exhibits.
On each floor, there is a different experience for guests to view and interact.
The top floor is highly engaging and has some great spots to take pictures.
There is a section with mirrors and lights that lots of people take amazing pictures in.
Cincinnati Art Museum
If you appreciate unique art, you will never leave the Cincinnati Art Museum disappointed.
In their permanent pieces selection you can find art from Ancient Greece, Europe, India, China, American and specifically Cincinnati.
They have a section that is dedicated to Rookwood Pottery, a famous pottery store based in Cincinnati.
They always bring in the most interesting travel exhibits for their temporary exhibits.
Over the summer I got to see the Burning Man exhibit while it was at the museum. The art took after the museum: colorful, interactive and free.
Krohn Conservatory
When you’re at the Cincinnati Art Museum, go pop over to the Krohn Conservatory.
The Krohn Conservatory, which opened in 1933, is a Botanists dream, being home to more than 3500 plant species from around the world.
They have different events throughout the year so depending what time of the year you’re in the city will determine what you see.
From March to June, you can go to the Butterfly Show where they let thousands of butterflies roam throughout their special garden.
They also have different floral shows that change depending on the season.
The O.F.F. Market
The O.F.F Market is a pop-up market that takes place at MadTree brewery, where you can buy food, accessories and other products from local merchants.
The window is tight as it only runs from May to September on the second Saturday of each month. If you’re not here in the summer, don’t fear.
The O.F.F Market puts on a winter market one weekend in November for visitors to get some holiday shopping down and support local businesses.
Local Colleges
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati, home to the Bearcats, resides in Clifton.
The school is composed of about 44,000 students that come from all over the country.
While you’re exploring campus, you need to visit the Lindner School of Business, DAAP and Nippert Stadium. Those are the gems on this beautiful campus with tall buildings and storied architecture.
The University of Cincinnati has much more of a city feel than a college town. It will be hard for you to believe that you’re actually on a college campus.
If you can make it to a UC football or basketball game, you won’t be disappointed by the rowdy crowd.
Xavier University
Only three miles separate the University of Cincinnati and its cross-town rival, Xavier University.
Home of the Musketeers, this is a Catholic university that houses about 5,000 students.
Xavier has more of a college feel to it than the city-vibes of UC.
When you walk around campus, you will find some of the Cincinnati staples we discussed like Skyline and Greaters.
Xavier is most recognized for its phenomenal basketball team. Visit town during the winter or spring to get tickets to the Cintas Center and witness Xavier Nation in full force.
Fun Facts About The Queen City
- The city was named after a Roman statesman named Lucius Cincinnatus.
- Most people that say they’re from Cincinnati are actually from a suburb of Cincinnati.
- Cincinnati is home to Kings Island which is an amusement park that had an episode of the Brady Bunch filmed there.
- Cincinnati has also been called Porkopolis and you can find flying pigs at different parts of the city.
- Jerry Springer was once the mayor of Cincinnati
- Cincinnati is surrounded by seven hills and you will actually find a place called Seven Hills in the city.
Cincinnati Businesses
Here is a list of businesses that were founded in Cincinnati:
- Proctor and Gamble
- Greater’s Ice Cream
- Larosa’s Pizza
- Skyine Chili
- Jungle Jim’s
- Fifth Third Bank
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- Rookwood Pottery
- Robben Media
Of course we, the creators of this guide, are going to mention ourselves. Robben Media helps businesses grow by increasing leads from Google. Our Cincinnati web design team works with our SEO specialists to give businesses exponential traffic and a repeatable sales process.
Notable Cincinnatians
Cincinnati is the birthplace of quite a few legends.
Our 27th United States President, William Howard Taft was born here.
The first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong was born and called Cincy home.
Even the band 98 degrees is composed of members that are all from the Queen City. Brothers Nick and Drew Lachey were members of this band and have become TV personnel.
John Boehner, former Speaker of the House, spends his time in Cincinnati when he’s not working in DC.
Marty and Thom Brennaman have become household names in the Queen City. This father and son duo have spent many years acting as sportscasters for the Reds.
Pete Rose, born in Cincinnati, spent his baseball career playing for the Cincinnati Reds.
Famous actress Sarah Jessica Parker was also born in the Queen City.
Though the most notable Cincinnatian has to be Neil Armstrong. The first man on the moon kept his roots in this city.
Conclusion
Just visiting this gem of a city? You have a lot of activities to do in a short window—best of luck! The bright side is you really can’t go wrong in choosing. Because we all know you’re going to see enough you like to come back, early and often.
And if you’re a local who hasn’t explored all the fun things to do in Cincinnati, now you have an ultimate guide to help you.
We at Robben Media love Cincinnati! And we know you will too.