20 Cincinnati Things To Do:
- Following the local chili religion
- The Cincinnati Bell Connector
- Over-the-Rhine
- Paul Brown Stadium/Bengals
- Great American Ball Park/Reds and Reds Hall-of-Fame
- U.S. Bank Arena
- Government Square
- Fountain Square
- Contemporary Arts Center
- Aronoff Center – Theatre Performances
- Gateway Quarter
- Music Hall
- Washington Park
- Cincinnati Zoo
- Cincinnati Art Museum
- Graeter’s Ice Cream (Premium Ice Cream/Sorbet!)
- Cincinnati Springfield Township Cemetery – Resting Place of Frederic Baur in his famous invention
- Mica 12/v
- Findlay for Foodies
- 12th and Vine is a happening part of Cincy
Praying to the Chili God(s) – The Best Chili in
Cincinnati
Chili is a religion in Cincinnati.
If you are looking for the best restaurants, Skyline Chili is the most unique food experience in Cincinnati chili.
It is derived from an Eastern European meat sauce and was introduced to residents in the 1920s.
The dish is known around the U.S. as “Skyline,“ after the largest local chain of chili parlors, which started just after World War II.
Many visitors and locals find it irresistible.
Zip’s Cafe, Camp Washington Chili, Gold Star and Pleasant Ridge are up there as well.
How to Get Around Cincinnati – The Cincinnati
Bell Connector
The Cincinnati Bell Connector is Cincinnati’s modern streetcar system.
It is a 3.6-mile loop that connects Cincinnati’s riverfront at The Banks, downtown and Over-the-Rhine.
You can hop on and off all-day for $2!
Great city spots make up this loop:
• Paul Brown Stadium
• Great American Ball Park
• U.S. Bank Arena
• Government Square
• Fountain Square
• Contemporary Arts Center
• Aronoff Center – Theatre Performances
• Gateway Quarter
• Music Hall
• Washington Park
Over-the-Rhine
Over-the-Rhine is one of the most culturally and historically rich neighborhoods in Cincinnati.
It contains many small shops and hideaways to explore within walking distance to one another.
Over-the-Rhine is an amazing arts spot to visit.
It is home to:
-the Cincinnati Symphony,
– Music Hall,
– the Cincinnati Opera,
– the Cincinnati Ballet,
– Know Theatre,
– New Stage Collective
– and Ensemble Theatre.
It is one of the most architecturally stunning neighborhoods in the region.
Over-the-Rhine is a unique neighborhood in the city where it is a good decision to buy your gift or city souvenir in.
Findlay Market Restaurants
Findlay Market is Cincinnati’s oldest public market, and the Goetta is THE thing not to miss.
It is fun for everyone, especially for the foodies. Speaking of foodies, be sure to read our recent guide on the best food in North Carolina.
There are over 40 vendors and a million visitors each year.
the Goetta = It’s a mixture of ground pork, beef, steel-cut oats, and spices. It is pretty much a German sausage grain.
Try it at Eckerlin Meats as they’ve been routinely been voted best in Cincinnati. Its also very affordable, so you do not have to break far from your value travel goals.
You will find fresh produce, meats, seafood, and bakery goods, along with specialty shops featuring unique arts and crafts.
The street performers add a vibrant flavor to the scene.
Try Some Buckeyes
In order to sample the best local food in Cincinnati, you need to try some world-famous Buckeyes. You likely know the Buckeyes as the mascot of the famous Ohio State University. In fact, the Buckeye is also Ohio’s state tree. The Buckeye tree produces nuts with a light inner section, surrounded by a dark outer shell crusting. Some of the most well-known and famous desserts in Cincinnati are modeled after these Buckeye nuts. The desserts consist of a peanut butter fudge dipped in dark chocolate. The center is exposed on top, so that you can see the difference in color as a traditional Buckeye would appear.
Cincinnati Zoo
I loved the Cincinnati Zoo.
It is the second-oldest zoo in the nation (opened up in 1875) and the press ranks it as one of the top zoos in the country year after year.
You can see over 580 animal species and 3,000 plant varieties, including the Gorilla Enclosure being one of its highlights.
Cincinnati Art Museum
Located in beautiful Eden Park, it has an unrivaled (intra-city) art collection of more than 60,000 works over 6,000 years.
If you are into traveling art exhibitions, this is a gathering spot for avid fans across the globe.
The Inventor of the Pringles Can
You may or may not know Fredric John Baur, but he invented the Pringles can for stacking potato chips, well-known universally.
Baur had a unique request in his will.
He asked if a portion of his cremated ashes would be sealed up in a Pringles tube.
Baur was a chemist who specialized in food storage research and development for Proctor and Gamble.
In the mid-60s, when almost every other potato chip came in bags, he felt, “the Pringles can was a revolution within the realm of snack food.”
His children helped make his final wish happen.
His son Larry stopped at a Walgreens on their way to the funeral home to buy a can of Pringles. They decided on the classic original flavor to send their father off in style.
His final resting place of Fredric Baur inside the can takes place in the Cincinnati Springfield Township.
This is something unique to Cincinnati.
Mica 12/v Cincinnati OH.
It is a shopping heaven for the local and visiting shoppers as the local press voted Mica 12/v as the number one gift shop in the city.
The family who owns it features local, regional, and international artists and designers.
Places to Eat Breakfast in Cincinnati
Taste of Belgium Cincinnati
If you are a fan of waffles and crepes, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees and bakery goods, Taste of Belgium is where the locals love to go.
If you have a food allergy like I do, call ahead of time or when you arrive there in person, speak to the manager or owner to make sure they can accommodate your food allergy.
Collective Espresso
A modern coffee shop that could be one of the best in the city.
Ferrari Barbershop and Coffee Co.
This is undoubtedly a gem in Cincinnati.
Pamper yourself with a hot towel shave, a haircut or any other services offered.
Combine it with their excellent cappuccino and espresso selection.
Even if you are not using the barbershop for grooming, the coffee bar is open to the public!
It is family-owned and the locals rave about it!
Brown Bear Bakery
It’s a local fave as well! Go for the pastries and the atmosphere there. Before dining here, check out our guide on how to plan a trip around food allergies and still eat well.
French Crust
Locals highly frequent this place.
Has an excellent menu containing good carb and caffeine options, eggs, pancakes and more.
Where to Eat Lunch in Cincinnati
Three Places in Mind
- Panino – A restaurant that was originally a food truck, it is a sandwich spot and a fancier restaurant at night.
- Quan Hapa – A very popular pho spot at the market for Asian street food.
- Eat during the stroll at the market at other restaurants or vendors!
Graeter’s Ice Cream
It is one of the best dessert places in all of Ohio, having such an extensive, creative dessert menu. There are other locations in Ohio as well, but it is on Vine St. in Cincy. Fancy flavors and toppings provide a delicious flavor and luxurious experience on your Cincinnati vacation.
The Graeter family business makes the ice cream in two-gallon old world French pot freezers, producing a creamy and rich ice cream taste!
They have excellent sorbet as well for those allergic to dairy.
Indulge In Amazing Seafood
Before leaving Cincinnati, check out some of the incredible seafood at the Anchor OTR. This amazing coastal eatery is well-known for delicious Crawfish Beignets, Octopus, and Trout BLTs. At the same time, be sure to try the Lobster Roll or a Bouillabaisse Pot Pie. Another specialty is the Cotija Cheese Oysters, along with a massive serving of Bourbon Chiptole Butter. If you are a food-loving-travel-enthusiast, check out our guide on the top destinations for Native American travel food experiences.
Choose the Chili City!
Since Cincinnati is also sports-centric, part two of the chili city coverage is coming right up!
PC
2: CincinnatiUSA
3: StockpilingMoms.com
4: CincinnatiZoo.org
5: News247
6: Sprudge
7: Cincinnati Enquirer
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1 comment
I have seen very little information about Cincinnati as a destination so thank you for this! I did not realize how much there is to do there. I love zoos and did not know they had a world class zoo.