Mark Twain may have been right eons ago when he said, “If the world comes to an end, I want to be in Cincinnati. Everything comes there 10 years later.” But that certainly doesn’t apply in 2016.
These days, Cincinnati is a town that’s all grown up and cosmopolitan, with culture and a foodie scene that holds its own against much bigger cities.
If you want to see the dolled-up Cincy, go OTR -- Over-The-Rhine. The neighborhood has become hip and funky, yet it’s kept all the charm of 19th-century architecture.
Many years ago, OTR was where German immigrants settled and turned it into a little German enclave with its thriving brewery businesses. That brewery tradition has not vanished. Today, you’ll find Taft’s Ale House, a brewery in what was St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in the 1800s. It’s a hot spot for beer, craft cocktails and some of the best smoked meats you’ll find anywhere.
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There also are a number of restaurants in the neighborhood. Salazar, for example, serves up “eccentric” specialties like Amish chicken breast Milanese, pickled banana peppers, capers, kale, tomato, garlic chives, lemon and crispy skin redfish, radicchio slaw, pickled green garlic aioli, cornmeal cake and blackening spice.
Then there are places like the famous Graeter’s ice cream and Sweet Petit with its outrageous desserts.
OTR is also home to Findlay Market, which pretty much has been in Cincy forever. Your trip will not be complete without a visit. It is the oldest continuously operating public market in Ohio. For locally sourced seafood, meat, cheese, fruits, veggies and everything in between, this is a one-stop spot.
The market includes a few welcome surprises like the Taste of Belgium. Their waffles are so sweet you don’t need syrup. And though there’s plenty of coffee in Cincinnati, tea lovers won’t feel left out. Churchill’s Fine Teas has so many choices you might just as well say eenie, meenie miney moe, because they’re all fantastic.
The market atmosphere always is bustling and bubbly, from regulars stopping to chat with one another or first-time visitors looking around in awe.
The good eats aren’t limited to OTR. If you want a weekend rendezvous at Boca, Sotto or Nada, don’t wait to the last minute, or you’ll be disappointed. Typically, coveted weekend spots require a reservation two weeks in advance. This trio of eateries is owned by Chef David Falk, who is credited for starting the contemporary cuisine scene in Cincinnati. Sotto is dreamy-eyed romance, with its rustic setting and candlelight. Nada is modern Mexican and Boca is high-end Italian American and definitely top-notch service.
New Orleans native Toya Foster’s Mardi Gras on Madison offers some of the best New Orleans cooking. You’ve never had catfish quite like this.
The rooftop bar craze hasn’t missed Cincinnati. One of the hot spots is Top of the Park Rooftop Bar, with views of Cincinnati and the Riverfront from atop the two-story building. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails like the Queen City Fizz, Hendricks Gin, St. Germaine and Prosecco or the Rooftop Lemonade, made with Grey Goose Le Citron, muddled strawberries and fresh-squeezed lemonade.
Beer aficionados can "hop" on the Cincy Brew Bus and hit four breweries.
If you’re an art lover, you’re in good company in Cincy. There are 102 murals around town that share the history and culture. You can take a 20-minute, 40-minute or 2-hour art walk. The Cincinnati Art Museum is one of the oldest in the country and shows off pieces from ancient to contemporary, with more than 65,000 works that cover 6,000 years. The Contemporary Arts Center is a must-see. There are big name artists like Ugo Rondinone, Glen Brown and others.
A life-changing experience awaits at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. No matter what you think you know about slavery and Civil Rights, you’ll walk away with new knowledge and new feelings.
Cincy doesn’t just pull out the stops with art, it goes hard on the performing arts as well. With so much music around town, bring your dancing shoes. The annual Music Festival is one of the largest urban festivals in the country, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is a favorite, having recently played with Aretha Franklin at the Riverbend Music Center. The historic Music Hall is where you’ll find all manner of fun, from theater to dance, opera, comedy, concerts and more.
Outdoor folks can bike, hike or walk the many paths in the Riverfront Park in downtown. Kids will love the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Coney Island with its Sunlite Pool, waterslides and more.
Downtown is also home to great accommodations, from names like Westin, Renaissance, Hilton, as well as boutique and inexpensive options. You can stay and in the heart of this Midwestern city that’s no longer a stepsister to Chicago or Louisville.