From lakeside beaches to local kayaking spots, water parks to public pools, there are plenty of Greater Cincinnati destinations where you can stay cool this summer.
White Rock Park 7080 S. 750 E., St. Paul, Indiana There are three lakes in this slice of heaven nestled in no-man’s-land Indiana. The main lake is dedicated to swimming, cliff diving and scuba diving and the other two lakes are used for fishing. Make a weekend out of it with their campsite. For the thrill-seekers, there are four platforms to jump off of at staggered heights, with the tallest being 10 meters. Whatever you do, don’t bellyflop. Capacity limits enforced. Photo via Facebook.com/StPaulsCliffs
Scenic River Canoe Excursions 4595 Round Bottom Road, Milford This Milford livery is located on “the only national wild and scenic river in the tri-state area.” Home to the 8.5-mile excursion, Remington’s Run, and the 6-mile Fletcher’s Mid Trip, you can stop at just about any beach along the way. If you get hungry in the middle of your paddling adventure, pull up to one of the banks for a quick bite to eat at Little Miami Brewing Company. Reservations must be made online through their website. Photo via Facebook.com/ScenicRiverCanoeExcursions
Ziegler Pool 216 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine Reservations for Ziegler Pool are now open! This pool is found in the heart of Ziegler Park in OTR and is the perfect place to cool off in the summer. While season passes for the pool are currently at capacity, reservations can be made online starting for just $4 per person, per session. Financial assistance is available through community organizations. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Cincinnati Cycleboat 4601 Kellogg Ave., East End You’ve heard of a pedal wagon, but how about a pedal boat? Cincinnati Cycleboat is a bar, bike, and a boat all in one. Holding up to 14 people per boat, explore the Ohio River and the city of Cincinnati with your closest friends and family. Not only is it a bar on a boat, but your party gets to bring their own drinks. Cycleboats run 7 days a week in 2-hour increments. Ages 12 and up are welcome on the boat. Photo via Facebook.com/CincyCycleboat
Hueston Woods College Corner, Ohio In need of a beach getaway? Visit Hueston Woods Beach, a public beach that’s open from dawn to dusk. Enjoy the sand between your toes, boating or kayaking adventures, and the warm feeling of the sun on your skin. Rent out a cabin or camp within the state park after your long day at the beach, and explore the rest of what this historic park has to offer. Photo via Facebook.com/HuestonWoodsStatePark
Green Acres Canoe & Kayak Rental 10465 Suspension Bridge Road, Harrison Summertime is here, and for many, that means floating down the river and sippin’ on some ice cold beverages while the sun shines down. Green Acres livery is located in Harrison, Ohio and operates on the Whitewater River. They offer three different single kayak excursions — 8 miles, 5 miles, and 3 miles where tickets can only be purchased in-person. While children 12 years and older are welcome to enjoy paddling down the river, pets are not permitted at this time. Photo via Facebook.com/GreenAcresCanoe
Wake Nation Cincinnati 201 Joe Nuxhall Way, Fairfield You surf bro? At Wake Nation Cincinnati, you don’t have to. They offer a cable park, where wakeboarders are pulled by an overhead cable system (no boat required), and an Aqua Park aka a floating playground complete with trampolines. Photo via Facebook.com/WakeNationCincinnati
Dunham “Otto Armleder Memorial Regional Aquatic Center” Pool 4356 Dunham Lane, Westwood Open weekdays 1-7:30 p.m. and weekends noon-6:30 p.m., this Westwood pool boasts a zero-depth entry, toddler area, sprayground, climbing features, two large water slides and lap lanes. Because of COVID, the pool has reduced-capacity 2-hour swim blocks. Entry fees are $6 for children (0-17 years old) and seniors (55+ years old), and $10 for adults. Call 513-251-5862 for reservations. Photo: Provided by CRC
Brookville Lake 14108 State Route 101, Brookville, Indiana A lakefront park only an hour from downtown Cincinnati that offers camping, hiking and boating in addition to a beach that you can kick back and relax on. Photo via Facebook.com/BrookvilleLakecom Photo: Facebook.com/BrookvilleLakecom
East Fork State Park 3294 Elklick Road, Bethel One of Ohio’s largest state parks, East Fork in Clermont County is home to a beach on East Fork Lake. Additional camping amenities and trails for hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking, as well as access to fishing and boating, making East Fork a must-see weekend getaway this summer. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Tippecanoe and Kayaks Too 9630 Hamilton Cleves Pike Road, Harrison Tippecanoe and Kayaks too is offering their 7.5-mile for both reservations and walk-ins (though they are limited). Single and tandem kayaks are available, as well as two- and three-person canoes and floatable cooler carriers. Photo via Facebook.com/TippecanoeandKayaksToo
Miami Whitewater Forest 9001 Mt. Hope Road, Harrison Who says Cincinnati has to revolve around the Ohio River? Canoe, kayak and fish on the Miami Whitewater Forest Park. The harbor overlooks the 85-acre lake where you can rent rowboats, motor boats, hydrobikes, kayaks and canoes, paddleboards and bikes. Photo via Facebook.com/GreatParksHC Photo: facebook.com/GreatParksHC
Loveland Canoe and Kayak 174 Karl Brown Way, Loveland Loveland Canoe and Kayak currently offers one trip: the popular 5-mile “Castle Adventure Trip.” Reservations are strictly online, and check-in will be performed outside, as the building is closed to the public. Children under 5 and dogs are not permitted. Both single-person kayaks and tandem kayaks are available for rent. Photo: Savana Willhoite Photo: Savana Willhoite
The Armleder Memorial Spray Ground in Yeatman’s Cove 705 East Pete Rose Way, Downtown The Otto Armleder Memorial Aquatic Fountain features spray jets and a gigantic Brutalist-style angular shower head, all in the shadow of concrete monoliths built by architect Louis Sauer in the 1970s. The attraction is currently open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily with a 70 person limit and a 15-minute rotation schedule to ensure health and safety for their guests. Photo via
Washington Park Interactive Water Park 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine The 7,000-square-foot water feature in the center of the park has more than 130 pop-up jets that can be synchronized to music and light (look nearby for instructions on how to select and play music). Open daily from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. through October, this heat-buster also features waterfall steps and a Zen-like water boulder. Photo via Facebook.com/WashingtonParkOTR
Oakley Pool 3900 Paxton Ave., Oakley The CRC’s Oakley Pool has all the perks, including a deep-end, swirly slide, diving board, sprayground and lap lanes. Swim blocks will remain in place, and temperatures will be checked before entering. Photo via cincinnati-oh.gov
Soak City Water Park 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason Known to be “the premier water park in the Cincinnati area,” Kings Island’s Soak City offers over 50 water activities for family fun. Enjoy the thrill ride on Mondo Monsoon, a free-fall water funnel that releases you into a pool of water. Relax in Coconut Cove with your family, or send your children off to Lookout Lagoon. The waterpark is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Photo via Facebook.com/VisitKingsIsland