Cincinnati is surrounded by plenty to do and explore, but sometimes you just want to explore somewhere else. Luckily, Cincinnati is also surrounded by plenty of amazing places to visit. Whether you’re looking to go on a shopping spree, spend your weekend outdoors or explore museums, there are a number of cities and towns in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana that make perfect weekend getaways.

In CityBeat‘s annual Best Of Cincinnati Readers Poll, our readers shared their favorite spots for a weekend getaway — all within 250 miles of Cincinnati. Keep scrolling to see the ones readers voted as the best of the best.

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
No. 9 Best Weekend Getaway: Indianapolis Indianapolis is a city full of attractions and fun, with an amazing cuisine and drink scene. Check out The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Conner Prairie or the Indianapolis Zoo if you are interested in attractions, or BazBeaux and Bodhi if you want to try some of the best food in town. Indianapolis is also home to the Motor Speedway Museum and a wide variety of craft beers. Photo: Provided by Visit Indy
No. 8 Best Weekend Getaway: Lexington Home to the University of Kentucky Wildcats and Keeneland horse-racing tracks, Lexington exemplifies the beauty of the Bluegrass State. Lexington has plenty of fun to offer through places like the Kentucky Horse Park, LexLive, Rupp Arena and the Headley-Whitney Museum. It also has delicious, high-end restaurants such as Tony’s of Lexington and Giuseppe’s Ristorante Italiano. You can also dip your toe into Kentucky bourbon at Barrel House Distilling Co. and Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co. Photo: PEO ACWA/Wikimedia Commons
No. 7 Best Weekend Getaway: Columbus Columbus, home of The Ohio State University, has plenty of fun to offer, like the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Franklin Park Conservatory, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, COSI and more. Other than the iconic university and aquarium, Columbus also has a lively bar and restaurant scene with live music and arcade bars. Photo: Provided by Experience Columbus
Nashville, Indiana Distance: 2 hours If you don’t want to drive all the way to Tennessee, there is a Nashville much closer that’s still full of music and adventure. Head out to Nashville, Indiana — just two hours outside of Cincinnati — where you can bike, hike (at Brown County State Park), learn to line dance, take horse-drawn tours of the historic area and drink at plenty of local breweries, wineries and distilleries. Watch live music at the historic Brown County Playhouse or enjoy some of the beautiful artwork scattered around town. Photo: Facebook.com/ILoveBrownCounty
No. 5 Best Weekend Getaway: Louisville Louisville’s a vibrant city full of life. You can check out Louisville’s bar scene where you can try Angel’s Envy bourbon or head out to take a tour of the Old Louisville Garden. You also can cruise on an authentic steamboat on the Ohio River, visit the famous Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby is held and so much more Photo: Provided by gotolouisville.com
No. 4 Best Weekend Getaway: Kentucky Bourbon Trail There’s no better place to learn about bourbon than its birthplace. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has 60 different locations of bourbon distilleries where visitors can taste the best of bourbon and soak in Kentucky’s rich history. Some locations include Four Roses Distillery, The Bard Distillery, Maker’s Mark and even some local spots like New Riff. Photo: facebook.com/VisitBardstown
No. 3 Best Weekend Getaway: Yellow Springs Yellow Springs is the perfect mix of outdoor adventure and indoor shopping and dining. This weekend getaway will give you the option of going to The Village Flower Farm, John Bryan State Park and the Little Miami Bike Trail, which is all outdoors; shop in unique shops like Urban Handmade; or eat at delicious restaurants like the Sunrise Café. Photo: facebook.com/YellowSpringsOH
No. 2 Best Weekend Getaway: Red River Gorge Red River Gorge is plentiful in sandstone arches, including the beautiful Natural Bridge, which is one of the most famous spots at Red River Gorge. This location in Stanton, Kentucky, offers hiking, climbing, dining and more. Visitors should be sure to stop at Miguel’s Pizza, a Red River Gorge tradition. Photo: Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition Facebook
Hocking Hills State Park 19852 State Route 664 S., Logan, Ohio Distance: About 2 hours 30 minutes This park includes stunning cliffs, waterfalls and hemlock-shaded gorges. There are many biking and hiking trails for exploring the park’s natural beauty, as well as a 17-acre lake where you can boat and fish. Photo: Katherine Barrier