Cincinnati has one of the best river walks in the nation, according to USA Today readers.
“10 Best,” USA Today’s travel information hub that frequently relies on reader input, puts Cincinnati’s Smale Riverfront Park among the country’s top ten for 2021. Readers voted for Smale and 19 other nominees in February after a panel of judges had culled the initial nominee list.
Smale lands at No. 5 on USA Today’s list, edging out Waterfront Park in Louisville, Chicago Riverwalk in Chicago, and Charles River Esplanade in Boston, among others.
Detroit International RiverWalk tops the USA Today reader picks for 2021.
Smale Riverfront Park connects downtown from Paul Brown Stadium to Great American Ball Park with 45 acres of greenway. Operated by the Cincinnati Park Board, the park opened in 2012 and features public art, interactive fountains, playgrounds and a giant swing set that gives a hell of a view of the Ohio River.
"At Smale Riverfront Park in Cincinnati, visitors can watch the river traffic float by, cycle along the Ohio River Trail, buy fresh produce at the Castellini Esplanade farmers market, cool off in the Fath Fountain or stop to smell the flowers in the Gardner Family Grove and Rose Garden," USA Today said in February.
