Every year, CityBeat publishes the Best Of Cincinnati®, wherein readers and staffers alike pick which bars are the booziest, which people are the coolest and which shops are your best bet for dropping a pretty penny. It’s getting warmer out, and graduations, weddings and vacations mean Cincinnati will be playing host to tons of out-of-town visitors. And when you have family or friends coming to see you, you’ll want to show the Queen City off. From riverfront parks to historic markets and beacons of Cincinnati’s history and culture, here are the 10 best places to take your visitors, according to CityBeat readers.

A Happening with Pablo at the Cincinnati Art Museum 6-11p.m. June 23 Be one of the first to experience the brand new exhibit Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds. Take in this exciting new piece while enjoying an immersive experience that includes music from the Bluewater Kings Band, cocktails and rare menu items, both inside and outside in the Alice Bimel Courtyard. Proceeds will go to youth and family programs and thousands of free public programs both in the museum and the Greater Cincinnati area. 6-11p.m. June 23. 953 Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills. cincinnatiartmuseum.org. Photo: facebook.com/cincinnatiartmuseum
No. 4 Best Bookstore: The Friends of the Public Library Warehouse 8456 Vine Street, Hartwell Photo: facebook.com/cincylibraryfriends
Get Smart at the Cincinnati Museum Center 1301 Western Ave., West End Union Terminal is home to several smaller museums within the Cincinnati Museum Center, including the Cincinnati History Museum and the Children’s Museum, both of which were named in the top 10 best museums of their kind by USA Today’s 10Best. Not only does the Cincinnati Museum Center host extraordinary traveling exhibits, like Dinosaurs of Antarctica or The Science Behind Pixar, its history museum allows visitors to step back in time to become immersed in Cincinnati’s history, from the earliest settlers to traditions only found here, like our chili. The museum has everything from costumed interpreters to a recreation of the bustling Public Landing as it was in the 1850s and a replica of the Queen of the West, a side-wheel steamboat. At the Children’s Museum, kids can dive into arts, culture and science. The museum has over 1,800 hours of programming each year and offers hands-on fun for kids of all ages with its eight themed play areas, including two designed for younger children. You can also catch a documentary in the museum’s state-of-the-art IMAX theater or hear the stories of courage and perseverance from survivors at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. Photo: Devin Luginbill
AC Hotel Rooftop 135 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks This modern hotel situated right at The Banks is sure to offer perfect views of the city. Enjoy some cocktails from the Upper Deck, one of the largest hotel rooftop bars downtown, or, if you want to stay the night, many of the rooms offer city views with their own balconies. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Play and Relax at Smale Riverfront Park 100 W. Mehring Way, The Banks Cincinnati is home to tons of amazing parks and playgrounds, but Smale Riverfront has to be the crown jewel of them all with its riverfront and Roebling Bridge views, proximity to even more attractions, like Carol Ann’s Carousel, Great American Ball Park, Andrew J Brady Music Center and The Banks’ restaurants. At the park, your kids can play with the interactive foot piano; climb, jump and slide on the whimsical playground; or run through the in-ground splash pad. You can also rent a Red Bike, or bring your own, to peddle along the riverfront trail from downtown to Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park in the East End, stopping for a picnic and more playground adventures at Sawyer Point. Or, head up to the Purple People Bridge and cross the river into Kentucky for even more family fun at Newport on the Levee. Photo: Scott Dittgen
No. 5 Best Place to Take a Visitor: Cincinnati Reds game 100 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks Must See: Obviously go and enjoy the game, but also take the time to visit the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum if you can. Not only can you see exhibits highlighting the history of America’s oldest professional baseball team, but you can join guided tours of Great American Ball Park during certain days and hours. Photo: Ron Valle
The City Flea at Washington Park 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 22 Support small businesses and local artists at the monthly City Flea, Cincy’s monthly curated, urban flea market. Shop for yourself or others from a wide selection of jewelry, trinkets, vintage memorabilia, home decor and more. Don’t have time to stop by? The City Flea will be back Aug. 12, Sept. 16 and Oct. 14. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 22. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St. cityflea.com. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Jungle Jim’s International Market 5440 Dixie Highway, Fairfield; 4450 Eastgate S Drive, Eastgate Jungle Jim’s is an amusement park for foodies, and not just because of its kitschy statues and animatronics that photograph really well. The huge store (more than 6 acres) contains equal parts weekly shoppers scanning the aisles for super fresh seafood, exotic produce and international eats from more than 70 countries and visitors wandering, mouths agape at the wacky decor, likely with a beer in hand. The singing soup can is a beloved sight to snap a photo of; same goes for the elaborate restroom hidden behind a port-a-potty facade. This Hogwarts of grocery stores offers nearly 1,500 different kinds of hot sauce. The aisle is pretty hard to miss: It’s the one with the giant fire truck on top of it. Photo: junglejims.com
No. 2 Best Place to Take a Visitor: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden 3400 Vine St., Avondale Must See/Must Do: Of course you need to go to Hippo Cove and see Fiona, Fritz and the rest of their family. Also, take a spin on the new animal-themed carousel and sit down and enjoy one of the zoo’s daily Animal Encounters. Photo: Michelle Peters/Provided by the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Sip, Bite and Stroll at Findlay Market 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine At more than 150 years old, Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest continually operated public market. Go for the farmers market, butcher shops, flower stalls, OTR Biergarten and eclectic eats. Photo: Hailey Bollinger Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...