14 Indoor Attractions for a Rainy Day in Cincinnati

If you live in Cincinnati (or have visited), you are well aware of our fickle forecasts. Occasionally we experience all four seasons in one week, making it rather difficult to make plans that are dependent on weather. There's plenty to do in the Queen City — we have great parks, beautiful museums, sports teams, public events, tasty dining/drinking options and everything in between. But when the clouds roll in and you're in need of a plan B, we have you covered with this list of indoor rainy day activities.

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Photo: Hailey Bollinger

American Sign Museum, 1330 Monmouth Ave., Camp Washington | The largest public sign museum in America “promotes sign preservation and restoration by displaying nearly 100 years of signage.” Get lost in the ads and landmarks of yesteryear. Winding pathways of colorful signage give way to a mocked-up Main Street, with faux storefronts, cobblestone and giant logos from Howard Johnson, McDonald’s and Marshall Field. From roadside nostalgia and a looming Big Boy to pharmacy signs and gas station markers, the flashing lights, buzzing electricity and rotating wonders are almost a sensory overload. Almost. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday; guided tours 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. $15 adult; $10 senior/student/youth/military; free children 12 and under.

Photo: Kellie Coleman

Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams | This giant greenhouse features deserts, tropics, a butterfly garden, orchids and an interior waterfall, which guests can walk behind. Seasonally themed exhibitions feature unique plants, and the ever-popular annual butterfly show showcases butterflies from various parts of the world. Open Tuesday-Sunday. Admission fee.

Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Newport Aquarium, 1 Levee Way, Newport on the Levee, Newport, Ky. | See and touch a variety of aquatic life at this massive, walk-through aquarium, which boasts the world’s first Shark Bridge. View exhibits featuring penguins, jellyfish, the world’s largest collection of shark rays and more.

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Flying Axes, 100 W. Sixth St., Covington, Ky. | This Louisville-based axe-throwing company recently expanded operations into Covington. Two guests compete at a time, throwing five axes and trying to get the highest score.

Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Vent Haven, 33 W. Maple Ave., Fort Mitchell, Ky. | Vent Haven is the only museum in the world dedicated to the art of ventriloquism. In addition to more than 800 figures (don’t call them dummies), guests can view a library of vent-centric books, playbills and thousands of photographs. The museum also hosts the international ConVENTion every year for more than 600 ventriloquists. 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. most Tuesdays from May to September; other tours by appointment. $10 per person donation encouraged.

Photo: Kellie Coleman

Maneki Neko (‘Lucky Cat’) Museum, 2511 Essex Place No. 150, Walnut Hills | The Lucky Cat Museum is located on a first-floor space inside the Essex Studios — glass displays stretch across the walls, containing various styles, colors and sizes of the cats. Some are golden, others white with red ears and a green bib. Some don black fur or are chipped. Some are stuffed, others ceramic and plastic. There are some wacky ones, too. All of them, however, carry a certain charm. 3-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Donations encouraged

Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Arcade Legacy, Cincinnati Mall, 662 Cincinnati Mills Drive, Forest Fair; Newport, 1765 Monmouth St., Newport, Ky.; Bar Edition, 3929 Spring Grove Ave., Northside | The origins of Arcade Legacy’s flagship location feels like imagery derived from a post-apocalyptic video game: To enter, customers must first walk through the nearly-abandoned Forest Fair Mall (now known as Cincinnati Mills). The halls are dimly lit and the footfalls of die-hard mall-walkers can be heard above. Outside the empty food court, humanity is found in Arcade Legacy’s 7,600-square-foot shop.The classic arcade has over 70 arcade games and 20 classic and current gaming consoles (with giant screens to play on). A new location called Arcade Legacy: Bar Edition gives gamers the opportunity booze it up and nosh on a hot dog or other snacks.

Photo: Jesse Fox

Carol Ann’s Carousel, 8 E. Mehring Way, Downtown | The whimsical carousel is glassed-enclosed and features 44 hand-carved animals which you can ride for $2.

Photo: Brittany Thornton

Play Library, 1517 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine | Straight out of the Tom Hanks movie, "Big," the all-ages lending and activity space is designed for kids-and adults. The space stocks thousands of toys and games for anyone to borrow or play on site, and hosts 21-and-over game nights and family fun times that encourage everyone to make-believe and make new friends. Open Wednesday-Sunday. Membership/borrow fees.

Photo: Hailey Bollinger

The Rook, 1115 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine | People can play Twister, Cards against Humanity, The Game of Nasty Things…, The Resistance: Avalon and Pictionary, all the while snacking on sliders and drinking board-game-themed cocktails, local beers on draft or wine. 4 p.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday; 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-midnight Sunday.