25 Touristy Things Every Cincinnati Resident Should Do at Least Once

Take in a Performance at Music Hall

1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
Cincinnati is a hub for great art in every medium, and that’s never more apparent than when you attend a show at Music Hall, which is arguably a work of art in and of itself. Want to catch a live symphony of a Star Wars soundtrack or see the Cincinnati Ballet in action? Head to this historic landmark. Friends of Music Hall, its nonprofit arm, also offers tours of the building so you can dive deeper into its history and see what’s happening behind the scenes (and maybe even meet a ghost). And right across the street is the beautifully renovated Washington Park, which is a great place to unwind, see free live music or enjoy a drink at its patio bar, The Porch.

Be in the Heart of It All at Fountain Square

520 Vine St., Downtown
If you want to get to the heart of Cincinnati and its people, Fountain Square is the place to start. Home to the Tyler Davidson Fountain (a.k.a. The Genius of Water), Fountain Square sits right in the middle of Downtown Cincinnati at Fifth and Vine streets and plays host to numerous events and programs throughout the year, including the beloved UC Health Ice Rink in the winter, Salsa on the Square and Frisch’s Roller Rink. It’s within walking distance to some of Downtown’s best restaurants, like Via Vite, Jeff Ruby’s, Sotto and Mita’s, making it the perfect place to stop before or after dinner with friends. Fountain Square also has its own mini-bar, Fountain Bar, where you can buy a pop, beer, seltzer or mixed drink while you enjoy live music or just people-watching.

Take in the View at Smale Riverfront Park

166 W. Mehring Way, The Banks
You can’t be a Cincinnati tourist if you don’t stop to look at one of our most iconic landmarks: the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. While it’s true the best view of the bridge is from Covington with Cincinnati’s skyline in the background, Smale Riverfront Park offers stunning views of the bridge, plus a whole lot more. Recently voted one of the top five riverwalks in the country in USA Today’s 10Best, Smale connects downtown from Paul Brown Stadium to Great American Ball Park with 45 acres of greenway. The park features public art, interactive fountains, playgrounds and giant swing sets that give a hell of a view of the Ohio River. Not only that, but you can walk or bike the paved trail from Smale through Sawyer Point, Yeatman’s Cove and down to Montgomery Inn and Friendship Park, or over the Purple People Bridge into Newport, all without getting near a car. And at Smale, you’re near all the fun The Banks has to offer, like the Andrew J Brady Music Center, Carol Ann’s Carousel, The Banks’ DORA (designated outdoor refreshment area) and quality Cincinnati establishments like Moerlein Lager House, E+O Kitchen and The Filson.

Eat and Shop Your Heart Out at Findlay Market

1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
It would almost be a crime to miss out on seeing Findlay Market. Ohio’s oldest-operating public market, Findlay Market is easily recognized by its candy-colored awnings and buildings and the bustling people around it throughout the day. But the market isn’t just colorful; it’s also a treasure trove of some of Cincinnati’s best food and shops. Satisfy your sweet tooth with gelato from uGOgelato or Dojo Gelato or a pastry from Moxy. For lunch, you can try Colombian arepas at The Arepa Place or a croque monsieur at French Crust. Eckerlin Meats has Cincinnati staple goetta you can cook up, and The Rhined is your go-to spot for all things charcuterie (and don’t forget to stop in Market Wines to find the perfect wine to pair with your board). You can also find artisan goods like all-natural soap from Maumee World Traders, candles and honey from Bee Haven or CBD products from Cincinnati Hemp Company.

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.

Meet Fiona and the Gang at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens

3400 Vine St., Avondale
When you visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, the first thing you’ll want to do is meet true Cincinnati royalty. Fiona, her baby brother Fritz, mom Bibi and step/dad Tucker will all be at Hippo Cove waiting to see you. There are also tons of other adorable animals to stop and see while you’re there, from elephants and manatees to giraffes and lions. If you’re lucky enough to go in April, you’ll see an explosion of color from the tulips and daffodils of Zoo Blooms. And toward the end of the year, the zoo comes alive with millions of bright, twinkly lights for the Festival of Lights.

Bask in the Neon Glow of the American Sign Museum

1330 Monmouth Ave., Camp Washington
This one-of-a-kind museum dedicated to the art and history of commercial signs and sign-making holds the stories of a not-often-seen side of American history. You can wander through the American Sign Museum’s collection and ever-present neon glow to learn more about these stories, as well as see what goes into preserving or restoring old signs.

Become One With Nature at the Krohn Conservatory

1501 Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills
Located in historic Eden Park, the Krohn Conservatory is an aluminum-and-glass Art Deco destination (in the shape of an upside-down heart) filled with more than 3,500 plant species from around the world. Permanent displays include a rare orchid house, a steamy tropical room, a succulent-filled desert space and a fun walk-through rainforest rock waterfall.

Learn From the Past at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

50 E. Freedom Way, The Banks
Recently named the best history museum in the country in USA Today’s 10Best, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is renowned for its focus on how oppression and slavery have impacted society. The museum does this by sharing stories of slavery, the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights movement and those who are enslaved today. Permanent exhibits include “Slave Pen,” an 1800s holding pen recovered from a farm in Mason County, Kentucky, that’s a somber and sobering reminder of slavery’s history in the United States and our region. There is also “ESCAPE! Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad,” which uses storytelling, roleplaying and interactive activities to share stories of those who resisted slavery. The museum also hosts various traveling exhibits, events and programming aimed at promoting its mission of social justice and inclusive freedom.

Stargaze at the Cincinnati Observatory

3489 Observatory Place, Hyde Park
Founded in 1842, the Cincinnati Observatory houses the oldest fully operational telescope in the nation. On many Friday nights — and some Saturday nights — it hosts public viewings where anyone and everyone (who RSVPs) is welcome to come explore the cosmos with a local astronomer. Listen to a presentation and then partake in a guided stargaze through “a 16-foot long wood and brass refractor first used in 1845.” Weather permitting, you’ll see the moon, planets and stars. If it’s cloudy, you’ll get a tour of the cool historical building. And on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, you can also take part in a daytime history tour, which includes the observatory’s two buildings and two main telescopes, as well as a stop at their out-of-this-world gift shop.

Peruse Thousands of Years of Art at the Cincinnati Art Museum

953 Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills
The Cincinnati Art Museum features “a diverse, encyclopedic art collection with more than 67,000 works that span from the ancient world to modern times. Walk through time to examine artifacts and artwork from thousands of years ago, browse locally crafted paintings and furniture or think about the symbolism and colors in a stunning Impressionist piece. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits to give you insight into the world of art you wouldn’t get otherwise.

Go Beyond the Glass at Newport Aquarium

1 Levee Way
Newport Aquarium aims to take visitors beyond the glass of their tanks and discover the wonder of the underwater world. Named one of the top 10 aquariums in the country by USA Today’s 10Best, Newport Aquarium is home to some of the sea’s coolest animals. Walk over the Shark Bridge, a tightrope bridge over the shark tank, or explore a long-ago sunken ship and see the creatures that call this accidental reef home in the exhibit Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels. All new is Hatchling Harbor, a 25-foot-long tank home to a new ecosystem for hundreds of colorful animals, many of them babies. You can also meet the aquarium’s four shark rays, including the famous Sweet Pea, laugh at the penguins’ antics and see a rare white alligator.

Embrace America’s Pastime at Great American Ball Park and the Reds Hall of Fame Museum

100 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks
Pro baseball was born in Cincinnati, and the Reds Hall of Fame Museum wants to preserve that history and create a lasting memorial to the Reds. See how the experience of going to a baseball game has changed over the years with the museum’s “Then & Now” exhibit, learn some fun trivia about historic firsts for the team and its players in the Reds’ First display and see bobbleheads, scorecards and tickets from seasons gone-by. The museum also hosts special exhibits that show you parts of baseball history that may get lost nowadays in the bright stadium lights and million-dollar contracts, like the “Women in Baseball” exhibit or “Shades of Greatness,” which shared the history of the Negro League. After, if the Reds are home, buy a ticket to the game and check out Great American Ball Park. The stadium’s view of the Ohio River and the decorative tall stacks create the perfect backdrop to America’s favorite pastime.

Drink in Cincinnati’s Beer History Along the Brewing Heritage Trail

1801 Race St. or 73 E. McMillan Ave., Over-the-Rhine
Once one of the largest brewing boomtowns in 19th-century America, the Queen City was home to major pre-Prohibition beer kingpins and, in recent years, has bolstered an ever-expanding craft brewing scene. Over-the-Rhine’s Brewing Heritage Trail explores, preserves and celebrates the city’s storied past as a beer-producing capital with a series of guided tours and a free walking trail. “Hop on” the trail at either terminus — which stretches about three-fourths of a mile between Findlay Market (1801 Race St.) and Grant Park (73 E. McMillan Ave.) in Over-the-Rhine — and follow embedded medallions in the sidewalk to discover historic buildings, brewing sites, public art and more. A number of guided tours are also available to complement the self-guided trail.

Culinary Country Hop at 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. 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.

Feel Like Royalty at Loveland Castle

12025 Shore Drive, Loveland
Former World War I army medic and Boy Scout troop leader Harry Delos Andrews built Château Laroche, a.k.a. the Loveland Castle, over the course of 50 years with handmade bricks (formed with quart-sized paper milk cartons) and stones from the nearby Little Miami River. Modeled after European castles, it features towers, a dry moat, hand-tiled ceilings, murder holes and a collection of period weaponry. The castle grounds are available for picnics and private parties and are rumored to be haunted by a variety of ghosts.

Get Just Slightly Freaked Out at Vent Haven

33 W. Maple Ave., Ft. Mitchell
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. You schedule a tour of the museum for just $15 starting on May 1, 2024. The museum also hosts the international ConVENTion every year for hundreds of ventriloquists.

Explore Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum

1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum offers visitors ample time to reflect amongst both art and nature. The park spans over 300 acres of meadows, lakes and hiking trails and features more than 80 permanent sculptures to view. Also on the grounds is an 1820s pioneer house and an indoor ancient artifacts museum with objects dating back to 1550 B.C.

Soar to New Heights at the Swing House

1373 Avon Place, Camp Washington
The Swing House is a whole-building art project — a freestanding 1880s three-story brick home in Camp Washington where owner and artist Mark de Jong has removed the interior walls and upper floors and built a swing right in the middle of the opened-up interior. Made from pine he salvaged from third-floor joists, the swing is attached by 30 feet of natural fiber rope to a metal beam on the ceiling. Visit during the monthly open house event every second Saturday from noon-4 p.m.

Step Back in Time at Serpent Mound

3850 OH-73, Peebles
History buffs will love a visit to Serpent Mound, the largest ancient earthworks site in the world. At over 1,300 feet long and dating between 1,000-2,000 years old, this mound was built by people of the Adena culture and has been carefully studied, yet still baffles some scientists. There's a sheltered area for picnicking, several additional archeological sites and beautiful wooded grounds, meaning you can make a trip to Serpent Mound a full-day getaway.