An Introvert's Guide to Greater Cincinnati Spots Where You Can be Alone for the Holidays

The Echo

3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park
Eating alone doesn’t have to feel weird, especially at The Echo. This diner has plenty of bar seating and cozy booths for those who want a quick, delicious meal while reading a book, scrolling their Facebook feed or flipping through the latest issue of CityBeat. The menu offers "Hangover Helpers" for those who imbibed too much over the holidays, like the Belgian Bird Sandwich, which comes with chicken tenders, a fried egg and cheddar on a waffle with powdered sugar and syrup. They also serve salads, sandwiches, soups and more for lunch, as well as cocktails like their Irish coffee and mimosas.

Roebling Point Books & Coffee

306 Greenup St., Covington
Books are good for the soul – especially the soul that wants to be alone. And with multiple rooms of books, you can get lost for hours inside Roebling Point Books & Coffee, oblivious to anyone else around you. Grab a cup of their fair-trade coffee and get to browsing for your next favorite read.

Bromwell's Hearth Room

125 W. Fourth St., Downtown
With its dark walls and floors and fiery lighting, Bromwell’s recently renovated Hearth Room is a warm, welcoming place to grab a seat, drink a cocktail or craft beer, listen to some live jazz music and revel in not having to speak to anyone other than your friendly bartender.

Coney Island’s Nights of Lights

6201 Kellogg Ave., California
Drive-thru holiday light displays are king because you don’t have to leave the warmth of your car and you don’t have to feel weird about being alone. At Coney Island’s dazzling Nights of Lights, see “more than 2 million lights synchronized to a mix of traditional and rocking holiday music,” per Coney Island. There is also a giant Christmas tree, illuminated snowflakes, light tunnels and other glowing thematic displays. The display runs every night until Jan. 2. You’ll have to pay the $25-$30 entrance fee by yourself, but sometimes you can’t put a price on alone time.

American Sign Museum

1330 Monmouth Ave., Camp Washington
This one-of-a-kind museum is “dedicated to the art and history of commercial signs and sign making,” says its website. You can wander through the American Sign Museum’s collection and learn more about its collection and what goes into preserving and restoring an old sign and how they show a not-often-told story of the United States’ history. The ever-present neon glow throughout the museum is also a great way to pretend you’re inside a Christmas tree light bulb.

Ohio Bookstore

726 Main St., Downtown
Ohio Bookstore is a book lover’s paradise: This shop features FIVE floors full of books and magazines – over 300,000 items in stock at any given time. And as a rare and used book store, you never know what literary gems you’ll discover. And if you need a book that needs repairing or a custom binding, Ohio Bookstore can do that as you explore.

Esquire Theatre

320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton
This historic movie theater is the crown jewel of Clifton’s Gaslight District. Grab some popcorn and your favorite candy for a matinee of Avatar or a screening of a retro or independent movie, and hit the Back Alley Bar afterward for a drink.

Primavista

810 Matson Place, East Price Hill
If you’re looking for a high-end Italian meal for one, Primavista offers that along with a panoramic view of Downtown Cincinnati. Their menu specializes in veal and fresh fish, but they offer dishes from all regions of Italy and feature nightly specials. Have an antipasto of fried calamari or bruschetta before your plate of ravioli or veal marsala and top it off with a glass of vino off their extensive wine list. Cap off your dinner with the Gelati Misti or tiramisu, only one spoon needed.

Spring Grove Cemetery

4521 Spring Grove Ave., Northside
Okay, hear us out. Suggesting you be alone in a cemetery may creep you out, especially when the sun has been setting at 4 p.m., but Spring Grove Cemetery’s tranquility and beauty is so unmatched that it’s a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Not only is this historic cemetery the final resting place of many famous people, it’s also a Morton Arboretum Register Level III-accredited arboretum – one of only two historic cemeteries to earn that recognition. Phoebe Bridgers has a few holiday songs perfect for this gloomy, beautiful walk.

Bender Mountain Nature Preserve

6320-6468 Bender Road, Delhi Township
The Bender Mountain trail system spans about 3 miles over 50 acres of wooded hillsides and is a great place for a solo hike to see some spectacular views of the Ohio River. And if you don’t mind some ghostly companionship, Bender Mountain is also home to the historic, peaceful Darby-Lee Cemetery. It’s the only known remaining family cemetery in Delhi Township and one of its occupants, Henry Darby, stars in the local folktale and ghost story of Fiddler’s Green.

Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge

1432 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
This intimate, 1940s-inspired lounge has the perfect ambiance for a solo date. Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge offers an inclusive approach to wine culture, focusing on minority and women wine makers and producers. They offer 40 wines available by the glass or bottle, including eight on tap, and curated flights, cocktails, spirits and charcuterie boards – the best combination to nosh on alone while listening to live jazz, soul, hip-hop and R&B music.

Purrfect Day Cafe

25 W. Eighth St., Covington
If you love cute cats and fun drinks, head to Purrfect Day Cafe. You can book an hour to play with all their adoptable kitties while sipping on a coffee, cocktail or even ‘purr-bon.’ You may even meet your new furry best friend!

A.J. Rahn Greenhouses

4944 Gray Road, Spring Grove Village
If you want to be alone amongst nature but don’t want to be out in the elements, try a greenhouse! A.J. Rahn Greenhouses has been in business for more than 130 years and is still owned by the same family. In the ‘60s, the Rahn family became known for their quality flowering plants and still carry on that legacy today with rows and rows of flowers and hanging plants no matter the season.

Valley Thrift Store

9840 Reading Road, Evendale; 4301 Dixie Highway, Fairfield
If you’re in the mood for a solo treasure hunt, Valley Thrift in Evendale and Fairfield has seemingly endless rows of amazing finds. Pop in your earbuds, turn on your favorite playlist and drown out the rest of the world while you hunt for that vintage motorcycle jacket or mid-century side table.

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum

1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton
Being alone with nature or art offers some excellent time to reflect, and Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum offers both those things. The park includes an outdoor sculpture collection, an 1820s pioneer house and an indoor ancient artifacts museum with items dating back to 1550 BC. The park is also hosting Journey Borealis, a drive-thru lights display, until Jan. 1.

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. There’s plenty of space to spread out from other guests as you 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 an Impressionist piece. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits.

Art Climb Steps at CAM

Gilbert Avenue & Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills
On the corner of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s property are multiple flights of steps leading from Gilbert Avenue up to the museum. But to quote the art museum, “It’s an art experience — not just steps.” On the Art Climb are three outdoor sculptures to view, including two from Pyramid Hill’s collection. And once you make it to the stop of the steps – about a 450-foot climb – you’re rewarded with a great view of the city.

Eden Park

950 Eden Park Drive, Walnut Hills
If you can brave the cold, Eden Park has tons of landmarks you can explore by yourself. The park home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park and the Krohn Conservatory, and you can also take a peaceful solo walk around Mirror Lake and the Spring House Gazebo, the historic 1894 water tower, the Memorial Grove and the President’s Grove.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company to see Every Christmas Story Ever Told

1195 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
If you want to be alone around other people, a play is a great way to do that. Nobody’s looking at you or trying to talk to you. And if you want your alone time peppered with irreverent holiday humor, you’ll want to add Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Every Christmas Story Ever Told to your me-time. The play runs until Dec. 30, but introverts be aware: There is some audience participation, so you might want to avoid the first row. But you were probably going to do that anyway.

Iris Bookcafe

1331 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
With local food and a global vintage book collection, Iris Bookcafe is for solo adventurer looking for culture and a cozy shop to peruse. Iris Bookcafe carries books on a variety of topics, including film, drama, poetry, fashion and more. They also have a number of books in foreign languages and boast the largest collection of Polish books in Cincinnati. Also come back when the weather is nice and enjoy a locally roasted coffee on their intimate patio.