10 Things to Do in Cincinnati, Ohio
/The Midwest! I‘ve made it! I booked a last minute trip to Cincinnati after seeing a very affordable United AIrlines flight and finding an equally affordable hotel room out in the Blue Ash suburb (located 20 minutes to the downtown area). After my initial research into the city, I was shocked at how much there was to do in the area, including a donut trail! I had been to Ohio (Columbus) once before for a friend’s wedding, but never truly explored the Midwest so I was excited to see what the Midwestern lifestyle was all about. Check out my Cincy adventures below!
American Sign Museum
I’ve never been to a museum all about signs before and thought it would be interesting to check out. There are so many photo ops at this museums due to the giant unique signs hanging all around. The museum is very comprehensive in its history on signs and has about 3-4 galleries to wander through. The museum costs $15 for an adult ticket and was definitely a highlight of my trip to Cincy.
Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Cincinnati has so many great museums, but the Underground Railroad museum has got to be one of the best. As the city was on the Underground Railroad route, its fitting that its also the location of a museum that tells the story about slavery, the brave people who escaped, and how those escapes happened. The rooftop of the museum has an eternal flame that never goes out to honor freedom. It’s a must visit for Cincinnati and the opportunity to educate yourself on an unfortunate part of our nation’s history.
Suspension Bridge
Located right across the street from the Underground Railroad Center, the John A Roebling Suspension Bridge connects Ohio to Kentucky (so you can visit two states in one trip!) and offers beautiful views of both states. It’s a great opportunity to take some amazing photos while getting some exercise!
Lucky Cat Museum
Probably the most unique museum I’ve ever been to! The Lucky Cat Museum is owned and operated by one woman who put her private Japanese Lucy Cat collection on display after years of collecting. Visits are only possible through timed appointments since its an extremely small space (crowded with cats!) and last about an hour. There are so many cats inside that I thought I was seeing double (or triple?) everywhere I looked and there was also a few adorable games involving these cats that any visitor can play. I loved seeing how one person turned her passion and hobby into a money making opportunity!
Buck County Donut Trail
One of the main reasons why I came to Cincinnati in the first place was to do the Butler County Donut Trail. And to eat some donuts! There is an official trail map that can be found on the Butler County website which lists around 15 participating donut shops, however, its up to the participant to build their own personal route. The key is also to start early because donut shops open literally at the crack of dawn and are pretty much sold out or closed by noon. I chose these donut shops to eat donuts at and while I was sick of donuts by the end, it was a really cool experience!
Kelly’s Bakery
Mimi’s Lil Kitchen
Donut Spot
Jupiter Coffee and Donut
Donut Hole by Milton
Holtman’s Donuts
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
I didn’t know what to expect at this Sculpture Park and was honestly just looking for a place to take a break from donut eating, but wow Pyramid Hill ended up being SO impressive. There is something similar to Pyramid Hill in New York called Storm King and its basically the same concept. The visitor center where tickets are bought provides a map of the Park, which clearly marks where the sculptures are located and the recommended driving route. The Park is huge and while its possible to rent golf carts to get even close to certain sculptures, I opted to just drive my car and park in the specified spaces and take a short walk to see sculptures. Because I arrived right when the Park opened, there was barely anyone else there and I was able to just pull over on the side of the road and jump out of my car to look closer at the sculptures (and take some really cool photos!). Admission is $10 and it takes about 1.5-2 hours to see the entire Park.
Jungle Jim’s International Market
I never thought I would spend hours in a grocery store on vacation, but Jungle Jim’s was one of a kind and one of the most recommended non donut stops on the Donut Trail. Its a huge (and i mean HUGE) grocery store that sells food and items from all around the world. The aisles are appropriately labeled by area of the world and country. I sadly only brought a small carry on suit case to Ohio so I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do a grocery haul, but I was able to buy some unique candy and a bottle of siracha garlic salt! The most popular aisle in the store has to be the soda aisle though- there were all kinds of strange and creative soda bottles. If you like cantaloupe soda, definitely make a stop!
Underground Tour
Cincinnati was a huge beer town and when Prohibition happened in the 1920s, the city’s talented brewers had to find other ways to make, store, and serve their liquid gold. And that’s the reason why there are hidden underground tunnels and underground storage rooms located all under the city- with many of them being in the Over The Rhine district. I joined American Legacy Tour’s Ultimate Queen City Underground Tour and joined a small tour group to learn more about the history of Cincinnati and see some hidden underground tunnels. The tour lasted 2 hours and took us down some (very) narrow stairs to a church crypt as well as beer storage facilities. I couldn’t believe that so much was located underground! The tour was fascinating and a great way to understand more about Cincinnati.
William Howard Taft National Historic Site
I love learning about history and Ohio has its fair share of presidential history. I didn’t want to leave the state without hitting up at least one presidential site. As with all government sites, its free to visit the Taft Historic Site. There are timed guided tours of Taft’s former home where he was born and raised and a few interesting exhibits inside the Education Center on the Taft family legacy as well as 15 minute informative video. Its a quick one hour detour and well worth it!
Eat and Drink!
Midwest food is what one might expect in the Midwest- farm to table inspired, classics, and reasonably priced. The food was good, but nothing was amazing. However, these spots I stopped at served up some solid meals and drinks!
Pepp and Dolores- Solid pasta restaurant and bar in Over The Rhine neighborhood. Make sure to make a reservation because its a popular spot!
Skyline Chili- Cincy chili is NOT like chili in other parts of the US. The chili is served over a bed of spaghetti, although it can also be served over french fries, and is then covered in a GIANT mound of shredded cheddar cheese. The bigger the cheese mound, the tastier the chili!
Agave and Rye- Super creative giant tacos in an (extremely) decorative restaurant! I got the Mongolian beef taco and it came with a hard and soft taco shell plus sticky rice and flavorful stir fried beef.
Milk Jar Hyde Park- Can’t leave Ohio without trying local boba! Surprisingly, mid western bubble tea is not bad!
Taste of Belgium- I met an old college friend here based on her recommendation and was shocked at how crowded the restaurant was and how tasty the waffles were. My chicken and waffle plate was so delicious I couldn’t put my fork down!
Brown Bear Bakery- Be prepared for a line that wraps around the corner, but also be prepared for some unique and delicious pastries! I loved the matcha pound cake, but honestly there were so many mouthwatering options to choose from.
Coffee Emporium- A relatively big coffee shop that sells a variety of coffee beans (like a Mackinaw Island fudge flavor!) and a variety of caffeinated beverages. I ordered the Bumble Bee Buzz latte (iced honey vanilla latte) and loved it! There were also several large tables to sit around and read so I spent in hour here enjoying my morning. It was a great start to my day and my Cincy trip!
True West Coffee- I started my donut trail experience with a large glass of cold brew from True West (and to balance out the sweet donuts). True West was located in the small town of Hamilton, Ohio in a green house that had such cute interiors.
Collective Espresso- I decided on a iced honey latte from Collective Espresso to start off a rainy Monday and had a great time hiding out from the rain reading and sipping my excellent drink. The coffee shop is located inside of a tiny (its so tiny there are only 2 tables available so come early) glass building that is hidden on the outside and accessible through a small alleyway.
Cincinnati was a random last minute trip and a place I hadn’t considered going (until I saw the $200 flight ticket on United), but I actually really enjoyed exploring this Midwestern city and seeing how unique it is! The whole experience made me want to explore more underrated cities in America, so where should I go next?
