Things to Do in Cincinnati: Essentials for a First-Time Visit!

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I’m pretty well traveled, so I’m embarrassed to admit that, until recently, I had no idea Cincinnati is a mere four-hour drive from Nashville and only an hour and a half from Louisville — just over the Kentucky border. (Pretty well traveled, but not geographically inclined.) Four hours is right around my unofficial driving threshold for a long weekend, so this tip quickly turned into a plan.

Because this was my first visit, my aim was to hit the “essentials” along with some recommendations from locals. I’m sharing the highlights here — all of which made for a fantastic weekend — plus the highly recommended spots on my list for next time. (Because there will be a next time.)

“THE ESSENTIALS”

HOME BASE

For first-timers, a centrally located downtown hotel is recommended, and check-in at The Kinley was an excellent way to kick off a weekend away. We were ushered into town by gathering rain clouds, but the crew at The Kinley was having none of it. “Oh, that’s not rain. That’s … happiness,” assured Galen Gordon, the hotel’s eternally optimistic general manager. Encouraged and already laughing, we grabbed our umbrellas and headed out to explore.

A tall brick building with large windows stands on a Cincinnati street corner, surrounded by other buildings under a partly cloudy sky. — The Kinley is centrally located in Downtown Cincinnati, offering easy access to restaurants, bars, and essential attractions. Plus, it’s just a short walk to hop on the city’s free streetcar, which runs a 3.6-mile loop around major downtown neighborhoods. Image: Facebook

Modern bunk beds with white bedding and patterned pillows, featuring a dark metal frame and navy privacy curtain, set against black and white abstract wallpaper—perfect for a stylish stay in Cincinnati. — Our trip coincided with Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon, so hotel rooms were hard to come by. We landed in an adorable bunk room, which would be perfect for girls’ trips or families. The bunk room is tucked away with a neighboring suite that allows large groups to stay together. Image: Facebook

SB Tip: Other recommended hotels in the area include 21c Museum Hotel and Hotel Covington, a boutique hotel located just over the river in Covington, KY.

THE BANKS

If you can, organize your trip around a big event like a concert or a Bengals game for a little extra excitement and a chance to experience one of the city’s famous venues. We anchored ours around a Cincinnati Reds home game, which included a night at the Great American Ball Park (and a first taste of Ohio’s iconic Skyline Chili).

People stand near the entrance of Great American Ball Park under a cloudy sky, with the stadium and modern light pillars visible in the background. — Home of the Cincinnati Reds, the Great American Ball Park is an endlessly charming spot to spend a Friday night. Americana at its finest, the stadium offers a wide variety of food and drink to try while you take in the game. Image: Alissa Harb

The stadium is located in an area known as The Banks, surrounded by bars and restaurants, and it’s just a stone’s throw from a lush riverfront park and the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame. A perfect pre- or post-game activity for kids, the outdoor Walk of Fame is lined with impressive (and free) interactive exhibits.

A tray of nachos topped with chili and shredded cheese is held up in a baseball stadium with the field and stands in the background. — Cincinnati chili is made with warm, earthy spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and sometimes even cocoa powder — but no beans. Skyline Chili‘s signature dish is Cincinnati chili served over spaghetti and topped with diced onions, but the ballpark only offers nachos and hot dogs. (I opted for shredded cheese only — no nacho cheese — and it was SO GOOD.) Image: Alissa Harb

Two people clink plastic cups of beer on a wooden bar at Holy Grail Tavern & Grille, with warm lighting and a TV screen in the background. — We rode out a rain delay at The Holy Grail, one of several bars just across the street from the stadium. The Holy Grail boasts an extra-long bar for easy ordering and loads of Reds memorabilia, so it’s the ideal spot for a pre-game beer (or two). Image: Lauren Patterson

A suspension bridge spans a river in Cincinnati, with a city skyline rising under a clear blue sky. — From The Banks, you also get a view of the Roebling Suspension Bridge, which connects Cincinnati to Covington, KY. The bridge was completed in 1866 and served as the engineering prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge. Image: Alias Imaging

FINDLAY MARKET

This was on our Saturday morning itinerary, but we ended up going back on Sunday, too. If you love food markets and shopping in general, this indoor-outdoor market is a MUST.

If you only have a little time, grab a coffee and pastry and do a walk-through of the entire market. If you have a little more time, plan to grab breakfast or lunch at Eckerlin Meats and take your time browsing each vendor’s offerings. You’ll find everything from bakeries and butcher counters to spice vendors, florists, and stalls lined with locally made pantry items.

A tray of round bread rolls sits behind glass at a bakery counter inside a market with people walking in the background. — Inside, Findlay Market is lined with baked goods, fresh meat and seafood, spice vendors, and countless other treats to see and try. Image: Alissa Harb

A sausage patty sandwich with melted cheese and a fried egg on a bun, held up indoors with a window showing a rainy street and the word "Eckerlin" in reverse. — ‘Goetta’ is a Cincinnati staple akin to breakfast sausage, made with pork, beef, oats, and spices. Pictured here is the ‘Goetta, Egg, and Cheese’ at Eckerlin Meats, located on the outskirts of Findlay Market. Image: Alissa Harb

Assorted fresh produce including green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, oranges, carrots, rhubarb, avocados, and herbs displayed at a market stall. — The market’s exterior is packed with fresh produce, locally made pantry goods, ceramics, floral displays, and more. Image: Lauren Patterson

Findlay Market is located on a square surrounded by brick-and-mortar shops, so there’s plenty of non-edible goodies to be found, too. Over-the-Rhine (OTR) is another nearby residential and retail district, studded with shops of all kinds. If you’re in the mood for a little retail therapy, that’s a great next stop.

A display table with decorative items, framed artwork, and dried floral arrangements sits beneath a "LUCCA" sign on the wall—an inviting scene straight from a Cincinnati guide—next to a lit floor lamp. — A favorite shop outside of Findlay Market, Lucca has a variety of beautiful artwork, furniture, glassware, jewelry, and gift items. Image: Alissa Harb

BREWERY HOPPING

There are over 80 breweries in the Cincinnati area, so you could easily spend hours brewery hopping to immerse yourself in the local beer scene. For a quick taste, we stopped into the Rhinegeist Brewery on Elm Street for a pint, a pretzel, and some beer cheese.

The rain sadly kept us from the rooftop, but the taproom — a HUGE space complete with cornhole and giant swings — was bustling. We only had time for one brewery, and this felt like a solid choice.

Large industrial-style hall with high ceilings, skylights, and long wooden tables and benches arranged in rows, suggesting a communal dining or event space. — This empty photo of the taproom at Rhinegeist Brewery provides a feel for just how massive it is. They also have a rooftop and even some seating overlooking the brewery itself. Image: Facebook

CINCINNATI ZOO

I’ve been hearing about the Cincinnati Zoo since I was a kid, so it was a treat to check it out! Even during a downpour, with many of the animals hiding out from the rain, we still had a great time. Sure, we invested in ponchos and spent a little extra time with the indoor exhibits. But because rain means fewer visitors, our long, quiet walks through the greenery between exhibits offered a serene reset halfway through our busy itinerary.

Four bald eagles perch on rocks and logs in a lush, green, forested area with a small stream running through the scene. — Many of the bird exhibits remained lively, even in the rain. These four bald eagles (all sadly injured and in rehabilitation) were utterly unbothered. We were only feet away from them! Image: Lauren Patterson

WHISKEY TASTING (AND BLENDING) IN NORTHERN KY

The Greater Cincinnati area boasts nine stops along The B-Line, Northern Kentucky’s official self-guided bourbon tour. Two popular stops, New Riff Distilling in Newport and The Old Pogue Distillery in Maysville, are both a short drive from Downtown Cincinnati.

As a departure from the traditional distillery tour experience — and because we’d heard such great things about Covington, KY, located just across the river — we opted for a whiskey blending experience at Wenzel Whiskey instead.

At the distilling experience, your host will walk you through a tasting of four whiskeys with a variety of proofs and origins. A word to the wise: These whiskeys are STRONG, so don’t plan to finish your tastings. Instead, your task is to try different ratios, find a blend you love, and have it bottled up to take home.

A tasting setup with several glasses of whiskey, pipettes, bottles, and a worksheet on a glass table in a rustic, brick-walled room. — Part whiskey-tasting, part science experiment! I highly recommend the hands-on blending experience at Wenzel Whiskey if you love tasting spirits but aren’t up for a traditional distillery tour. Image: Alissa Harb

A tasting mat labeled "Blend No. 2" with several glasses of dark spirits, a glass pipette, and a partially visible water pitcher on a reflective table in a rustic room. — You’ll taste four whiskeys, take notes, and experiment with blending. The proofs on these whiskeys are HIGH, so prepare for a buzz — even if you don’t finish your tastings. (Seriously. Don’t finish your tastings.) Image: Alissa Harb

RESTAURANTS & NIGHTLIFE

Cincinnati is a foodie town in its own right. Over the course of the weekend, we pinpointed three standout spots you need to know about if you’re in town and looking for elevated food and drinks.

#1: SAFI WINE BAR

We admittedly bailed about two-thirds of the way through the baseball game to ensure we had time to explore a little local flavor on Friday night. We landed at Safi Wine Bar, a highly-recommended local eatery in Over-the-Rhine, and lucked out with seats at the bar. Their menu offered up interesting wines, cocktails, and Moroccan-inspired small plates. We were sorry we didn’t come hungrier.

Nighttime view of the entrance to Safi, a restaurant, with a lit hanging sign featuring a stylized symbol and string lights illuminating the exterior. — Safi Wine Bar is a cozy neighborhood spot with delicious Moroccan-inspired small plates. Image: Alissa Harb

A cocktail with ice is in focus on a Cincinnati restaurant table, with a bowl of olives, a wine glass, and people sitting in the background under string lights—perfect for Midwest weekend getaways. — Safi’s exotic ‘Strait of Gibraltar’ cocktail is made with tequila, Aperol, lime, saffron, and cinnamon. Image: Alissa Harb

#2: BOCA

For a special-occasion, white-tablecloth experience, make a reservation at Boca, a celebrated local restaurant with French and Italian influences. The space is beautiful, the service is impeccable, and the food lives up to its surroundings.

Martini fans: Splurge on the martini service, and thank me later. I was beyond delighted by the setup — your martini comes with a sidecar for top-offs, a dish of briney accoutrements like olives and caper berries, and a jar of their housemade brine caviar.

Dinner highlights included a very sexy beef tartare (pictured below), out-of-this-world pasta dishes, and a hearty main dish that tasted like home but is definitely not your grandmother’s roast chicken.

A hand places an olive garnish on a cocktail beside a tray with jars and a carafe on a marble bar, with chandeliers in the background. — I was thrilled to find a photo of Boca’s martini service on their Facebook page, because I was too excited to capture a decent one myself. Your order comes with a dish of briney accoutrements (olives, onions, and caper berries), and pearls of housemade BRINE CAVIAR, which can be dropped into your drink or eaten with a spoon. (I did both.) Image: Facebook

A plated beef tartare topped with a raw egg yolk, greens, radish slices, fried onions, and served with waffle-cut potato chips. — Get a load of this beef tartare. Almost too pretty to eat, right? Image: Alissa Harb

#3: GHOST BABY

Ghost Baby is a serious speakeasy … it’s located four stories below street level, in tunnels once used by a Cincinnati brewing company. I stepped off the elevator and was instantly excited by the energy in the bar, only to learn that we weren’t really there yet.

The bar area you come to first is The Rattle Room, a no-reservations-required spot meant for impromptu meetings over cocktails. We were booked for The Den, a reservations-recommended live music venue with table service. The music and drinks are equally fantastic, and you can’t beat the atmosphere. This is a truly remarkable spot.

A dimly lit room with an exposed stone wall, a teal velvet sofa, and a table lamp with a colorful fringed shade casting light and shadows. — The Den features dim lighting, velvet, fringe, and exposed brick. Image: Lauren Patterson

Two people hold up cocktails in a dimly lit, arched brick venue as a live band performs on stage under purple lights. — The cocktails were definitely flowing. Cheers! Image: Lauren Patterson

FOR NEXT TIME

Museums

Cincinnati is PACKED with museums, street art, and even a conservatory, so there’s plenty to see. These spots are at the top of the list for my next visit:

More Brewery Hopping!

As mentioned above, Cincinnati is swimming in breweries and has a fascinating history of beer culture. Next time, I’m on the hunt for the best brewery snacks. You can find a complete brewery guide HERE.

Food & Drink

Other bars and restaurants that we didn’t have time for, but come highly recommended for a later visit:

Sotto: An award-winning downtown eatery known for rustic Italian fare
Abigail Street: Mediterranean tapas in Over-the-Rhine
Somerset: A ‘garden oasis conservatory bar’ in Over-the-Rhine
Moxy Bakery: The pastries at this celebrated spot outside of Findlay Market look delicious!

Stay tuned for our next Midwest Weekend Getaway, coming later this summer!

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