Cincinnati City Guide

Cincinnati is located in the US state of Ohio and is known for its many historical buildings and several eclectic neighborhoods. Cincinnati is situated along the banks of the Ohio River near the border of Ohio and Kentucky.

A peek into the city’s history reveals that the city developed as an inland boomtown in the early 19th century when it was an important river and rail hub. Such was the city’s industrial prominence that it led American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to proclaim Cincinnati as the "Queen City of the West" whose importance and wealth rivaled other larger American cities located on the east coast.

Cincinnati lost some of its prominence in the late 19th century as it was overtaken by other rapidly developing cities of the Midwest, like Chicago. However, today the city continues to function as an important hub of commerce that is also home to a fabulous architectural heritage, which contains some of America’s best examples of French influenced art-deco and Italianate architecture.

The city is also a well known arts hub that hosts several fantastic museums. For art enthusiasts, vacations to Cincinnati are unparallel to any other destination. Additionally, the city is also known for its many annual events and festivals like Ohio Jazz festival, the Midpoint music festival, the Cincinnati Flower Show and the Taste of Cincinnati food festival.

Besides arts, if sports fascinate you too, book your seats for Cincinnati vacations with us now. Cincinnati boasts of a vibrant sporting profile as well since not only is Cincinnati home to prominent sports teams like the Cincinnati Reds (Major league baseball) and the Cincinnati Bengals (NFL) but it also host major sports events like the annual Cincinnati Masters Tennis tournament and the Thanksgiving Day Race, which happens to be one of the oldest 10k racing events to be held in the country.

Cincinnati offers a wide array of hotels. Several big name hotel brands have a presence in the downtown area of the city, an area which is a favored accommodation option for most visitors to the city.

Downtown Cincinnati is the epicenter of all the action in the city and this is where tourists on vacations in Cincinnati flock to. Cincinnati’s downtown is home to some of its most prominent buildings like the Union Terminal, Carew Tower, the PNC tower and the Netherland Hotel along with the city’s bustling central business district and the city’s star attraction of Fountain Square. Further, this area offers a vast array of fine shopping and dining options along with several entertainment options like museums, theaters and celebrated sports stadiums for Cincinnati vacationers.

The Cincinnati Art Museum is located atop a hill within Eden Park in the city’s Mount Adams neighborhood. The museum, which was established in 1881, houses an extensive collection of sculpture, photography, African and Native American art, and decorative objects that cover most periods and genres. It also features many renowned masters like Botticelli, Titian, Mary Cassatt, John Singer Sargent, Picasso, Andy Warhol and several others. It’s a must visit place for Cincinnati vacations.

This zoo, which was established in 1875, is America’s second oldest zoo and is also considered to be one of its best. This 75 acre zoo offers exhibits of more than 500 animals and 3000 plant species, which are arranged in various enclosures like the Elephant House, Reptile House and Passenger Pigeon memorial. The Cincinnati Zoo also includes a Children’s zoo and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

The Cincinnati Museum Center is housed in Cincinnati’s erstwhile rail road station and was built in 1931. This stunning Art Deco building has been acclaimed as one of the most significant buildings in America and houses three must-see museums for Cincinnati vacations; namely the Museum of Natural History and Science, the Cincinnati History Museum and the Duke Energy Children’s Museum.

This center, which is located in downtown Cincinnati, catalogues the centuries old history of slavery and oppression around the world. The center highlights the period of American history, which was associated with the slave trade, and examines the position of the abolitionist states like Ohio versus the slave holding states like Kentucky. The center offers several sobering exhibits like a slave holding pen along with gripping films and artifacts that display the bravery of the abolitionists who were involved in the Underground Railroad, which was a clandestine network and helped slaves escape to freedom.

Author Harriet Beecher Stowe’s house in the historic Walnut Hills area of Cincinnati is another important attraction, which is related to dark period of slavery in American history. The famed author lived at this residence from 1832 to the early 1850’s during which she penned her most famous work- “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. This famous book describes the pain of slavery and the quest for freedom on the Underground Railroad.

This small home museum, which is housed in an 1820 Federal style mansion, was the private home of Anna Sinton Taft and her husband Charles. Charles Taft was the half-brother of President William H. Taft, and he and his wife were wealthy residents of Cincinnati who had an excellent eye for art and the means to acquire it. This museum houses their exquisite collection that consists works of old European masters like Rembrandt, Hals, Turner, and Gainsborough along with many antiques including a stunning collection of Limoges porcelain.

Cincinnati being a city situated in the Midwest experiences a climate, which is characterized by ‘warm and humid’ summers and ‘cold and snowy’ winters. Most visitors planning Cincinnati vacations tend to head to the city during the summer months of July and August when temperatures generally range between 86 °F (30 °C) and 90 °F (32 °C). Winters in Cincinnati are typically cold and snowy with January generally being the coldest month touching an average temperature of 29.7 °F (-1.3 °C).

However for many other visitors on Cincinnati vacations, it is not the climate but the city’s many unique festivals, which constitute its main attraction. No matter when you decide to schedule your Cincinnati vacations, we at Fare Buzz can always secure cheap hotel rooms for your trip since our Cincinnati hotel deals are available year round.

If you want to experience an airport that functions as precisely as the clock; then you got to experience the Cincinnati International Airport. With a monopoly of Delta Airlines, getting Delta deals is easy for Cincinnati. You can nevertheless try other cheap air fares on Fare Buzz and kick start vacations to Cincinnati with savings.

Cincinnati is equipped with a public transport system that consists of the SORTA Metro bus system. However besides these Metro buses, the city is also served by the Tank Buses which belong to the Northern Kentucky transport system. These TANK buses serve parts of Cincinnati as well.

Cincinnati is also served by a fleet of taxis which are easily available outside the many downtown hotels. Taxis in Cincinnati are however allowed to pick up customers only at taxi stands and cannot be hailed in the street.

Under such circumstances, it perhaps makes sense to go in for a car rental while visiting Cincinnati. Affordable car rentals are also a part of the Fare Buzz travel deals repertoire which also includes cheap flights, package holidays and reasonable car rentals in addition to cheap hotel rooms.

Cincinnati offers a whole host of shopping opportunities, which are bound to please even the most avid shopper on Cincinnati vacations. The city’s favored shopping haunts are at its many suburban malls like Cincinnati Mall and Cincinnati Premium Outlets, which offer a whole host of mainstream brands as well as the many unique and eclectic shops that populate the city’s Clifton, Over-the-Rhine and Northside neighborhoods.

Findlay Market, which is located in Cincinnati’s Over-the –Rhine neighborhood, is Ohio's oldest continuously operated public market and one of Cincinnati's most cherished institutions. This market remains open all year round from Wednesdays through Sundays. The market features several indoor vendors who sell meat, fish, poultry, produce, flowers, cheese, deli, and ethnic foods. From April to November, the Market features a lively outdoor farmer’s market, featuring vendors of fresh produce and prepared foods along with street performers and many special events. Yet another unique shopping haunt in Cincinnati is the city’s whacky Jungle Jim’s International Market, which features specialty foods from 75 countries and attracts nearly 50,000 shoppers on the weekend.

Cincinnati like many other US cities has a signature dish- the Cincinnati Chili, which was introduced to the city by its Greek immigrants in the 1920s. This chili dish features hamburger meat that is cooked in a tomato sauce with kidney beans and features cinnamon and clove seasonings. You must sample Cincinnati’s famed chili during your vacations. The city hosts numerous joints that serve this renowned dish. You can try it at famous Cincinnati restaurants like Dixie Chili and Skyline Chili, both of which are conveniently located in downtown Cincinnati.

Besides Chili restaurants, the city also hosts various other restaurants that serve a wide array of cuisines and according to recent reports some of the best restaurants in Cincinnati are Terry’s Turf Club( American), Nada(Mexican), Ambar India( Indian) Green Papaya( Thai) Nicola’s and Boca( Italian) and the Rockwood Bar and Restaurant( Contemporary American). Try them to taste some of the best world food during Cincinnati vacations.

Cincinnati boasts of an energetic nightlife scene that features neighborhood bars, cocktail lounges, nightclubs and more. The city’s main nightlife haunts are located within its downtown, Over –the –Rhine and Northside neighborhoods.

Some of the city’s most favored nighttime spots include joints like Arnold’s Bar and Grill, the Havana Martini Club, the FB nightclub and bars like the Righteous Room, the bar at the Palm Court at the Netherland Hotel and the Northside Tavern.