Focus On: Cincinnati / Northern KY
Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati
www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org
(513) 639-2995 / Tues-Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
One of the most prestigious art museums in the country, with more than 100,000 works of art, this grandiose building atop an Eden Park hill is well-known for its 19th-century European and American paintings but also contains numerous other works, including an outstanding pottery gallery.
Kings Island
6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, Ohio
(513) 754-5700 / www.visitkingsisland.com Hours are seasonal.
With more than 100 rides, shows and attractions plus Soak City Waterpark, Kings Island offers the perfect combination of world-class thrills and family attractions. Guests can experience the park’s 15 thrill-inducing roller coasters, including Diamondback, the tallest and fastest roller coaster at Kings Island, and the world’s longest wooden roller coaster, The Beast.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati
(513) 281-4700 / www.cincinnatizoo.org
Sun-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The second oldest zoo in the U.S., Cincinnati Zoo is most renowned for its endangered species and birthing programs, particularly for gorillas and white tigers. The Zoo also has a collection of felines and a manatees exhibit.
Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame & Museum
100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati
(513) 765-7576 / cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/hof / Hours are seasonal.
America’s first professional club, host of the first night game, and dominating the 1970s as the “Big Red Machine,” the Reds have a rich history. Several exhibits are geared toward children such as a pitching mound, an interactive radio booth and a clubhouse that allows children to dress up like their favorite players. The tour concludes with the plaque room with all inductees of the team’s Hall of Fame. Admission is $10 for adults, free for children 4 and younger.
Newport on the Levee
1 Levee Way, Newport (859) 291-0550
www.newportonthelevee.com
Mon-Thur., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. / Fri-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. / Sun., noon-6 p.m.
Newport on the Levee is the most popular attraction in Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, and was also voted by Zagat as the #1 Shopping/Mall Attraction for families in the United States in May 2004. Located just across the river from Cincinnati’s dramatic skyline view, the Levee features a year-round schedule of festivals, special events, live bands and a selection of restaurant offerings.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way, Cincinnati
(513) 333-7739 / www.freedomcenter.org
Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Based on the history of the Underground Railroad, the Center pays tribute to all efforts to “abolish human enslavement and secure freedom for all people.” It is one of a new group of “museums of conscience.” Exhibits include ESCAPE!, From Slavery to Freedom, The Slave Pen, the Struggle Continues and Everyday Freedom heroes.
Newport Aquarium
1 Aquarium Way, Newport
(859) 261-7444
www.newportaquarium.com
Sun-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Rated #1 U.S. Aquarium by Readers’ Choice Travel Awards and #1 Aquarium in the Midwest by Zagat Survey, Newport Aquarium is home to thousands of aquatic animals in scores of exhibits. Touch a penguin, pet a shark, hear divers talk to the audience during feeding time, play games in Frog Bog and eat lunch in Sharkey’s Cafe.
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati / (513) 287-7000
www.cincymuseum.org
Mon-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
For a four-in-one educational experience, you can’t beat this complex of three museums and OMNIMAX Theater housed in a beautifully restored Art Deco train station. Cincinnati Museum Center houses the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Duke Energy Children’s Museum, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theatre, the Cincinnati History Library and Archives and special exhibition space.