A Big City with a Small-Town Feel
When asked, residents often describe Cincinnati as a "big city with a small-town feel." In fact, small towns, villages, and townships -- more than 200 in all -- are everywhere in and around what most people consider Cincinnati's city limits. Many of Cincinnati's residential neighborhoods date from the early 19th century and contain charming brick row houses with spectacular views of the Ohio River.
In many ways, when you live in Cincinnati you get to experience the best of both worlds -- the pleasantness of a rural setting and the convenience of a metropolitan area. It is much like a small town, with nice neighborhoods and friendly residents, but it is also an urban city with significant cultural, business-related, and entertainment-oriented perks.
For example, the City of Cincinnati has initiated a downtown "renaissance" that includes the Aronoff Center theatrical complex, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, new professional baseball and football stadiums, a new central riverfront park, and many new eateries and entertainment spots. When it comes to dining out, Cincinnati restaurants offer a wide range of foods from all over the world and for every taste.
Something for Everyone
Historic Fountain Square, the heart of downtown Cincinnati, is surrounded by world class hotels, one of a kind restaurants, theatres and stores. Near the river you'll find Sawyer Point, a park where many concerts and festivals are held during the spring and summer months. There, you can sit upon the Serpentine Wall and read, talk with friends, or simply watch as the lazy Ohio River rolls by.
Importantly, Cincinnati is not so small that you will get bored, but it is not so large that you will get lost or feel overwhelmed. Downtown, you will find sprawling shopping centers such as Tower Place Mall or Saks Fifth Avenue. However, in surrounding neighborhoods, you will find small, family-owned eateries that will make you feel right at home.
Whether you prefer to be on Main Street, on the river or in the suburbs, you will discover that Cincinnati has something just for you.
Recommended Cincinnati Attractions
For Culture:
- The Aronoff Center for the Arts is home to dance, theater and
Broadway shows.
- The Cincinnati
Ballet thrills audiences with its unparalleled performances,
including the Nutcracker, which the Company presents each December.
- The Cincinnati
Symphony and Pops Orchestras is a dynamic ensemble of some of the
world's finest musicians. The fifth oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, the CSO has played a
leading role in the cultural life of Greater Cincinnati and the Midwest since 1895.
- The Contemporary
Arts Center displays 20th-century art, architecture and design, as
well as sculpture, photography, video and multi-media exhibits.
- Located in beautiful Eden
Park, the Cincinnati Art
Museum features more than 100,000 works of art, as well as musical
performances, poetry readings, lectures and discussions.
- The Cincinnati
Chamber Orchestra performs in Memorial Hall, Temple Auditorium
and the Lindner Fine Arts Theater.
- The Cincinnati
Opera, the nation's second-oldest opera company, performs in Music
Hall and offers special events such as "Opera Rap," a
traveling lecture series.
For Learning:
- The Cincinnati History Museum offers centuries of Cincinnati culture,
including objects from political campaigns, wars, business and industry,
education, religion, sports, music and art.
- The Cincinnati Zoo
& Botanical Garden is a world-class facility that is home to 700
animal species and 3,000 types of plants.
- The Classical
Music Hall of Fame offers interactive exhibits about the various
facets of classical music in the United States.
- MainStrasse
Village preserves Cincinnati's
heritage in a restored 19th-century German neighborhood with shops in
renovated buildings joined by cobblestones.
- Union Terminal is home to the Museum of Natural History and Science, which presents Ohio Valley
geography, biology and more, including a life-sized Kentucky limestone cave, a
walk-through ice cave and "Dino Hall," along with glacier,
plant and fossil exhibits.
- Newport
Aquarium offers views of 11,000 beautiful and dangerous
water-dwelling species. Galleries take visitors into 16 different
aquatic worlds, including shark-filled ocean depths, alligator-infested
swampland and the penguin populated Arctic.
- Krohn Conservatory is one of Cincinnati's finest public resources, housing plants from both desert and tropical climates,
including a room devoted entirely to orchids. One of the most
fascinating and entertaining events held at the Conservatory is the
annual Butterfly Show, where countless butterflies are released to fly
freely within the Conservatory's showroom, adding yet another blaze of
color to an already charming display.
For Fun:
- Paramount's King's
Island Amusement Park
features "Face-Off," the Midwest's
only face-to-face inverted roller coaster and "The Beast," the
world's longest wooden roller coaster. There are also 300 other rides
and attractions.
- The Beach
Water Park
offers more than 30 water slides and other attractions on 35 acres of
land near Paramount's King's Island Amusement Park. Included is the
"Aztec Adventure" water coaster, a 500-foot-long flume that sends
riders up, around and down a 30-foot drop into a pool guarded by
"cobras."
- B&B
Riverboats provides various cruises of the Ohio
River daily.
- Findlay Market
is Cincinnati's
largest, thriving open-air public market, with old world charm and fresh
foods all year 'round.
If you are interested in learning more about
the City of Cincinnati,
please visit CincinnatiUSA.
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