I can't believe it, but I am considering Cincinnati/NKY! (Hamilton: home, employment)

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

I tell you this much......my kids would go ape poop over being that close to a place like Kings Island. I have actually never been there, but have heard it is the most visited amusement park in the country. KJ, I'm sure you have the low down on that place, living in the same general area? Is KI a place you can go routinely if you reside in the Cincy metro, or is it too expensive as to warrant saving up for? My older boys (7 & 8) would really miss the water we have up here, and a place like KI could take a lot of the sting out of losing that.

I live about 1-1/2 miles west of Kings Island. I can see the top of the replica Eiffel Tower from my front yard. They doubled the size of their water park this year. There was a separate water park called the Beach nearby which KI put out of business by making their's larger.

The admission is admittedly expensive, with daily rates of $48 for adults and
$32 for children and seniors. The way to do it is to purchase a Season Long Gold Pass in the spring before the park opens. This gives you unlimited park access, and makes you feel like you can go there for a short time without spending all day and evening to get your money's worth. Our two younger children also had summer jobs there for several years - concession stands, etc. Being so close we would just drive them over and drop them off at the employee gate, reverse on pickup. Their favorite time was when we had heavy summer rains in the afternoon when patrons would give up and leave. Soon as the rains were over the kids were clamoring to be taken to KI. No crowds we can do more rides in two hours than the normal entire day.

For several years we would buy the kids season passes to KI and The Beach for Christmas presents. The Beach was close enough they could walk or ride their bikes. My son and daughter-in-law now buy the grandkids season passes to KI. They take turns in their neighborhood as to who is going to haul a mini-van full of kids to KI for the day.

At close to 73, I no longer desire the thrills of KI myself. The last time I got on one of their new steel structure roller coasters with the loops I got sick as a dog and had to leave. But the youth love it. I will say they run a pretty tight environment, it is clean, fun, and safe. Park security is high and does not tolerate much mischief. They know they are in the family entertainment business. Very rarely do I read anything in our local press concerning a problem at KI.

[ram2]

[quote=kjbrill;24967253]I live about 1-1/2 miles west of Kings Island. I can see the top of the replica Eiffel Tower from my front yard. They doubled the size of their water park this year. There was a separate water park called the Beach nearby which KI put out of business by making their's larger.

quote]


The Beach is gone and Surf Cincinnati is gone. I remember when both opened.

[kjbrill]

[quote=ram2;24994930]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

I live about 1-1/2 miles west of Kings Island. I can see the top of the replica Eiffel Tower from my front yard. They doubled the size of their water park this year. There was a separate water park called the Beach nearby which KI put out of business by making their's larger.

quote]


The Beach is gone and Surf Cincinnati is gone. I remember when both opened.

I also remember Surf Cincinnati since my son lives on the west side of town. It is a shame these smaller businesses get busted by the big guys.

[Briolat21]

The new water park at King's Island is basically modeled after the one at Cedar Point ... so its Soak City.

I never went to the one at CP, when I was up North, but by all accounts from everyone I know - it was a blast.

Soak City admission is included when you buy a season pass. It has a separate entrance area -- so might be worth the investment if your boys would go more regularly to the Soak City part, and then go to the KI main park more occasionally.

Personally, I think the Halloween haunt at KI is pretty decent. That's the reason in the past we got season passes. One visit in the summer, one or two at Halloween - pass paid for.

I like CP better, its always been a true coaster park, but since Cedar Fair (owner's of Cedar Point) bought KI, they've really worked to improve the rides at KI. KI has a lot more asphalt than CP (or at least that's my impression) ... but its still a nice park.

Especially for being right in a metro area, and thus a quick destination as opposed to driving 3 hours.

Fireworks on weekends in the summer at park close. (every weekend).

[flashes1]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

I tell you this much......my kids would go ape poop over being that close to a place like Kings Island. I have actually never been there, but have heard it is the most visited amusement park in the country. KJ, I'm sure you have the low down on that place, living in the same general area? Is KI a place you can go routinely if you reside in the Cincy metro, or is it too expensive as to warrant saving up for? My older boys (7 & 8) would really miss the water we have up here, and a place like KI could take a lot of the sting out of losing that.

My wife takes our 6 and 4 year olds to Kings Island 3-4 times a week-but always in the middle of the week when its less busy and she gets there at open and stays a couple hours and comes home--the pass is literally worth its weight in gold-----and is a great way to kill a few hours each day during the summer.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by flashes1

My wife takes our 6 and 4 year olds to Kings Island 3-4 times a week-but always in the middle of the week when its less busy and she gets there at open and stays a couple hours and comes home--the pass is literally worth its weight in gold-----and is a great way to kill a few hours each day during the summer.

That would be perfect for me, because I'd be working weekends at a hospital, at least at the outset of any relocation. I'd be home with the kids at least 4 days a week during summer.

[Tyryztoll]

Ok, I asked a question in the Kentucky forum about home prices and hospitals in NKY, but got no response at all. I'll repost in here:

Hi, I'm a married father of 3, and have posted in the Cincinnati forum previously about our interest in relocating to that region. We currently live in northern Michigan. I have previosuly lived in Texas, Georgia, and Massachusetts.

After much research, we are leaning heavily toward living and working in the northern Kentucky region of the Cincy metro. Here are some particulars:


-Where you are working - full time Cat Scan Technologist at a hospital for me, cosmetologist part time for wife
-How much you are willing to spend on housing - up to 200K, possibly a bit higher depending on salaries in the area
-How long of a commute you're willing to tolerate - not long at all. I am a staunch proponent of as short a commute as possible, and always make it a point to live close to work.
-If you have kids: Private school or public school? - public
-What type of neighborhood environment you are looking for: small town feeling? small city excitement? suburbia delight? - any of these would do, although suburbia delight may be closest to what we have in mind
-Community amenities important to you - basic shopping (groceries, chain retail) within a few minutes drive. Close enough to Cincinnati to be there within an hour should we get the urge for a ballgame, show, day in the city, etc.
-Pie or cake? Both, with a giant, broiled sirloin beneath them

I'm especially interested to know anything I can about the hospitals in the NKY region. Size, reputation, etc. I want to work for a vibrant, stable company.

Also, I am seeing scores of newer 4BR homes, which is what we would need, for under 200K in NKY. While obviously exciting to us, I'd like to know about the quality of these homes, and if anyone has had any experience with buying and/or living in one. Are these prices the real deal, or too good to be true?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[yayoi]

Commute might be an issue unless your work at a hospital in NKY or at a centrally located hospital in Cinci.

[kjbrill]

The main hospital in NKY would be St Elizabeth Medical Center. They have multiple locations in Covington and Edgewood.

But your best bet would probably be on the Cincinnati side of the river near the University of Cincinnati in an area nicknamed Pill Hill. Several hospitals are located there, Christ, Deaconess, University Hospital, Cincinnati Childrens, Good Samaritan, Shriners. This is a relatively easy commute from NKY.

[flashes1]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

The main hospital in NKY would be St Elizabeth Medical Center. They have multiple locations in Covington and Edgewood.

But your best bet would probably be on the Cincinnati side of the river near the University of Cincinnati in an area nicknamed Pill Hill. Several hospitals are located there, Christ, Deaconess, University Hospital, Cincinnati Childrens, Good Samaritan, Shriners. This is a relatively easy commute from NKY.

Conversely, if he wanted to work in the Northern hospitals such as Bethesda-North, Jewish Hospital, the new one they built in West Chester, Children's-Liberty campus, Mercy-Anderson, he could live in a variety of areas with decent housing in the $200K range such as Loveland, Princeton schools, Symmes Twp, West Chester, and Little Miami (you can get a heck of a deal on houses right now----I don't think the schools are atrocious).

Sounds like the OP might be interested in going to Kings Island a lot in the summers with his kids......you can't do that very easily in Northern KY.