Labor Day Weekend Vacation in Cincinnati (Columbus, Kent: appointed, neighborhood, elementary school)

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Yes. You. Do.


Yeah, I saw that. I was so impressed with the show (not) and its bozo host that I forget what part of the show's menu was featured. Oh, well, rest assured the food is good anyway.

I just like that Fieri has several cocktails per show. My kind of host.

[WRosado]

As an outsider, I like Cincinnati more. Cincinnati is overall a better planned city. Also, it doesn't take 20 years to resurface a freeway or build a small overpass. Pittsburgh feels more Appalachian to me which is a big turnoff. They are very similar is so many ways, but I certainly can feel a difference between the two.

Cincinnati has a plethora of neighborhoods you must see. Outside of Mount Adams and Over The Rhine which everyone is talking about, check out Hyde Park and Columbia Tusculum on the east side. If you're in Mount Adams, checking out the art museum and the Krohn Conservatory are a must since they sit right on the edge of the neighborhood. I have said this before, but Eden Park is probably one of my favorite urban parks in the nation. Smale Riverfront park is continuing to impress. I can't wait until it is all finished. Even the small pieces they have done now fit so well, and they used great quality materials.

Some of my favorite views of the city are from Bellevue Hill Park:

View of the city from Bellevue Hill Park | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

If I lived in Mount Adams, I certainly would have a place with a view:

City Of Cin - Chapter One -80 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

You have to do the museums, have to check out the parks, eat Graeter's on Fountain Square, eat dinner in any of the neighborhoods in the city. I loved walking UC's campus. Don't forget some great suburbs too. Mariemont, Montgomery, Blue Ash, and much more.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by WRosado

As an outsider, I like Cincinnati more. Cincinnati is overall a better planned city. Also, it doesn't take 20 years to resurface a freeway or build a small overpass. Pittsburgh feels more Appalachian to me which is a big turnoff. They are very similar is so many ways, but I certainly can feel a difference between the two.

Cincinnati has a plethora of neighborhoods you must see. Outside of Mount Adams and Over The Rhine which everyone is talking about, check out Hyde Park and Columbia Tusculum on the east side. If you're in Mount Adams, checking out the art museum and the Krohn Conservatory are a must since they sit right on the edge of the neighborhood. I have said this before, but Eden Park is probably one of my favorite urban parks in the nation. Smale Riverfront park is continuing to impress. I can't wait until it is all finished. Even the small pieces they have done now fit so well, and they used great quality materials.

Some of my favorite views of the city are from Bellevue Hill Park:

View of the city from Bellevue Hill Park | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

If I lived in Mount Adams, I certainly would have a place with a view:

City Of Cin - Chapter One -80 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

You have to do the museums, have to check out the parks, eat Graeter's on Fountain Square, eat dinner in any of the neighborhoods in the city. I loved walking UC's campus. Don't forget some great suburbs too. Mariemont, Montgomery, Blue Ash, and much more.

Pretty ambitious for a not quite two day visit. They have indicated will be driving in on Saturday from Pittsburgh, even if they leave at dawn and hit the road hard it should still be an afternoon arrival. Depending on where in Pittsburgh they are leaving from it is still a 300 mile drive. Even flying low relative to the speed limit I know it always took me right around 5 hours and I was leaving from the north side of Cincinnati.

I have suggested they do the Eden Park thing on Saturday with a quick look at the Art Museum, drive out to the eastern reaches of the park and the overlooks, then back to the Playhouse in the Park and park there. Then a foot tour of Mt Adams, taking in as much as they can, and choosing a place for dinner. Depending on how fast they have done this, fatigue may be setting in. If they are still feeling frisky then back to the hotel downtown, park the car in the garage, and hoof it a few blocks north to some of the bars which have been identified as being within their interests.

Sunday must be recognized is Riverfest Day. Riverfest will dominate the downtown area. My suggestion is let this be your day to explore downtown Cincinnati. An early morning walk through Fountain Square, cut across to the Banks and then on to the riverfront parks. Hike out on the east side until you are in Theodore Berry Friendship Park, then backtrack through Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove. By this time you should be seeing families with kids arriving and spreading their blanks on the ground. You may wonder what are they doing? - staking out their ground for viewing the fireworks later. They will likely attend some of the entertainment held along the river in the afternoon, but their main intent is to get a prime fireworks viewing spot. About halfway through Yeatman's Cove take the Purple People Bridge across to NKY and Newport on the Levee. Wander around there awhile. By this time you are likely tired of walking so back across the Purple People Bridge. Go West across the new Smale Riverfront park being buillt between Paul Brown Stadium and GABP. Look at your watch at ask OK do we just want to mingle down here among this mass of humanity, until the fireworks start, or do we want to go back uptown and further into the OTR district?

[WRosado]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Pretty ambitious for a not quite two day visit. They have indicated will be driving in on Saturday from Pittsburgh, even if they leave at dawn and hit the road hard it should still be an afternoon arrival. Depending on where in Pittsburgh they are leaving from it is still a 300 mile drive. Even flying low relative to the speed limit I know it always took me right around 5 hours and I was leaving from the north side of Cincinnati.

I have suggested they do the Eden Park thing on Saturday with a quick look at the Art Museum, drive out to the eastern reaches of the park and the overlooks, then back to the Playhouse in the Park and park there. Then a foot tour of Mt Adams, taking in as much as they can, and choosing a place for dinner. Depending on how fast they have done this, fatigue may be setting in. If they are still feeling frisky then back to the hotel downtown, park the car in the garage, and hoof it a few blocks north to some of the bars which have been identified as being within their interests.

Sunday must be recognized is Riverfest Day. Riverfest will dominate the downtown area. My suggestion is let this be your day to explore downtown Cincinnati. An early morning walk through Fountain Square, cut across to the Banks and then on to the riverfront parks. Hike out on the east side until you are in Theodore Berry Friendship Park, then backtrack through Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove. By this time you should be seeing families with kids arriving and spreading their blanks on the ground. You may wonder what are they doing? - staking out their ground for viewing the fireworks later. They will likely attend some of the entertainment held along the river in the afternoon, but their main intent is to get a prime fireworks viewing spot. About halfway through Yeatman's Cove take the Purple People Bridge across to NKY and Newport on the Levee. Wander around there awhile. By this time you are likely tired of walking so back across the Purple People Bridge. Go West across the new Smale Riverfront park being buillt between Paul Brown Stadium and GABP. Look at your watch at ask OK do we just want to mingle down here among this mass of humanity, until the fireworks start, or do we want to go back uptown and further into the OTR district?

Oh, good catch. Cincinnati is too hard to explore in one weekend. I have already made a second trip back recently, and have many more planned. As for the riverfront parks, I believe The Banks now has a bike center where you can rent bikes; think that would be a great way to stroll along the trails of the parks. lol and if you live in the city or are use to city living, you rarely get tired of walking, that is just part of the lifestyle.

[Briolat21]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I agree! It can be kinda fun, but also verrrry tedious.

One nice little scenic backroad -- that doesn't transform a 5-hour drive into a 12-hour drive -- is to take I-71 north and I-70 east as usual, and then get onto U.S. 40/U.S. 22 east, just west of Zanesville. You'll go across the Y-bridge

Y-Bridge (Zanesville, Ohio) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and through downtown Zanesville, past my favorite pottery outlets, through New Concord (home of John Glenn), and into Cambridge. At Cambridge, U.S. 22 splits off from U.S. 40; stay on U.S. 22 and that will take you northwest through some pretty country, past Cadiz (pronounced "Caddish", birthplace of Clark Gable) and into Steubenville.

From Steubenville, you can continue on U.S. 22 back home, or you can go north on Ohio 7 along the Ohio River to East Liverpool (home of the Ohio Ceramics Museum) and catch U.S. 30 back to da burgh.

This little detour only adds about 45 minutes to an hour to the usual trip.

OhioGirl - you've just described my current method of getting to and from the outskirts of Pittsburght to a T. I actually haven't found it to be any longer time-wise (maybe 20 minutes, maybe) - it just seems that way because of the slower up/down twisty nature of Rt 22.

Of course, I did get stuck in the fire festival parade in Antrim (just E. of Cambridge) 3 weekends ago. Took us 45 minutes to drive through the 2 miles of town. And the residents kept asking us where our candy was !?! Good times!

I would love to the do the Ohio River Route all the way from Cinci to Pittsburgh, but I wouldn't do it unless I had an entire day (possibly 2) to kill. As it is - from Lebanon to Pittsburgh following your route suggestion (I-71 to 471 to 70 to 22 to 576 to 376...) I am hard pressed to get to Beaver County, PA (about 20 miles North of Pittsburgh) in 4 hours. Usually it is closer to 4.5 or 5.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Briolat21

Of course, I did get stuck in the fire festival parade in Antrim (just E. of Cambridge) 3 weekends ago. Took us 45 minutes to drive through the 2 miles of town. And the residents kept asking us where our candy was !?! Good times!

LOL -- I love it!

[kjbrill]

Just hope you actually make it down here this weekend, have a fabulous good time in our city, and can recommend other good Steel City folks to come here.

[Rikishi me]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

They are open 24 hours a day except Sundays. I am not sure about Labor Day.

Give them a call:

(513) 541-0061

BTW - I really need to try Price Hill Chili. Haven't done that yet, but will soon. Just make sure you don't try to go when there is any type of high school football happening or it will be PACKED.

What date are u coming? Look up the home game schedule for you.

[SteelCityRising]

ACK! It looks like a certain Tropical Storm will be crashing our visit!

[Ohiogirl81]

Hey, you could just sit inside a bar all day long. Stay nice and dry.

Bring an umbrella and some closed-toe shoes, pack some extra clothes, and you'll be fine. My first visit to Cincinnati, way back in 1978, was during a driving rainstorm as well. As we always say during Oktoberfest, the rain keeps the crowds down.