Top 10 Things I Love About Cincinnati (Hamilton, Findlay: landscaping, condo, work)

[jersey_too_expensive]

1) Cincinnati Art Museum (Cincinnati Art Museum | Home)
It's like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, just on a more user-friendly scale. The setting is beautiful and you can actually get through most of the museum (if not all) in a single visit.

2) Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal (Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal)
Incredible Art Deco building chock full of exhibits that entertain as well as they educate. You can easily spend an entire afternoon in just the Cincinnati History portion (the diorama of the city is breathtakingly beautiful and you can feel the love that was put into creating it). 2008 marks this amazing structure's 75th year -- go visit. Now.

3) Krohn Conservatory (City of Cincinnati -Krohn Conservatory)
Another Art Deco gem (on a much smaller scale), the Krohn Conservatory delights people of all ages and interests. It's a particularly serene escape during the cold days of winter.

4) Cincinnati Zoo (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden). Like the Bronx Zoo in New York, but more intimate (or at least it seems so). The surrounding neighborhood isn't the best, but the zoo grounds themselves are lush and beautiful. You'll laugh out loud at the Gibbons (monkeys) and their hysterical behavior. Don't miss the eagle exhibit -- the 9' wingspan on the Sea Eagle is jaw-dropping.

5) Downtown Public Library -- and neighborhood branches, too! (The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County)
I really think the city library downtown is under-appreciated. Great location, great staff (very helpful), and plenty of quiet corners to do your research. Become a member and visit today!

6) Ohio Book Store (Ohio Book Store, Inc. ... Search for Out of Print, Rare, Used, Antiquarian & Hard to find Books)
Speaking of books -- while I like Joseph Beth, it's the downtown Ohio Book Store I love most. Nothing like an old building chock full of interesting books. Some of my favorite things include the local history section, the children's literature classics, and the wonderful magazine/periodicals. If you like books, you must visit!

7) LaRosa's (LaRosa's Pizzeria)
A west side institution for decades, LaRosa's is the one-and-only Cincinnati pizza parlor. Buddy LaRosa is a true west side original and he's still at the helm. It really is true -- "you've tried the rest, now try the best!" -- and that's LaRosa's. Visit your local spot, or call 'em up/order online -- you'll be hooked after your first slice!

8) Graeter's Ice Cream (Welcome to Graeter's.com)
Do I need to say more? If you're new to the area, or thinking about calling Cincinnati home, you owe yourself a favor: go to the nearest Graeter's Ice Cream Parlor as soon as you can. Ben and Jerry? Haagen Dazs? Puh-leeze! Those guys are chumps compared to the rich, creamy goodness of Graeter's ice cream. Personal favorite (for the moment): chocolate chip cookie dough: you'll think you died and went to heaven!

9) Architecture & Housing Prices You will find more character in some neighborhoods than you'll find in the rest of the entire state. Think of the Italianate gems in Over-The-Rhine, the Tudor Revivals in Westwood and Hyde Park, Art Deco gems, Colonial Revivals, the list goes on and on. You won't find better bargains, either -- your dollars will buy alot of charm here in Cincinnati.

10) The fact that I have about 20 other things I need to add to this list... Truth be told, I can't name just 10 things I love about Cincinnati -- there are too many. And I'm limiting myself exclusively to Cincinnati -- I'm not counting all the neat stuff you'll find right across the river in Newport and Covington (Kentucky).

What are some of your favorite things about Cincinnati?

[Cincy-Rise]

Nice list! ... May I ask how long you've been here?

[jersey_too_expensive]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

Nice list! ... May I ask how long you've been here?

Hi CR-
Just over a year now -- we haven't had time to explore as much as we'd like, but we're going to get to it at some point. This year will include at least (1) Reds game (and if we can get tix, a Bengals game, too) -- but we've never hit Findlay Market yet and that is a stop that we'd really like to make.

We were up at Winton Woods the other day -- and later we visited Mt. Airy Forest. That's one thing I miss about where we're from: we had an incredible county park system that had lots of usable (and within walking/bike riding distance) parkland. By usable, I mean actual paved trails that meandered through the forest alongside a river -- it was hard to leave that. Winton Woods is nice in that respect -- plenty to walk and run on -- but we've yet to find anything like that closer to home (here).

We need to hit Devou Park in KY and Mt. Echo Park here on the west side in order to see what they've got to offer. There's certainly no shortage of parks in the area, but what we'd really like to see (we're hoping the Banks project can act as a catalyst to make it happen) is a walking trail right alongside the Ohio -- one that runs for a long, long way. To me it seems a no-brainer; such a perfect spot to view both the river and the city, with the stadiums and stuff. Some benches, a little landscaping -- it wouldn't be a huge cost. People could "buy" bricks or benches and have their inscriptions put on them. There is just such a walkway on the Jersey side of the Hudson (and of course there are several on the Manhattan side). It makes perfect sense for Cincinnati, and would be part of a lush, green gateway into the Queen City...

[Cincy-Rise]

That's great to hear!

Banks: Did you hear the other day that a ground breaking was announced? April 2nd. I'm just as pumped as the next guy ... Over $2 Billion total in development, retail, parks, commercial, residential. I won't celebrate until I see bulldozers working though, but I feel good about this date. Mallory seems to get things done.

Parks: If you guys enjoy a good park system, then you should check out Ault Park in Mt. Lookout ... def my favorite! During the spring/summer it's like a botanical garden as well! BONUS! They have very nice bike trails as well.

[Ohiogirl81]

Oh, and about Ault Park ... If you walk past the perennial gardens on the mornings when the volunteers are working on the plots, they can be talked into giving you a cutting or two. Sunday morning walks worked to my benefit there. I hope the guy that bought my house is enjoying all those perennials!

Continuing the positive points:

11) Oktoberfest! Doesn't matter which one ... I like 'em all!

12) All the other festivals: Summerfair, Maifest, Taste of Cincinnati, etc.

13) Tons of inexpensive used furniture stores and antique shops.

14) Jungle Jim's. Jim himself is a bit of a strange bird, but he knows how to make grocery shopping fun.

15) The variety of neighborhoods.

[babigyrl5]

I love the zoo, the library system and the different neighborhoods too, but after moving here from Chicago 2 years ago I'd have to say my favorite thing is the low cost of living and the mild winter weather

[Heaveno]

The CLOCK-Union Terminal-that is what we called it growing up. It was the railroad station where I took my first AMTRACK train ride to Washington D.C. when I was in sixth grade. The clock is one of the landmarks that exist on the property-smack dab in the middle.

The Art Museum

Taft Museum

The Planetarium-years ago, many may not even remember. It was wonderful.

Eden Park- The Mirror Lake!!

Coney Island-Probably one of the the first black families in the city that gained entrance into this amusement park. Civil Rights ERA!! The child I was.

The Waterfront- First year they built it and thereafter for many years. Got to crowded, and I no longer had the tolerance to endure the crowd.

Arts Consortium-Not sure if it still exists, but I loved going there as a child.

Fountain Square-Boy did I see many changes occur at this spot!! Not sure what it looks like now. Hope to see soon!!

Carew Tower-A nice place to visit while shopping.

Ollie's Trolley- They used to hang out on 6th Street, but now they are on Liberty. Food does not taste the same as the original, but still yummy!!!

800 Broadway- This building is gorgeous, and I worked there for a spell when a Marketing company used to be there. It is now owned by the county, but it used to house the Post Newspaper many years ago.

Oops I named more then 10 landmarks about the city. Hope you do not mind!!!

[Traveler87]

The Banks will just bring even more to Cincinnati's amazing riverfront. Reds games at Great American Ballpark are awesome. Great views out over the river towards Covington. I really would like to head down to Cincinnati next year when the Browns play. Paul Brown Stadium looks awesome.

[Cincy-Rise]

^ The Banks ... ground-breaking is April 2nd!

[goyguy]

Jersey, it's a relief to see that your likes far outnumber your dislikes!

My taste buds tingle at the thought of return trips to Cincinnati, not only for Graeter's but also during the holiday season for SCHNECKEN. You haven't lived until you've had a slice of one washed down with a glass of cold milk. They look not unlike a loaf of pale-crusted raisin bread, but are chewier and have a thick clear glaze on top. It was like the Reds losing a World Series when the Virginia Bakery in Clifton quit making them after their master baker was critically injured in an unrelated incident. But the local Busken Bakery chain bought the recipe and turns out a respectable version, which they even sell in boxes just like the old ones from Virginia Bakery. You can also find shnecken at some other local bakeries, but my family always loved the Virginia Bakery's rendition and so have stayed with its successor.

Yet unmentioned is Mt Storm Park in Clifton, along Lafayette Ave. It's one of the smaller parks in the city, with its landmark "Temple of Love" and with benches near the top of the hill offering wide-ranging views to the north and west. Despite some condo and single-family developments, the approach from Clifton Ave is still a relaxing walk or drive along a tree-lined street chock full of mansions and "distinguished" smaller homes.

The Bonbonnerie and "What's For Dinner," in the same O'Bryonville building, purvey plentiful palate pleasers and even offer afternoon tea if you're so inclined. I was born during Passover, and one year my folks were dismayed when they hadn't ordered a cake and got to the Bonbonnerie only to find that nothing was left but a flourless chocolate cake made for the celebration of that Jewish holiday. They bought it anyway, it turned out to be a huge hit, and now we order them on purpose. You have to be careful around the Bonbonnerie's sample plate - gotta leave some cookies for others, lol - and also not to let your eyes wander among the display cases too much. As for What's For Dinner, they offer an excellent variety of eat-in or take-out meals, many of them vegetarian and all freshly made. You can forego if not entirely ditch Lean Cuisine and the like and have no reason to feel guilty. Guilt would be brought on courtesy of the Bonbonnerie.

Cincy shines musically, with its world-class symphony orchestra and the May Festival and Cincinnati Opera and Pops and on and on! Symphony Hall in Boston resembles a warehouse, and Carnegie Hall isn't all that much to look at. But "gettin' culcha" in the Queen City is always an event from the moment you're within sight of that "wedding cake" Victorian pile of bricks at 1401 Elm St.

I second everything already posted to this thread, too.