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My family and I were originally gonna take a trip to Memphis but we decided against that because of the high crime. What are some cities we might enjoy visiting? Right now we're thinking about Cincinnati.
Criteria:
Family-friendly
Clean
Amazing view of a historical river
Museums that tell of history of city and said river
Good amount of live music and other fun things to do
Lots of charming areas besides downtown
Not a tourist trap (e.g. Nashville or Pigeon Forge)
I second Cincinnati. I've had opportunity to visit there twice over the past few years, and it's a great city.
Bellevue Hill Park is a good spot to go for a scenic overlook of the city. Skyline Chili is a must. Lots of historic churches, too. Over-the-Rhine is an up and coming area that's walkable and has a lot to see and do.
I've heard that the Zoo is a good one, but I didn't get the chance to visit it.
Even Covington, KY across the river is a cool town with some interesting sites, including a church that's basically a scaled-down replica of Notre Dame in Paris.
If you're willing to cross the border, Ottawa would fit all your criteria. Montreal and Quebec City as well, but they have more touristy parts. In the US, Kansas City is also a good suggestion. Upstate NY cities are worth a look (Erie Canal connection in addition to rivers): Albany, Syracuse, Rochester. Richmond, VA on the James River is also nice.
Why not Washington DC? Tons of museums, a lovely riverfront with Potomic tours that serve meals, parks, a zoo, lots of music venues, interesting lively neighborhoods, shopping galore, and all the history and monuments you’d want. And yes, IMO, DC is physically a clean city for the most part and kids are all around. When ours were younger we went several times.
Maybe it's because I grew up not too far from there, but personally I wouldn't worry too much about Memphis, especially if you're considering other large cities. It's worth it.
Pittsburg has really good views.
Cincinnati is similar but not quite.
Kansas City has a lot of stuff to do (check out the Arabia Steamboat museum if you go), but river views aren't its thing really. They haven't developed the riverfront much over the years. Can't blame them. It floods a lot.
St. Louis would be similar to Memphis with the crime, but the arch is worth seeing once in a lifetime. The rest of the riverfront there is industrial, but historic.
Minneapolis is nice.
Another thought would be the smaller cities and towns along the northern Mississippi from Dubuque up to Red Wing.
There are highways that follow the river on either side. It's known as the Driftless Area. Very beautiful with great views of the river. Historic.
I think it must be mandatory that the towns through there are kept quaint. They rely on tourism to some extent, but I'd stop short of calling them tourist traps.
Why not Washington DC? Tons of museums, a lovely riverfront with Potomic tours that serve meals, parks, a zoo, lots of music venues, interesting lively neighborhoods, shopping galore, and all the history and monuments you’d want. And yes, IMO, DC is physically a clean city for the most part and kids are all around. When ours were younger we went several times.
I agree. Most of the museums are free and include the Air and Space Museum, Museum of the American Indian, Museum of Natural History (dinosaurs etc), Holocaust Museum (a must-see), International Spy Museum (kids love it) and the National Building Museum (cool interactive exhibits). The tour at the US Capitol is well worth it and with advance notification a White House Tour can be arranged via your local Congressional representatives. The National Zoo is also free and a nice visit. DC is a beautiful city with amazing architecture and for the most part very walkable/safe. Family-friendly more affordable hotels are present with Homewood Suites and Residence Inns for example right in the heart of DC.
Washington is an excellent suggestion. Philadelphia would be another good choice. And of course, New York has not one but two historic rivers to choose from. On the other hand, I can't think of what historical river flows through Denver. I do believe it has a river, I think, but I believe it's really small and not a major part of the city's culture or history.
Here's one you probably didn't think of: Fort Lauderdale. The New River snakes it way through the central part of the city, including the Las Olas area, home to many restaurants, shops, and expensive housing. You can drive under it through the tunnel on U.S. 1, one of the very few tunnels in Florida. The nearby Museum of Discovery and Science, just one block off the river, is well worth a visit.
New Orleans. Street car and ferry and French Quarter. Awesome and perfectly safe.
GF and I liked Chattanooga'
Don't forget Cincinnati has the pedestrian bridge to Kentucky.
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