A Day Out In Cincinnati

• All great family days (in our opinion) start with great food and yummy coffee. In Newport, you will find both at a locally owned establishment, Mokka. Their daily specials are consistently yummy and it’s always nice to support small businesses!

• After breakfast, we suggest heading just down the street to Newport on the Levee. Here you can find something fun for the family to fit with any weather condition, age range and activity wish list. The levee is the home to the Newport Aquarium, which is worth a visit, but there is also the AMC movie theatre, bowling and it’s even the starting point for one of the infamous Ride the Ducks tours. Even if you are a local, the ducks are a fun experience for families and you never know, you might just learn something new about the Queen City.

• After all of that excitement, it’s time for lunch and we highly recommend another Cincinnati born business, Tom+Chee. They specialize in gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches made to order from fresh ingredients. And don’t forget to try a grilled cheese donut.

• After your belly is full once again, you can take a walk across the Purple People bridge, which is a great way to see the gorgeous Cincinnati skyline. Finish off your afternoon by heading down Route 8 to Schneider’s for ice cream, homemade chocolate or an old fashioned soda or a famous snow ball. Cincinnati is well known for their Graeter’s, but Schneider’s has been around as long (maybe longer) and is worth a visit.

•  For dessert, you will want to go to Patty’s Old Fashioned Popcorn for gourmet popcorn, shaved ice, candy or caramel apples or pick up some of that world famous Cincinnati Graeter’s.

• To round out your adventure, we suggest heading south to one of our favorite parks.  No, we are not talking about Ault Park (though we do think it’s great!), we are talking about Alms Park.  This park has amazing views, including one overlooking Lunken Airport to watch the plans flying in and out.  Playgrounds, trails, and a huge concrete slide make this park one to check out!

• Anderson Township  is a former farming community with neighborhood names like Cherry Grove, Fruit Hill, and Forestville, so there’s really no better way to start a visit than to check out the Anderson Farmer’s market on Saturday mornings through the summer. The full market opens May 23rd, but a slightly smaller selection of vendors is open in Spring in the indoor market. If the market is out of season or you’re looking for something specifically exotic, East side Cincinnatians and visitors can now enjoy the vast and dizzying selection of produce, meats, cheeses, wines, condiments and packaged foods from around the world at Jungle Jim’s in Eastgate.

• Now that you’re fortified for your day, Anderson Township is a great place to get outdoors in all seasons, but especially during spring and summer. Kids will love Woodland Mound Park with its large playground, many hiking trails, river views, and, in season, Parky’s Wetland Adventure – which features animal fountains and a large splash pad, as well as a snack bar. Or, if you want to get even closer to nature, venture out to East Fork Lake State Park or the Cincinnati Nature Center. The Nature Center highlights include hiking trails of difficulty and distances for all ages, prolific daffodil plantings in the spring and enviable foliage in autumn. They also have a really unique playscape, in which the littles can climb in streams, build forts and more. A literal playground of nature.

• Of a mind to check out some township history? Visit the Miller-Leuser Log House if you’re fortunate enough to be here during one of the times it’s open – 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month from June through October.

• If you’re in Anderson Township or on the East side of Cincinnati during the dog days of summer, and the idea of hiking or playing outside is just too much to think about, you must visit Coney Island.  It’s been touted as the “world’s largest recirculating pool” and while we’re not so sure of that, it is a classic Cincinnati summer good time with the swimming, slides, and classic kids’ amusement park rides.

• Weather not permitting (or if you’d just prefer to stay indoors), there are several “old school” options for keeping kids moving and entertained – check out Scallywag Tag (laser tag) , Cherry Grove Lanes for bowling and arcade games , or Beechmont Rollarena.

• Once you’ve worked up enough of an appetite for dinner, we recommend visiting one of the only Pizzeria Uno locations left in Cincinnati or if you’d like more local fare, try out Arthur’s  or Anderson Pub and Grill  for excellent “pub” fare – and kids’ menus as well. Cincinnati is known for Larosa’s pizza, but Mio’s is another local kid friendly favorite. The Anderson location has a patio for outdoor dining in season. If you’ve saved room for ice cream and want a different experience from Cincinnati’s quintessential Graeter’s, try the new Creamy Whip  on the side of Johnny’s Car Wash on Beechmont, or the Mt. Washington Creamy Whip.

• Lebanon is home to one of the most famous Cincinnati hotels, The Golden Lamb. The rooms have antique period furniture named after prominent figures in American history which makes it a fun place to stay if you are visiting from out of town. We recommend startimg your day out with a visit to Royce Café & Catering, which is adorable AND delicious + kids can color on the tables which makes almost every family dining experience a little more fun.

• If you plan ahead, we highly recommend booking tickets on the Lebanon Railroad, with themed train rides for all ages!  (This summer check out Clifford, Curious George, SuperWhy! and Thomas the Train) If you are looking for some lo-key fun after that you can check out the Lebanon Farmers Market or one of the many parks in the area  Lebanon Parks.

• There is also some local, unique shopping available if you can manage to get away while the kids and Dad play at the parks! We recommend Sticks & Stones and Rose & Remington.

• Finish your day off with  Whit’s Frozen Custard: free baby cones means no sharing for mom!

• If you are in from out of town, we suggest staying in the lodge at Hueston Woods (with an indoor pool) or even a private cabin in the woods! Then in the morning you can take advantage of the geocaching, fishing and swimming (lake) that this beautiful park has to offer.

• Start your morning off right at Milton’s Donuts. Try the cake donut with cherry icing – you’ll thank us! Then head off to a morning of shopping fun. The Cincinnati Premium Outlets offer great shopping and they actually have a playground on site and a mini train that rides around the complex. Or you could check out The Village of Waynesville, which has tons of boutiques and antiques for a quiet afternoon.

• We suggest grabbing lunch at either Clubhouse Sports Grille, which is family-friendly with patio seating, or Cobblestone Cafe in Waynesville. After that, head over to check out Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park. (Their light display at Christmas time is pretty amazing as well.)

• Finish off your evening at the Holiday Auto Theatre. How much would your kids love to experience a good old fashioned drive in???

Some other local hidden gems in Middletown::

• Hot Air Balloon and Skydiving Festival at Smith Park – Middletown; July 10-12, 2015

• Warren County is often referred to as Ohio’s Playground and it is definitely that, with several different theme parks to choose from.  Kings Island, part of the Cedar Parks Company, is the most well known of these parks.  From roller coasters to thrill rides, the Eiffel Tower to live shows, a kid friendly amusement area to Dinosaurs Alive… and there is even a full water park included in admission.  There is definitely something for the whole family here.  Kings Island also house all of the Cincinnati favorites for dinning, La Rosa’s Pizza, Skyline, and Montgomery Inn, as well as Graeters and much more. Plus, if you want to explore a little piece of Cincinnati spooky history, in the far corner of the parking lot you will find a cemetery. Legend has it that there is a girl buried here whose ghost still haunts KI at night. There are supposedly some other ghosts hanging around as well.

• If thrill rides are not your thing or you just want a more relaxing day, The Beach Waterpark is just around the corner from Kings Island.  This is everything waterpark… slides, wave pool, lazy river…. You like water they got it! In that same vein, Great Wolf Lodge, is an indoor waterpark that is directly neighboring Kings Island.  Admittance to the waterpark requires a nightly stay at the Lodge but the unique rooms and other amenities (arcade, snack stand, spa, bowling, mini golf, ect.) definitely are a plus.

• The amusement parks can easily translate into a full day out in Warren County, but if you are looking for a slightly more low key day to connect with nature (and to not spend so much mullah), Loveland is a great little town to venture to as well.  The Little Miami Bike trail runs right through the middle of Historic Loveland.  It’s a quaint little area with shops, restaurants, and even a farmers market on Saturdays.  Not only can you walk, bike, run, or horseback ride the trail but there is a kayak and canoe rental facility at your disposal as well. Throughout the summer there are also festivals and live concerts held here.

• After you have spent some time in nature, stop by one of the many local restaurants, most with out door setting.  A favorite is The Works housed in the old firehouse and also a real “dining car.”

• While you are in Loveland, also explore the Loveland Castle.  The Castle is fully replicated castle like those that existed over a thousand years ago and stays true to all things “Knights”.  The Loveland Castle is not quite that old, built about 50 years ago (many locals got to help with the construction during their youth, which adds to it’s local color), but still gives that old world flare.

And don’t think we forgot downtown! We feel that our beautiful city epi-center has so much to offer it deserves it’s own post, which you can view by clicking the picture below!