Family-friendly Cincinnati, Ohio, has a walkable downtown and the Cincinnati Museum Center, with three interactive museums: the Museum of Natural History and Science, The Cincinnati Historical Society Museum and Cinergy Children's Museum. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has a children's zoo and the Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds. King's Island Theme Park, open seasonally, has thrill rides, family and kiddie rides and a separate water park, all 20 minutes from downtown.
Great Wolf Lodge, part of a chain, has an indoor water park, 12 slides, six pools, a giant water fort and a lazy river. The seasonal outdoor water park, open Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, adds a zero-depth entry pool, water basketball and a children's play area. For non-water fun, try the Northern Lights Arcade and MagiQuest interactive adventure game. The hotel has a Pizza Hut, Starbucks, snack shop and, for breakfast only, The Loose Moose Cottage. Great Wolf, 20 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, is one-quarter mile from King's Island.
The Crowne Plaza Cincinnati North has CoCo Key Water Resort, a 50,000-square-foot indoor water park with a kiddie pool, water slides, an adventure river and activity pool. There is also an indoor/outdoor hot tub and seasonal outdoor pool. The pet-friendly hotel has a snack shop with a Pizza Hut and Tradewinds Restaurant, serving breakfast and dinner. The hotel is 15 minutes from downtown.
The luxury hotel Hyatt Regency Cincinnati has an indoor pool with a large outdoor sun deck where kids can run around. The hotel has board games for families to borrow. Shop without going outside via a sky walk connection to Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Tiffany & Co. and the Tower Place Mall. The hotel has a Fridays and a Champs Sports Bar with casual food, and the Parisian bistro Jean-Ro is across the street. Rooms have plush mattresses and iPod docking stations.
The pet-friendly and family-friendly Holiday Inn Express Cincinnati West has an outdoor pool with a large sun deck where kids can play. The hotel also has a lounge with a fireplace and large flat-screen TV; kids are welcome to play here. The hotel provides free breakfast. It is next door to the family-friendly Sakura Japanese Steakhouse and within walking distance of several restaurants. Check out the Newport Aquarium, with touch tanks, about 15 minutes from the hotel.
