To get the most from your family's vacation dollar, plan your Cincinnati trip in advance, and do a little research to get the best deals. The Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) keeps a list of low-cost and free events that can add value and fun to your outing. Many are seasonal, from live outdoor music to free museum tickets. Some deals are part of a lodging package, so check with your lodging facility as well for any specials they may have with area attractions.
Cincinnati is packed with museums of the best kind: facilities that combine learning with leisure. The Cincinnati Museum Center at historic Union Terminal houses five museums for an easy day of fun: Cincinnati Historic Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater, the Museum of Natural History and Science, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. The Center hosts hundreds of events every year and features such kid-approved topics as dinosaurs, space, exploring nature, and more. The Children's Museum also has activity areas for pre-school kids, so no one feels left out. Another top spot is the Cincinnati Fire Museum, which allows kids to slide down a real fireman's pole, and work the bell and flashing lights in a fire truck.
When the weather's fine, outdoors is the perfect place for kids; Cincinnati has plenty to keep them occupied, from the well-reviewed Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden which also features special programming like family night hikes to observe nocturnal animals, to the Ride the Ducks land and water tour aboard an amphibious vehicle that drives directly from the shore into the Ohio River.
For traditional summer fun, you can't beat a great roller coaster or water slide. The Cincinnati area offers plenty of both with the Kings Island and Coney Island amusement parks, jammed with thrilling rides and family fun. For a small splash, visit Parky's Wetland Adventure, perfect for even the little tots; bigger waves can be caught at any time of year in the all-indoor CoCo Key Water Resort, with 50,000 square feet of wet and wild excitement.
Remember the feeling of your first baseball game? Make a few memories with a trip to see the Cincinnati Red at Great American Ball Park, and plan a little extra time to view the Reds Hall of Fame, also at the park. Football fans can pass on their traditions with a Bengals game, held at Paul Brown Stadium.
