Cincinnati, Ohio is an excellent city for a weekend getaway. It’s within driving distance of many other cities, so it’s easy to get to. Once you arrive you are greeted with many activities indoor and outdoor. Plus, the restaurant and bar scene is killer. Read on to find out where to stay, where to eat, and what to do in Cincinnati on a parents weekend getaway with out kids.
John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge photo credit: Meagan Wristen Military TMOM
Parents Weekend Getaway to Cincinnati
Need a getaway, but do not want to have to go too far from the kids? If you are anywhere near Cincinnati, you should pack a bag and take a parents weekend getaway. Cincinnati is surprisingly the perfect escape from the day to day. With nearby hiking, museums, musicals, and tons of sports, you are guaranteed to stay entertained.
I recommend staying at the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in downtown Cincinnati. The location is is perfect for walking to pretty much every thing. If you stay here, you will not need a car. The most popular area in downtown Cincinnati is Over-the-Rhine and it is less than a 30 minute walk. The Banks Entertainment along the waterfront is even closer. Rooms at the Renaissance are large and you will have more than enough space. If you can, splurge for a suite! I mean it’s not everyday that you get a break from your kids.
Indulgent Dinner Dates in Cincinnati
Before heading out to dinner, grab a drink in the beautiful hotel bar at the Renaissance, D. Burnhams. They have a great selection of beer, wine, and spirits. They serve food here as well, but I did not try any. On Monday nights they have live music at 6 p.m.
Boca’s Beef Wellington – photo credit: Meagan Wristen Military TMOM
For dinner there are an unbelievable number of options. For a more upscale experience, dine at Boca. Want a more casual night? Dine at Bakersfield. Both are located in downtown Cincinnati, but Boca is much closer to the hotel than Bakersfield. Whichever one you do not eat at the first night, you can go to on your second night.
Boca is a dining experience. The food is wonderful, the service is killer, and the atmosphere is lively and fun. Here you will dine on oysters, risotto, and beef wellington. Course after course you will be impressed. Although reservations are not required, you will need to make a reservation well in advance in order to dine here on the weekend.
Bakersfield is a much more laid back atmosphere, but even livelier than Boca. Here you will enjoy tequila flights and margaritas to go along with the guacamole and tacos. You do not need a reservation to dine here, but there is usually a wait. I waited over an hour and thought it was more than worth the wait. Their guacamole is incredible and all the tacos we tried were great.
Things to do in Cincinnati
Catch a game. Cincinnati has many national sports teams, including the Cincinnati Bengals football team, the Cincinnati Red baseball team, the Cincinnati Cyclones hockey team, and the FC Cincinnati Uptown soccer team.
Visit the Cincinnati Art Museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Here you will find a painting collection that includes the great works by Titian, Halls, Rubens, Cole, Harnett and Wood.
Learn some history at the National Underground Railroad Center. Here you can be educated on three centuries of slavery and learn about the men and women who bravely resisted slavery.
Findlay Market – photo credit: Meagan Wristen Military TMOM
Take a food tour. Cincinnati Food Tours offers a lot of fun tours. I recommend skipping breakfast one morning and instead taking the Sweet Stroll tour with them. This is a 2.5 hour walking tour through the popular Over-the-Rhine neighborhood featuring waffles, pretzels, and so much more it’s a delicious time. I recommend grabbing a cup of coffee before starting the tour, because it will be a while before you get any on the tour. The tour kicks off at historic Findlay Market, where you get to learn about the market and taste some of the local favorites. From there you will walk around the area learning about the history and the future all while tasting one treat after another.
Cincinnati Pub Crawl
One of the things you can’t do with kids is go to a bar, but of course your kid-free so you gotta hit up a couple. I have quite a few to recommend in Over -the-Rhine. My favorite is The Rook Cincinnati’s Game Parlor. Here you can find almost any board game ever created. While you play a game you can enjoy random candy drinks like the Rock Em Sock Em Rita a margarita popping with pop rocks. Another fun spot for playing games is 16 Bit an adult only arcade. Here you can play over 50 different kinds of old school games. As long as you order a drink the games are free.
I hope this helps you plan a fun filled getaway to Cincinnati. Remember to keep things simple and enjoy your down time.
