10 Best Things To Do Outside In Cincinnati, Ohio - Updated 2024

Stephen
Stephen 
Updated
| 5 min read

Perched on the banks of the Ohio River, Cincinnati allows its visitors to immerse themselves in the vibrant and exciting lifestyle it’s famed for. The city is known for its vibrant nightlife, exciting art scene, and burgeoning food scene. Contemporary Arts Center is a place where both local and international artists come to showcase their exemplary work. For a fun and educational outdoor jaunt, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is the place to be. Visit Newport Aquarium and explore the different displays of sea life. This beautiful city has plenty to offer. For a wonderful outdoor adventure, check below for the best things to do outside in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1. Explore Cincinnati's food scene (from USD 85.0)

Are your taste buds curious about what surprises Cincinnati may offer food-wise? Satisfy that curiosity by teaming up with other tourists for a mouthwatering food tour with Findlay Market. It’s a three-hour guided tour that promises to be exciting and rewarding. With the help of local tour guides, you will visit six different food joints in the city and sample their menus.

This tour isn’t only for your stomach. As you drive across the city, you will come across attractions like the Great American Ball Park, Washington Park, and the historic Cincinnati Music Hall. Before you return to Findlay Market, you’ll make one stop for alcohol-tasting.

Visited this place?

Cincinnati Streetcar Food Tour With Findlay Market

Duration: 3 hours

483 reviews

2. Indulge your taste buds in Over-The-Rhine (from USD 85.0)

Are you a foodie hankering for something exciting to do during your visit to Cincinnati? The Cincinnati Ethnic Food and Culture Tour in Over-The-Rhine is an exciting adventure that you shouldn’t miss for anything in this world. This city is a melting pot of people from different ethnic groups, and thus, its culture is diversified. Its food scene is one of the most interesting parts of its story. In small groups, you will be able to tour six different local food joints while tickling your taste buds with a variety of local cuisines. Complement your grub with a craft cocktail.

Visited this place?

Cincinnati Ethnic Food and Culture Tour in Over the Rhine

Duration: 3 hours

132 reviews

3. Join the Cincinnati photowalk (from USD 125.0)

Do you feel like you could make a good cover model? If so, you should join the Cincinnati Photoshoot/Photowalk and strike your best poses. This 60-minute adventure begins at the gorgeous Washington Park where you’ll link up with other adventure-seekers. You should put on your best attire, one which you would have imagined yourself on the front page of a famous magazine. Take advantage of the stunning architecture at Music Hall and stage a mini photoshoot. The awe-inspiring murals at Vine Street will also serve as picture-perfect background. What better way to create and preserve memories than with photos?

Visited this place?

Cincinnati Photoshoot/Photowalk

Duration: 1 hour

37 reviews

4. Tickle your taste buds with wine (from USD 65.0)

Spare about two hours of your weekend and team up with your friends for an exciting wine and dessert tour in Cincinnati. A good meal is always complemented by a glass of fine wine. Make sure to summon your appetite because your taste buds will enjoy tingling sensations. You will pass by three food establishments and sample exciting desserts on their menu. From yummy cupcakes to a variety of exciting ice cream flavors, you’ll be in for a treat. Four wine-tasting stops are included in your itinerary, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of an urban winery.

Visited this place?

Cincinnati: Dessert and Wine Tasting Tour

Duration: 2 hours

88 reviews

5. Relive the scary experiences from your childhood (from USD 29.0)

Are you someone that didn’t believe in ghosts while growing up? Or are you the type that loves watching horror movies? If so, you should take advantage of your Cincinnati vacation and experience a heart-stopping adventure. Apart from the nice restaurants, buzzing breweries, shops, theaters, and pristine parks that characterize Cincinnati, there’s also a scary side to this beautiful city. You’ll get to explore the historic working-class area where you’ll see abandoned corpses scattered about. Stories about murderous rage and body-snatching will send chills up your spine. Perhaps the most thrilling part of this tour is you’ll get to do some ghost hunting.

Visited this place?

Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati: Small-Group Ghost Tour

Duration: 2 hours

70 reviews

6. Take a tour of the historic Wesleyan Cemetery (from USD 20.0)

Are you a history buff enjoying some leisure time in Cincinnati? Among the many things you’re planning to do during your stay, touring Wesleyan Cemetery should be on top of your list. It’s a 90-minute tour that’s ticket-free and participants receive a complimentary bottle of water. The city of Cincinnati may be small, but is one that’s loaded with history. With the help of Ken Naegele, the Necro Tourist at the cemetery, you’ll visit graveyards of different influential people who were prominent figures in the history of Cincinnati and the US.

Visited this place?

Cincinnati Walking Tour of Historic Wesleyan Cemetery

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

3 reviews

7. Cruise the Ohio River

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Posted by SS Tiki Tours on Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Experience an unforgettable moment with your family in Cincinnati when you go for a boat ride on the beautiful Ohio River. Enjoy Hawaiian hospitality by booking a ticket with SS Tiki Tours and experience magical sundowns. Whether you are thinking of a romantic dinner or a party with friends, you’ll definitely enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just imagine exchanging vows or drinking a toast to some great memories with your friends on a boat on a river. While aboard the boat, you can even take selfies against the city’s skyline for posterity.

SS Tiki Tours

Address: 4601 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45226, United States

Website: SS Tiki Tours

Opening hours: 10am - 9:30pm (daily)

Price: 200 USD onwards

Visited this place?

8. Enjoy a family picnic at Ault Park

Stone Wall Ault Park
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user [Unknown] used under CC BY-SA 2.5

Before your Cincinnati vacation is over, you should visit Ault Park and enjoy a picnic with your family. Nestled in the lush Mount Lookout area, this pristine park covers a landmass of about 224 acres (91 hectares), making it the 4th-largest park in the city. Visitors can climb the hilltop park to take pictures and enjoy sweeping views of the Little Miami River valley. You’ll find an ancient pavilion and well-manicured nature trails for hiking. There are lots of picnic facilities and a kids’ play area which makes it a popular place for outdoor adventure. Private parties and weddings are also common here.

Ault Park

Address: 5090 Observatory Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45208, United States

Website: Ault Park

Opening hours: 6am - 10pm (daily)

Visited this place?

9. Visit Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account


Interact with different wildlife and explore a variety of different plant species at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. This is the ultimate outdoor adventure destination for families and couples looking for a fun time. The kids will be excited to see the world-famous hippo, Fiona, and to feed the giraffes. What makes it even more interesting are the thrilling rides and a 4D theater for kids’ entertainment. Couples and lovebirds come here to enjoy the fresh breeze and stroll on the beautifully manicured trails. Amidst the colorful gardens and lush trees, you can also find good spots for a picnic.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Address: 3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45220, United States

Website: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)

Visited this place?

10. Discover Cincinnati's brewers and barons (from USD 45.0)

For enthusiastic beer drinkers, take this 90-minute brewers and barons walking tour. You’ll be diving back into the 19th and 20th centuries as you explore Cincinnati’s brewing history. Your adventure begins at Race Street where you’ll meet up with other adventure-seekers and tour guides. The Brewing Heritage Trail will be your map for this exercise.

This excursion will enlighten you about the challenges that various brewmasters and beer barons, together with their workers, faced. You will visit sites such as the subterranean lagering cellars and tunnels of the defunct Schmidt Brothers/Crown Brewery, and Hudepohl and Kauffman Brewery buildings.

Visited this place?

Cincinnati Small-Group Brewing History Walking Tour

Duration: 2 hours

18 reviews

Endless fun in Cincinnati

The city of Cincinnati has so many hidden gems to explore and lots of exciting activities to indulge in. Whether you’re up for some outdoor adventures with your family or joining up with friends for a wine-tasting tour, the options are endless.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

Stephen is an avid content writer with a passion for adventure. He enjoys traveling and has visited several countries around the world. So far, South Africa stands out as his most exciting...Read more

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Cincinnati
Looking for accommodation?
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.