Cincinnati is a city that's coming back to life, after years of economic downturn and the race riots of 2001. Everywhere there's construction, especially along the riverfront where a park with walking paths, fountains and playgrounds is unfolding between the two sports stadiums where the Reds and Bengals play.
We encountered blight in some areas, with buildings practically crumbling to the ground, but we also walked around several neighborhoods where funky art galleries, cafes, and boutiques are moving into revitalized red-brick storefronts. And everywhere we turned, we found a park, beautifully landscaped, free of graffiti, and always with a play structure for kids. This city that was once considered America's most American city is getting its swagger back—and our family found lots to do here.
Budget
Breakfast: free at hotel
Lunch: $18.58 (Skyline Chili)
Parking: $4
Ice cream: $8.77 (Graeter's)
Dinner: $49.11 (Hoffbrauhaus)
Hotel: $182.04 (Best Western Premier Mariemont Inn; We have lots of points with the Best Western Rewards program so tomorrow night will be free!)
Total: $262.50
1) Skyline Chili
Chili over spaghetti? Yes! That's what our waitress at Skyline Chili recommended . "Our chili is more of a sauce," she told us. "It needs to be eaten with something."
I was troubled by this because I love a chunkier chili filled with beans and big pieces of meat—but I decided to try it and we ordered what's called a Three-Way with spaghetti covered in chili and a heaping pile of cheese.
The flavor is all chili but the consistency is more like spaghetti sauce. My son loved it. My daughter was puzzled by a strong spicy flavor that she couldn't identify. "What's in this chili? It tastes different? It doesn't taste like yours, Mom!" she said. A diner sitting at the table next to us revealed the secret. "They add chocolate and cinnamon," he told us.
First-time diners at Skyline get bibs. Good thing. My son dumped half his chili down his front. This stuff is messy.
Skyline Chili dates back to 1949 when a Greek immigrant named Nicholas Lambrinides opened an eatery serving chili in downtown Cincinnati. The original restaurant was destroyed but now you'll find them throughout the city and around the Midwest.
*Thank you to Jennifer Reese for recommending Skyline. Jennifer is an incredible story-teller and talented writer who'll make you laugh and inspire you to cook on her Tipsy Baker blog and in her new cookbook Make the Bread, Buy the Butter.
2) John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge
One of our favorite things to do when we visit a city is walk across a bridge. It's free, active, and always offers sweeping skyline views. The kids grumble when we point out the bridge and say we're going to walk across that.
"That's too far!" they'll scream. But once we get going, and we're out on the bridge and the wind is blowing through our hair and a big boat is passing under, they forget about walking for a moment and stop complaining.
According to Wikipedia: "The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge spans the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky. When the first pedestrians crossed on December 1, 1866, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world at 1,057 feet (322 m) main span." Roebling is best known as the architect of New York's Brooklyn Bridge, but he built the one in Cincinnati first.
3) Covington, Ky.
Across the bridge we strolled into Covington, Ky., which dates back to 1814. From here, you can take in views of the Cincinnati skyline rising above the Ohio River.
And you can explore leafy streets lined with historic grand mansions dating back 200 years. My daughter decided that she wants to live in this one.
You can also meet folks like John Audubon. Life-like bronze statues depicting Kentucky legends, from Daniel Boone to the founder of the Boy Scouts, are scattered about the neighborhood.
4) Cincinnati Riverfront Park
Along the riverfront, a park with walking paths, fountains and playgrounds is unfolding between the two sports stadiums, where the Reds and Bengals play. A lot of it is still under construction but we found some fun things to do.
5) Graeter's Ice Cream
This is Oprah's favorite ice cream. And I'm sure my kids would tell you that Graeter's is their favorite spot in all of Cincinnati. They lucked out because one of these ice cream shops (there are many) was across the street from our hotel, the Best Western Premier Mariemont Inn.
They both ordered cotton candy ice cream that turned their tongues an electric blue color. Why do kids always get the most disgusting flavors? But even at Graeter's those sugar-packed flavors are delicious. This ice cream is handmade in a French pot, two quarts at a time. Their most popular flavor is black raspberry chocolate chip.
6) Hoffbrauhaus
Dinner at the authentic German Hoffbrauhaus. There's one in Munich, another in Hong Kong and the third is in Newport, Kentucky, across the river from Cincinnati. Who knew?
At Hoffbrauhouse, you eat dinner family-style gathered around a long table with other diners. It was quiet early on a Monday night when we arrived, but by the time we left at 7:30, this place was packed. A man in lederhosen was on stage singing "Free Bird" and playing the concertina.
The waitstaff sports proper German attire.
If you're a regular, you get your own mug and store it in this locker.
If I lived in Newport, Ky., I'd be a regular because the beer is delicious and brewed on site. Since we're on a tight budget, we typically don't order beer at dinner, but at the Hoffbrauhaus we couldn't resist.
Food's good, too. Schnitzel was thin and delicate and perfectly cooked.
What's up next? Another day in Cincinnati.
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