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Have you ever wondered what kinds of things are there for adults to do in Cincinnati? Maybe you are visiting the Queen City for business or to see family. Perhaps you are a long-time resident and wonder what you might have overlooked.
Today we will take a look at all of the interesting things there are for adults to do in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Located on the Ohio River, many of Cincinnati’s most unique activities revolve around the waterfront. The city is rich in history. There is a vibrant performing and fine arts community as well as an active nightlife.
Best of all, Cincinnatians are an active and diverse group. This means there is always a wide array of activities going on. Read on and you will be sure to find an activity you will love here in Cincinnati.
Activity 1: Explore The Cincinnati Museum Center
The Cincinnati Museum Center is a complex focused around Union Terminal. Union Terminal is a National Historic Landmark. To best enjoy the Art Deco and historic atmosphere of the train station itself, enjoy some Graeter’s Ice Cream at the Rookwood Ice Cream Parlor. The ice cream parlor is still decorated in the original ceramic tile of the station.
The museum complex is home to the Cincinnati History Museum, The Children’s Museum, The Museum of Natural History and Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater, The Nancy and David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center, and the Cincinnati History Library and Archives.
There is a lot to see at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Plan a whole day here if you want to try to see everything. This activity will involve a lot of walking. Several dining options are available onsite.
The Cincinnati Museum Center is open Thursday through Monday from 10 AM to 5 Pm. Museum admission includes entry to The Children’s Museum, Museum of Natural History and Science, and the Cincinnati History Museum and is $17.50 per adult. Additional tickets are needed for featured exhibits at the complex.
Activity 2: Go Skydiving With Skydive Cincinnati
Are you an adrenaline junky? You just have to try the amazing experience of skydiving! Skydive Cincinnati has the perfect opportunity for people who have always wanted to try skydiving but have never had the chance. They offer tandem skydiving. It’s the safest way to have your first experience and still get to enjoy that magical freefall.
For those who are interested, they also offer lessons so you can gain the needed skills and experience to jump on your own. For experienced skydivers, the company welcomes you to the community and can’t wait to see you!
Skydive Cincinnati has been in operation since 1969 and is the Tri-State’s oldest United States Parachute Association dropzone. You can count on their transparency and desire to ensure that every jump is a safe one.
Tandem skydiving starts at $269 and is limited to persons under 225 pounds and in good health.
Activity 3: Go Beer Tasting On A Hidden Brewery Caverns Tour
Beneath the hurried and bustling streets of Cincinnati is the history of breweries in the Queen City.
On this guided tour you will have the chance to visit the very site where the original Christian Moerlein Brewery complex once stood. You can check out the site where Johnny Cash filmed The Pride of Jesse Hallam more than 40 years ago.
Tour the Linck Brewery tunnels and the Jackson Brewery tunnels and learn their respective histories. There will be a brief stop at the oldest market in the state of Ohio, Findlay Market.
The tour finishes with a special beer tasting at Northern Row Brewery.
This is a walking tour, so moderate physical fitness and walking shoes are necessary. The entire tour lasts about two hours and costs $49 per person. Check with American Legacy Tours for times and availability.
Activity 4: Play Archery Dodgeball At Archery Arena
Get away from all the stresses of adulting. Play dodgeball with your friends just like you did when you were a kid. Except for this time, you get to play with foam-tipped arrows and a bow.
The added skill and strategy take this game up a notch while still really getting your competitive juices flowing. There really isn’t a better way to spend an afternoon with friends, especially as an adult!
Archery Dodgeball can even be great with coworkers or members of a social group as a team-building exercise.
Sessions are an hour long. You will get about ten minutes of instruction and then about 50 minutes of playing time.
You don’t need any special skills for this game, but you will need to be in moderately good shape as this is a fast-paced activity. You won’t need to bring any special equipment, but athletic clothing and shoes are strongly suggested.
Activity 5: Go On A Riverboat Cruise
Her location on the banks of the Ohio River is central to the identity of the city of Cincinnati. There is no better or more appropriate way to see the city than from the Ohio River itself on a riverboat.
BB Riverboats have been providing visitors and residents alike with safe riverboat cruises along the Ohio since 1969. They offer a variety of different cruises to meet your desires.
There are daily sightseeing tours available as well as great dining and always spectacular views. They offer Sunday Family Dinner Cruises, the Admiral’s Dinner Cruise, the Music and Sunset Sightseeing Cruise, the Historic Cincinnati Sightseeing Cruise, and many others.
This is a relaxed activity that doesn’t require a lot of physical stamina. Cruises start around $30 per person for a cruise lasting about two hours. Dining cruises are more expensive.
Activity 6: Place Your Bet At Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati
Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati has more than 1,600 slots and 100 live game tables including Black Jack, Craps, Crazy 4 Poker, Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and so many more. You will never run out of excitement or new games to try. If your luck isn’t hitting on this one, then try that one!
Did you know that gambling isn’t the only fun thing about going to the casino? In fact, you could visit the casino and have a great time without gambling at all! You can always watch all of the excitement while grabbing a drink at the Hard Rock Center Bar.
There are also several restaurants within the casino, including Brick’d Pizza, Starbucks, Hard Rock Cafe, and Council Oak Steaks & Seafood- which is enough to make anyone’s mouth water. There is always lots of great entertainment too!. You won’t want to miss out on any of it!
Activity 7: Shop At Findlay Market
Findlay Market is the oldest market in Ohio and has been operating out of the same building since its founding in 1852. The market showcases and sells the products of local farmers and artisans. It is a dynamic public gathering place that many consider the very heart of Cincinnati.
You can expect goods of extraordinary quality at reasonable prices when you shop here. You will find, among other things, baked goods and desserts, beverages, cheese and dairy products, meat and poultry, flowers and plants, produce, seafood, pet items, and much more.
The market is always growing and changing so you will always find new and different products available. There is always a lot to see and plenty of walking. You don’t have to buy anything when you visit the market but odds are that you will want to! Findlay Market s open every day but Monday.
Activity 8: Visit Krohn Conservatory
There are other botanical gardens, and then there is Krohn Conservatory. Krohn Conservatory is so much more than just a vast selection of plants, although, with 3,500 species, it certainly has that too. It is home to many edible plants that we love and rely on like cacao trees, vanilla, oranges, bananas, and more.
They have an orchid display, bonsai trees, and man-made waterfalls that add to the beauty of it all. There is even a “Palm House” which is home to an unbelievable display of palms and ferns. You can even catch a butterfly show while you are there.
This place lends itself well to photography and is generally a quiet place where people enjoy being introspective and appreciating nature. The conservatory is open daily and costs $10 per person to visit.
Activity 9: See A Live Nfl Game
Football is America’s sport and it doesn’t get any more exciting than the National Football League. Watch the NFL’s Bengals play their home games at Paycor Stadium. The team is led by southwestern Ohio native Joe Burrow, who once attended the Ohio State University.
The team has enjoyed quite a resurgence in the last few years since Burrow was drafted, even going all the way to the Super Bowl, though they were not victorious.
While this is not a strenuous activity, it can turn into a long and tiring day. Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather. Tickets to Bengals games can start as low as about $60 per person.
Stadium tours are available at selected times but check ahead of time to be sure.
If you aren’t able to attend a game live, do take the opportunity to catch a Bengals game at one of Cincinnati’s neighborhood sports bars. There’s nothing quite like the camaraderie and excitement felt for the Bengals here on game day.
Activity 10: Go Ziplining With Screaming Eagle At The Ark Encounter
Screaming Eagle at the Ark Encounter is an adventure course geared towards people who enjoy more athletic activities and aren’t afraid to take a little bit of a risk.
Screaming Eagle offers a zip line, an aerial course, free falls, and even special activities for Christmas.
Due to the type of activities that Screaming Eagle offers, it is important that all participants involved meet requirements pertaining to height, weight, overall health, and physical ability. If you do not meet these requirements it is too risky for you to participate as you could be injured.
Check the Screaming Eagle at the Ark Encounter website for requirements for each activity. You can also check availability and schedule your activity online. Zip lining starts at $59 per person.
Activity 11: Visit The Cincinnati Reds Hall Of Fame And Museum
The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum pays homage to the players who have played for the Reds over the years. You will find tons of memorabilia from the team as well as Major League Baseball in general.
The Hall of Fame is home to many exhibits including a special exhibit dedicated to Latin American players, an exhibit about the integration of the sport, fantastic timeline representations of the uniforms and equipment over the years, and many more items that die-hard fans and casual fans alike will enjoy. Admission to the museum is $12 per person.
Fans can even opt for a Premier Ballpark Experience which includes a tour of Great American Ball Park, a visit to the right field, a viewing of batting practice, and field-level box seats for the game. The price for this experience is $150 per person.
Activity 12: Go On A Haunted Dredge Boat Tour
If you enjoy haunted houses, you haven’t seen anything yet! Check out the USS Nightmare. It is the ghost of the William S. Mitchell, home of the Mitchell Massacre. The story says that while the boat did its job of dredging that it may have hit an ancient burial ground which caused the ship to be cursed.
However it happened, the ship broke loose hurling wildly down the river until it hit a bridge killing some 60 crewmen on board including the captain.
Even the crew working on the ghost ship today swear it is haunted. It used to only appear around Halloween but has a much wider range of available dates these days. Are you brave enough to find out if the stories of the USS Nightmare being haunted are true?
Enjoy Your Time In Cincinnati
Whether you are a local or just visiting, make the most of your time in Cincinnati, Ohio. There is so much to do here you are bound to find something you will enjoy. If you aren’t sure where to start, try something new! Make a memory to keep forever in the Queen City.