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Downtown
Cincinnati at Night |
Cincinnati
offers visitors an astounding array of cultural events and family entertainment
to enjoy. Tourists can explore the many attractions, while navigating through
neighborhoods tucked away into individual valleys. The city of Cincinnati is
one of the largest cities in Ohio
State and is host to the headquarters of major industries such as Proctor and
Gamble, GE Aircraft Engines and Federated Department Stores. Although these
industries nourish Cincinnati's economy, it's the local festivals and history
that create a balance and flavor the city's unique identity. Factor mild winters
and sultry summers into the mix and Cincy, as locals affectionately call it,
designates a brilliant vacation spot.
ORIENTATION
Cincinnati is situated in
the southwestern corner of Ohio on the mouth of the Ohio
River, providing the city with a port for business as well as a perfect
setting for a variety of water sports. The Greater Cincinnati Area is referred
to as the Tri-State region, on account of Kentucky,
Indiana and Ohio borders
converging. This enables quick travel over the John A. Roebling Bridge to attractions
in the neighboring cities of Covington
and Newport.
Because of the hilly landscape, downtown Cincinnati is quite compact, contributing
to its vibrant culture and city life. The neighborhoods that compose Cincinnati
also tend to be somewhat geographically segregated, resulting in diverse cultures
and identities.
HISTORY
Although the popular 1970s
television series WKRP in Cincinnati may have helped to put Cincinnati on the
international map, the city’s history is far more extensive and colorful,
dating back to the late 1700s.
Over the past centuries
Cincinnati has gone through several identities and nicknames. Initially the
city was founded in 1788 by John Cleves Summers and Colonel Robert Patterson
and named Losantiville. In 1790, the governor of the Northwest Territory, Arthur
St. Clair, changed the name to Cincinnati, in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati,
an organization of Revolutionary War Officers. Cincinnati was chartered as a
village in 1802, and 17 years later it was incorporated as a city. Shortly thereafter
the nickname Porkopolis was devised in reference to the herds of hogs roaming
the streets when Cincinnati became the country's chief hog-packing center. Today
major retail corporations contribute to most of Cincinnati’s exports. The
Queen of the West is another nickname, coined by a local newspaper in 1819 and
still in use today.
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| View
from Mt Echo1 |
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Cincinnati was an important
stop on the Underground Railroad, which was a network of secret passages that
helped slaves escape to free states, during the 19th century. The free states,
meaning slave emancipated, included major Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic US city
centers, such as Massachusetts,
New York, Pennsylvania
and New Jersey. The
railway played an important role in African-American history.
By 1850, Cincinnati’s
population had grown to 115,000 following the completion of the Miami and Erie
Canal systems during the 1830s. The canal systems created access between
the Ohio River and Lake
Erie to accommodate growing transportation needs. A boosted means to
export goods and an added cultural demographic created an economic mini-boom,
which began to distinguish the people of Cincinnati as trail-blazers in many
respects. The city pioneered a variety of organizations, services and products
in the United States and worldwide, such as America’s first municipal fire
department in 1853; The Red Stockings now known as the
Cincinnati Reds, the world’s first professional baseball team,
in 1867; and the Sons of Daniel Boone, now recognized as the Boy Scouts of America,
who began operations in 1905. Cincinnati’s 16-story Ingalls Building, was
the world’s first concrete skyscraper. Built in 1903, the structure was
considered to be a bold engineering achievement and its success contributed
to the acceptance of concrete high-rise buildings in present day urban centers.
Music labels also have a
history in Cincinnati. King Records and sister label Queen Records were founded
in 1943 and recorded early music by artists who later became influential names
within the country, r&b and rock music industries. In addition, WCET TV
was established as the first licensed public television station in 1954. Over
the years we can thank Cincinnati for producing a number of famous actors and
entertainers, including Sarah Jessica Parker, George Clooney and director/producer
Steven Spielberg.
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|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
21°F
(-6°C) |
38°F
(3°C) |
74
mm |
| Feb |
25°F
(-4°C) |
43°F
(6°C) |
70
mm |
| Mar
|
34°F
(1°C) |
54°F
(12°C) |
100
mm |
| Apr |
43°F
(6°C) |
65°F
(18°C) |
101
mm |
| May
|
53°F
(12°C) |
75°F
(24°C) |
117
mm |
| Jun
|
62°F
(16°C) |
82°F
(28°C) |
112
mm |
| Jul |
66°F
(19°C) |
86°F
(30°C) |
95
mm |
|
Aug |
64°F
(18°C) |
85°F
(29°C) |
96
mm |
|
Sep |
57°F
(14°C) |
78°F
(26°C) |
72
mm |
|
Oct |
46°F
(7°C) |
66°F
(19°C) |
75
mm |
|
Nov |
36°F
(2°C) |
54°F
(12°C) |
88
mm |
|
Dec |
26°F
(-3°C) |
43°F
(6°C) |
83
mm |
|
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Climate
data from the
Midwestern Regional Climate Center |
CLIMATE
Cincinnati is tucked into
a valley and protected by several large hills that provide temperate weather
in comparison to other areas in Ohio. The Ohio River has a major effect on the
climate in the Ohio Valley tending to steer major storm systems away from the
area. Snowfall tends to be lighter in comparison to surrounding cities; however,
winter months, particularly January and February, provide several days of snow
to accommodate winter sports. Rain is more evident in the spring and summer
months from May to August, although it can be expected to rain all year round,
so visitors are advised to bring an umbrella. For the most part, a warm sweater
and a rain shell should do the trick in keeping warm all year round.
TRANSPORTATION
Fly in via Cincinnati/Northern
Kentucky International Airport,
Cincinnati’s Mid-Atlantic geography allows for flights under an hour to
a host of United States cities. By land, bus to Cincinnati via Greyhound
Motorcoach from almost anywhere throughout North America. By car, I-75 is the
north-south highway from Detroit
to Florida. The I-74 winds
its way east from Indianapolis
and the I-71 west-east from Louisville
to Columbus.
Upon arrival to Cincinnati,
there are many options for getting around and exploring the city and surrounding
areas, from car
rental services to guided tours, buses and even by foot. There are two
bus services to choose from: the Cincinnati Bus Service, METRO, or the
Northern Kentucky service, TANK. Although there are several separate
taxi companies in Cincinnati, hailing one is not permitted. Instead,
either a phone call to the company or a walk to the nearest of many cabstands
will do the trick.
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| Cincinnati
Union Terminal2 |
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FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Cincinnati Union Terminal
Host to a melting pot of
local and international culture and art, Union
Terminal is definitely a must on the list of things to do while in Cincinnati.
The terminal was originally built as a single station for seven separate railroad
lines within the city. After four years and 41.5 million dollars of planning
and construction, the terminal welcomed its first train on March 19, 1933. Upon
its completion, the primary architects of the structure, Alfred T. Fellheimer
and Steward Wagner had successfully created the only half-dome of its time in
the Western Hemisphere. At its peak capacity, 208 trains passed through the
station each day; however, the need for train service declined through the 1950s
and 1960s, and by the 1970s, numbers dropped to just two trains per day. Cincinnati
City Council voted to preserve the station as a historical site in 1973. In
spite of their efforts, Southern Railway tore most of the train concourse down,
with the exception of 14 mosaic murals that are now displayed at the Cincinnati/North
Kentucky International Airport. The station lay empty for nearly a decade after
a failed attempt to transform it into a marketplace-style shopping center. It
wasn’t until Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer passed a tax levy and designated
the station as a historical site in 1988 that the city began to make plans for
the future of the building.
Today Union Terminal provides
a venue for the following five separate educational and cultural organizations,
Cincinnati
History Museum, Cinergy
Children’s Museum, Museum
of Natural History & Science, Robert
D. Lindner Family Omnimax Theater and Cincinnati
Historical Society Library.
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Newport On The Levee3 |
Newport on the Levee
While visiting Cincinnati a
trip to Newport
on the Levee should not be missed, as there is entertainment for all ages.
Walking to the Levee across the river via the Purple People Bridge poses perfect
photo opportunities. The Levee has a thriving nightlife as well as an abundance
of daytime family activities. Annual festivals such as the Irish
Heritage and Music Festival, are held at the Levee. Go shopping with friends
or take the kids to the Newport
Aquarium to see live alligators or one of the other 600 species and five
themed areas. For the young adult and young at heart, wander along the picturesque
Historical Riverwalk at dusk and dine out patio style or inside by candle light
at one of the many culinary adventures in Valet Circle.
Amusement Parks
Coney
Island Amusement Park has a variety of entertainment from live shows
and classic rides to the giant Sunlight Pool with waterslides. Initially purchased
over 100 years ago for use as an apple orchard, Coney Island became a popular
gathering place for seasonal festivities and gradually became the park it is
today. Bring a picnic or eat out for the day, trying a famous Coney Island dog.
Enjoy leisurely poolside tanning and a swim or blow back your hair on one of
the many thrill rides. The park is open seasonally from May to September.
Another great day trip amusement
park is Paramount's
Kings Island Amusement Park, the home of the Beast, the world’s
longest wooden rollercoaster. Live theater shows are performed daily. The park
is open seasonally from April to September and is located 24 mi (38.6 km) from
the city of Cincinnati.
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| Elephant
Bath at The Cincinnati Zoo4 |
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Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical
Gardens
Having a mission
to preserve and protect flora and fauna, while creating adventure and educating
the public, makes the Cincinnati
Zoo well worth the visit. This zoo is one of the most popular zoos in
America. View close to 500 animals and 3,000 plant species each year. Spend
a summer day wandering through the sweet smelling botanical gardens thick in
bloom. Or check out the Zoo Babies exhibit, sure to pull the heartstrings of
even the toughest spectators. With winter comes the zoo's PNC Festival of Lights
that boosts Christmas spirit and brings a warm glow of fairytale lights to cold
snowy nights. The Cincinnati Zoo puts on new exhibits annually that attract
new comers and keeps regular visitors coming back for more.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; View from Mt Echo;
Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Cincinnati Union
Terminal; Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Newport On
The Levee; Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Elephant Bath at
The Cincinnati Zoo; Cincinnati , OH, USA
