Staying in Downtown Cincinnati or NKY with kids? Whether you’re vacationing in Cincinnati or doing a Cincinnati staycation downtown, here are some fun things to do with your kids and tweens.
First, it’s important to note there are 3 distinct sections of Downtown Cincinnati:
- The Banks which is the Riverfront section and is home to the Reds and Bengals stadiums, The Freedom Center, Smale Park and all things south of 2nd street.
- Downtown district which is the center of town and home to Fountain Square and many businesses.
- Over-The-Rhine (OTR) which is home to Washington Park, Findlay Market and many amazing restaurants and shops.
Getting Around Downtown Cincinnati with Kids
Downtown Cincinnati, The Banks and Over the Rhine (OTR) are walkable, for sure. Especially if you have a stroller. You can always call an uber, but here are a few other options:
- Red Bike – great if you have tweens and teens that are confident on bikes. Check out the red bike stations here. You pay by usage time.
- Streetcar – a FREE option to get from The Banks to OTR. Plus, my kids love to ride ‘the train’ as they call it. Click here –> for the streetcar, also called the Cincinnati Bell Connector map. Download the app to see when the streetcars are coming and to get more information.
- Gest carts – they look like extended golf carts with doors and drive in the street, 25mph or less. Download the app to call the cart for FREE transportation within the area. Tips are appreciated and kids are allowed to ride with an accompanying adult.
Things To Do With Kids in Downtown Cincinnati
For non-walkers to tweens, here are some things to do with kids in Downtown Cincinnati. I note age range, season and location below.
Go Duckpin Bowling at Pins Mechanical
📍1124 Main St (OTR) – PINS MECHANICAL WEBSITE
🧒🏽 Under 21 welcome until 8PM daily. My kid loved playing as young as 3.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
Play Duckpin bowling, which is basically the marriage of skeeball and bowling. Small balls, short lanes and the pins are connected. My kids love that you sit on couches while you wait your turn. Kids bowl FREE on Sundays with an adult.
Bring your quarters for pinball & arcade games (they have a change machine too)! You can also play ping pong, foosball and Bocce on the rooftop in the summer! They don’t have food, but you can order food deliver or grab something nearby.
Soak In The Fun at Washington Park
📍1230 Elm St, (OTR)– Washington Park WEBSITE
🧒🏽 Open Daily. All ages welcome and there truly is something for everyone. Great for littles to adults.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
There are tons of things to do here and the options change year round. Be sure to check the calendar of events at Washington Park so you know what’s happening! Otherwise, check out the:
👶 Playground: For the young kids, there is a fenced-in park with a baby swing and a fun saucer swing, a slide and other fun things. There is also a sand area, FYI, if you want to avoid it like me.
💦 Splash Pad: During late spring, summer and part of fall, the interactive water fountains are on which are great for kids to run through in their bathing suits, or clothes if you’re daring. There is a bathroom nearby to change clothes.
🐕 Enclosed dog park: My kids love to watch the dogs play from behind the fence.
🧺 Large open field: Bring a picnic lunch with goodies you find at Findlay Market. Or enjoy one of the local food trucks parked on the surrounding streets. There are tables available or bring a blanket. After, bring a soccer ball to play.
🍺 The Porch: a great place for parents to grab a drink (local brews, etc) and kids can play giant connect 4 or run and play nearby in parents view.
**There is an affordable parking garage underneath the park and can serve as a great central point if you’re exploring OTR and downtown.
Game Time Fun at The Play Library
📍1306 Main Street (OTR)- The Play Library website
🧒🏽 Something for every age. Thurs – Sat 10am – 5pm & Sun 12 – 5pm
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
An AWESOME library of games and fun things to PLAY with! You can borrow and return puzzles, games, toys, etc. Stop by here to grab a game to play at Findlay Market or Washington Park as you watch the world go by. And be sure to check out The Play Library Events here!
Travel The World at Findlay Market
📍1801 Race Street (OTR)- Findlay Market WEBSITE
🧒🏽 Something for every age. Closed Mondays.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market. It’s free to look, but come hungry to try unique cuisine, gelato, market shops and of course the OTR candy shop! Book a cooking class, listen to some live local music, or schedule a findlay market tour. Click here –> to check out all the fun Cincinnati Food Tours.
Make Your Own Candle or Room Spray
📍1325 Vine St, (OTR)– The Candle Lab WEBSITE
🧒🏽 Open Daily. All ages welcome but best for ages 3+
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
Reservations are encouraged. Click website to get info. This is a fun project for families to do together. You pick your candle, spray or diffuser and choose from tons of different scents. We had a great time laughing at some of the rather interesting ones, like ‘old books’. They have something for everyone. You can mix scents and create your own label to name your scent. Candles are ready to pick up within a few hours or less.
Splash, Slide, Ride and Play at Smale Park
📍Smale Park – 166 W Mehring Way, (The Banks) – Smale Park WEBSITE
🧒🏽 All ages welcome but best for ages non-walkers to @10.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 The park is open year-round but the fountains are seasonal.
Carol Ann’s Carousel is a fun indoor carousel. We love starting there in our dry suits and then enjoying the splash pad with a view of the NKY riverfront. There’s a bathroom to change right there. We then head down to the park (down the stairs and across the street) to play on the slides, giant food keyboard and all the other fun stuff. I usually pack a picnic lunch or pick up Jimmy John’s on the banks to enjoy on the open field there under my favorite bridge, The Roebling. There are plenty of other restaurants to eat indoors too.
The Unmuseum at the Contemporary Art Center
📍44 E 6th St (Downtown)– Contemporary Arts Center WEBSITE
🧒🏽 Great for non-walkers (lots of visual stimulation) to teens. Open Wednesday – Saturday, but hours may change. Check here.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
We love the UnMuseum as a great option to play and discover interactive art, like the flashlight room, the colored music boxes and the found object fun. During normal times, they host a fun event on Thursday mornings with art, yoga followed by unstructured play. Perfect for kids up to 10. The other exhibits in the museum are great for all ages, including teens. **NOTE: construction efforts underway and the museum is expected to fully open in Aug.
Become the Town Fire Chief at the Cincinnati Fire Museum
📍315 West Court Street (Downtown)– Cincinnati Fire Museum WEBSITE
🧒🏽 All ages are welcome, kids 6 & under are free.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round. Closed Sunday & Monday.
The history of fight fighting is explored in this old firehouse. ‘Drive’ a fire engine, slide down a fire pole, try on the uniform, see how they used to use buckets to put out fires and much more. This is perfect for anyone interested in history or loves firetrucks. Learn about my friend Stephanie’s experience on her blog Consistently Curious.
See The "Queen City" at Fountain Square
📍520 Vine Street (Downtown)– Fountain Square WEBSITE
🧒🏽 Great for all ages. Probably best for ages 3+.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round, but activities vary based on weather.
In the winter, try the ice skating rink and bumper cars with various theme events like DJ skate. See them here –> Fountain Square event calendar. In the spring, summer and fall, there are events like salsa dancing and live music from the stage. It’s a great place to sit and watch the city go by as you enjoy the famous Graeter’s Ice Cream located there.
Brunch with The Family at Sleepy Bee Cafe
📍8 East 4th Street (Downtown)– Sleepy Bee WEBSITE
🧒🏽 All ages welcome, open daily
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
A local brunch spot that has expanded locations all over the city. The breakfast sandwiches and pancakes are legendary.
See The Sharks at Newport Aquarium
📍1 Aquarium Way (Newport, KY – across the river)– Newport Aquarium WEBSITE
🧒🏽 All ages welcome, open daily. Admission is $18-$28/person
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
The coolest part is you can walk across the ‘purple people bridge’ from Cincinnati to Kentucky to get here. See sharks, stingrays, turtles and more at this awesome aquarium. If you have littles, check their calendar to make sure strollers are allowed that day. If not, we would bring the hiking backpack for our toddler so she could easily see all the fun and she was ‘contained’ ;). Your daring kids and tweens in your life might enjoy crossing the shark bridge – a rope bridge over the open-water sharks. Santa scuba dives here in December.
Located at Newport on the Levee, there is also a movie theater, shops and restaurants and a candy store that calls your name when leaving the aquarium. They also host tons of seasonal events, so be sure to check it out. If you’re hungry, be sure to try Tom + Chee and their famous s’mores or grilled cheese donut.
The Reds Hall of Fame Museum
📍100 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks – Reds Hall of Fame WEBSITE
🧒🏽 All ages welcome, open daily, 10a-5p. Kids 12 & under and Military Veterans Free. Adults are $12.
❄️ 🌷 ☀️ 🍁 Great year-round
The museum has fun interactive exhibits and memorabilia from Reds players and teams throughout the years. Kids can record themselves ‘calling the game’ in the booth and you can email the audio file to yourself. Even my not-so-baseball-loving 9 year old had a good time. It’s worth a visit.
And of course, go see a Reds Game if they are in town. Checkout the Reds Baseball Schedule to see.
Other Notable fun in Downtown Cincinnati
Downtown
–Take in the view of all of Downtown and NKY from the Carew Tower Observation Deck.
—National Underground Railroad Freedom Center – an educational experience where the heroes of freedom, from the Underground Railroad to now, are celebrated.
The Banks
–Rent Red Bikes (see above for details) and explore Sawyer Point, riding around and down along the river to International Friendship Park. The shortest bike they have is 22in, I believe. BUT, exploring The Banks to Sawyer Point (walk east – left if you are facing the river) is totally walkable and great for burning energy on a warm day.
—The Escape Game is great for ages 13+. They do allow younger kids to participate but the content might be too difficult for them if they don’t have help from other kids.
—Taft Museum of Art offers a unique art experience with rotating exhibits. This is open to all ages, but if your kids have no interest in art, I wouldn’t explore here. Be sure to check out the family events too, during normal times.
Nearby but not walkable – car transportation is required.
—Cincinnati Museum Center is home to the Children’s Museum and many other exciting things for families, including an Omnimax theatre and an epic train display during the holidays. Please double check which exhibits are open and that the Children’s Museum is open before you visit.
—Cincinnati Art Museum is in Eden Park, a beautiful Cincinnati Park to enjoy! The museum has an art climb, which offers some great exercise while looking at beautiful outdoor sculptures. Walk the steps to the art museum, taking breaks on a bench when needed to enjoy the surroundings of nature and art. General admission to the museum is FREE for everyone, but specific exhibits have a cost. There is plenty to see and a nice artisan-style cafe (not your average cafeteria lunch) if you want to plan lunch there. We LOVE the Rosenthal Education Center (REC) for the unassisted fun and exploration as well as all the programming. Check out all the event options for tots to tweens on the REC event calendar here.
—American Sign
Rosenthal Education Center at the Cincinnati Art Museum
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