Best Things to Do in Cincinnati: A Local's 12 Picks

At a glance

• Where: Cincinnati, Ohio, on the north bank of the Ohio River; all 12 picks are inside the city limits
• Best base: Downtown, Over-the-Rhine or The Banks, all on the free Connector streetcar loop
• Time needed: Two days covers the anchors; three days adds Eden Park, the American Sign Museum and slow evenings
• Hours: Typically museums close Monday; check each official site before you go
• Cost: Free: Findlay Market, Eden Park, Cincinnati Art Museum general admission, Smale Riverfront Park, the streetcar. Ticketed: zoo, Union Terminal, Freedom Center, American Sign Museum

The best things to do in Cincinnati, Ohio, are the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Findlay Market and Eden Park, followed by an evening in Over-the-Rhine, Downtown and The Banks. This is the list a local gives a friend who has two or three days. Every pick below is inside the city of Cincinnati, and each has the time it takes and one local tip.

Cincinnati is spread over hills, so group your days by area. The free Downtown and Over-the-Rhine core is easy on foot or by streetcar. The zoo, Union Terminal and Eden Park each deserve their own half day.

How we chose these picks

These 12 picks are places that are open and inside Cincinnati, each checked against its own official site. We picked places known for Cincinnati itself, not chains or things just across the river. Hours and prices change, so we give them as typical and tell you to confirm before you go. Opinions, such as which pick to do first, are ours.

Which Cincinnati attractions come first?

The five anchors are the zoo, Union Terminal, the Freedom Center, Findlay Market and Eden Park. They cover animals, architecture, history, food and views, and they are the five a local sends a visitor to before anything else.

1. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Avondale)

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden at 3400 Vine Street in Avondale is a full-day anchor, and the grounds are as much a garden as a zoo. Plan four to six hours with children, three if you move fast.

Local tip: go early, walk to the far end first and work back while the crowds build near the entrance. The zoo also runs an annual holiday lights event in the colder months. Tickets and dates are on the zoo's official site, so check there before you plan around either.

2. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal (Queensgate)

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, at 1301 Western Avenue, is a museum complex inside a railroad station, and the building is the main exhibit. Typically it is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Allow three to four hours, or half that if you only want the rotunda and one museum.

The rotunda's interior dome spans 180 feet, and Cincinnati Museum Center calls it the largest half-dome in the western hemisphere. Local tip: stand in the middle of the rotunda and look up before you buy a ticket for anything. Museum Center lists current exhibits and ticket prices on its official visit page.

3. National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (The Banks)

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center at 50 East Freedom Way sits on the riverfront at The Banks, and it tells the story of the Underground Railroad and the fight for freedom, with the Ohio River just outside as context. Typically it is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Monday and Tuesday. Plan two to three hours.

Adult admission is typically $21.50, or $20 on Wednesday and Thursday, with lower prices for seniors and children. The Freedom Center offers free Community Days at least once a month, so check its official visit page for dates. Local tip: because it is closed two days a week, build your riverfront day around Wednesday through Sunday.

4. Findlay Market (Over-the-Rhine)

Findlay Market at 1801 Race Street is the place to eat your way through Cincinnati in an hour or two. Typically it is open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Monday. Entry is not ticketed.

The outdoor farmers market runs on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local tip: Saturday morning is the liveliest, so arrive before 10 a.m., buy a snack from two or three vendors and eat it in the shed. Over-the-Rhine restaurants fill the streets around it if you want a sit-down lunch afterward. Hours are on Findlay Market's official site.

5. Eden Park (Mt. Adams)

Eden Park is a city park on the hill between Mt. Adams and East Walnut Hills, and it is where Cincinnatians go for the overlook above the Ohio River. The City of Cincinnati park page lists Mirror Lake, an overlook, Hinkle Gazebo and Seasongood Pavilion. Plan one to two hours for the park alone.

Krohn Conservatory, the city's greenhouse, is also in the park at 1501 Eden Park Drive. Its regular hours and admission are not listed on the official page, so check the Cincinnati Parks page before you plan around it. Local tip: take the overlook at sunset, then drop down into Mt. Adams for dinner.

What are the best free things to do in Cincinnati?

The best free things to do in Cincinnati are the Cincinnati Art Museum, Eden Park, Smale Riverfront Park, Washington Park and the Connector streetcar. You can fill a full day without buying a ticket.

6. Cincinnati Art Museum (Eden Park)

The Cincinnati Art Museum at 953 Eden Park Drive has free general admission and free parking. Typically it is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Thursday hours running until 8 p.m., and closed on Monday. Allow two hours for the highlights.

Special exhibitions can be ticketed, and some galleries close temporarily, so check the museum's visit page. Local tip: pair it with Eden Park, since both are a short walk apart, and use the Thursday late hours for an evening visit.

7. Smale Riverfront Park (Downtown and The Banks)

Smale Riverfront Park runs along the Ohio River at the foot of Downtown, and it is where Cincinnati comes to look at the water. Smale Riverfront Park has a carousel, the Heekin Family-PNC Grow Up Great Adventure Playground, a cascading waterfall and a labyrinth; the City of Cincinnati posts park hours, including separate hours for visitors under 18, on its park page. Plan an hour, longer with children.

The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge crosses the Ohio River beside the park. The bridge opened on January 1, 1867, and its 1,057-foot span made it the longest bridge in the world at the time, according to the bridge's own site. Local tip: walk out onto the bridge for the skyline view back toward the park, but check the bridge site first, because inspections and repairs sometimes close it. The river crossing leads to Covington, Kentucky, which is outside Cincinnati, so turn back on the Ohio side if you want to stay inside the city.

8. Washington Park (Over-the-Rhine)

Washington Park at 1230 Elm Street sits at the center of Over-the-Rhine, and it is the easiest place to sit down in the neighborhood. Plan an hour, or an afternoon if there is an event. The park's official site lists free events and the Sherwin-Williams Porch, a covered gathering space of 2,926 square feet beside the dog park, with seasonal porch hours posted on the park's website.

Local tip: bring a coffee from a nearby shop and take in the old brick buildings around the park before heading to Music Hall.

9. The Connector streetcar (Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, The Banks)

The Connector is Cincinnati's free streetcar, and it that runs a 3.6-mile loop from The Banks through Downtown to Over-the-Rhine. The City of Cincinnati lists the fare as free every day, with service 365 days a year. Typically it runs Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Local tip: ride the full loop once as a cheap 36-minute-or-so orientation, then hop off wherever looks good. Schedules and the route map are on the City of Cincinnati streetcar page.

Where should you spend an evening in Cincinnati?

Spend your evening on the streetcar loop: Over-the-Rhine for music and dinner, Downtown for Fountain Square, and The Banks for the river. All three stay lively after dark and sit on the same free line.

10. Cincinnati Music Hall (Over-the-Rhine)

Cincinnati Music Hall in Over-the-Rhine is the city's landmark concert hall, and you can see inside it even without a concert ticket. The indoor Backstage and Beyond tour, led by Friends of Music Hall guides, runs 90 minutes on scheduled dates, with new dates added each month. Ticket sales end three hours before each tour starts.

Prices and dates are on the tour pages at Cincinnati Arts. Local tip: book the tour for the afternoon and walk across to Washington Park afterward.

11. Fountain Square (Downtown)

Fountain Square at 520 Vine Street is the plaza at the center of Downtown, and it changes with the season: an ice-and-lights feel in winter, outdoor events in warmer months. Many of its events are free, and it is a natural meeting point because the streetcar passes nearby.

In the colder months the Square typically runs a seasonal Winterhaus and a Fountain of Lights show that sparkles every 15 minutes in the evening. Check the Fountain Square site for current programming. Local tip: come at dusk, when the lights show works best and the square is busiest without being crowded.

12. American Sign Museum (Camp Washington)

The American Sign Museum at 1330 Monmouth Avenue in Camp Washington is a museum of vintage neon and commercial signs, and it is the pick for anyone who has already seen the headline attractions. Typically it is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Monday and Tuesday. It closes on Thanksgiving. Allow 90 minutes.

Adult admission is typically $20, seniors 65 and older $15, and children 12 and under are free. There is a free on-site parking lot. Local tip: it is a short drive from Findlay Market, so pair the two on a Wednesday-to-Sunday day. Details are on the museum's site.

Save this: a two-day Cincinnati route

• Day 1 morning: Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, rotunda first.
• Day 1 afternoon: Findlay Market for lunch, then Washington Park and Music Hall in Over-the-Rhine.
• Day 1 evening: Streetcar to Fountain Square, then dinner Downtown.
• Day 2 morning: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, arriving at opening.
• Day 2 afternoon: Eden Park overlook and the Cincinnati Art Museum.
• Day 2 evening: The Banks and Smale Riverfront Park, with the Roebling Suspension Bridge at sunset.
• Swap in: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (Wednesday to Sunday) or the American Sign Museum.

How do you get around?

The Connector streetcar covers Downtown, Over-the-Rhine and The Banks for free. For the zoo, Union Terminal and Eden Park, drive, ride a taxi or use Metro, the regional bus agency, whose routes are on go-metro.com. For more places to eat between stops, see food and dining listings, and for what is on this weekend, see events.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top things to do in Cincinnati?

The top things to do in Cincinnati are the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Findlay Market and Eden Park. After those, spend an evening in Over-the-Rhine, Downtown and The Banks.

How many days do you need in Cincinnati?

Two days covers the main attractions in Cincinnati: one for Union Terminal, Findlay Market and Over-the-Rhine, and one for the zoo, Eden Park and the riverfront. A third day lets you add the Freedom Center and the American Sign Museum.

What are free things to do in Cincinnati?

Free things to do in Cincinnati include Findlay Market, Eden Park, Smale Riverfront Park, Washington Park, the Connector streetcar and general admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Special exhibitions and some tours cost extra.

Is the Cincinnati streetcar free?

Yes, the Connector streetcar is free every day, according to the City of Cincinnati. It runs a 3.6-mile loop connecting The Banks, Downtown and Over-the-Rhine.

Is Findlay Market open on Mondays?

No, Findlay Market is typically closed on Mondays. It is open Tuesday through Sunday, with the outdoor farmers market on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Check the official site for current hours.

Which Cincinnati museums are closed on Mondays?

The Cincinnati Art Museum, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the American Sign Museum are typically closed on Mondays. The Freedom Center and the American Sign Museum are also closed Tuesdays. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is typically open daily.