Greater Cincinnati Sightseeing

CAREW TOWER

441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
513-241-3888

Built in 1930, downtown Cincinnati's Carew Tower Complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. It includes the 574 feet high Carew Tower office building that includes retail shops and restaurants as well as an open-to-the public observatory atop its 45th floor, the elegant Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza featuring its Hall of Mirrors, and a garage. The building is one of the finest examples of the Art Deco style remaining in the country.

CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF THE ASSUMPTION

1140 Madison at 12th Street
Covington, KY 41011
859-431-2060

This gorgeous, small scale Notre Dame has to been seen to be appreciated. Among its highlights: gargoyles and flying buttresses of French Gothic design, the world's largest stained glass window, mural-sized oil paintings, and exquisite mosaics from Venus.

CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY CENTER

3489 Observatory Place
Cincinnati, OH 45208
(513) 321-5186

Located in a parklike setting in Mt.Lookout, the Observatory is home to the world's oldest telescope still in use nightly by the general public. The Cincinnati Observatory Center presents free lectures and telescope viewing on most Thursday evenings. The observatory is also open for public stargazing on most Friday nights and many Saturday nights for a nominal charge per person.

FINDLAY MARKET

1801 Race Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 665-4839

Open year-round: Tuesday-Friday 9-6, Saturday 8-6, Sunday 10-4. Ohio's oldest pen-air market. In continuous operation since 1852. Famous for fresh produce and meats. Features 2 dozen indoor merchants year round. From April through November there are dozens of outdoor vendors, a farmers' market, and numerous special events.

ISAAC M. WISE TEMPLE

720 Plum Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-793-2556

It was from this building that Rabbi Isaac M. Wise founded the institutions of Reform Judaism. Built in 1866, it was designed by James Keyes Wilson, a prominent American architect and first president of the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The Isaac M. Wise Temple downtown reflects a synagogue architectural style that had emerged in Germany in the nineteenth century, a Byzantine-Moorish style. Only one other building with this architectural style still exists, a synagogue in New York. All other examples were destroyed by Hitler.

KROHN CONSERVATORY

Eden Park Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-352-4086

The lush Krohn Conservatory is located in Cincinnati's beautiful Eden Park and is one of the largest public greenhouses in the world. Open year-round, it contains over many varieties of exotic, tropical and desert plants, as well as floral shows.

MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE

616 Main St
Covington, KY 41011
859-491-0458

Designated a national historic district, this historic 19th century village offers a collection of unique shops and restaurants set in a neighborhood of parks, and Victorian and classic Italianate homes of the mid to late 1800s. The area now includes the 100 foot Carroll Chimes Bell Tower, the Goose Girl Fountain, and the Northern Kentucky Visitors Center.

ST. MARY'S NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

123 E 13th Street
Cincinnati, OH 45210
513-721-2988

Built in 1842 by German immigrants, this Over-the-Rhine church is now home to a diverse congregation of 200 families. It holds mass in Latin, German and English. Tours are available.

NEWPORT ON THE LEVEE

Newport, KY 41071
859-291-0550

One of Northern Kentucky's most popular hotspots, Newport on the Levee has something for everyone. In a fun atmosphere overlooking the Cincinnati skyline, the Levee has a variety of restaurants, shops and places to play including the renowned Newport Aquarium, a movie theatre, GameWorks, Funny Bone, and more.

PURPLE PEOPLE BRIDGE

The Purple People Bridge is a pedestrian walkway, and the longest connector of its kind in the country that links two states. Just over a mile long, the landmark is a seamless link to entertainment, dining, nightlife, sports, parks, and festivals on both the Ohio and Kentucky borders. You can access the Purple People Bridge on Third Street in Newport, Kentucky and on Pete Rose Way near Sawyer Point in downtown Cincinnati.

WORLD PEACE BELL

4th and York Streets
Newport, KY 41071
859-581-2971

Installed in 1999 at the Millennium Monument in Newport, Kentucky, the World Peace Bell is the world's largest free-swinging bell weighing 66,000 pounds. It is a symbol of freedom and peace and swings everyday at noon. The bell was designed and cast by the world renowned Verdin Company in association with Pierre Paccard in Annecy, France.

Tours and Sightseeing

RIDE THE DUCKS

(859) 815-1439

Ride the Ducks Newport is a unique way to tour the streets and riverfront of Cincinnati. The 60-minute amphibious sightseeing experience allows guests to explore the Newport, Covington and Cincinnati waterfronts while also taking in sites such as Great American Ballpark, Paul Brown Stadium, the World Peace Bell and more. Tickets can be purchased at Newport on the Levee in front of the Newport Aquarium.

ARCHITEKS - CINCINNATI WALKS

(513) 721-4506

These walking tours, presented by the Cincinnati Preservation Association, give a glimpse into some of the city's most historic neighborhoods. Regularly scheduled tours include Mt. Adams, Findlay Market/Brewing District, Over-the-Rhine, Downtown Cincinnati and more. For those visiting Cincinnati, they will create a tour combining highlights of their North and South Downtown tours if requested at least one week in advance. Tours run May through October. Reservations are not required, but there is a fee for the tours.

Ohio River Cruises

BB RIVERBOATS

One Madison Ave
Covington, KY 41011
859-261-8500

A popular tourist attraction, BB Riverboats offers wonderful sightseeing along the Ohio River in sightseeing, lunch, dinner and moonlight cruises. BB also is available for private charter parties.

CELEBRATIONS RIVERBOATS, INC.

848 Elm Street
Ludlow, KY 41016
513-931-6752

Celebrations Riverboats offers a unique and fun-filled experience for gatherings up to 400 people. Traveling in Celebrations' The Queen cruise ship is a great way of experiencing the Ohio River. Friendly staff, dancing, catered food, ambiance, and more!

QUEEN CITY RIVERBOATS

303 Dodd Drive
Dayton, KY 41074
859-292-8687

Queen City Riverboats offers scenic three-hour lunch, dinner or sightseeing excursions in an authentic paddlewheel, Spirit of Cincinnati, or in the larger The Clipper pulled by a tug. Both boats have been featured in Cincinnati's grand Tall Stacks events. The boats are also available for private parties.

SATISFACTION CRUISES

4609 Kellogg Ave #15
Cincinnati, OH 45226
513-231-9042

Voted the best boat charter of 2003 by Cincinnati Magazine, Satisfaction Cruises offers a perfect setting for private gatherings on gorgeous yachts that travel the Ohio River. It is a complete event planning facility that customizes meals, themes and entertainment to each client's needs. Also available is the company's Panama Landing Clubhouse is a historic stable house with a panoramic view of the river.

Outlying Areas

WAYNESVILLE, THE ANTIQUES CAPITAL OF THE MIDWEST

P.O. Box 281, Waynesville, OH 45068
Phone: (513) 897-8855

35 antique shops, specialty shops, art galleries, restaurants, lodging. Home of October Ohio Sauerkraut Festival, "Christmas in the Village" 3 week celebration between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

PYRAMID HILL SCULPTURE PARK

222 High Street Ste 201
Hamilton, OH 45011
513-868-8336K

On 265 acres overlooking the Great Miami River, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum brings together landscape and art in natural galleries surrounded by beautiful meadows and woodlands. It includes an outdoor amphitheatre, seven lakes surrounded by gardens, an historic stone home built by pioneers, and an annual seasonal holiday lighting display.