Must-See Attractions and Destinations in Cincinnati, Ohio

Jul 17, 2025

If you’re looking for a vacation getaway without the long travel time or a plane ticket, look no further than Cincinnati, Ohio! In less than 6 hours, you and your family can be off to a new city to explore, learn, and make some memories. Cincinnati is perfect for a long-weekend getaway, and we’re here to get you started with some must-see attractions.

Cincinnati boasts an incredible arts and creative scene with numerous museums, galleries, and artist collectives, and a whopping 8 different venues to enjoy music and theatre. The up-and-coming culinary scene is a vibrant blend of traditional cultural foods and innovative modern fusion, along with local favorites like the traditional Cincinnati-style chili! Each neighborhood in the city has curated its own roster of stellar eateries, bars, bakeries, and cafes along with craft breweries and distilleries. So, as you can see, it’s certainly a great one-stop destination for everyone in your travel party!

The incredible Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market! We love the opportunity to shop and support local, and this is certainly the place to visit with many of the participating businesses being a multi-generational establishment. With a seasonal farmers market, dozens of vendors offering plants and flowers, pet goods, produce, meat, cheese and dairy, baked goods and artisan desserts, takeout options and restaurants, it’s a shopping and culinary adventure for everyone to enjoy.

Cincinnati Art Museum has an outstanding collection of permanent pieces with more than 73,000 works of art and numerous rotating exhibits each year. The museum’s focus covers 6,000 years of creativity and art across the ages. Current visiting exhibits include “Farm to Table: Food and Identity in the Age of Impressionism”, “Tintoretto’s Genesis” and “Cycle Thru! The Art of the Bike”. The museum has also formed the Art Bridges Cohort Program, wherein it loans and rotates artworks with a group of 5 other museum collections, creating programming and exhibits that house works from all 6 facilities.

Krohn Conservatory is located in Eden Park, and is host to multiple floral shows every year, including the Gothica Botanica Butterfly show! The Conservatory showcases more than 3,500 plant species from around the world including rare and exotic specimens. Plan to spend at least 2 hours here exploring the different environments including desert plants, tropical plants, curated rare orchids, carnivorous plants, exotic fruit trees, and so much more.

The American Sign Museum celebrates more than a century of unique American signage in its nearly 20,000 square feet of museum space. From antique electric signs to hand-painted and gold-leafed neons, and modern signage with plastic and LEDs. There is also a permanent collection of more than 1,000 sign-related books and research material in the Sign Museum Library (by appointment only, and is free with admission!)

Loveland Castle Museum is also known as Chateau Laroche, located on the banks of the Little Miami River in Loveland Ohio near Cincinnati. This unique home was designed by medieval enthusiast Harry D Andrews in the late 1920s, and features an interior packed with interesting collectibles and aesthetics. The extensive sword craft and weapons exhibits are a great look back into the Middle Ages, and you’ll find plenty of coordinating medieval architecture to go along with it. It’s a truly memorable experience.

The Lucky Cat Museum (or Mewseum) is a quirky, unique attraction available by appointment only, but it’s worth a visit as we are sure you’ll never see anything like it! The Ohio Lucky Cat Museum is a unique collection of decorative feline figurines known as the Maneki-neko, a luck symbol in Japanese culture. This little roadside museum has collected just about every iteration of this feline icon! Amongst the collectibles you’ll find plushies and toys, bespoke artist sculptures, and more – all in all there are more than 2,000 Lucky Cats on display to peruse!

The Contemporary Arts Center has been a part of the community for more than 75 years! The center has free daily admission, and is chock full of modern and contemporary artworks of all kinds. Current experiences and exhibitions include “Jayson Musson: His History of Art”; “Untitled” (L.A) by Felix Gonzalez-Torres; Kahlil Robert Irving: Ground Water from screen Falls [(Collaged media)+Midwest] Street; live performances and special event festivals; and numerous tours both guided, group, and audio/video options.

The Mushroom House is a strange feat of architectural creativity, located in the Hyde Park Neighborhood, and designed by architectural professor Terry Brown. The home was transformed in the early 90s through early 00s to transform his typical suburban home into something truly unique. Using carefully crafted and amended shingles, Brown created the look of a mushroom or fungi with decorative bulbous roofing and a glass-walled sunroom. While Brown passed away in 2008, the home has been maintained as a local architectural oddity and staple landmark.

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park is located in nearby Hamilton, Ohio, and covers 470 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds highlighting 70 different outdoor sculptures! This non-profit park is not only an outdoor art gallery experience, but also includes a “Pioneer House” from the 1820s, the “Ancient Sculpture Museum”, an antiques collection, and a contemporary art gallery for rotating exhibitions. It’s a great place to bring the whole family!