When was the last time you planned date night? Let us help you impress that special someone with a night in Cincy.
For the arts lovers
21c Museum Hotel (photo: 21c Museum Hotel)
Art lovers rejoice: we've got you covered. For a romantic evening downtown, the 21c Museum Hotel is the perfect spot. Relax and refresh in one of the hotel's eclectic rooms, then visit the art museum located a few floors below you. The restaurant inside – the Metropole – is award winning and helped name 21c the #1 hotel in the Midwest by Conde Nast. During the summer months you absolutely MUST check out the rooftop bar for views and unique cocktails.
Contemporary Arts Center (photo: @shamanslife)
Next door to the 21c is the Contemporary Arts Center, a five-story modern art museum featuring rotating installations by some of the world’s greatest contemporary artists. Scoot across the street to the Aronoff Center for the Arts to catch a touring Broadway production or the Cincinnati Ballet. A night at the museum followed by some theater? It doesn't get much better than that!
Boca (photo: Boca)
Just a few blocks away you can dig into an award-winning steak at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. For a more intimate option, turn the corner and walk down to the basement Italian restaurant Sotto. For an even more upscale experience, look for the iconic red door of Boca, one of the most elegant restaurants in town. With French and Italian influences, you'll have an unforgettable meal with impeccable service.
Top of the Park at Residence Inn (Photo: OMS Photography)
As an alternative lodging option, check out the Residence Inn Cincinnati Downtown hotel. Grabbing a cocktail and a bite at Top of the Park, the hotel's rooftop bar, is a must-do. You don't want to miss those beautiful views of the Ohio River, iconic bridges, and Cincy skyline.
Check out the hottest spots in town
Jazz lounge at Symphony Hotel and Restaurant (photo: Symphony Hotel and Restaurant)
Looking for something a little more under the radar, but exceedingly hip? A weekend in Over-the-Rhine is right up your alley. We suggest booking a room at the Symphony Hotel, which features live jazz music in an 1871 home converted to a boutique hotel.
Sundry and Vice (photo: Wendy Pramik)
This puts you within walking distance of endless hip restaurants, swanky bars and neighborhood watering holes. Stop in for a Shiso Painkiller at Longfellow, a laid-back craft cocktail and snack bar that is favored by locals.
A short walk up the street and you'll find Pepp and Dolores, serving up handmade pasta that is to-die-for (we recommend the lemon and pepper Limone). Need a sweet treat? On Main you'll find the Buzzed Bull Creamery, a liquid nitrogen ice cream shop that can also spike your scoops!
Getting around in OTR is a piece of cake. Just hop on The Connector streetcar at one of several stops and cruise through the entire city free of charge (yes, it is totally free).
For the quiet romantics
Esquire Theatre (photo: @themadgabber)
Spending a weekend at the Parker House B&B – a Queen Anne-style mansion built in 1819 – is the perfect romantic getaway. A short drive from downtown Cincinnati, it is also directly adjacent to historic Clifton and the Gaslight District. Catch an art house movie at the Esquire Theatre and a quiet Italian dinner at the cozy Biagio’s Bistro where the chef works right out in the dining room.
For a romantic day out, take a short drive south of the Ohio River into California, Ky., to Seven Wells Vineyard. Spanning five acres and more than 3,000 vines, you can enjoy a quiet glass of Cabernet Franc in the hills of rural Northern Kentucky.
For the outdoorsy types
Winton Woods (photo: Great Parks of Hamilton County)
This fair region is replete with public parks and woods, ponds and lakes, camping, and more. Drop a tent at Great Parks of Hamilton County's Winton Woods for the weekend. Spend an afternoon playing a couples round of disc golf at Woodland Mound. Or head over to Sharon Woods for some alone time during a paddle boat ride on the lake.
Fountain Square Ice Rink (photo: CincinnatiUSA.com)
If you come in the winter, hold hands at Fountain Square on the outdoor ice-skating rink and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate. When it warms up again, you can also grab your swim trunks and head down to Fifty West Kayak & Canoe to rent a kayak for some fun on the Ohio River. When that’s over, grab a pint together at the neighboring Fifty West Brewing company.
