What are some of the best things to do in Cincinnati?

Cincinnati is home to two professional level sports teams in baseball (Cincinnati Reds) and football (Cincinnati Bengals), not to mention several college teams who play football, basketball, or baseball. There is also the minor league hockey team, Cincinnati Cyclones, so there are plenty of sports events to attend throughout the year. Cincinnati also has some great museums, such as the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, Taft Museum, and the Cincinnati Museum Center, which houses the Cincinnati History Museum, Museum of Natural History and Science and the Cinergy Children's Museum. King's Island, the largest amusement and water park in the Midwest is located in the suburbs of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati is also home to world-class music with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops. You can attend their concerts at historic Music Hall and in the summer at the outdoor amphitheater, Riverbend. If nature is more your thing, you can visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, the Krohn Conservatory (which holds a butterfly show every Spring), or jaunt across the river to visit the Newport Aquarium. After a visit to the aquarium, you can enjoy the shopping and dining options at Newport on the Levee.

There are also many special events that go on in Cincinnati throughout the year. You can partake of the Cincinnati International Wine Festival or Bockfest Cincinnati in March, Taste of Cincinnati USA on Memorial Day weekend, Cincinnati Fringe Festival in late Spring, Macy's Music Festival in late July, Germania Oktoberfest in late August and Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in September. During the Spring and Summer, there are also many events on Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati, as well as Party in the Park at Yeatman's Cove along the Cincinnati riverfront. These are just a few of the exciting events going on throughout the year in Cincinnati.

-If you're in Cincinnati any time from July 4 to 14, 2012, don't miss the 2012 World Choir Games. It's an international choral competition staged in a number of downtown venues. Participating choirs from around the world will travel to the city for the event's first time in America.

-There's a full schedule of free events that take place on Fountain Square:
--Cinco de Mayo, Reds rallies, Thursday Salsa on the Square and Free Family Movie Nights, to name a few.
-You have to see a Reds and/or a Bengals game.
-The Art Museum has paintings by great masters like Matisse and Rembrandt.
-The Contemporary Art Center is Downtown and has unique works.
-The Zoo has lots of green features including solar collectors above the parking lot to provide power. It's got great animals too.
-If you're into classical music, there's the Symphony Orchestra, Opera and Ballet.
-"Oktoberfest Zinzinnati" in September is the second largest Octoberfest in the world. It's really great if you love German food and beer.
-Check out the public art projects: Artworks' "Big Pig Gig: Do-Re-Wee" and Taft Museum's "Art for All." You'll find examples of both of these on Fountain Square.

There's always something going on in Cincinnati. If you're looking for something that's open year-round, check out the Cincinnati Zoo or any one of the many museums in town. My personal favorite is the Union Terminal Cincinnati Museum Center, which has gerat IMAX films and an awesome children's museum. Their current exhibit is "A Day in Pompeii."

If you're more interested in sports, a Reds or Bengals game is a must-see.

Over-the-Rhine is currently being completely re-built. The neighborhood combines rich Cincinnati history with contemporary entertainment and shopping. New restaurants and bars open every few months, and I highly recommend one of the American Legacy tours offered down there. I did the "Queen City is Haunted" tour through Over-the-Rhine but if that's not quite your taste I have also heard great things about both the "Queen City Underground" tour and the "Civil War Cincinnati" tour.

Mt. Adams is a GREAT neighborhood for nightlife. Have a few drinks at the Blind Lemon or Longworth's, then take a brief walk and stand on the steps of Immaculata Church for a breathtaking view of the city.

Another great place to check out is Newport, KY, which is on the other side of the river. It also offers a spectacular view of the city and is full of great bars, an AMC movie theater, and shopping center. During the day, the Newport Aquarium right on the river is another great place to check out.

Finally, a great place to check for upcoming events or ongoing festivals is this page on the Cincinnati Enquirer's website:
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=ENT

Have fun!